One man's pub is another man's vision

REVEALED: Developer releases his plans to revitalise Mackay's city centre

NEW LIFE: The old Palace Hotel building on Sydney Street, Mackay is set to be transformed by developer Charlie Camilleri. Picture: Emma Murray

WHILE many see "problems” with historic buildings, Charlie Camilleri can see only the potential.

Believing hotels are no longer the future, Mr Camilleri wants to bring more life back to Mackay's city centre and thinks the Palace Hotel is the way to do it.

The developer, who already owns property in the CBD, recently purchased the former hotel, which closed in June last year.

"The city has to take a different tack,” he said. "It's either retail or boutique shopping, classy restaurants, something different.”

Mr Camilleri has brought back to life many of Mackay's oldest buildings, including a former Queensland Rail building in Boddington St, the old Coles store on Sydney St, an old Main Roads building and more.

"I'm attracted to old buildings ... it's a part of history that we rejuvenate,” he said.

Charles Camilleri is the new owner of the old Palace Hotel building on Sydney Street. Picture: Emma Murray

He wants to encourage more people to come into the city centre, and he believes his plans for the Palace Hotel could help revitalise the area.

"You can spend all the money you want but you've still got to bring people to the city,” he said.

"People left and they go to shopping centres and the more modern aspect of life takes over, but I love the yesteryear, there is only one city heart and this is it.”

The Palace Hotel, at the corner of Sydney and Victoria streets, and the former Kate O'Reilly's Irish Bar and Restaurant next door had certainly seen better days when Mr Camilleri bought the property.

With the help of his sons, he has been clearing the building of rubbish, debris, mouldy furniture and carpets.

"It was disused, unloved and needed fresh air,” he said.

"This is probably one of the easier ones we've done.

"The old railway (station), it was old, disused ... itinerants were sleeping there, birds were in the roof.

"The old Main Roads building was blocked up for about six or seven years.

"I've done some really hard ones that needed structural applications as well. With this one, we're halfway there.

"It's got potential, I see potential in everything that I buy. Everyone sees what's wrong with it, we see what's right with it - that's my problem, I've done that too many times.”

With relics of the past still there, including an old cold room, complete with a hidden staircase to the motor upstairs, and an old industrial-size air-conditioner, there is a fair amount of upgrading to do before it's ready for tenants.

"The pokies are gone, that is the most important thing,” he said. "I want to attract a different element into the area and take it to the next level.”

Mr Camilleri said there was scope for one to six tenants in the building.

"With the openings and the windows that are here, we can separate each tenancy out and break it up into smaller tenancies, more the boutique,” he said.

There is already a lot of interest in the building, and they plan to work out their best tenancy options within the next month.

Originally published as One man's pub is another man's vision