The company, one of New Zealand’s biggest builders, bought the former St James Rest Home in Patten St, Avonside, in 2020 for $2.375 million and lodged plans to turn it into a boarding house, OneRoof reported.
The property had been sitting vacant since the February 2011 earthquake.
Colliers listing agent Courtney Doig told OneRoof the property had been upgraded by Williams Corp and was being sold in a partially restored condition.
“Williams Corp’s original intention was to continue with the repair and lease it as a boarding house,” he said.
“But the process with council took a lot longer than expected. They have had a change of direction, and they want to focus on their core business of (building) townhouses.”
Williams Corp first listed the 4043 sq m property on Patten St in April last year.
It changed agencies at the start of this month and relaunched the listing with Colliers on June 14.
The property has had a of the building interiors but the work is incomplete and the windows are boarded up.
Doig thought it was unlikely a buyer would demolish the buildings.
She told OneRoof: “There is too much value in the residual improvements. I think it will be given a new lease of life. It has been relevelled, replumbed, and rewired.
"It is still a project for an incoming builder, tradesman or developer to finish.”
Doig said Williams Corp was happy to sell the property in its current state or do a build contract with the purchaser and complete the existing project.
She said there was a need for boarding houses in Christchurch, but the property could equally be used as a medical facility.
