Geelong – realestatesource

Ingenia Communities Sells Corio Retirement Village to Residential Developer For $3.1 Million

Marc Pallisco — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 04:12:57 +0000

INGENIA Communities, formerly controlled by Dutch investment giant ING and from earlier this month, a separate ASX listed company, has sold the Lovely Banks Gardens near Geelong.

The 65-unit village Corio village sold conditional on a rezoning which would allow for a residential redevelopment. A Victorian developer is said to be purchasing the site near Lindsay Fox's Avalon Airport.

In 2010, Ingenia ruled the "poor performing" asset as "non core" to its portfolio. It will pump funds from the sale into other developments, conversions and acquisition opportunities it is hoped will earn a return-on-investment of some 20 per cent.

Sladen House, Geelong, to be Leased as Luxury Offices

Marc Pallisco — Sun, 17 May 2009 13:12:53 +0000

FORMER Geelong wedding reception venue Sladen House is being marketed for lease as luxury offices, after selling at auction last month for $1.95 million.

The property was one of several being sold by KordaMentha, receivers for failed investment planning company Storm Financial, which went into administration in January.

Storm paid $2.5 million in mid 2007 for the riverfront reception centre at 410 Pakington Street in Newtown. The sale, and subsequent refurbishment to offices, meant about 20 weddings planned at Sladen House were cancelled at short notice.

Sources say commercial property developer Norm Lyons is the new buyer of the site, but this could not be confirmed.

Knight Frank Geelong director Simon Jarman marketed Sladen House with Don Hough, of agency Maxwell Collins, who is now marketing the offices for lease.

Mr Hough said there has been some interest from people who may consider converting the fully restored building back into a reception centre.

He also said there’s been interest to use the property, on the banks of the Barwon River, as a corporate headquarters, professional services office, or training facility.

Sladen House itself measures 580 square metres, and includes five open plan offices, a boardroom, a projector room, theatre room and kitchen with full amenities. It is expected to rent for $140,000 per annum, or about $241 per square metre, plus GST and outgoings. Sladen House was the former home of Victorian premier Charles Sladen.

ALP’s Commission Flat Building Boom Underway Without Community Consultation

Marc Pallisco — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:17:42 +0000

The ALP wants to add 80,000 social and affordable housing to Australian streets pronto. Many developers who lodged plans with council are now re-lodging applications, with a “percentage” of social housing – to be operated by a housing co-operative – in an attempt to speed through an approval, and help the ALP governments with their aims.

In Queensland recently, ALP housing minister Karen Struthers called for “tolerance” in welcoming an increasing surge of public housing residents to its neighbourhoods.

In Victoria, Planning Minister Justin Madden “called in” (approved without community consultation) several social housing projects, which did not need to be publicly advertised, because of a temporary change in the law last year, and soon after the initiative was announced.

Kelvin Thompson, the federal minister for Wills and Jane Garrett, the ALP candidate for Brunswick, in Melbourne, have both acknowledged in The Age today, the government’s failure to consult the community over public housing redevelopment.

However despite the acknowledgement, little seems to be done to change it.

When quizzed about the fast-tracking of projects in the scheme, Federal Housing Minister Tanya Plibersek handpassed a response, telling The Age “such issues were a matter for the state”.

In Queensland, the government has recently said it would not let protesters get in the way of social housing construction.

Mr Madden, again speaking via a spokeswoman, told The Age rather conclusively: “Meeting these time frames ensures Victoria receives its share of nation building funding and boosts its social housing stock across the State.”

Major social housing projects in Coburg and Geelong, in Victoria recently started construction before residents were consulted.

Mr Madden, a former AFL footballer, is facing his second vote of no confidence in a year, over an email sent to him by a media adviser outlining a sham consultation process for the Windsor Hotel redevelopment, in which it would be claimed the politician listened to the public, in rejecting an application.

In Melbourne, a major 128-hectare proposal for Department of Defence land on the banks of the Maribyrnong River, in Cordite Avenue, Maribyrnong, near Highpoint, will include “at least” 20 per cent social and affordable housing.

VicUrban will assume control of the prominent Maribyrnong site in 2012 and proceed with the development, which was not seen by the community, prior to VicUrban announcing plans for the site.

