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One of Belfast's landmark buildings, the Presbyterian War Memorial Hostel, Howard House, located on Howard Street, is to be put up for sale next week together with the adjoining property, Brunswick House.
Both buildings belong to the Presbyterian Church and were build to fulfil the terms of the War Memorial Trust established by the Church in 1919. These terms are now fulfilled at Derryvolgie Hall and the General Assembly at its meeting this June agreed to the sale of the buildings.
Following the First World War the Presbyterian Church decided that the memory of those who had served and died 'could best be honoured by securing that the most precious heritage of the Church, the succeeding generations of youth, should as far as possible be protected from the temptations incidental to the life of a great City.' Thus the idea of the hostel was established, as a place where young people coming to Belfast to study or work could stay in a Christian environment.
Howard House was opened on June 9, 1926 with accommodation for 180 people and proved such a successful venture that an extension, Brunswick House was later opened providing a further 95 bedrooms.
However, the 'Troubles' had a detrimental effect and hastened the growing tendency for young people to gravitate to the University area. The resulting low occupancy of rooms resulted in the hostel incurring large financial loss. Consequently the building was let commercially while investigations were undertaken as to how the original terms of the War Memorial trust could be fulfilled.
Those investigations resulted in the building of Derryvolgie Hall in the university area. This Presbyterian residential accommodation was opened in 1995 and extended in 1996 at a total cost of £2.5m. and has rooms for 90 students and young people.
'We are delighted that the original terms of the War Memorial are still totally fulfilled,' explained Mr Billy Cairns, Co-convener of the War Memorial Hostel Committee. 'Events dictated that the old hostel was no longer viable and with careful planning we have established a very successful way of meeting the desires of Presbyterians of 80 years ago. Derryvolgie has been a really exciting development and under the guidance of Dean of Residence Steve Stockman, it has been well used by the student community and beyond.'
Alan Wilson, Managing Director of Osborne King and Megran who are instructed on behalf of the Church to handle the sale expects keen interest in the property. 'We anticipate strong demand for these centrally located properties which offer substantial development opportunities. The sale is likely to realise in excess of £2.5m.'
The proceeds of the sale will fall under the terms of the trust and as yet the Presbyterian Church has no firm plans as to how this will be fulfilled.
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