The Government has relaunched a search for new potential uses of a former prison headquarters on Happy Valley Road.

Through a recent notice published on the Government’s procurement website, the Department of Public Lands and Buildings invited expressions of interest for renovating and using the property in Pembroke.

The procurement documents said: “The property comprises of multiple buildings set within approximately 0.215 hectare of site and one of the buildings is being renovated for [the] Government’s internal use — for storage purposes by Department of Public Lands and Buildings.

“The entire property had been used as a hospital and also as prisons headquarters in the past.

“It was built of traditional construction and even though the buildings are considered to be generally structurally sound … extensive renovation works are required to parts of the structure, including roof structures and decorative repairs throughout and renewal of services.

“Consideration will be given to any appropriate or suitable use and necessary renovations for the proposed use.”

The documents added: “The proposal must be based on necessary preliminary survey of the property and proposed works after making necessary planning/development control inquiries.

“No detailed architectural designs shall be required for the submission at this initial ‘expression of interest’ stage, but the proposal will be considered as the basis for detailed renovation proposal that will be required in the subsequent stage, if such initial proposal is considered by the Department of Public Lands and Buildings to be feasible and viable.“

The deadline for submissions is 3pm on August 4.

A similar notice was published in 2021 and reportedly attracted three plans to renovate the property.

A public works ministry spokesman said at the time that the objective behind the request for proposals was to find a tenant willing to refurbish the property at their own cost in return for a “rent-free payback period”.

The building originally served as the Cottage Hospital, which opened its doors in 1894 as the first civilian medical hospital on the island, but became vacant once King Edward VII Memorial Hospital was completed in 1920.

In 1935, the Bermuda Nursing Home moved into the facility and it was renamed the Cottage Hospital Nursing Home, which was vital for the training of Black nurses on the island until it closed in 1957.

Cecille C. Snaith-Simmons highlighted the history of the building in 2021, including the trailblazing alumni of the Cottage Hospital Nursing Home such as Sylvia Richardson, Iris Davis and Leonie Harford.

The site was earlier considered as a potential option for a new emergency housing centre.