REDEVELOPMENT works valued at $14 million at Ryley Street's St Catherine's aged care facility are on track to be completed by December next year.
"At the moment, the front of the building, including the administration area and ground floor nurses' station, and a first level large room/office and hairdressing space, have all been demolished," St Catherine's chief executive officer Adrian Johnstone said.
"In the next four to six weeks, people will start seeing movement on expansion works around the new building frontage and vehicle access.
"This will provide a much better drop-off area for families at the front of the building, and will open up into an inviting reception and waiting area, with a café/wine bar for residents and their families, which in turn will open up into an alfresco area.
"Upstairs, there will be a large loungeroom able to seat up to 100 people, with a bar area and an outdoor terrace space which should create a bit of 'wow' factor."
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Mr Johnstone said the development was designed to move with the industry direction towards a hotel-style model of aged care accommodation.
"It will be a model where people plan to live in this style of accommodation," he said.
"The writing has been on the wall for some time that this is the direction the industry is going to go, towards a hotel environment, and what we're putting in place is aimed at that.
"The committee and the management team are very proud of and extremely happy with the quality work being completed by Rob Humphreys and his team (from R&R Quality Homes and Commercial Construction), and the fact that a lot of the contracts are going to Wangaratta-based workers."
Work on the project started in February, 2020 with refurbishment of all resident rooms at St Catherine's, and is expected to be completed by December, 2025.
While works are under way, administration staff and the entry to the facility have been relocated to the former convent building (St Brigid's Centre) adjoining the St Catherine's building on Ryley Street.
St Catherine's will occupy this building until works are completed at the end of next year.
"Beyond that, we are looking at whether we can repurpose the building for further residential care; the layout is one element, as well as the cost to refurbish, the historic nature of the building, and working out the needs of the Catholic church, which owns the building," Mr Johnstone said.
He said while there had been the usual short-term pain associated with any redevelopment, the St Catherine's community was excited by the promise of the works, especially when viewing artist's impressions of the project.
