The former St. Catherine’s Hospital in Fountain Springs, Schuylkill County, is up for auction.

The website ten-x.com has the 20.69-acre property at 101 S. Broad St., listed for a starting bid of $200,000. As of 2:30 p.m., the current bid was listed as $400,000 with a purchase price of $420,000. The auction started at 11 a.m. Tuesday and goes until between 1 and 2 p.m. Thursday. Each time someone bids the time is extended. Mark Buleziuk is listed as the auctioneer.

The Ashland hospital, known as the first hospital in Schuylkill County, has a long history. In 1879, state legislation was approved to form the State Hospital for Injured Persons of the Anthracite Coal Region at Fountain Springs.

Construction of the new hospital began in May 1880 and was completed in 1882.

Originally the hospital could only accept injured miners, railroad workers and textile workers, in that priority order.

No women or children, or people with serious illnesses, would be accepted as patients until the early 1900s.

The current building was completed in 1967, and the original building was demolished at the same time. The hospital’s name became Ashland State General Hospital over the years.

The starting price was established by a market analysis, broker estimation of value and seller reserve account.

“There is interest,” Craig Dunkle, the listing agent with Marcus and Millichap real estate investment sales and other services, according to its website, marcusmillichap.com, said.

An approved bidder is accepted at the end of the auction. The winning bidder is required to deposit 10 percent of the price, he said. Approximately 30 days after the sale the bidder must pay the total cost, Dunkle said.

A description of the property on the website says it is “an ideal opportunity for any value-added investor. Given the large amount of capital expenditures infused over the past several years, the property is perfectly situated for an adaptive reuse play.”

The six-floor building is 191,858 square feet and has improvements, including “a new natural gas/heating oil dual boiler system, new roofing and electrical systems,” according to the website.

A call to Ten-X was not returned.

The property is owned by MSCG PA SPE LLC, Hollywood, Florida, according to the Schuylkill County Parcel Locator. Ashland Properties sold the property March 13, 2020, to MSCG, records show.