Ipswich Commonwealth Hotel: Council to extend Murphy’s Town Pub in CBD

The council has already spent $6.2 million restoring the Commonwealth Hotel in the Ipswich CBD. New works are set to begin to extend and fit-out the historic venue. See the plans.

An artist impression of how the extended section of the Commonwealth Hotel will look. Ipswich City Council submitted plans for the project this week.

Ipswich City Council has submitted plans to expand the historic Commonwealth Hotel in the city’s CBD, which is expected to cost ratepayers about $5 million.

The organisation has already spent more than $6 million to restore the 111-year-old pub with works completed in May.

The council acquired the collapsing building, also known as the Murphy’s Town Pub, in 2014 and it was forced to close after being ruled unsafe for occupancy.

Expansion plans have been submitted by the council for the 110-year-old pub.

The pub is now valued at $8.6 million according to the council.

The council approved the move to extend the hotel in June, subject to a long-term lease being signed with a tenant for the venue.

Senior council officer Sean Madigan said at the time there wasn’t any interest in the market from hotel operators in the current facility as it wasn’t big enough to house a modern operation.

“We have been in extensive negotiations with a prominent hotel operator that has a knowledge of the Ipswich market,” he said.

“What we are looking at effectively is up to a 20-year lease on that particular asset and a return on investment period of approximately 10 years.”

The council will spend $5 million on the project. It has already spent $6.2 million on restoring the old building.

The application does not reveal who the operator will be.

The pub is expected to be operational by Easter next year and the council has now officially lodged its expansion plans.

The proposed development involves fit-out works within the existing hotel building and an extension at the rear.

“The Commonwealth Hotel building comprises a floor area of approximately 914 sqm, comprising 625 sqm at ground level and 289 sqm at first floor level,” the application noted.

How the inside of the old hotel is expected to look.

If given the go ahead, the project will result in the facility having a total gross floor area of 1768 m2.

It is proposed the hotel would operate 24 hours seven days a week, though trading hours are unlikely to be this long.

A lift will connect the main hotel level and the next floor up.

Changes to the existing pub include a glass automatic sliding to door on the ground floor to allow disability access to the toilets and infilling part of the void on the western side of the building for more dining space.

The pub is expected to be operational by Easter.

Works as part of the extension will include external paving, construction of a ‘long bar’ on the western elevation, a new kitchen, new dining areas, new entry and lift, a two-storey public toilet area and new air conditioning and lightning.

“An assessment of the potential impact of these works on the heritage values of the Commonwealth Hotel building concludes that they will not adversely impact identified values,” the application noted.

“This is principally due to the design of the proposed development, which maintains separation between the old and the new.”

The site already has a basement car parking area which cannot currently be accessed due to the redevelopment of the southern part of the Nicholas Street Precinct and the construction of the new $125 million administration building.

“No on-site car parking is provided on the hotel premises.

The back of the hotel where the extension will occur.

“The Bell Street Green site is a balance area resulting from the redevelopment of the Nicholas Street mall precinct (library, civic area, commercial office tower and food and drink outlet).

“Bell Street Green comprises basement car parking area extending two levels below ground level, capped with concrete at ground level.

“This basement area used to connect to the basement car park under the library, civic area and commercial office tower.

“At-grade car parking will be available on the Bell Street Green site, with access taken from the existing Bell Street crossover.”

Read more stories by Lachlan McIvor here.

Originally published as Ipswich Commonwealth Hotel: Council to extend Murphy’s Town Pub in CBD