That face of the hotel looks good in the picture - but the building was actually a bit of a hotch-potch of bits added on here and there to an original seven bedroomed house - there is a history here (http://grandislandhotel.blogspot.com/) - and it was not in good physical shape when it was finally closed.

I would like to think that any new blocks of flats will at least retain the air of the old building.

Your school conversion has worked very well - and as for the realisation that you could qualify to live there - I realised the same thing when visiting a 'sheltered housing' complex the other week - scary!