Hamilton Group plots future of Geelong’s Dimmeys building

Geelong’s Hamilton Group has bought the Dimmeys building in Lt Malop St.

The developers behind North Geelong’s Federal Mills precinct confirmed their second major CBD investment, securing the three-storey building from the discount retailer which revealed it was closing in 2019.

The Hamilton Group partnered with Bill Votsaris to buy the former Bright and Hitchcocks Department Store nearby in 2018.

Managing director Cameron Hamilton says the group has teamed with investors to buy the building, built as the Regent Theatre in 1922.

“We have a huge belief in the potential of the Market Square Mall,” Hamilton says.

“It has been a beating heart of Geelong for over 160 years and we’d like to be able to bring it back to full strength.

The grand facade of Geelong’s Regent Theatre at the corner of Lt Malop and Union streets was bricked over the 1960s. Source: Australian Performing Arts Collection, Arts Centre Melbourne.

“Other cities are actively building town squares. Geelong has one and we’re still figuring out how to use it.

“The western side of Lt Malop St continues to go through an exciting evolution and we see this side as the natural extension of that,” he says.

Hamilton says office, retail and entertainment are likely uses for the site.

“There are various short-term and long-term options we are looking at,” he says.

“More ideas will develop over the coming months.

“Like all our other properties, we are interested in the future. However, we also remain adaptable to all opportunities that help us immediately on that journey.”

The Dimmeys building in Lt Malop St, Geelong. Picture: Mark Wilson

Hamilton Group follows Up Property into the mall, which developed an office complex at 126-128 Lt Malop St, now home of the Geelong Advertiser and Barwon Health.

“We love finding ways to revitalise and reuse Geelong’s historic sites and in our long-running research on this property we have uncovered some of the original building images,” Hamilton says.

“We believe some of the original elements of the theatre may be hidden within the existing facade. Of course, we can’t say for certain because it’s pretty well bricked up.

“Our goal is to help add activity, value and a sense of pride to the mall.”

The theatre was gutted and internal floors installed when The Regent closed in 1965.

Geelong’s Bright and Hitchcock building was purchased by the Hamilton Group and Geelong developer Bill Votsaris in 2018.

A McEwans hardware store operated until the 1980s.

Dimmeys paid $2.425 million for the site in 2011, when it relocated from Malop St.

Geelong’s council has embarked on a new revamp of the mall, installing synthetic grass, a performance stage and permanent musical instruments in an effort to activate the open space.

Gartland Property, Geelong agent Adam Farrell said activity was already growing in the strip.

Farrell says he’s had strong leasing inquiries for the building opposite Union St recently vacated by surfing retailer Speakys.

Geelong mall business owner Christinia Munoz from Hole in the Wall coffee shop. Picture: Alison Wynd

“We’ve got some strong interest from hospitality groups and some artists who want to take the second and third floors,” he says.

Farrell says while new businesses will help bring more people to the mall, he said the area was well activated already.

“In fact there are five refurbished office suites above the Hole In The Wall coffee shop that have all been recently leased,” he says.