Modern Ron wants a rise on BSKT site
RON Bayley, undeniably the Modern man, has some modernisation plans for a well-patronised oceanfront area at Mermaid Beach. Ron and wife Tina own the older building on the corner of Lavarack Rd and Albatross Ave and which for nearly a decade has been home to the healthy-option BSKT (biscuit) cafe.
They want to replace the two-level building – the top floor houses a pilates studio – with a four-level one that will include a new BSKT and six apartments.
One of the apartments would neighbour the BSKT at ground level.
The Bayley ambitions don’t rest there.
They own a big-ticket beachfront Albatross Ave home for 15 years and they also want to get a high-five from the city council to put six apartments on that site.
Both the Bayley properties have seven-level apartment buildings as neighbours.
The beachfront Darenay property adjoins the puppy-friendly BSKT and the Bayley home is next to Spindrift.
BSKT, started by NRL names Mat Rogers, Nate Myles and Greg Bird in 2013, is across the road from the Nobby Beach surf club.
True-blue Aussie Ron and the English-born Tina surfaced on the Gold Coast with their three children 21 years ago after buying a giant riverfront home at Broadbeach Waters for close to $3 million.
Back in 1988 they’d bought the Modern Group in Adelaide and set it on an expansion path which has seen it have a presence across Australia.
The family group, which has a Gold Coast manufacturing operation, specialises in home improvements, offering everything from shutters and garage doors to outdoor blinds and roofing.
They couple sold their riverfront home, Villa Cantarocco, for $7.67 million after targeting the beach pre-Christmas in 2006.
The Bayleys paid management-rights operator Russell Leary $13.5 million for a two-level home on a 1214sq m lot fronting the sand in Albatross Ave.
The two apartment buildings which are being mooted on the Bayley sites have some similarities.
Both have four levels, six apartments, and rooftop terraces that would be surrounding by plantings.
The terraces would have pools, spas and dining areas and, in one case, a fireplace.
The buildings have been designed by the BDA group, which also has drawn up plans for a similar building at 90 Albatross Ave.
It is unclear, given the easing of the property market, whether the Bayleys have quick-start intentions with their planned buildings.
They have sought planning permissions at a time when reduced height limits appear to be in the wind.
That means that going to what some, because of the rooftop areas, may see as five levels might not be permitted in the Mermaid beachfront strip.
Meanwhile, Modern Ron has another iron in the fire, this one in the industrial and commercial arena.
Five years ago he spent $8 million buying more than 7ha fronting the Old Pacific Highway at Coomera – land on which a world trade centre once was mooted.
He’s been refining plans for the site and is chasing approval for a strata-title commercial subdivision served by a private road.
The move, as with the Modern Group’s operations, is likely to involve wife Tina, son Jordan and daughters Chani and Taela.