Gasparin’s $1m plan to transform Abbott St and DFS Galleria

Property investor Frank Gasparin is about to start a million-dollar renovation to one of the busiest corners of the Cairns CBD — and he wants other landlords to jump on board. WATCH THE VIDEO

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CAIRNS property investor Frank Gasparin has issued a million-dollar rallying cry to landlords to clean up their acts and buildings to resuscitate an asphyxiated CBD.

The Cairns Post can today exclusively lift the lid on Mr Gasparin’s plan to transform the corner of Abbott and Spence streets into a piece of architecture to make the city proud.

“I’m determined to make that corner really look nice as the gateway to the city and all the retail,” Mr Gasparin said.

“It will cost nearly a million to do that corner up.

“Then we need the council to work on the landscaping to make it right.

“This street has become a disgrace – even outside Woolworths.”

Cairns developer and property investor Frank Gasparin has unveiled his million-dollar vision to upgrade his buildings at the corner of Abbott and Spence Sts to create a grand new entrance to the CBD.

Mr Gasparin oversaw the $2 million upgrade of The Abbott Boutique Hotel into New York-style accommodation in 2015.

With his business partners Peter Strangman, Mary and Joe Mohun and Mark Biancotti, he now has his sights set on the neighbouring 63 Abbott St building – and he wants to start work within a month. Across the road he also has plans for external renovations of the DFS Galleria building with modern new awnings to complement interior upgrades already under way.

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Investor Frank Gasparin outside The Abbott Hotel in 2016 after it was upgraded. Picture: Marc McCormack

Mr Gasparin hoped other landlords would follow his lead and spruce up their properties.

“Other building owners can call Michael Martino, my architect – he’s got a vision for the whole street,” Mr Gasparin said.

Cairns Regional Council Mayor Bob Manning congratulated the developer on his investment and said the council would work with him to ensure the street landscaping was up to scratch.

“A fair number of those building owners are older people – they’ve retired and they have lost a bit of interest – but they’re not unloading, whereas Frank is sticking his head out a bit here,” he said.

Cairns developer and property investor Frank Gasparin has unveiled his million-dollar vision to upgrade his buildings at the corner of Abbott and Spence Sts to create a grand new entrance to the CBD. PICTURE: SUPPLIED

“He’s doing what needs to be done and showing an example to others.

“The council can do some of the same sort of work, but we are not the be-all and end-all.

“If people have a go like that, we will look at what work we can do around it.

“If you look back over the last couple of years when Frank has had little surges of development there, we’ve jumped in and done a bit too.”

Mr Gasparin and his business partners are not flying solo, with former Pacific Hotel owners Paul and Mark Kamsler undertaking their own major project just across the road.

English tourists Jess Russell and Carl Hanrahan in front of the Galleria shop on the corner of Abbott St and Shield St which is going to be redeveloped. PICTURE: ANNA ROGERS

The Kamslers have completely gutted the former Sejumi Institute building beside the old Courthouse Hotel on Abbott St, with plans to create an exciting new piece of architecture feeding into the proposed $40 million Cairns Gallery Precinct.

Katies Centre at the corner of Shields and Abbott streets also changed hands in March amid speculation a major redevelopment could be on the cards.

Originally published as Gasparin’s $1m plan to transform Abbott St and DFS Galleria