Pasadena on Pittwater listed for mortgagee auction
The disused Pasadena motel at the end of Church Point featuring views over southern Pittwater has been listed for auction on March 28.
Standing opposite Ku-ring-gai National Park at 1858 Church Point, the Peter Stutchbury-designed Pasadena sits on land measuring 632 square metres and was once a thriving motel and function centre popular for weddings and social functions.
The motel has been one of Sydney’s sought-after wedding venues, with wedding parties disembarking via boat or seaplane for their nuptials.
Its prime waterfront position overlooking southern Pittwater offers views towards Scotland Island and Lovett Bay to the north, Bilgola to the east and Bayview to the south east.
The Pasadena is situated within Sydney’s northern beaches, approximately 32 kilometres north of Sydney CBD and four kilometres north west of Mona Vale, overlooking southern Pittwater.
The hotel is being marketed Matthew Meynell and Henry Burke from Colliers International in conjunction with Jack Elsegood from Domain Residential on behalf of receivers Grant Thornton and is being sold as “vacant possession ready for development”.
Meynell says there has been interest from restaurateurs, developers and conference organiser and expects offers “north of $2 million”. He says it has a number of development applications on it.
According to the Manly Daily, the property’s owners, the Romeo family, attempted to sell the waterfront property in 2010, after years of trying unsuccessfully to redevelop the site.
Burke says the Pasadena has long been the talk of community discussions by Church Point and Scotland Island locals.
“The residents have long wanted a building of social significance that enriches the local area and fits well with the Pittwater Council’s plan of management for the future development of Church Point,” he says.
“We are already fielding interest from developers looking to build a landmark waterside property and business operators looking to establish a restaurant or function centre within a highly sought-after waterside location on Sydney’s Pittwater.”
“The Church Point area is one of the most beautiful areas on the northern beaches and will benefit greatly from a revamped building showcasing the natural beauty of the area,” he says.
It has a previously approved 2005 development application to demolish the existing building and build a “shop top housing development comprised of basement car parking, restaurant, three shops and three residential units”.
The hotel last sold in $3.6 million in 1989 at a time when demand for such properties was booming.
The land is zoned 3 (C) Neighbourhood Business ‘C’ under the Pittwater Local Environment Plan, (LEP) with the council estimating that a new LEP will be drafted within 12 to 18 months.
The ground floor consists of a disused function area with a commercial kitchen and bar and three retail shops facing Pittwater Road, which are currently vacant. They were previously occupied by the artist-run Gone Fishing Gallery, a real estate agency and storage for the local bottle shop.
The second level consists of 12 single motel rooms with ensuites. The top floor consists of a laundry room, water heating systems and open-plan roof with a small enclosed sitting room.