Though plans have not yet been finalized, the first phase of the project will centre around developing 50 King, said Ali Soufan, president of York Developments.

The residential project for the site will also include some office and retail space, as well as a public component. York Developments also is committed to preserving the historic value of the site, Soufan said.

“Our intention is to enhance what is here, to respect the heritage of the site; that’s Priority 1.” Priority 2, he said, is to create developments that generate “robust economic spin-off,” Soufan said, adding plans for the land will take shape once the Middlesex-London Health Unit vacates 50 King next year.

“We are working on conceptual drawings . . . to come up with a concept that would be a phased concept over the next five or six years,” he said. “In what form, we are still working through that.”

The price of the sale was not made public Wednesday, but Holder said he believed city hall’s offer showed the interest they had in acquiring the properties.

“Whenever one gets into a bidding process – and I don’t know what we offered compared to other parties – but it was a ranking system. From that standpoint, there was no opportunity to come back with a second offer,” he said.

“I am not disappointed that York was successful, I’m just disappointed that we weren’t,” Holder said, describing York Developments as a “community-minded” developer.

For York, part of the appeal came from the different projects happening downtown, such as the $16-million flex street overhaul of Dundas Street and Fanshawe College’s campus in the core, Soufan said. Another consideration was the fact the site already is zoned to allow for the construction of a highrise, a rezoning first sought by the county in 2014.

“We think downtown London has, in recent years, turned a corner, and we believe this will be the epicentre of good development in the downtown,” said Soufan, whose company is currently working on a 31-storey, 266-unit building at 131 King St.

Downtown observers, however, weren’t pleased with the news the historic place, especially the old courthouse, ended up in private hands.

“It’s shocking to think that a building of this nature would end up in the hands of a private developer,” said Jenny Grainger, president of the London branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO).

“Time will tell, but I hope that they are serious about looking after the old courthouse, which is one of the most important heritage buildings in Southwestern Ontario.”

Added Jonathon Bancroft-Snell, a downtown activist who owns a gallery that bears his name:

“This is not being against York Developments. This is the city not paying attention to London’s heritage,” he said. “It’s just another example of city council not having the will. That land should’ve been bought by the city . . . I guess I’m just glad that property ended up in the hands of a reputable developer.”

Part of the problem, Bancroft-Snell, is the city has lost control over how the site is developed, which he said was a missed opportunity to create “something great on the site.”

Holder, however, rebuffed that notion, saying council still has a say in how the site is developed.

“We do have certain authorities on what can or can’t be done based on our zoning. So, we’ve got that,” Holder said.

As for the county, officials called the sale of the properties – only the second time the properties have been sold in the past two centuries after Middlesex County acquired them from the province in the late 1970s – a historic moment.

“Today marks the next chapter in the growth and evolution of these important regional properties,” said Kurtis Smith, the county’s warden.

Wednesday’s announcement brought to an end a months-long process by the county to define the future of these properties, considered by many to be London’s most coveted piece of land.

Discussions about the future of both buildings ramped up earlier this year after the health unit notified the county it was moving to a new location at Citi Plaza on April 1, 2020.

After rejecting several unsolicited offers in October, the county opened up the process and began to accept proposals for the sites.

Money from the sale of the properties will be reinvested in infrastructure projects in the county, officials said.

As part of the agreement signed with York Developments, the county’s administration can remain on the courthouse building for up to four years.

ABOUT THE MIDDLESEX COUNTY COURTHOUSE BUILDING