When Claire Adamson looks at the Montreal Children's Hospital building, a building just weeks away from becoming obsolete, she sees a space that could enrich or divide her community.

“What’s going to happen is a speculator is going to pick it up for $47 million and then flip it. We’ll see garbage piled up everywhere, boarded up windows and then what could have been a very useful building for Montreal, just left derelict,” said Claire Adamson, neighbourhood resident and spokesperson for a group campaigning to save the five hospital sites.

The Children's building at 2300 Tupper Ave. is up for sale. The 14,000 square-metre site has been appraised at $47.5 million and the MUHC is entertaining bids.

“It's an open process so anybody can put forth a project that makes sense for them and we're looking for the community to bring a project that is meaningful for everybody,” said Richard Fahey, director of public affairs and strategic planning at the MUHC.

The hospital is in the Shaughnessy Village neighbourhood, an area of the city that is undergoing a renaissance. Many in the area are concerned the location and size of the hospital will attract a developer looking to tear it down and put new condos in its place.

The hospital is zoned institutional and city councilor Steve Shanahan says the borough will push to make sure any project will incorporate community services.

“We're going to want to make sure that we use some of the leverage we have to make sure that it reflects some of the community needs,” he said.

What those services will be is still up for discussion, but could include a small library, community centre or a health clinic in there.

Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Canada Daniel Green said demolition should be avoided because of asbestos and mould in the building.

“The best thing to do with the Children's is leave it standing. Remove the asbestos that has to be removed because it is now contaminating the building and change it into community space, so everybody in the area can benefit, not just people that have the money to buy very expensive condos,” he said.

Patients and staff at the Children's are set to move to the Glen site May 24. Potential buyers interested in buying the old building have until July to submit their bids.