Sunshine Coast Council is pressing ahead with plans to upgrade and repurpose two of its administrative centres, after moving most of its operations to a new $100m city hall.
The region’s governing body is set to revamp its previous headquarters at Nambour and also its base at Caloundra.
A council spokesperson said the former, which includes the landmark Eddie De Vere building on Currie Street, was still being utilised and it would become a versatile facility.
“A number of council teams continue to operate from Nambour while we are developing plans for an upgraded central precinct,” they said.
“The new precinct is likely to include enhanced library functions, community facilities and retained council administration spaces inclusive of approximately 200 staff.”
There were also plans to alter council’s base at Omrah Avenue in Caloundra.
“Our commitment is to repurpose the Caloundra administration building into an integrated community facility with district library and community meeting spaces, to activate Caloundra as the community and creative hub for the region, along with ongoing administration spaces and customer service centre,” the spokesperson said.
Works to repurpose the Caloundra admin building were planned to start in coming months. About 150 staff were set to work from the new-look facility when it is completed.
The spokesperson said council’s big move to the city hall in Maroochydore and the upgrades to the admin centres at Caloundra and Nambour were necessary, amid the region’s rapidly growing population.
“Our property assets are ageing and require significant investment,” they said.
“To keep them up to standard and to align with council’s vision ‘Australia’s most sustainable region – healthy, smart, creative’ it is important to consider the property footprint council needs in the future, and how our assets best serve our community and align with council’s vision and values.
“In planning council’s future workplaces, we considered how our services, our people and our assets could be best placed in the shared interests of our community and organisation.”
Council has staff at 38 locations on the Sunshine Coast, including the admin centres in Maroochydore, Caloundra and Nambour, as well as depots and satellite service locations such as libraries, exhibition grounds and venues.
The relocation of about 830 council staff to the new 10-storey city hall has been progressively staged, until Level 8 is completed in coming months.
There was much fanfare and some conjecture about the hall’s creation.
The spokesperson said it was “a signature civic building in the Maroochydore city centre” and “a major catalyst for the development of the city centre’s commercial core and will play a significant role in activating the area”.
“(It) is part of a region wide workplace strategy to service the community by providing the right people and the right services at the right location,” they said.
“The new building forms part of the collective vision, to transform the city heart into the heart of the region for civic, business, and commercial activities.”
The city hall, which meets a 5 Star Green Star Design Review Rating, is also home to mixed tenancies.
