St Kilda saints
The first stage in the City of Port Phillip's $130 million rejuvenation of St Kilda's foreshore was announced this week with development industry young guns James Weight and Zig van der Sluys winning a 21-year tender to redevelop and run the dilapidated West Beach pavilion.
Under the business title West Beach Development Consortium, the pair from Tremaine Partners will take a year to convert the 76-year-old former bathing pavilion into a 200-seat tea-room, grill and kiosk, a 200 square-metre beach sports shop and a community recreation and exhibition space.
The $2 million turnaround of the pavilion, which is identical in design to exclusive foreshore restaurant Donovans, is expected to bring life to the most neglected section of St Kilda's foreshore. The pavilion was decommissioned in the 1960s and has long been a rumoured candidate for demolition. But the arrival of kiteboarding to St Kilda's west beach about five years ago has returned life to the area.
It is not surprising that James and Zig are driving forces behind the sport, as well as being developers, and are regularly seen shooting the breeze in the protected waters of St Kilda harbour. The pair claim they spied the potential of redeveloping the pavilion about two years ago and have spent much of that time working on the concept. Much of the historic structure will be retained in their plans, but the exterior will be fitted with windows, doors and decks.
They will pay an annual rent to council based on a percentage of income and will sub-let the management of the tea-room and community space to the operators of Fairfield Boathouse.