Members of Brisbane’s Greek community have received some saddening news – Hellenic House in Brisbane’s West End will be knocked down.
Although the building holds great meaning for the community, which dates back to the 1960s, plans to develop the area have been placed at the forefront, with a $40 million block of units being erected in its place.
According to reports, the Brisbane City Council approved the commercial development in September 2014, with demolition set to commence in two months time.
A partnership with the Greek Orthodox Community of St George, the building will be eight-storeys high with 65 units in total, with prices ranging between $380,000 and upwards of a million dollars.
According to Fairfax Media, when plans of the development were first reported in May 2013, Hellenic House’s manager Steve Kassiou said that if the plans went ahead “it would be a disgrace to the Greek community”.
Still a popular spot for a family meal, the venue is treated as a kafenio, frequented daily by up to 40 Greek men playing cards and tavli.
Despite the changes, these individuals will not be left without a meeting place, set to be welcomed at Cypriot House located two kilometres away.
“I see no reason to be disappointed. We are going to move to better things. We are going to improve the area and we already have a different place to go,” Jack Conias of Highgate Hill told Fairfax Media.
“Right now it is called Cypriot House, but it will change its name to Kafe Nio so it will be like Hellenic House. It will also be a meeting place for both Greek Cypriots and Greeks from Greece.”
Also feeling positive about the move is president of Brisbane’s Cypriot Greek community in Vulture Street, looking forward to the merging of the two community groups, with plans for a new kitchen valued at $80,000 to cater to the new members at the venue.
“For the Greek community I think it will be sad,” he said. “But for us, it will make us bigger and stronger.”
However, it’s not just members of Hellenic House who are unhappy with the changes happening in the area.
Complaints have been received from local residents regarding the four-floor commercial precinct that has been approved to be built next door to Hellenic House, while two ‘heritage-listed’ timber homes have been approved to be relocated to a vacant block of land in the area.
Yet the council reassures that it’s doing all it can to protect the old homes in the vicinity.
“Council has struck an important balance at this site, with a development approved that ensured the preservation of three important traditional buildings that were on the site,” said Cr Amanda Cooper, Brisbane City Council’s Neighbourhood Development committee chair.
Source: Brisbane Times