The Central Otago District Council has decided to dip its toes into the Cromwell property market.
The council has ratified a decision by the Cromwell Community Board to offer the Cromwell Medical Centre building for sale once vacant.
The building, on the south side of the mall, will be empty in mid-July when the centre moves to new premises on a council-owned site a few doors along.
The council is constructing a double-storeyed building, with the medical centre on the ground floor and the base for the Central Lakes Trust upstairs. The trust will take ownership of the building once it is completed.
"We've looked at the options for this building, whether we sell it or get new tenants in, and we thought we'd try first to sell it," Cr Neil Gillespie said at this week's council meeting.
Cr Gillespie, who is also the chairman of the community board, said leasing was the next option if the property failed to sell.
The premises were purpose-built as a medical centre during the early 1980s as part of the relocation of the town centre during the construction of the Clyde dam. It has a floor area of 182sq m and a rateable value of $310,000.
In his report to the council, property officer Brian Taylor said the real estate market at present favoured buyers, with more vendors than potential buyers across all categories.
