The visions for the future of the 306-acre Dorothea Dix Hospital campus near downtown Raleigh have been many -- from those of local citizens who see a once-in-a-lifetime chance to anchor a big park near the city's core to developers who see multi-use projects, and money. Now Governor Easley weighs in with a proposal to build a $173 million office complex for the state Department of Health and Human Services. He'd take 25 acres of Dix land to do that.

The hospital is set to close next year, and a group of legislators -- who will determine the fate of the property -- has been working on what to do. One of them, Sen. Janet Cowell of Raleigh, wasn't pleased with Easley's idea and understandably so. Cowell said she was surprised by the notion, and distressed that the governor, known as a rather independent sort, would come forward with the proposal even as lawmakers are still seeking citizen input.

She's right. And what about those who want the land, all of it, to go toward a park for the city of Raleigh, which would need to buy the property from the state, probably for at least $40 million? That would be a good outcome as a way to preserve valuable open space near the city's heart. Actually, there should be no rush to decide what to do with the Dix property for eternity. For now, should the city acquire the property and forestall development, city leaders could continue to gather ideas as to how to make the Dix land work best for the citizens.

That could mean a Central Park kind of space, with walking trails and athletic fields and other attractive outdoor venues for games and gatherings. But the possibilities would be many and exciting.

If, as the governor suggests, a good-sized chunk of 25 acres were designated for a state building (and there are Dix buildings already on the property), the future would face limits. A project of that size -- 771,200 square feet in a building off Lake Wheeler Road -- would affect planning for the rest of the land. It would thus be better to keep all the land together while considering what to do in the present and certainly in the future. Certainly adding another big building, plus a parking deck, would go in the wrong direction.

It's not that the governor is off-base in wanting to consolidate Health and Human Services offices, which would be a good idea. But bringing Dix into the picture, even though the department already has a sizable presence there, simply isn't the best option, given other locations that could be used.

And frankly, Cowell makes a good point in saying that the money for such a building would be better spent going directly to services for the mentally ill, who have not gotten their share of help for years. (The same is true regarding the money that Raleigh might pay to the state to buy the land.)

In this case, the governor seems to have chosen the simplest, easiest path to accomplish what he wants to accomplish with Health and Human Services -- cut off a slice of Dix property and put offices on it. But that's not the best path for the Capital City or the state, which can use the property to create a showplace for nature and a welcome retreat for all citizens.

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