A major refurbishment of the iconic Landgate building at 1 Midland Square is set to bring more workers and vibrancy into the heart of Midland.
The building first opened in 1993 but had been underutilised recently, prompting the McGowan Government to call for solutions to optimise use of the facility last year.
Under the proposed solution, now in the final stages of negotiation, the building will be sold to local contractor Georgiou Capital Pty Ltd who will undertake the refurbishment and lease to tenants.
The State Government will receive $17.3 million from the sale to Georgiou Capital Pty Ltd, while also securing a leaseback agreement to accommodate public sector workers.
Under the new arrangement, the refurbished Landgate building will accommodate staff from the Department of Communities, Child and Adolescent Health Service and Landgate to create a modern workspace for about 850 public servants across three State Government agencies.
Part of the refurbishments includes a co-working hub that will be accessible to and will provide more flexibility and mobility for public servants in the Midland area. The building will also include further capacity for the private sector.
Construction and refurbishment work is expected to create around 370 local jobs.
Following contract executions, Georgiou expects to start its extensive scope of refurbishment work during the second half of 2022, with the three-staged project currently scheduled for completion during 2024.
The Landgate building proposal was achieved through a Problem and Opportunity Statement process under the Market-led Proposals Policy.
The policy allows Government to provide focused opportunities for industry to respond with innovative solutions that stimulate the economy and create jobs for Western Australians.
As stated by Finance Minister Tony Buti:
"Reinvigorating the Landgate building will bring more workers and vibrancy to the Midland town centre, adding to the area's continued growth into an exciting metropolitan hub.
"This outcome means we can optimise a building with plenty of life in it, boost public sector workers in Midland and improve our budget's bottom line."
As stated by Lands Minister John Carey:
"The aged Landgate building will be revamped to optimise the building and support Midland's on-going reinvigoration.
"The outcome of the Problem and Opportunity Statement will benefit the local Midland community and businesses by ensuring the public sector will continue to have an important presence in the heart of Midland."
As stated by Planning Minister Rita Saffioti:
"The McGowan Government has shown its commitment towards supporting workers in Midland, following on from the Bellevue Railcar Manufacturing and Assembly Facility and new Midland Station.
"Having a public sector presence in the heart of Midland ensures the sector remains connected to the Midland community."
