The site that formerly housed the production of this newspaper will be transformed into a cosmopolitan retail and residential centre if plans released by its developers come to fruition.
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Maas Group Family Properties released a concept drawing for 216 Macquarie Street on Friday afternoon, and their vision for the site is spectacular.
The plan includes contemporary ground floor retail and upper level commercial office space overlooking Macquarie Street, 200 serviced apartments and up to 90 residential apartments.
There’s been a huge social media response to the release of the concept drawing.
The development’s construction would be staged in its delivery and be completed over an extended period of time.
The former Daily Liberal building’s proximity to the popular Old Bank restaurant will see the new building built around the eatery, and the developers have plans to redevelop and open up the lane beside the Old Bank to create a thriving café/restaurant and retail strip.
The building has been vacant since October of 2016 when the Daily Liberal office shifted 104 Talbragar Street.
“We are very excited to announce this concept and believe this will transform the main street of Dubbo and be one of the most iconic projects west of the Blue Mountains,” Maas Group Family Properties general manager Stet Guy said.
“Mixed use projects are the way of the future with all spaces complementing each other.
“Demolition is underway and we will be working with council over the coming months to have the development application approved with construction currently planned for 2018, and stage 1 to open in 2019.”
While work on tearing down the site has started, the former Daily Liberal office fronting Macquarie Street is still standing.
It was built in the 1960s to accommodate the former Macquarie County Council.
But the printing press hall at the back of the site has been knocked down.
Mr Guy said the office building and structures along the property’s boundaries “required careful demolition”.
“Not only is street front safety paramount but also adjoining sites as well,” he said.
The public will see protection hoarding erected on the footpath next week.
Meanwhile, vehicles are accessing the site from rear entry points and bricks from the printing press hall are being examined with a view to reusing some of them “in the redevelopment”.
MAAS Constructions and contractors have assigned eight full-time workers to the task of “bringing the buildings down to ground level” within the next couple of weeks.
The demolition process is currently on time and schedule, with plans to potentially use some of the old brickwork in the new buildings.
