Auction for defunct Mänttä Hospital approaches conclusion in Finland

The auction for the defunct Mänttä Hospital is nearing its conclusion. The Pirkanmaa wellbeing area is selling the hospital buildings in a state of disrepair. The facility ceased operations in December 2014, and the buildings have been vacant for the past three years. The starting price for the auction was set at €10,000, with the highest bid reaching €16,900 on the last morning of the auction. The final offered price requires approval from the Pirkanmaa board and a separate sales decision.

Petri Laurikka, head of real estate at Pirkanmaa wellbeing area, noted that the board has already agreed to proceed with the sale at the proposed price. He pointed out that determining the property’s value can be challenging. “It certainly holds greater value for some buyers, and I hope a buyer will emerge who is willing to pay more,” he said.

Bids made during the auction are binding. If the highest bidder decides to withdraw, they must pay 20% of the bid price, with a minimum penalty of €10,000 to the seller. The auction, hosted on a sales website, will end on Thursday at 4 PM.

Efforts to sell the vacant property have been ongoing for several years. In 2015, two offers were received for the property—€50,000 and €220,000—but neither was accepted. Laurikka stated in March that the hospital should have been sold at that time. He believes the current bid level is sufficient, noting that annual operational costs have been high, making it sensible to divest from the property now.

According to Laurikka, the remote location and the property’s large size may have deterred potential buyers. The current zoning allows for the construction of hospitals, nursing homes, and other social and healthcare-related buildings. He believes that the city of Mänttä-Vilppula is likely open to negotiating zoning changes.