A 16-storey office tower, a 12-storey, 150-room high-end hotel and a new auditorium housing a 2,000 seat theatre are part of the Woden Hellenic Club’s ambitious plans to diversify its revenue sources and secure its long-term future first reported by the the-riotact.com.
The club has unveiled a two-stage development project, and master plan for the Callam Street site that it believes will fit with the changing face of the Woden Town Centre and serve the club’s 50,000 members and the increasing residential population in the area.
The integrated development will extend the club’s footprint from the current premises across the surface car park, replaced by a three-level basement providing 800 spaces.
The current facilities will remain but likely be refurbished.
The club will launch a community consultation with a presentation to the Woden Valley Community Council next week and is now embarking on the detailed design phase ahead of lodging a development application in six months.
It hopes to start construction late next year.
Club CEO Ian Cameron said the plans, two years in the making, would transform the site into a mixed-use precinct of the like Woden has been crying out for.
He said the two drivers for the redevelopment were a need to secure parking, with the adjacent ACT Government car park is slated to be released for development.
And the imperative most Canberra clubs were facing was to move away from poker machine revenue and shift the club to a more sustainable income stream.
“We’re looking forward to the next 40 years. We’ve been here for 40 years, now for the next 40 years – how are we going to secure our future?” Mr Cameron said.
Hellenic Club board president Andrew Satsias said the project would build on the significant residential development already occurring across the Town Centre.
“Our goal has been to identify multiple commercial anchors that will drive foot traffic and visitation to our site,” Mr Satsias said.
“We are confident that the work-to-date by our design team promises a world-class lifestyle precinct that will feature elevated entertainment, dining, social and commercial spaces that will attract local, national and international visitors.”
The club has engaged Peter Micalos’s Intellectual Property Group as development manager and Purdon Planning to run the consultation and DA process but is exploring a range of options for actually delivering the project.
