Food, beverage operators sought for Geelong Quarter
Construction continues on the high-rise Geelong Quarter development in Ryrie St, Geelong.
Hospitality operators are in high demand in central Geelong, with developers on the lookout to fill ground floor retail spaces.
A national call has gone out to food and beverage operators to join Geelong’s biggest mixed use development, under construction on Ryrie St.
Franze Developments founder Paul Franze can see the light at the end of the construction tunnel at Geelong Quarter and is starting to pull together a plan for the ground floor retail precinct.
RELATED: Buyer lands Highton home once deemed too rustic to rent
Interactive map shows where Geelong’s million-dollar sales are booming
Flexi-space provider signs long lease on Geelong CBD office
The $200 million project will deliver a new 180-room five-star Holiday Inn hotel, luxury residences and Ryrie Home apartments in a development that’s already transforming the gateway site.
The firm has commenced an expressions of interest campaign for the ground floor retail component, which comprises six spaces at the gateway to Geelong’s cultural and performing arts precinct.
An artist’s render of the ground floor precinct at Geelong Quarter, which is under construction on Ryrie St.
The company has engaged food and beverage consultant Future Foods, which completed a full market assessment and demand study of the Geelong CBD to guide the precinct.
“We’re keen to create a presence for our brand and we’re looking to hold the hotel longer term and as part of that vision we want to control who goes in to the ground level to make is not only sustainable for themselves, but sustainable for the development.
“We feel that as part of the change in Geelong as the boom town it’s becoming, we want to complement the development and try and bring some seasoned, high quality food and beverage retailers to the precinct.”
Mr Franze said the Geelong Arts Centre was driving the slow gentrification of the western section of the CBD.
An artist’s render of the restaurant in the ground floor precinct at Geelong Quarter, which is under construction on Ryrie St.
“You can see through the Stage 3 development of the Arts Centre, Barwon Water, our development and the developments in Little Malop and James St where it’s becoming a destination entertainment and food precinct.
“We’re the gateway to that as you come in as the extension of the ring road and Geelong.”
Mr Franze said Arts Centre performances often dictate rostering in the Lt Malop St precinct.
He said links with the Arts Centre could see accommodation and tickets packages to a variety of performances.
Despite some Covid driven delays in 2021, the builder Maxcon had been able to claw back momentum in construction and was expected to top out soon, Mr Franze said.
The developers should hand over the hotel building to IHG, the operator of the Holiday Inn, in the last quarter of 2022.
An artist’s render of the office area in the ground floor precinct at Geelong Quarter, which is under construction on Ryrie St.
Depending on scheduling, that could allow the Holiday Inn to open for business prior to Christmas, otherwise it was expected in early January, he said.
Future Foods senior food and hospitality consultant Allan Forsdick said Geelong’s growth trajectory was likely to accelerate in coming years with the addition of major projects such as the new Spirit of Tasmania terminal at Corio Quay and the Geelong Convention Centre.
“From a hospitality perspective, we believe that Geelong Quarter will become a new benchmark in this fast-evolving city, complementing the arts precinct and the vibrant laneways around Lt Malop St,” Mr Forsdick said.
The call for operators of the retail precinct at Geelong Quarter comes after leasing agents have listed retail spaces within new office buildings at 60 Moorabool St and Geelong’s Civic Precinct.
