Burleigh eyesore to be transformed into iconic surfboard-shaped building
BURLEIGH’S eyesore looks set to be turned into an icon after the owners of the infamous Gold Coast Highway building put forward plans for a transformation.
The dilapidated former medical centre will soon be demolished according to Burleigh Councillor Greg Betts.
And there are preliminary plans to construct a 16-storey tower, shaped like a surfboard, in its place.
Cr Betts is thrilled that plans are moving ahead for the derelict building, which is owned by the Boehme family and was the subject of a four-year long legal battle with council.
Council won the fight, but was only able to achieve a limited clean-up.
“It looks like the potential of this site will finally be realised,” Cr Betts said.
“It has been an eyesore for a long time and people don’t understand why it hasn’t been fixed.”
Town planner Rob Taylor, from Taylor Willis said the Boehme family now had a “grand vision to build an iconic building on the site”.
“Gold Coast City Council has enthusiastically supported the plans,” he said.
“The concept is in the early development stage. But we are looking at a 20th century design that taps into the Burleigh Heads surf culture.”
The first two levels of the building will be set aside for commercial and community use, with plans to include a boardroom for use by local not-for-profit groups, while the rest of the building will be residential tower.
Former councillor Eddy Sarroff, who now has his own real estate agency, has been involved in progressing plans for the site which he helped to clean up back in 2011.
“Hopefully the building that is there will be demolished soon,” he said.
A period of public consultation is being planned for the middle of the year.
Council started pushing for the site to be cleaned up eight years ago when vandals targeted the building.
The Boehmes were ordered by the court to fix the building up and fined $12,000 in 2010.
