HEALTH HUB PLAN
Developers in bid to transform former retail building
THE old Toys R Us building in Hyde Park could be transformed into a health hub with a medical centre, child care facility and shops such as a grocer, deli and cafe.
Sydney-based group Eastbrooke Centres has lodged a development application with Townsville City Council to undertake a significant redevelopment of the property.
It is also marketing the site through Propertynow agents seeking businesses to be “part of the awardwinning and outperforming the market hub format”.
Eastbrooke head of business development Chris de Picot said they were not in a position to comment on the proposal at this stage but confirmed they were conducting due diligence into the acquisition of the site.
According to its development application, Eastbrooke Centres is proposing a significant redevelopment of the Charters Towers Road property into a health, wellness, medical, community services and retail hub.
Uses including health care services, child care, gym, office, pharmacy, cafe and shop.
Its marketing material says the proposed hub will be underpinned by a GP consulting room medical centre and include multidisciplinary services such as exercise, physiotherapy, NDIS, podiatry, hearing, child daycare, cafe, fresh food grocer and community support services.
The existing building consists of a ground floor showroom area of 2500 sqm and 1000 sqm warehouse, while the total site area is 6856 sqm with 72 on-site carparks.
The Toys R Us store closed as part of the collapse of its US parent in 2018 although the brand has since relaunched online in Australia.
This is Eastbrooke’s second development in the city.
Eastbrooke entered the Townsville market in 2017 when it bought the former Thuringowa council administration building from Townsville City Council for $7.5m and redeveloped it into a hub for health, community and retail services.
Eastbrooke continues to trade the hub but the property was onsold earlier this year to investors linked with the corporate trust division of Sydney-based Perpetual Ltd for a reported $30m.
The planning application says a high quality upgrade is proposed.
Shops, gym and offices are planned for the Charters Towers Road frontage with an entry to the medical centre and child care centre at the rear of these shops.
The medical centre is to have an open-to-sky, landscaped internal courtyard to bring sunlight and improved amenity to the building.