Sudbury General Hospital condo project moving ahead

Sudburians will see some big changes at the old General Hospital this summer, as plans for 210 luxury apartments move forward.

Blasting for the underground parking near the corner of Paris and Facer will begin in the coming weeks and other work on the outside of the hospital, also known as St. Joseph's health centre, will start later this year.

But workers have been busy for the last three years on the inside, getting the 65-year-old landmarkready for its re-birth.

Michael Allen, architect for Panoramic Properties, says he receives regular questions from impatient Sudburians about the project.

"You know, we thank everyone for their patience, because I know everyone is waiting to see what's going to happen with it, but these things take time. They don't happen over night."

The plans are to build 125 apartments on the skeleton of the old hospital and build a new tower with 85 more units.

But while originally they were to all be sold as condominiums, Panoramic Properties President Angelo Butera says some could end up as rental units, depending on the market.

"We have to play it by ear, we start with one condo (tower) and if it sells well, we may proceed," he says.

But during some of the delays in the hospital project, Panoramic has been spending millions turning the old St. Denis School on Regent Street in 64 apartments, plus building three new apartment towers with 175 units off Nesbitt Drive in the south end.

Despite a slump in the local economy, Buterasays he is confident in his investments, because they target a high-end market.

"Because of the product that we're building, it's totally different from what the existing ones are and we have no problem in renting or selling our units. In fact, they get rented way before the completion date."

Panoramic is aiming to have the 210 units in the old hospital ready for tenants by the end of 2017.

But the company expects it's other south end projects, totaling some 240 apartments, to all be on the market by the fall.