Emails were pouring into Sault Ste. Marie realtor Sam Butkovich's inbox June 11 as one of the choicest pieces of waterfront real estate in the city was put up for sale.
The Sault Area Hospital has placed its former Plummer and General Hospital sites on the market.
Situated on the St. Mary's River with a view of Sault, Michigan and the shipping channel, the 19.27-acre property is listed at $4.9 million on an “as in” basis.
“The zoning is so broad it allows for just about anything, said agent of record Butkovich of RE/MAX Realty, of the C-3 Riverfront zoning, which permits condos, apartments, nursing homes, residential care facilities and office space.
“From the feelers I'm getting on it, the most interest is from people is residential-type development with some commercial...and possibly some long-term care.”
It's been no secret among local developers that the property would eventually come on the market once construction started on the new hospital.
Butkovich said he had been getting unofficial queries from local and out-of-town developers for months. “I've had two calls from Sudbury today, but I expect to be getting calls from everywhere.”
The deadline for bid packages is noon Aug. 15. Any sale must also be approved by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
The property contains the former two hospitals, which front Queen Street, a large parking lot, and three adjoining residential lots on nearby Woodward Avenue.
SAH wants to sell it the whole thing as one property, but the six parcels could be subdivided quite easily, said Butkovich.
An aerial video shoot was done on the weekend to showcase the site to possible suitors.
Though hospital staff and patients vacated the premises for a new facility in the city's north end, nothing is likely to be built on the waterfront site at least until the spring of 2013.
Part of the Plummer is being used as an acute care temporary facility until early 2013. Because of that, the sale of the property will likely be closed in stages. Proceeds will be used to service the hospital's debt.
SAH spokesman Mario Paluzzi said the hospital is flexible on different closing dates for various parcels, but the primary focus is maintaining that elderly transitional care facility.
“Our patients come first and we have to make sure they're well cared for.”
A new 256-bed Extendicare long-term care facility is expected to open in late 2012.
Seeing that property redeveloped for upscale use, while keeping public access, has been of major interest to the city as part of the downtown redevelopment strategy. A pedestrian walking trail crosses the property and there is a boat slip.
City planning director Don McConnell said the city is anxious to work with whoever the new development interests are.
“That's a big site and it's a property that'sgoing to developed in phases over an extended period of time.”
He said homeowners along Queen Street want any new development to fit the character of the neighbourhood. And with the opening of the new hospital, McConnell said it's vital to replace jobs in the city's core. “It's important that the property get redeveloped.”
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