BAY VIEW HOSPITAL, 23200 Lake Ave., BAY VILLAGE, was the area's west side osteopathic medical center from 1948 until 1981. Bay View Hospital's origins go back to 21 Sept. 1935, opening day for the Cleveland Osteopathic Hospital and Clinic at 3146 Euclid Ave. Occupying the renovated George Hall mansion, built in 1874, the hospital provided the area's first common base for the 47 osteopathic physicians then in local practice. Dr. Richard A. Sheppard was the hospital's founder and chief of staff.
Cleveland Osteopathic Hospital soon found itself outgrowing the converted facility, and plans were laid to replace the downtown hospital with a new building, as well as open a west side facility. In 1947 Sheppard purchased the 24-room Washington H. Lawrence family mansion on Lake Ave. for $75,000, and after spending another $350,000 for renovations, the Bay View Hospital (osteopathic), with 75 beds, was dedicated on 3 Oct. 1948. Plans for a new downtown facility were dropped, but the old Euclid Ave. building served as a clinic until 1956, when it was closed and sold to a developer. In 1953 Bay View Hospital added a two-story annex, raising the number of beds to 110. A service wing was added in 1956, and another wing was opened in 1963, raising the beds to 126.
By 1970 Bay View was ready to expand again, but the Metropolitan Health Planning Corp. did not approve its plans. Rather, it advocated a new facility which would be jointly served by both medical and osteopathic staff. As a result, Bay View agreed to become a partner in what would become a new ST. JOHN & WEST SHORE HOSPITAL, at 29000 Center Ridge Rd. Bay View Hospital closed on 1 Mar. 1981.