Government Tells Community to be Tolerant as Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast All to Receive More Social Housing

Institutions Encouraged to Apply For Third Stage of the National Rental Affordability Scheme

Major $160 Million Public Housing-Based Development Likely to Proceed Near Melbourne Airport

Public Housing Residents Want Air Conditioning

Public Housing Boom For NSW

Public Housing Building Boom Underway in Australia

Hawthorn FC Executive Stuart Fox to Sell Gherang Estate

Marc Pallisco — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 04:00:13 +0000

HAWTHORN Football Club chief executive Stuart Fox, and wife Sybella, are selling the Wirraminna farm they acquired in 2002 in Gherang, via Moriac - some 10 minutes north east of Anglesea, and 15 minutes east of Torquay.

Translated as “peaceful beside the water”, Wirraminna spreads over two hectares and includes three rainwater tanks, two paddocks and a dam which could accommodate horses or cattle.

Billy Brownless Close to Selling Geelong Mansion

Marc Pallisco — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 04:00:41 +0000

FORMER Geelong footballer and larrikin media personality Billy Brownless is close to offloading his hilltop hood.

The five bedroom home, on a 3000 square metre block on City View Drive, Wandana Heights, was listed for sale late last year. It’s understood to be under contract for about $1.5 million.

The property, near Geelong, includes a tennis court and pool, and the home is designed to capture postcard views of Barwon Heads, Corio Bay, the city and You Yangs.

Whitford Newtown’s Dale Whitford has been marketing the property.

Costa Property Group Teams with Integrated Development to Deliver $40 Million Village Near Geelong

Marc Pallisco — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 04:51:22 +0000

GEELONG identity Frank Costa has entered a joint venture agreement to redevelop 40 hectares of land in Armstrong Creek near Geelong.

Costa Property Group will team with Integrated Development to build the $65 million, 400-lot residential village called Baron Rise, on the corner of Barwon Heads and Reserve roads, south-east of the Marshall train station near Grovedale. The affected land is currently being rezoned as part of the Horseshoe Bend Precinct Structure Plan.

Geelong Commission Flat Site Listed For Private Sale

Marc Pallisco — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:57:06 +0000

In an attempt to obtain part of the $5.6 billion funding, the Brumby government seized planning control from councils, and suspended notice and appeal rights for residents until June 2012.

ALP’s Commission Flat Building Boom Underway Without Community Consultation

Public Housing Residents Want Air Conditioning

Government Tells Community to be Tolerant as Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast All to Receive More Social Housing

Institutions Encouraged to Apply For Third Stage of the National Rental Affordability Scheme

Public Housing Boom For NSW

Public Housing Building Boom Underway in Australia

Major $160 Million Public Housing-Based Development Likely to Proceed Near Melbourne Airport

Geelong’s Yarra Street Pier Close to Redevelopment 21 Years After Fire

Marc Pallisco — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:45:29 +0000

Plans for a $30 million pier and waterfront development in central Geelong are expected to be announced next month.

Major Projects development facilitator Kathy Timmins told The Age it was happy with the response to a recent Expression of Interest campaign to revive the Yarra Street Pier, which was burned in 1988.

Ms Timmins also said the EOI gauged market appetite for new commercial developments on or adjacent to the proposed new pier.

The proposal, which is yet to receive public funding, is also expected to include the redevelopment of the Fisherman’s Basin.

Massive Op Shop Centre Planned For Ford Factory, Geelong

Marc Pallisco — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 14:00:36 +0000

Market operator Ian Ballis has paid $7.1million for the 13.4hectare former Ford site, or less than half the price paid by the vendor, Queensland-based City Pacific, two years ago.

Mr Ballis’ proposal is to incorporate the 2.4hectare Ford factory building into a "one-stop shop" for second-hand clothes, antiques, furniture – and almost everything else considered too good to throw out, or worth restoring.

He said the development would be the largest second-hand market in Australia, and would capitalise on the site’s huge 750-metre frontage to Melbourne Road – a thoroughfare between Melbourne and Geelong.

Op shop operators, many of which are charity-based organisations, will be able to use the facility as a storage and distribution centre, while also having a portal for attracting customers.

Mr Ballis said 60,000 cars a day passed the site on the busiest arterial road in Geelong.

Fund manager City Pacific is believed to have paid about $18million for the Ford factory site about two years ago.

City Pacific paid this price following a failed attempt by the previous owner, Geelong business identity Frank Costa, to develop the site into HomeTown, a $100 million, 41,000-square-metre homemaker centre.

That project flopped after the State Government refused to rezone the land from industrial use. Mr Ballis’ proposal will not require a rezoning.

A spokesman for City Pacific declined to comment on any part of the deal when contacted by Capital Gain.

CB Richard Ellis is believed to have marketed the property.

Mr Ballis owns other second-hand goods centres, including markets in Warrnambool, Daylesford, Colac, Camperdown and Newcomb.