Special to Ontario Construction News
Demolition is underway at the former General Hospital on the Sault Ste. Marie waterfront, a site that has sat vacant since the new Sault Area Hospital opened in the Sault’s north end in 2011.
In preparation for the teardown that began June 10 on the waterfront side and will continue through October, Green Infrastructure Partners Inc. has removed 4,007 tonnes of debris including asbestos, the city said in a press release.
Waste materials will be recycled or crushed and buried on site, clearing the way for public waterfront access and potential housing and commercial development, although no specific plans have been announced.
In 2024, Sault Ste. Marie city council agreed to buy the site from real estate developer Italo Ferrari for $4.75 million, then sold the hospital’s renal unit building to local contractor Ruscio Construction for $2 million. Toronto-based Green Infrastructure acquired the remaining property for $1.
GIP is responsible for the estimated $4.6 million demolition cost. The northern Ontario city has contributed $221,000 and waived landfill tipping fees on up to 6,800 tonnes of demolition waste.
Under the agreement, the building must be demolished within 12 months of the sale, followed by a development master plan within 36 months and construction permits within five years.
Sault Mayor Matthew Shoemaker at a recent Chamber event said he expects the city will eventually recover its investment through taxes.
He said potential residential or commercial development could allow the Sault to recover its initial investment within six to 12 years. Over 20 years, projected municipal tax revenue is estimated at $1.2 million to $6.9 million under a medium-density scenario and $15.3 million to $20.9 million under a high-density scenario.
The hospital building just east of the Sault downtown on Queen Street East has fallen into disrepair, with city bylaw officers responding to at least 72 calls about issues such as broken windows and break-ins.
