Three High Street buildings will be removed to make way for pedestrian access from the mall to the river, Maitland City Council has confirmed.
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Councillors voted in favour of making an application to the Minister for Local Government to acquire the Bailey’s Jewellers building and the adjacent premises that is home to Newlook Eyewear, in a confidential meeting on Tuesday night.
Council announced yesterday that it would apply for compulsory acquisition of the properties, opposite the Bulwer Street intersection.
These buildings, along with 396 High Street, which council previously bought, will be demolished to make way for a river-link structure that is a key component of stage two of the multi-million dollar CBD revamp, The Levee project.
The construction of the river link, a window-box style building, relies on the demolition of all three properties.
Corporate services executive manager Graeme Tolhurst said the compulsory acquisition would provide the most equitable outcome for all parties involved.
Bailey’s Jewellers owner Doug Crich said the acquisition would be good for Maitland.
Mr Crich said he would continue to negotiate a fair price for the sale of the property but would not discuss specific figures likely to be tabled.
“It’s the best spot in the mall,” he said.
“It will be a good thing for Maitland but it’s got to be fair for the businesses.
“I think we’ll reach an agreement.”
Bailey’s Jewellers has been in the mall for 44 years and Mr Crich has operated the business for more than two decades.
Mr Crich said the store would reopen at another location in the mall but he had not found a site yet.
He hoped Bailey’s Jewellers would only have to close briefly, if at all, to move to its new location.
Stage one of The Levee project, to reopen the pedestrian-only zone in the mall to vehicles, began last month and is expected to be finished early next year.
Council will apply for grant funding for stage two, with work set to begin next year.