Lease talks start as Moorabool St building project moves closer

Artist renders show the red brick facade of the four-level building at Lloyds Corner, 124-128 Moorabool St, Geelong.

Leasing agents are in talks with national hospitality operators as the owners behind a new building at the gateway to Geelong’s eat street release new images of the building.

Demolishers recently removed the historic Lloyds Corner building at 124-128 Moorabool St after Bill Votsaris’ Batman Group acquired the property and received planning permission for a new building on the landmark site.

Gartland, Geelong leasing agent Adam Farrell said a national hospitality operator looks set to occupy much of the ground floor of the new building which will have three floors and a rooftop terrace.

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Spaces in the new building range from 70sq m up to 830sq m in the building.

“We’ve got two potential tenants we’re working with at the moment which are high-end hospitality operators,” Mr Farrell said.

The artist renders reveal a new red brick facade will grace the building set to activate street frontages to Moorabool St, Lt Malop St and Shorts Place.

Artist renders show the red brick facade of the four-level building at Lloyds Corner, 124-128 Moorabool St, Geelong.

Artist renders show the red brick facade of the four-level building at Lloyds Corner, 124-128 Moorabool St, Geelong.

Batman Group has worked with local architectural firms, James Deans and Associates and Plot Architecture to design the building to provide retail, hospitality and wellness opportunities.

“We’re basically working on flexible floor spaces – obviously, you can take one floor, two floors, three floors,” Mr Farrell said.

“All the services will be put in place, there with toilets, disabled toilets a lift etc and provisions for canopies, airconditioning. And you’ve also got the beauty of having a say in how you design it,” he said.

Artist renders show the red brick facade of the four-level building at Lloyds Corner, 124-128 Moorabool St, Geelong.

An earlier render showing the ground floor along Moorabool St.

Lloyds Corner is at the gateway to the west end precinct on Little Malop Street, Geelong.

Mr Farrell said Lt Malop St had gained a reputation outside Geelong as a popular eat street, with names such as Geelong Cellar Door, Piano Bar, Sober Ramen, Tomadachi, Mavs Greek Restaurant, The Arborist, and Pistol Petes to name some.

“The positioning is rare at the gateway to the hospitality mecca of Geelong,” he said.

The interest from operators outside Geelong has a good sign, he said.

A 1960s image of Lloyds Corner. The new building will match the height of the neighbouring former bank building.

“Just due to the fact that they’re seeing an area that already out there in lights most people outside of Geelong.”

Mr Farrell said construction was expected commence within the next month and be completed in the first quarter of 2024.