Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare is looking to get back to its roots.
The organization has responded to an expression of interest from the City of Windsor for the former Grace Hospital site at University Ave. Crawford Ave.
According to Hotel-Dieu CEO Janice Kaffer, the plan is for a multi-use development that includes retail space, social services, green space, and residential units.
She says they wanted to find a different way they could service the community.
"We have a knowledge and a deep and abiding history of our community, and so what we decided to do with all that was to look for opportunities to invest in areas in our community which would make our community healthier," says Kaffer. "And not just in a service delivery perspective in terms of the services traditionally thought of by a hospital."
Kaffer says the plan is for the development to benefit the entire community.
"We have some rental properties and we're thinking maybe that would be affordable for young families, maybe it might be for students just down at the University down the street, and we have some town homes at the back of the property that fits in with the residential feel, and a lot of community green space in the middle."
When it comes to cost, Kaffer says no public dollars will be used for the project.
"We do have some revenue streams from parking and some other things like that and over the years we've managed very well and we have some money in the bank," she says. "Those dollars that aren't coming from the Ministry of Health and Longterm Care are the dollars that we will leverage to be able to start up the business trust."
The former Grace Hospital closed in 2003 and was demolished 2012 and the vacant grassy lot is owed by the City of Windsor.
Officials with the City won't comment on other proponents of the space, but Kaffer tells CTV News she believes they are one of six being considered.
Council is expected to hear the proposal from Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare some time in November.