Top of Town visionary transforming our CBD

Meet Martin Sammut. He's transforming the CBD one building at a time.

Local businessman Martin Sammut is putting his stamp on the Ipswich CBD. Picture: Rob Williams

MEET Martin.

Small business owner, visionary, property developer, husband and father.

He has a vision for an Ipswich CBD that caters to young people featuring plenty of laneway cafes, rooftop bars, boutique shops and a few apartments.

Brick by brick, building by building - it's slowly coming together.

Martin Sammut is a self-made man, the son of a Mackay cane farmer, who fell in love with an Ipswich girl at the young age of 19 and promptly moved to the city to make his mark.

He's also the property developer behind the building that houses Heisenberg Haus beer hall and Nourish café.

Martin's family has just bought two more properties in the 'Top of the Town' as part of his vision to transform the precinct into a food and cultural hub.

The smaller property is on Brisbane St while the other is a large block with frontage on both Limestone St and Brisbane St.

Access to both main drags is an essential part of Martin's overall vision for a precinct, similar in design to James St in Fortitude Valley, which will draw people in from both sides.

It's a work in progress and Martin is still ironing out the finer details, but he plans to link the already renovated building - which also houses his offices - to the other buildings.

Ultimately he wants to see a courtyard surrounded by cafes and bars, supported by office and retail space.

It took two years to transform his CBD building at 164 Brisbane St which now boasts original, exposed brick work, a cobble stone laneway, full offices and a courtyard.

That multi-million dollar redevelopment, designed by local architect Peter Johnston, was the biggest project Martin has taken on so far, other than building up his own business.

"When I moved to Ipswich I knocked on every accountancy's door until I got a job," Martin said.

Local businessman Martin Sammut is putting his stamp on the Ipswich CBD. Picture: Rob Williams

"I was about 27 when I opened my own firm. It was just me, no admin staff or anything.

"Today we employ 30 people and have about 23 professionals working with us."

Martin says the one thing that could make or break his vision, is the support of the Ipswich community.

"People have to be on board with what you plan to do.

"You have to work together," Martin said.

"People need to see that you're passionate, that you can build something they want to be a part of.

"If you're not selling a dream or an idea, then it's difficult to do in a city like Ipswich.

"These types of properties that are old and unique have to be treated differently than trying to sell or fill space in a brand new building.

"We're trying to create spaces that provide experiences and atmosphere."

In particular Martin, who has an 18-year-old daughter, wants to see more of a nightlife develop in Ipswich to give young people an option other than going to Brisbane every weekend.

"Ipswich needs something like this," Martin said.

"Ipswich is developing a culture where people are eating out, visiting bars, and the more of those types of places you have, the more diversity, the more than culture will grow.

"There's momentum now and the more you have the better it will be - people will stop travelling to Brisbane as much for those experiences."