Cbus Property donates former Mercure Treasury Gardens Hotel furniture to Salvos

The proposed luxury apartment building earmarked to replace 13-23 Spring Street in the Melbourne CBD.

Beds, couches, ironing boards, lamps, alarm clocks and several smaller items, left at the Mercure Melbourne Treasury Gardens Hotel, which closed last month, are being donated by the site’s new owner.

Cbus Property said its gift to The Salvation Army is anticipated to be one of the largest corporate contributions in Victoria this year.

The developer was joined by The Salvation Army and Coles employees this week to empty the 164-room, four-star hotel at 13-23 Spring Street.

Up to 50 volunteers were expected to be on site at any one time.

Cbus would have been presented with the option of selling the furniture privately – as is often done when a new owner acquires a fit-out, or furnished, building.

The value of The Salvation Army donation has not been revealed. Assuming every hotel suite was furnished with goods worth $1000 on the second-hand market, it could be speculated the gift is worth about $164,000.

Cbus acquired the hotel, on a 1311 square metre land holding, in late 2017.

It recently won approval to build, and has been pre-marketing, a 35-level luxury residential redevelopment known as 17 Spring Street.

The Cbus tower will rise beside the distinctive Harry Seidler designed 1 Spring Street, which was completed in 1989.

The project was designed to contain 84 oversized flats – though it is understood some buyers have combined dwellings.

The Mercure furniture will go to The Salvation Army’s 45 Magpie Nest Homes – an initiative controlled in partnership with major financial contributor the Collingwood Football Club Foundation.

“The three and four bedroom houses are located in inner Melbourne, Collingwood, Fitzroy, Footscray, Preston, Reservoir and Sunshine, and accommodate 94 adults and 24 children who were previously homeless or at risk of homelessness,” a Cbus spokesperson said.

The Mercure Melbourne Treasury Gardens Hotel, set to be razed.

Cbus chief executive officer, Adrian Pozzo (left in picture, top, beside Salvation Army special projects officer, Adam Clark, Cbus senior development manager, Ed Nathan and Salvation Army Major, Brendan Nottle), added that the contribution was in line with the company’s community engagement program, and followed its involvement in other recent programs, including Melbourne City Mission’s Sleep at the ‘G event and The Big Issue’s CEO Selling Week.

“Following strong sales and sustained enquiry into the soon-to-be-developed 17 Spring Street residences, the most responsible, community-minded option was to re purpose the furniture with the assistance of The Salvation Army,” he said.

“The Salvation Army is doing amazing things to help Melbourne’s people in need, by offering services for accommodation and homelessness, addiction recovery, aged care, disaster recovery and emergency relief, chaplaincy, and employment, so Cbus Property is privileged to be able to support these efforts and delighted to contribute”.

The Salvation Army Major, Brendan Nottle, said the Cbus and Coles volunteers would work together in three-hour shifts across the two days to assist with the removal and relocation of the furniture.

“The Salvation Army is proud to work with Cbus Property to give the Mercure Melbourne Treasury Gardens furniture a new lease on life, by relocating it into homes occupied by people who have recently been homeless,” he said.

“The quality of the furniture sends a powerful message to the Magpie Nest residents that they are valued and being treated with dignity and respect”.

Construction of the 17 Spring Street residential tower is set to start in September, given more than 70 per cent of the apartments have sold since the May launch.

Cbus has a $2 billion residential pipeline with projects in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

In the immediate area opposite Treasury Gardens, it recently replaced a low-rise office at 35 Spring Street with a 43-storey building, containing 241 oversized, luxury dwellings.

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Marc Pallisco

A former property analyst and print journalist, Marc is the publisher of realestatesource.com.au.