IT'S home to some of the city's most critical services and it's falling apart at the seams.
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Neighbourhood House a community hub housing a range of mental health, migrant, aged care and other non-government agencies has launched a $3 million funding push to have its Benerembah Street headquarters overhauled.
The current fibro building is so small and dilapidated a number of organisations have been forced to move off site.
The Neighbourhood House committee has compiled a business case and funding application and distributed it to a range of state and federal members.
Neighbourhood House chairman Gordon McCaw said urgent action was needed.
"The building simply does not meet OH and S and work safety requirements; it should have been replaced 20 years ago," Mr McCaw said.
"This is a very important community hub and it's critical that many of these agencies work out of the one building.
"For example, people with mental health issues can often also have drug or financial issues.
"The closer we can co-locate a lot of these agencies, the better the service provided."
Among the organisations using Neighbourhood House as a central local base are Alcoholics Anonymous, Legal Aid, Carer Assist, Mission Australia and the newly formed Griffith Carevan committee.
The funding push has been in train since late 2010 and has included negotiations with Griffith City Council to allow Neighbourhood House to relocate to the old Exies bowling green site on Jondaryan Avenue.
The preferred option is now to rebuild on the existing site and the committee is confident of securing a fresh 10-year lease, with a 10-year option, from council.
Murrumbidgee MP Adrian Piccoli has thrown his support behind the funding push, but said it posed "logistical difficulties".
"The building is in atrocious condition and I certainly support it being redeveloped," Mr Piccoli said. "You just need to look at the services it delivers to know how important it is.
"The challenging thing is that it doesn't fall neatly into any one department there are lots of different services being offered.
"We are trying to find a way forward because there's no doubt it needs to be replaced."
The Neighbourhood House committee predicts the design and contstruction of the new facility would cost between $3.11 million and $3.52 million.
