Development Victoria lists Ballarat GovHub
State government arm Development Victoria can expect to bank about $115 million selling a contemporary office under construction on Ballarat Crown land.
The Ballarat GovHub is taking shape on the Civic Hall site at 300-304 Mair Street.
The five-storey, 10,843 square metre building, with 220 basement car parks, is fully pre-committed by the Andrews government which plans to relocate 600 Melbourne-based jobs there.
Combined with government positions currently based in Ballarat, some 1000 public servants are expected to work at the office, which is walking distance to the Ballarat train station and Ballarat Library.
Ballarat GovHub is due for completion next year.
CBRE’s Scott McGlone and Neva Courts with Cushman and Wakefield’s Luke Etherington and Mark Hansen launched a marketing campaign to sell the building today.
The initiative
The initiative – to relocate Melbourne jobs to Ballarat – will, according to Development Victoria, “generate long-term jobs growth, increase business confidence and further private sector investment” to the precinct.
“Knowledge-intensive services and occupations are becoming more important to regional productivity and growth for cities like Ballarat,” Development Victoria said. “As a major employer in the State, government can stimulate this kind of growth relocating…positions to regional areas”.
“Government-led projects aimed at sharing economic growth and diversifying regional economies have proven to be successful previously.
“The GovHub will continue to renew and develop the Ballarat CBD as the economic hub of the city”.
The City of Ballarat, Regional Development Victoria and the Department of Premier and Cabinet are developing the Civic Hall site in partnership.
The building
According to the government, the office design includes:
- An active ground floor space, incorporating the bricks and masonry theme of the Civic Hall precinct;
- A glass conservatory linking the Civic Hall to the GovHub;
- A reconstructed lower hall space for multi-purpose use;
- Five storey sof office space with a strong visual connection to the Ballarat CBD;
- Two levels of basement car parking with 220 bays, and
- End of trip facilities to encourage walking and cycling
Development Victoria said just two sites in central Ballarat are appropriate for large-scale projects – such as the GovHub office.
The complex is costing a speculated $100 million to build (with the government set to invest another $47 million on initiatives to financially support Melburnians relocating to Ballarat).
The Andrews government’s 20 year lease will kick in once the first tenants move in late next year.
Ballarat GovHub will be connected to the distinctive 1950s Civic Hall building via a glass atrium.
News Limited reported in this item last month that the government would sell the Ballarat GovHub office to recover costs “and fund other community and civic projects”.’
The tenant list
Development Victoria said a range of complementary government activities and functions will take place from the Ballarat GovHub.
Departments it has named as potential occupiers include:
- Consumer Affairs Victoria
- Regional Development Victoria
- Department of Education and Training
- Department of Justice and Regulation (DoJR), which carries out the Working with Children Check
- State Revenue Office
- VicRoads, and
- Service Victoria