Historic Clifton Hill commercial building listed for $4.9 million

A three level red brick building in Clifton Hill is on the market with $4.9 million hopes.

The property at 24 Groom Street with an area of 925 square metres is on a corner site.

It has a site area of 340 square metres plus additional seven off street car parks. 

The vendor has recently completed a strip out of the until recent commercial office use of the building which now exposes the cavernous building spaces and the fabric of the structure. 

Gray Johnson director Brett Simpson says these works also expose the opportunity to create a single floor repurposing.

“There is even an opportunity to add mezzanine floor spaces,” Brett Simpson adds. 

“The character is derived from the history of uses dating back to the 1900s with the 24 Groom Street building acquiring its history and various uses along the way. 

“For instance, this building was taken over in September 1911 by the then Department of Defence and became the home of the Commonwealth Harness, Saddlery and Leather Accoutrements Factory, with an occupancy that extended until the late 1920s as a manufacturer of equipment for the armed forces. 

“I understand that during this period it became the provider of harness equipment for the Battle of Beersheba and other major World War One military campaigns. 

“There is still a commemorative plaque on the building façade acknowledging the contribution the building made to the Australian Military Forces from 1912-23. 

“During 1930s the building became the Bourke & Cooke boot factory, before Zig Zag Paper took over manufacturing their legendary roll-your-own cigarette papers here.”

In 1973, it was acquired by National Can Industries to manufacture many of Australia’s famous tin can packaging here.

National Can on the closure of manufacturing here continued to occupy the building as their corporate office until recently. 

“It holds a Mixed Use zoning with city views able to be accessed from the property’s location that is just off Hoddle Street and the access to the Eastern Freeway,” Simpson said. 

“The property has two street frontages of 16 metres to Groom Street and a side frontage to Yarrabing Lane of another 25 metres. 

“Now exposed by the strip out works are the historic building features including exposed timber beams, ceilings and floors, brickwork, with a goods lift remaining in place.”