Provincial Release:
After evaluating several options, the province has decided to put the Joseph Howe Building in Halifax up for sale.
The building will be turned over to a new owner after the province assumes ownership in 2012.
"Given the improvements that are required, it was determined that selling the Joseph Howe Building is the most cost efficient option for the province," said Bill Estabrooks, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal. "Selling the building also provides the option of leasing space in a renovated building from the new owner or moving government operations to a new location."
The building houses the Department of Health, Speaker's Office, Human Rights Commission, Voluntary Planning, Security Commission and Intergovernmental Affairs.
In anticipation of the ownership transfer, an assessment was carried out and concluded the building requires $36 million in renovations and upgrades. The costs are expected to be higher than leasing similar space in the downtown core after 2012.
Preparing for a sale now ensures government can act quickly once the transfer occurs, while making plans for possible relocation of staff in the building.
In 1987, the province signed a 25-year lease agreement with an option to buy the building, which was exercised in 1989.
