THE former Drysdale building has become the new home of Health Department employees while the Launceston General Hospital is being redeveloped.
The department took control of the building when the Tasmanian Polytechnic lease ended in June.
The Polytechnic had used it as a cooking school for many years before the new Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality Training Centre on Paterson Street opened.
The department's asset management services acting director Greg Cooper said about $51,000 of minor refurbishment works was undertaken for department staff to move in.
''A major reason for purchasing the site was to allow for space to be freed up within the LGH precinct while the LGH undergoes the $105-million redevelopment,'' Mr Cooper said.
''LGH staff who currently occupy soon-to-be redeveloped spaces will be able to work from this building while the vital redevelopment work continues, meaning it serves both a practical and strategic purpose.''
Mr Cooper said up to 25 staff from Disability and Family Services and the E-Health program were now located in the building.
He said the project team kept costs as low as possible by working within the existing building configuration and centred on electrical and mechanical modifications, installation of IT infrastructure, and minor building and remedial works.
The Education Department sold it back to the Health Department in December 2010 for $2.3 million.
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