Modest corner site not quite what it appears to be

Drivers in Castle St may be forgiven for thinking the new Dunedin Hospital has already been built, albeit in a much smaller format than expected.

• Hospital spend tops $37 million 

A modest building on the corner of Castle and St Andrew Sts has this week been sporting signs that label it as the New Dunedin Hospital.

But the building is not on the block the hospital is expected to be built, nor does it reflect the $1.4billion worth of spending the Government has promised.

Southern Partnership Group chairman Pete Hodgson confirmed yesterday it was not, in fact, the hospital; instead the building was being refurbished to become the site office for the build.

Mr Hodgson said he had already emailed those responsible, and plans were afoot for a further sign noting the building was the site office.

The office was being refurbished, and was due to open later this month.

The likes of architects and engineers would inhabit the office, and he hoped it might also have room for a work skills hub.

Mr Hodgson said the establishment of the office was a good sign of progress in the hospital build, though the sign itself was ''just not quite the right sign''.

david.loughrey@odt.co.nz