Exhibition Item

TenderLink Ref Number: MAITLD-1088016

Following the completion of construction and opening of the New Maitland Administration Centre (263 High Street, Maitland) in 2023, the opportunities for future use of the old Maitland Administration Centre (285 High Street, Maitland) by Maitland City Council and the community was reviewed.

Due consideration was given by Maitland City Council to ongoing usage of the site for council operations including additional office spaces, storage for regional facilities (e.g. Art Gallery), and records and administration management.

Hindering the reuse of the building as an office space is the condition of the building fabric and fit out. To refurbish the site and make the required improvements to the building would be a substantial undertaking.

Reuse of the building as a central storage location for regional facilities is limited by the structural elements of the building. The building was originally designed and constructed to serve as an office space for administration and there are limited opportunities to improve the structural performance of the building.

To garner external funding to support the retention of the structure, an expression of interest was also issued to the public, and while various community groups expressed interest in using the facility, there was no commercial interest to provide financial support for adaptation and reuse.
Maitland City Council Councillors elected on 12 December 2023 to demolish the Old Maitland Administration Centre noting that it is not feasible to maintain the asset in its current state for an unquantified period or to refurbish and improve the space such that it is suitable for reuse in the near future.