By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
Tenants of buildings on the site of a WorkSafe office to be built in Geelong have been told to vacate by Thursday.
WorkSafe and the State Government announced last week that Quintessential Equity had won a contract for the new $120 million building at 1 Malop Street.
The 14-storey building will house WorkSafe when completed in 2018. The agency will begin relocating to Geelong later this year, taking up office space in the TAC offices.
The owner of Corio Street business Stirling Floors said he received notice to vacate by 10 March.
“I was told the demolition would begin the next day so I have to be out, lock, stock and barrel,” Richard Goodall said.
“I’d normally get three months’ notice but I’ve been on a month-by-month lease for a little while.”
Mr Goodall said he would need the remaining days of the notice period just to sort out his stock.
His business had been trading on the site, next to the Wool Exchange, for 37 years.
Mr Goodall planned to relocate the business to his Grovedale home and take his rug sales online.
The 15,000-square-metre WorkSafe office will house 700 staff, extending above and an historic Dalgety and Co building at the north-western entry to the city centre.
Quintessential Equity director Shane Quinn said the A-grade building would be the tallest in Geelong.
The office would have a six-star sustainability rating and five stars for energy.
WorkSafe would occupy 90 per cent of the building on a 15-year lease, with the remainder to be taken up by other tenants, Mr Quinn said.
Quintessential Equity beat bids competition from construction giant Grocon, Geelong businessman Michael King and three other proposals.
Another office tower is being proposed for Geelong, with most bidders also expected to pursue a federal government contract for another 7700 square metres of new office space.
