Hellenic HQ: A New Greek Centre is Planned in Melbourne

The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) has announced a landmark development to create new facilities and services for all Greeks in Melbourne.

The plan focuses on the Community’s core activities and services and brings together organizations from across Melbourne in a landmark development called “Greek Centre on the Yarra”.

“The Plan is visionary and testament to the hard work of my fellow Board members,“ said GCM president Bill Papastergiadis.

“It resolves the significant difficulties associated with the Bulleen site and will create a space for Greek organisations to call home.”

This new Centre will house:

a. Aged Care facilities

b. Education facilities allowing the GCM to bring together a number of campuses in the region and save up to $100,000 per annum in rent

c. Community meeting, gallery and function spaces that will offer a tangible location for community organisations to call home with spaces to meet, celebrate and exhibit their archives and collections.

d. Retail spaces for a café and or restaurant

e. On the balance of the GCM land that remains under a flood zone, the plan is to construct sporting fields that are in much demand by local clubs and schools. These are of little impact to the construction of the Centre.

5. It is important to stress the financial considerations for the GCM associated with this plan. As proposed, the GCM will net approximately $10m from the sale, receive an ongoing profit share from the Aged Care facility once operational, receive rental from the retail outlets and from the sporting field and save close to $100,000 annually from school rentals that will no longer need to be paid. Furthermore, with regard to the construction of the new building, a joint venture with a third party will be sought to fund the construction.

According to Mr. Papastergiadis the development of the Bulleen site has being a constant request raised with him by many community leaders. “Create a space for us to meet and keep our archives, then we will invest in it’ is constantly said to me” says Papastergiadis.

“Not only we are creating a space which is needed by the community, but the project adds so much more to the social and cultural fabric of the community in Victoria. We will work with all of the key stakeholders to ensure that the needs of Greek Australians are appropriately met.

This project along with the acclaimed 15 level Greek Centre in the CBD now defines Melbourne as the global Hellenic HQ.”

(Source: www.greekcommunity.com.au)