Probably not notable but more notorious, the Ritz Flats on the corner of Bellerine and Corio Streets have become one of the city’s most controversial buildings and an eyesore. The Ritz was once one of our city’s grandest hotels and dates back to the 1860’s.
First known as the Belle-vue Hotel and later the Bay View Temperance Hotel, the building received some modifications and major renovations during the late 1890’s. From some information we received from the National Library of Australia the building was also known as the Ozone Hotel around the 1940’s and later the Ozone Coffee Palace. Later in its life the building was used as a boarding house and was last known as the Ritz Flats some time between the mid to late 1970’s.
The building has sat in disrepair for close to forty years, there has been many concepts for redevelopment from wine bars, night spots to apartments but to date nothing has eventuated.
The Ritz was one subject of a 2013 report by the National Trust called Demolition by Neglect. The trust believes many neglected heritage buildings like the Ritz are owned by developers that would like to see them pulled down. Various planning permits have been applied for dating back to 1984 that the trust views as a stalling tactic. While the plans for development drags on for decades slowly the building deteriorates due to time, vandalism and the elements.
Several planning permits were put in place dating back to 2006 to build a five story apartment complex that retains the heritage facade. The permit was extended several times without any work starting despite permit rules stating works must start before December 2014. In mid-2014 the building was put up for sale and later removed from sale still without any work starting much to the irritation of the Geelong council.
Eventually by October 2016 it had been reported the Ritz has been relisted on a Commercial Real Estate site for sale. By April 2017 the new owners earmarked for a $30.8 Million luxury 10 story residential and apartment hotel that will retain the facade of the old Ritz on the lower two levels. This new plan was given the go ahead by the Victorian State Government in December 2017. Sales of the 110 luxury apartments under the banner of Ritz Geelong began in October 2018 while preliminary works also began to clean up the site to eventually return the Ritz building to its former glory.
