Revealed: Coolum Beach’s neglected former ANZ bank site given $4 million commercial makeover

A Coast businessman is turning the rundown former ANZ Bank branch in Coolum Beach into a dining destination.

A artist’s impression shows what the former ANZ Bank building at the corner of David Low Way and Birtwill Street in Coolum Beach will look like once a redevelpopment is completed.

A Coast businessman with a history of giving life to tired commercial properties has launched a $4 million rejuvenation of a “derelict” beachfront site.

Construction has started on Ralph Rogers’ project to turn the former ANZ Bank branch on the corner of David Low Way and Birtwill Street in Coolum Beach into a dining destination.

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Mr Rogers said he had drawn inspiration from Brisbane CBD dining landmark Jimmy’s on the Mall, which offers casually chic outdoor dining.

Ralph Rogers at his popular Acres Noosa commercial complex in Noosaville.

Mr Rogers has previously repurposed buildings such as the Ecomnoosa complex in Noosaville, which was formerly a failed retail space.

He transformed that into a successful accelerator space for small business.

One of his favourite projects is Acres Noosa – a popular Noosaville destination focusing on health, home garden and meals near the Thomas St dining precinct.

Mr Rogers has engaged building designer Andrew McKellar on his latest passion project.

He expects construction will be complete by June.

“It’s such a prominent location – the building looked squashed and it looking derelict was such a bad look for Coolum Beach so I decided to do something about it,” Mr Rogers said.

“I love recycling buildings rather than them going to the tip.

“This 1990s building was most probably destined for landfill – and it’s my view that’s wrong – with all of my projects we try to recycle everything we can and only demolish what we have to.”

Mr Rogers said about 80 per cent of what had been taken out of the old bank was reused on the project.

“Coolum is coming of age, most of the eateries in Coolum Beach are strata shops that are made to suit dining rather than purpose-built – with most only offering seating on the street,” he said.

Jimmy’s On the Mall is the inspiration for a Coolum Beach makeover.

“For the benefit of locals and visitors alike I wanted to build a building that will become a landmark and that offers the very best eating/dining environment possible while enhancing the streetscape and retaining its heritage.

“The building features a heavily planted rooftop space that will be just fabulous as a chill area, vertical gardens and green everywhere we can place it throughout the building.”

Mr Rogers said his initial plan was to finish the project by June last year impacts of the pandemic pushed the timeline out by a year.

“The whole of the building will have updated electric and hydraulics so in every sense it is a new building … while retaining its 1990s heritage.

He would not say who the tenants would be.

“Prior to COVID-19 we had agreements in place with tenants for the building, however as a result of the uncertainties surrounding the pandemic those agreements were terminated.

“As that famous saying goes ‘build it and they will come’,” Mr Rogers said.

The Coolum Beach redevelopment is open for leasing with Ray White Commercial Noosa.

Originally published as Revealed: Coolum Beach’s neglected former ANZ bank site given $4 million commercial makeover