A private hospital operator wants to transform the vacant Australian Taxation Office in Wollongong into a 60-bed hospital with a "luxury hotel feel".
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The "Grand Pacific Private Hospital" would feature six operating theatres, a rehabilitation facility with therapy pool, radiology and pathology services, a pharmacy and consulting suites.
Specialities would be dictated by demand, although they would most likely include ear, nose and throat surgery; ophthalmology and orthopaedic surgery.
The state-of-the-art facility would be developed by the team behind one of Sydney's newest private hospitals and - subject to approvals - could be open in early 2016.
Ear, nose and throat surgeon Dr Peter Kalish; property developer Howard Rom and accountant Brad Rom have already co-developed East Sydney Private Hospital in Woolloomooloo.
The team has secured another site in Gregory Hills (Narellan) and is set to start building a private hospital there. The Wollongong site would be the third such development.
"We design boutique hospitals with a luxury hotel feel that are built with a lot of involvement by the doctors themselves," Howard Rom said.
"A lot of hospitals are so big that the doctors who work there are not a part of the process - part of what we do is to involve them so they are part of management, they are shareholders, they have an investment in the facility.
"I think that's why many doctors want to work with us and why we get offered a lot of opportunities."
It was Wollongong property consultant Paul Myjavec who alerted the team to the potential of the Wollongong site.
As former general manager of South Coast Private, Mr Myjavec was largely responsible for transforming the former Rydges Hotel building in Burelli Street into a premium mental health facility.
When the ATO building - directly opposite the psychiatric hospital - became vacant earlier this year he saw another great opportunity.
"This building lends itself beautifully to reuse as a private hospital," Mr Myjavec said.
"The E-shaped design makes it perfect to refit into three main wards, while there's plenty of space for theatres, recovery and scrub rooms and consulting suites.
"There's also plenty of parking, a generous loading dock and an attractive lobby area."
The central location, near Wollongong railway station and shops, was another bonus.
Mr Myjavec said while Ramsay Health Care's 148-bed private hospital was due to open on Crown Street in 2015, there was plenty of room for another private facility.
"With a population of around 190,000, it's frustrating that Wollongong remains significantly under-bedded," he said.
Mr Myjavec said Illawarra doctors had already shown interest in the project, and many of them would attend a private information evening on site on Friday.
"Doctors can work in the theatres and have consulting rooms upstairs so they're not wasting travel time," he said. "It's also great for patients and visitors who will not have to travel to Sydney.
"Meanwhile it will provide employment opportunities for health workers and other staff and will take pressure off the public hospital system in the region."
