A year ago Probuild was appointed to build the $190 million strata office at 130 Little Collins Street but the builder’s collapse in February threw projects all over the country into doubt.

The rather noisy demolition has finished at the former Uniting Church headquarters and building is poised to start next week on the 28-level tower.

The building is 70 per cent sold, mostly to owner-occupiers, with the strata offices selling for between $15,000 and $20,000 a sq m. Prices ranged from $1.3 million to $8.5 million,

Golden Age managing director Jeff Xu said confirmation of the new deal was welcome news.

Roberts Co was founded five years ago by Andrew Roberts and Italian builder Impresa Pizzarotti. Roberts bought out his partner last year.

The Roberts family’s old company, Multiplex, which was bought by Canadian giant Brookfield in 2007, has built many of the city’s landmark towers.

Strata office was one of the city’s hottest asset classes even before the pandemic, mostly because of low interest rates, but enthusiasm has ramped up as owner-occupiers try to take some control over their business premises.

Colliers agent Anthony Kirwan, George Davies, Tanisha Seeling and Leon Ma recently sold fellow agents Burgess Rawson’s office on level seven, 140 Bourke Street for $6.6 million at $9939 a sq m and another vacant office at level one, 43 Little Bourke Street for $1.45 million at $11,885 a sq m.

Another swag of strata is coming to market in the next few weeks including a fairly new office on level 6 of the Aurora Melbourne Central Building, level one at 58 Franklin Street and an office at 5/608 St Kilda Road.

Post Office

The Carlton Post Office has sold for just the second time in nearly 140 years for $5.52 million.

Built in 1883, the two-storey Victorian palazzo-style classic is listed on the Heritage Register of the National Trust and only stopped being the post office five years ago.

The family who bought the property at 146-154 Elgin Street from Australia Post in 1994 paid $350,000.

The 21st century deal reflected a building rate of $14,540 a sq m and $8565 a sq m for the 645 sq m site.

The deal was negotiated by Fitzroys agents Chris Kombi and Ervin Niyaz who said the buyer is planning to initially lease out the building to office and retail tenants but may occupy it in the future.

It attracted a range of owner-occupiers and investors keen to get their own city-fringe premises, Kombi said.

“Character buildings provide a point of difference for owner-occupiers and businesses. They never go out of fashion,” Kombi said.

Ballroom dancing

One of the inner-city’s iconic wedding venues, the San Remo Ballroom, is on the market two years after it was damaged in a fire.

The restored art deco venue is expected to fetch more than $10 million through CRS agents Ross Mercorillo and Lou Montalti.

It’s on a large 1840 sq m parcel of land at 357-369 Nicholson Street on the corner of Lee Street in North Carlton and has not been on the market for more than 35 years.

Returning around $388,000 a year in rent, the property is leased to the San Remo Ballroom reception business, Clifton Dance Studio, four shops on Nicholson Street and an office area off Lee Street.

“It’s an iconic property, there’s no two-ways about it, and it’s attracted a lot of interest,” Mercorillo said.

The former Adelphi Theatre has been a wedding and party venue since 1963 with occasional stints as a music venue.

Bike parts

Motorcycle parts business AMX has sold its Epping premises for $9.55 million on a sharp passing yield of 3.93 per cent.

It’s a strong price given the tenant - AMX - has the right to terminate its lease in less than three years. Yields for these properties once hovered around 10 per cent.

The 2744 sq m property is on a large high-profile 5194 sq m site at 336 Cooper Street in the heart of the commercial precinct north of the Ring Road.

It’s in a Comprehensive Development Zone 2 which gives users flexibility to merge retail and industrial uses.

The off-market deal was negotiated by Stonebridge Property Group agents Rorey James, Nic Hage and Kevin Tong.

Business park

Gisborne’s Nexus Business Centre is being off-loaded by the Glenister family which developed the complex in 2008.

The 7552 sq m three-storey building is stacked with ASX-listed and government tenants, including Suncorp’s AAMI call centre, the Country Fire Authority, Bendigo Bank and Carpet Call. It returns a total $1.91 million a year in rent.

CBRE agents Scott Orchard and Tom Ryan are handling expressions of interest and are expecting more than $20 million for the property.

The building, which includes ground floor retail and car parking, is on an 8000 sq m parcel of land.

Gisborne, on the north-west urban fringe, is a hub for local government, health services and employment. Expressions of interest close on May 31.