North Bay Civic Hospital coming down

[Rick (Admin)]

North Bay Civic Hospital coming down






NORTH BAY - Two years after the North Bay Regional Health Centre opened on Highway 17, demolition crews are razing the former North Bay Civic Hospital on Scollard Street.

The Scollard site, and the former St. Joseph's General Hospital on McLaren Street, were sold in 2011 to Sudbury developers for $5,000.

Hospital officials said at the time of the sale the alternative was spending $3 million to $4 million to demolish the two old buildings to meet environmental and safety standards, before there was any hope of selling the four hectares of land the buildings sat on. The developers -- ARG Devco and the Walford Group -- have said in the past they are planning to use the sites for residential developments.

The former North Bay Psychiatric Hospital on Highway 11, north of the city, has also been demolished.

All three facilities were replaced by the $1-billion (construction, interest and maintenance over 30 years) health centre in January 2011.

The Walford Group owns retirement facilities in Sudbury, Thunder Bay and Timmins. Celia Teale, development manager for ARG Devco, was not available for comment Tuesday. She said in a previous interview the former Civic Hospital site will be used for residential development, but a decision hasn't been made on the former St. Joseph's hospital.

Eastview Development Ltd. purchased two other vacant buildings -- Nipissing Building and Cooper House -- in 2010 for more than $1 million. Both are located at the site of the former St. Joseph's hospital.

John Lechlitner, of Eastview Development, said some tenants have already moved into the Nipissing Building -- the former treatment centre -- and more tenants are being sought for the office facility.

The Cooper House, a single-family dwelling, is also being rented out, Lechlitner said.


www.nugget.ca/2013/02/06/civic-coming-down

[Rick (Admin)]

Hospital lands to be redeveloped


NORTH BAY - A mixture of residential development including single and semi detached homes and condominiums is proposed for the former Civic hospital site on Scollard Street.

A rezoning application to allow the redevelopment plan to move forward is scheduled to go before the city's planning advisory committee April 3.

The proposal would see 11 single detached homes, eight semi-detached dwellings and 29 condominiums, including 17 townhouses and 12 vacant land condos constructed. A notice of the application, which seeks to rezone the site from institutional to residential, recently went out to area property owners, advising them of the meeting.

Coun. Dave Mendicino, chairman of community services, said there's been a lot of interest regarding the future use of the former hospital site, especially since the old building was recently demolished.

“It's rare that a property of that size would become available in the centre of the city,” said Mendicino, noting the city has already received a number of enquiries regarding the proposal. “It's an entire city block.”

Under the proposal, Lavery Street would be extended to essentially bisect the property. On one side of the extended street would be the 17 townhouse condominiums, and on the other would be the 12 vacant lands condos.

Vacant land condos are single family homes that are situated on lands owned by a condominium corporation. The homeowner purchases the building, but not the property. The Lavery Street extension would be a private street owned and maintained by the condominium corporation.

The 11 single detached homes would front onto Scollard Street and the eight semi-detached dwellings would front Vimy Street.

Mendicino said the plan offers a good mix of development that should appeal to various markets.

He said the proposal is a “classic” example of infilling, or the use of land within a built-up area already equipped with municipal services.

In addition, Mendicino said the development of 48 residential properties will mean additional tax revenue for the city, compared to what was received from the former hospital.

Hospitals, colleges, universities and other such institutions are exempt from property taxes and instead pay a heads and beds fee based on the number of beds or enrolment which is typically far less than taxes based on currently market assessment.

The developers, ARG Devco and Walford Group, purchased the former Civic and McLaren hospital properties for $5,000 in 2011. Hospital officials said at the time of the sale the alternative was spending $3 million to $4 million to demolish the two old buildings to meet environmental and safety standards before there was any hope of selling the 10 acres of land on which the buildings sit.

An ARG representative said in a previous interview the Scollard site is intended for residential development, but a decision hasn't been made on the McLaren site.

The Walford Group owns retirement facilities in Sudbury, Thunder Bay and Timmins.


www.nugget.ca/2013/03/21/hospital-lands-to-be-redeveloped