ONE of Young’s most historic and iconic set of buildings - the Mercy Care Centre - is now back on the market - the former Sacred Heart Hospital now being spruiked as a “development opportunity”.
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An advertisement placed in The Canberra Times on March 10 said the two hectare property with several buildings remains in, “excellent original condition”.
According to the advertisement, the complex features two separate large buildings with more than 60 rooms and offers endless development potential to its prospective buyer.
It is said to be suitable for an institution, school, religious group, hotel chain, developers and/or many other business groups.
The site dates back to the early 1900s when, according to John Hamblin’s book Young and Old, Dean Hennessy purchased land bounded by Campbell, Bruce, Demondrille and Berthong Streets with a view to establishing a Catholic Hospital. The foundation stone was laid by Bishop Gallagher on November 20, 1910 and a year later, on November 12, 1911, he returned to open the Sacred Heart Hospital.
It was run by the Sacred Heart Order until 1923 when it became a Sisters of Mercy facility.
The property was decommissioned due to the overwhelming maintenance costs and was eventually purchased by property developers Angelo Doukas and Trevor Callaway however, The Young Witness understands Mr Callaway has since departed the property partnership.
But back in 2007 it looked like the site would become the new home of a nine million dollar multi-storey subdivision consisting of a 93 unit self-care aged living complex. This was a revamp on an original proposal put to Young Shire Council by Mr Callaway in 2005.
The new plans were brought into line with council requests that the design better utilised the attributes of the site as well as the established gardens.
Among the range of changes he included in the revised plan was a total redesign of a seniors living complex, a proposal to convert the former convent to a boutique hotel and redevelopment of the hospital complex into a recreation, amenity and support complex for the site and for the town’s residents.
The plans indicated that five groups of six, two and three bedroom units would be established as well as a common pool with a residence for an on-site manager.
At the time Mr Callaway said the new development “exceeded” all of the criteria council had recommended.
With the development approved by council, it is understood the high cost of the development prevented it from going ahead.
Mr Doukas was yesterday in a meeting and unavailable for comment but is expected to contact The Witness today. There is no price set on the property.
