The Cromwell Community Board plans to test the property market by trying to sell the Cromwell Medical Centre building.
The board's decision will have to be approved by the Central Otago District Council, which owns the building located on the outer south side of the mall.
In mid-July, the medical centre will move to double-storeyed premises being built by the council, on another council-owned site, a few doors along.
The complex under construction will be the new base for the Central Lakes Trust, which will take over ownership of the building once it is completed.
The medical centre will occupy the lower floor of the building and the trust will use some of the upstairs office space, with the rest available for lease.
Council property officer Brian Taylor told the board yesterday the decision was fairly cut and dried.
"I'm sure you're aware the market isn't as good as it could be so it all depends where the council sees its property investments or whether you want to take a punt and sell it, " he said.
"While not prime retail frontage, the location is nevertheless quite well suited to secondary commercial or service-type activities such as offices, medical or dental surgery and the like," he said.
It had a rateable value of $310,000 but real estate market was now in the buyers' favour, with more vendors than potential buyers across all categories.
Board chairman Neil Gillespie said the board should test the market and if if proved impossible to sell the building for a suitable price, then leasing it should be looked at.
The premises were built during the early 1980s for use as a medical centre as part of the relocation of the Cromwell town centre during the construction of the Clyde dam. lynda.van.kempen@odt.co.nz
