By ERWIN CHLANDA
The directors of Melanka Pty Ltd, which will “deliver” 174 multi-level dwellings in Todd Street, are Michael Sitzler, David Ross and Randle Walker.
Mr Sitzler is a member of a builders dynasty that started in Alice Springs but moved to Darwin.
Its recent Alice Springs projects are the Supreme Court and the six storey apartment building just completed on the eastern side of Todd Street.
Mr Ross is the former director of the Central Land Council (CLC) and Mr Walker heads up the Aboriginal investment company Centrecorp which has the CLC, the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress and Tangentyere as shareholders.
Chief Minister Eva Lawler said in a release on April 3: “The 180 dwellings in Alice Springs will be delivered over the next four years, with 90 of the dwellings to be used by key workers, and the remainder to be offered for sale and rent in the private market.”
Blueprint NT will “deliver” six dwellings in Kilgariff, said Ms Lawler.
Neither she, Mr Sitzler nor Mr Walker would disclose whether the new complex would be built on the land where formerly the Melanka hostel stood, a block that has been empty for some years, but that has been converted to eight story zoning in 2014 for a major project (architect’s drawing at top) that never got off the ground.
The Ms Lawler and the proponents of this new project will not disclose how much the NT Government will invest nor the costs and rent of the dwellings.
UPDATE 4.30pm April 16
Mr Sitzler provided the following statement:
The new development being proposed by Melanka PL is on the old Melanka block.
There will be six separate buildings, five will be five storeys with one at four storeys.
The government is not putting any funding into the development but have agree to lease 72 of the units for government workers and Melanka will lease the balance to interested parties.
The overall development cost is approximately $90m and the development will take around four and a half years to complete once commenced.
174 multi-level dwelling in Todd Street: “The 180 dwellings, 90 will be used for key workers.” The remainder will be sold or rented out. Who are the “key workers?”
There seems to be a discrepancy of 6 dwellings between the figures 174 & 180.
ED – According to the Chief Minister, Melanka Pty Ltd “deliver” 174 multi-level dwellings on Todd Street and Blueprint NT six in Kilgariff.
Imagine that building soon after construction with a high security perimeter fence topped with razor wire.
It would be good to see innovative security as part of the design, perhaps no ground floor units, so it doesn’t become a blight on our town and the tourist industry.
We still don’t know where this magnificent complex of three stories multi-buildings may be erected and for whom, or at what cost for those who may rent or buy.
Is the intention to develop affordable housing which is badly missing in Mparntwe or to grow a carrot to financial speculators?
However, this project, if it ever sees the light of day, does not allow any bit of greenery for those who may sit on their balcony after work, or those who will have to hang their washing somewhere at the view (or critics) of their neighbours.
It seems from the picture we are shown that no climate consideration might have been given to the orientation of 174 units. Why not keep it at 100 dwellings and allow breathing space?
ED – Many thanks for your comment, Maya! Just to make sure there is no confusion, as the story pointed out, the architect’s drawing at the top was of a major project in 2014 that never got off the ground.
Living in the Alice we are accustomed to the contradictions that visitors find hard to comprehend.
Aboriginal poverty, ill health and crime is a plague and a huge burden on public money but some of the biggest service providers to Aboriginal people are hugely wealthy real estate owners and deal makers.
The Aboriginal investment giant Centrecorp with its vast wealth is bankrolling this project.
Centrecorp is owned by the Central Land Council which represents traditional owners, although TOs appear to have no input into how Centrecorp money is spent.
Another owner is the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, funded at $50m per year to provide health services to Aboriginal people.
The third owner is Tangentyere tasked with representing town camps and also funded millions with public money.
Lhere Artepe Enterprises offers another contradiction.
They are part of the body that represents the traditional owners of Alice Springs but fuel anti social behaviour by selling alcohol at their IGA stores.
They are currently in a standoff with government that wants to buy their liquor licences to reduce harm and the public expense of policing their stores.
Lhere Artepe want a “proper” price for their licences which is rumoured to be far above their commercial value.
The three supermarkets were bought for $14m including a $6m grant from the Federal Government’s Aboriginal Benefits Account.
My thank you to the ED for pointing out that the picture at the top was from an aborted project of 2014.
So please why do you show it?
ED – Hi Maya, we did because the company is called Melanka. It was fair to assume – as has since been confirmed – that the planned project is for the same location, which is where the old Melanka hostel was, and because in planned purpose and size it is very similar.
I hope you’ve noted the information in the Update provided by Mr Sitzler which is now part of the report.