Church of Scientology to Sell City Headquarters

The on again - off again campaign to sell the Church of Scientology Melbourne headquarters at 42 Russell Street is on again, and it’s public.

Colliers International’s Matthew Stagg and Pat Burke will auction the Church’s outgoing headquarters, on the north-east corner of Flinders Lane next month.

The building has been touted off-market for private sale this year at between $7.5 million and $8 million, but no deal was done. The building was withdrawn from sale just before a scheduled auction in October 2005. 

The Church paid $720,000 for the building in June 1980.

Since that time, major office buildings in the form of 101 Collins Street, the Collins Place towers, 120 Collins Street and 8 Exhibition Street have been developed nearby, creating a vibrant Flinders Lane retail market. Federation Square is also a block away.

Mr Stagg said a number of high profile restaurateurs, retailers and boutique hotel operators, have previously made offers to buy the property direct from the vendor. He said there is the potential to add additional floors to the building, which would also make it attractive to a developer.

The Church of Scientology will relocate to an Ascot Vale headquarters next year.

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