THE dilapidated, heritage-listed Commercial Hotel in central Ipswich goes to auction on Friday.
The landmark hotel has been boarded up in its prime position on Ellenborough Street since the owner stopped trading two years ago following ongoing battles with Ipswich City Council to maintain the building.
The site is protected as an historic place under the Ipswich Planning Scheme. It is listed under Schedule 2 Character Places.
Owner Norm Solomon bought the property in 2002 reportedly for under $400,000 as a long-term development opportunity, hoping the heritage requirements would be lifted as development picked up in the city.
He said the accommodation side of the business had kept him trading until Ipswich City Council issued notices to comply with standards for occupation.
Council issued a Show Cause notice on the property in June last year saying it was unfit for occupation in the current condition.
The Council then issued a Court order dated September 18 this year requiring repairs to the building, structural inspections and surveys.
“I had 10 permanent boarders there, most of them had been there since I bought it,” Mr Solomon said.
“That was the only thing that kept me going. I don’t have the money it would take to fix the structural problems in the building.
“The council should buy it if they’re that interested in preserving it.”
The property was zoned for multi-storey development until flood mapping changed after the 2011 floods, affecting the site’s zoning.
The Commercial Hotel was built in 1916, designed by Will Haenke and opened on September 29, 1917.
Renowned for its long stumps, the hotel was a popular venue in its heyday.
The Commercial Hotel in its heyday.
The property is marketed by Ray White Ipswich as an historical landmark and is being offered to the market as a freehold sale in an “as-is” condition.
The 809sqm site has two street frontage, adjacent to the Aspire Apartments and is located across the road from the Nicholas Street redevelopment and overlooks Timothy Molony Oval with majestic St Mary’s Catholic Church and Riverlink Shopping Centre in the background.
It is zoned CBD Primary Commercial.
The downstairs area of the building consists of a public bar, cold rooms, toilets, a common lounge area, rear kitchen and four rooms for accommodation. Upstairs includes 13 rooms for accommodation, many with hand basins and three with verandah access, separate toilets, two bathrooms, laundry room, side veranda area and grand staircase access from the ground level.
