Tom’s Court hotel – SA Health’s COVID-19 quarantine hotel – hits the market

Australia’s first coronavirus quarantine facility for infectious COVID-19 patients, which launched in Adelaide’s CBD two months ago, is on the market.

Australia’s first coronavirus quarantine facility for COVID-19 patients in Adelaide’s CBD is being sold amid a booming property market.

Property developers behind Tom’s Court, on King William Street, will this week put it on the market, two months after it launched as an SA Health-managed medi-hotel in the CBD’s south.

While the sale price is unclear, it cost at least $10.1 million to build excluding interior fit out. The 14-level hotel opened in August last year.

Tom’s Court, which taxpayers spent more than $200,000 to modify, became the state’s – and the country’s – only dedicated COVID-positive facility in February.

Authorities extensively upgraded the 72-bed medi-hotel – launched almost three months after first proposed – with “robust” security and overhauled ventilation systems.

An SA Health spokeswoman said the existing State Government contract, the details of which are secret, “will be honoured” after any sale.

Tom’s Court medi-hotel on King William Street is up for sale. Picture Dean Martin

Tom's Court hotel COVID patient facility. (RtoL) Nurse Unit Manager Nikki Clark, Deputy Chief Public Health Officer, Dr Emily Kirkpatrick and Health Minister Wade, in one of the family rooms. Picture Dean Martin

“Tom’s Court will continue to provide its essential services role into the future as an integral part of our mandatory supervised quarantine program,” she said in a statement.

“Hotel quarantine is one of the most important tools we have in the fight to keep South Australians safe from the spread of COVID-19.

“We look forward to working with the new owners to continue keeping SA COVID-safe.”

SA Health-imposed maintenance obligations will transfer, and be enforced, with any new ownership to help SA Health and SA Police compliance checks.

Officials also said “stringent infection control protocols”​, including ongoing COVID-19 surveillance and testing, would continue.

Its current owners, the Karidis Corporation Ltd, are selling all of their local hotel and serviced apartment assets including Tom’s Court.

Chief executive Peter Karidis was unavailable for comment.

But in a statement issued through SA Health, he said the sale “was part of our group’s pivot” to other projects in a post-COVID world.

“We have enjoyed working with, and applaud the collaborative nature of the teams of SA Health and (SA Police) to deliver an Australian-leading critical piece of infrastructure for South Australian COVID management,” he said. Selling agents Colliers had no comment.

Tom's Court hotel COVID patient facility. Lift lobbies with security cameras, separate staff and guest lifts, and sanitising stations on all floors. Picture Dean Martin

SA Health, which initially signed a six-month contract, upgraded ventilation, installed CCTV security cameras, placed laser senses on doors and improved surface cleaning.

Its balconies, opening windows and location near the Royal Adelaide Hospital heavily influenced SA Health’s choice.

The Sunday Mail revealed the medi-hotel program’s six month cost is $41.2 million.

Almost 60 specially-trained SA Health frontline staff and police – but no private security guards – work at the facility, which treats all COVID-19 cases.

The Advertiser last week revealed Peppers medi-hotel, in Waymouth St, was also on the market for at least $75 million.

An official review last year found its poor ventilation may have caused a virus leak, sparking the state’s worst cluster and triggering a snap statewide lockdown.

The SA Health spokeswoman said its Peppers agreement would also be honoured in any sale.

“Peppers will continue to provide its essential services role into the future as an integral part of our mandatory supervised quarantine program,” she said.