Quest and development partner Pellicano have broken ground on a new $70-million mixed-use development encompassing an 87-apartment hotel at 71-77 Gheringhap Street Geelong to be known as Quest Geelong Central.
Many of Quest Hotels have been hit hard by the pandemic, with two Hotels in the Melbourne CBD forced to closed in late 2020 and a third in Darwin earlier this year, however demand in the regional areas is high and expected to remain high once COVID dissipates. Several areas, like Geelong are also transitioning from a rural & manufacturing bases to a broader economy.
General Manager of Growth & Capital Strategy at Quest, James Shields, said the site on Gheringhap Street was chosen to capture the growing extended stay corporate travel market within Geelong.
“The Geelong economy is undergoing a structural transition from a manufacturing dominated economy to one driven by tourism and related services,” said James.
“We’re forecasting strong growth over the medium to long term given Geelong’s close proximity to Melbourne, growing events schedule and the ongoing gentrification of old industrial spaces.”
According to REMPLAN, Geelong’s population is forecast to grow by 100,000 over the next 15 years.
“With the terminal for the Spirit of Tasmania opening in late 2022 and Geelong Fast Rail coming in 2023, Quest has invested to capture the significant local leisure and corporate travel market,” added James.
On completion of this project, Pellicano will become one of the largest private owners of serviced apartment buildings in Australia.
Managing Director of Pellicano, Nando Pellicano, said he was proud of the long-standing relationship with Quest.
“At completion, this new property in Geelong will represent the eight projects we have undertaken with Quest, and the sixth Quest Apartment Hotel building we have retained under our ownership with a total of 560 rooms,” said Nando.
“A mix of studio, one bedroom, two bedroom and three-bedroom apartments, plus ground floor dining and retail spaces in addition to a rooftop gymnasium and conferencing facilities combine to create an attractive accommodation destination for travellers to Geelong.”
The hotel was designed by Peddle Thorp and RPC Architects, and the builder will be Ireland Brown.
Construction on the hotel is expected to be completed in Q1 2023.
An official sod turning event for Quest Geelong Central scheduled for 3 June 2021 was cancelled due to the Victorian circuit-breaker lockdown. Christine Couzens, State Member for Geelong, Brett Ince, Executive Director of Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine, and Councillor Peter Murrihy from the City Of Greater Geelong were all set to attend in support of the project.
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