Medical staff who are new to Whitehorse have a swanky new place to stay.

Crocus Ridge Residence and the Health Services Facility officially opened Monday afternoon, with Health and Social Services Minister Glenn Hart cutting the ribbon.

"I think this is going to go a long way, after what we had to put our specialists up in previously — they were not the best of surroundings,” said Hart. "This is definitely a step into the 22nd century compared to that.”

The top two floors of the four-storey building are a staff residence, providing temporary accommodations for visiting staff and students, and for new staff while they look for permanent

housing in the city's tight market.

The residence includes 22 bachelor suites, 10 one-bedroom suites and two wheelchair-accessible one-bedroom suites.

The bright, spacious suites are outfitted with everything from appliances to cutlery. Each floor has free laundry and a lounge for residents.

Though Crocus Ridge has just opened, it's already full to capacity.

"We've had nothing but praise from the people who are using (the suites) already,” said Hart.

The building's bottom two floors are still under construction.

When they open this summer, the lower two floors will be occupied by staff with the health and social services department. A daycare facility for Yukon hospital employees will also be located on the first floor.

The previous staff residence, built in 1957, consisted of eight one-bedroom suites and five two-bedroom suites.

It's slated for demolition, despite recent calls from some community groups to use it for shelter for economically disadvantaged Yukoners.

Craig Tuton, who chairs the Yukon Hospital Corp. board, said the residence is something the board has been pursuing for years.

"We have had a very aggressive campaign in helping to move our facility into the future,” he said.

"We're not finished by any means. We now have to concentrate on the needs that we have at the Whitehorse General Hospital itself.

"As you know, it's becoming a very very busy place and it's only going to become busier as we look at our economic activities here in the Yukon.”

Modernizing the hospital is essential to ensuring Yukoners have the best possible healthcare, said Tuton.

Crocus Ridge was built by Whitehorse company TSL Contractors Ltd., with KMBR Architects from Vancouver.

The building was constructed to a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification for sustainability.

The total cost of the project was $17.8 million. The funding came from a borrowing contract that was put out to tender and won by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC).

Tuton said the hospital corporation entered a 17-year agreement with CIBC, an arrangement with "very attractive” interest.