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Ringwood’s old Jooce nightclub site at 93-97 Maroondah Highway set to sell for more than $16 million

It’s the old Maroondah clubbing haven that was the place to be in the late 1990s and early 2000s. These days, it’s a far cry from its former glory, but has hit the market for big bucks.

The Ringwood Rivers store is at the front of the Maroondah Highway corner site. Picture: realestatesource.com.au
The Ringwood Rivers store is at the front of the Maroondah Highway corner site. Picture: realestatesource.com.au

The former home of one of the eastern suburbs most popular nightclubs in the 1990s and early 2000s is set to be transformed into a multi-use high rise.

Gill Property is selling the prime corner site at 93-97 Maroondah Highway — which used to be the home of Jooce nightclub — for more than $16 million.

The 7015sq m site in Ringwood retail precinct has three street frontages — Maroondah Highway, Market St and Seymour St — and is commercial zone 1 land.

It is home to Ringwood’s Rivers store at Maroondah Highway and the Genesis gym on Seymour St.

An overhead view of the corner site at 93-97 Maroondah Highway in Ringwood. Picture: Google Earth.
An overhead view of the corner site at 93-97 Maroondah Highway in Ringwood. Picture: Google Earth.

The site’s nearby neighbours include Ringwood’s Bunnings store, Costco and the Ringwood Square shopping centre.

Jooce was a popular nightspot for outer east clubbers in the 90s and was promoted as the biggest single-level club in the southern hemisphere.

Big name DJs regularly played in its Buzz Bar until it closed in the early 2000s.

A nightclub used to be based at 93-97 Maroondah Highway in Ringwood.
A nightclub used to be based at 93-97 Maroondah Highway in Ringwood.

Gill Property director Stephen Bolton said Ringwood would need more bars and restaurants as its activity centre evolved and the buyer could build a new club on the site.

But Mr Bolton said it was likely the site would be transformed by a developer into a multistorey mixed-use complex in line Maroondah Council’s objectives for the area.

“To get the most out of the site and the money we’re expecting, it’s definitely going to be a high rise, and I’d guess it would be eight levels or more subject to council approval,” he said.

Ringwood's Genesis gym is at the rear of the major Maroondah Highway corner site. Picture: realestatesource.com.au
Ringwood's Genesis gym is at the rear of the major Maroondah Highway corner site. Picture: realestatesource.com.au

“It could be a mix of office, residential or retail, as long as they are in the parameters of the planning.

“There’s been a lot of money spent on Eastland and the (Ringwood) station … and the council are council quite keen to get something happening on that strip there.”

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Mr Bolton said Rivers was a tenant at the site until mid-2021 and Genesis until 2023.

He expected the site to sell for more than $16 million and said there had been interest “near and far” in the site from various groups and developers

Expressions of interest are open until March 25 at 3pm and Mr Bolton said Gill Property expected to finalise a deal a week or two later.

kiel.egging@news.com.au

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/outer-east/ringwoods-old-jooce-nightclub-site-at-9397-maroondah-highway-set-to-sell-for-more-than-16-million/news-story/638c0254d8760769e9961881330b0134