Part of an abandoned car dealership on Maroondah Highway on the market

It’s only 217sq m, but part of this abandoned car dealership in Ringwood is being touted as an ideal entry-level development opportunity.

Part of an abandoned car dealership on Maroondah Highway in Ringwood is going to auction on August 9. Picture: Google Street View.

Another prime development opportunity has opened up in Ringwood’s commercial hub with part of an abandoned car dealership for sale.

Ray White Commercial Oakleigh will auction the 217sq m parcel of land at 142 Maroondah Highway on August 9 at 11am.

Maroondah Leader understands VicRoads has bought the dealership site and offloaded the parcel of land for sale.

The abandoned car dealership at 142 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood. Picture: Google Street View.

The block has nearly 18m of highway frontage and is in front of train tracks leading to Ringwood railway station.

Ray White agent Paul Rizzo said the small block was a rare entry-level opportunity for developers and he expected it to sell for more than $400,000.

Mr Rizzo said a handful of interested buyers were keen to create a five-storey complex with a mix of retail and apartments.

“The section left for sale is a decent part of land you can do something with,” he said.

“It would be a challenge to have apartments on the site … but it is a great entry level project at the right price.”

Meanwhile, a short walk down the road, Maroondah Council is about to start building its new offices in Ringwood Town Square.

As revealed by Maroondah Leader last year, the new offices will be an extension of REALM library.

The council provided an update on its plans and an artists’ impression on June 26.

An artist's impression of Maroondah Council's new offices at Ringwood Town Square — a bronze building between REALM and Sage Hotel. Picture: Supplied.

It showed a rectangular bronze building between REALM and Sage Hotel, one storey off the ground.

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The council initially said last year it would move to REALM within the next three to five years.

But in the update, the council said construction would begin in early August and be finished by mid-2020.

Mayor Rob Steane said the new building would be two-storeys high and the council would move in once it was completed.

The council allocated $2.5 million for a fit-out of the new offices in its 2019-20 budget and is promising to build them at no cost to ratepayers.

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