Gurner enters Geelong with $300m apartment, hotel plan
Gurner will team with land owner Dean Montgomery to develop a $300 million hotel and apartment project in central Geelong.
The 18 level proposal, incorporating a historic three storey wool store at 20-28 Brougham Street, would replace permitted plans for a 12 storey, 26,000 square metre office, marketed in recent years as the Dennys Lascelles Tower.
Fender Katsalidis will pen the redesign.
The complex would be Gurner’s first in Geelong – but it could be its second, with the local council this month shortlisting the developer and Mr Montgomery for a $50m contract to restore North Geelong’s c1858 Osborne House and stables.
David Hamilton Property Group is the other contender.
20-28 Brougham Street
The Brougham St parcel – the Dennys Lascelles wool store – spreads 2100 sqm, walking distance to the Geelong train station and council offices, which are under construction.
The property is also about 300 metres from the beach.
Gurner and Mr Montgomery are intending their tower to be carbon neutral (story continues below).
A ground floor retail component, reminiscent of New York’s Chelsea Market, they said, would link the new council offices across the road to Deakin University.
The 5-star hotel would fill the middle part of the building while the apartments are designed for the upper levels.
“Buyers are assessing their lifestyle choices and are looking for affordable locations close to beaches with easy accessibility into the CBD, and Geelong ticks all those boxes,” according to Gurner director Tim Gurner.
“Regional tourism is set to flourish in the next few years, as holiday preferences change and regional destinations such as Geelong continue to grow in popularity,” he said.
“The opening of new attractions like the Spirit of Tasmania terminal…will further drive this activity”.
Mr Gurner said a redevelopment application will be lodged with council later this year.
Elsewhere in the area, Mr Montgomery has owned the Geelong Gaol site since 2018.
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