Billionaire Seeks Temporary Heritage Demolition for Melbourne Tower Site

A section of a former cannery used to pack rations for troops in World War II would be temporarily demolished if a third round of amendments for a mixed-use project in Melbourne’s CBD is approved.

Melbourne Institute of Technology chief executive Shesh Ghale has filed an application with the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning to temporarily demolish the heritage fabric to allow construction access to the 3915sq m site.

The building at 386-412 William Street was the Dominion Can Company and more recently the City Mazda car dealership.

Shesh Ghale and wife Jamuna Gurung Ghale bought the site from Michael Drapac for $17.82 million in 2009, according to Corelogic’s property records.

The plans for the site initially were for an university campus but a hotel and apartment project was then put forward before the apartments made way for offices later.

A permit was granted for a mixed-use development on the site in June, 2015.

Since then the couple have made two rounds of amendments.

▲ A render of the Hassell Studio designed plan for a redevelopment of Sir Charles Hotham Hotel in the Melbourne CBD, another project by Ghale, which has been approved.

In 2020, the couple, who have an estimated worth of $1.2 billion, signed a deal with Accor to run the SO Melbourne hotel component of the project once completed. 

At the time, the project cost was estimated to be $500 million for the 288-key hotel.

The site is between Flagstaff Gardens and the Queen Victoria Markets.

Elenberg Fraser’s design for the tower include glass lifts, sky gardens and landscaped terraces.

The proposed amendments for the William Street project are under assessment and will be referred to authorities including the City of Melbourne for comment prior to the Victorian planning minister Sonya Kilkenny making a determination.

Meanwhile, Ghale recently won planning approval for the redevelopment of the Sir Charles Hotham Hotel on the corner of Flinders and Spencer streets, also in Melbourne.

That project will incorporate a hotel.