EMERGENCY ORDER: DEMOLISH BELCHER’S CORNER
COUNCIL’S EMERGENCY ORDER: Belcher’s Corner must be demolished
A LANDMARK central Geelong building must be demolished by the end of the year, after testing showed it was at risk of collapsing or being destroyed by a fire. The building’s local mum-and-dad investor owners have been devastated as a debacle has unfolded around the dangerous building in recent months, while business owners have been forced to relocate.
Council yesterday issued an emergency order requiring the Belcher’s Corner building be demolished by December 31, with the future of the site, at the corner of Ryrie and Moorabool streets, unclear.
The large 1920s-era building, which has been off limits since late July, was found to contain several unsafe elements that required drastic action.
Testing showed: THE building’s basement masonry retaining walls, which were supporting footpaths and road reserves in Ryrie and Moorabool streets, were in danger of collapsing; THE facade of the building facing both streets are out of vertical and horizontal alignment; and, COLUMNS and beams impacted by severe concrete cancer did not meet CFA standards for fire resistance.
While the site is covered by a heritage overlay, demolition can be done when a building is considered a danger to life or property.
In the interim, the building owners are required to submit a demolition plan to council for approval by October 12.
The plan must detail how adjoining sites will be stabilised.
There are 27 lots with about 17 owners across a precinct, that includes three buildings – Belcher’s Corner and the adjoining buildings on Ryrie and Moorabool streets.
Owners corporation committee chairman Nathan Holmes said compiling the plan would be complicated as the order would require demolishing part of Hopetoun Chambers, the building next to Belcher’s Corner on Ryrie St.
Mr Holmes said he expected that occupants of the ground floors of the other two buildings in the Belcher’s precinct would have to vacate during demolition.
“There’s so many unknowns in how (it) will be engineered . . . when you pull down parts of Belcher’s (Corner) . . . it could expose issues with the other buildings,” he said.
“We need to consult our legal advisers, we need to consult with our project managers, we’re still trying to get some understanding of how insurance might work on a claim for the damage of the building.
“People are very hurt and emotional (about this) . . . behind the building are mum and dad owners.
Mr Holmes said he was receiving the order as the Geelong Advertiser contacted him to discuss the matter.
“(I’m) not sure why the council has taken the steps to send out a press release before telling the owners of the building,” he said.
“Unfortunately, council has a process they need to follow . . . sometimes process doesn’t account for human beings and the emotions that can come into play when there’s great uncertainty, financial distress . . . people’s livelihoods at risk.
“To some extent we’ve been left with a real lack of information and direction . . . that’s meant it’s been almost impossible for us to put our finger on the cost we’ll be dealing with . . . and the means to generate those finances we’ll be dealing with.
“I couldn’t even hazard a guess (at the demolition cost) but it’s going to be expensive.
“At this stage we’re hoping there’s someone out there who sees it as a great opportunity to invest.”
Engineers’ assessments have found that it was impossible to retain the facade of the building due to insufficient foundations and concrete cancer through the entire structure.
“We recognise that the demolition of a significant building in central Geelong is a great shame and a loss to the urban history and landscape of the city,” City of Greater Geelong chief executive Martin Cutter said.
“But the welfare of our community comes first.”
The works will require an area around the busy intersection to be closed.
“There’s so many unknowns in how (it) will be engineered … when you pull down parts of Belcher’s (Corner) ... it could expose issues with the other buildings.” OWNERS CORPORATION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN NATHAN HOLMES