A PIECE of local history has gone under the hammer, with Griffith's iconic former ambulance station selling at auction after strong interest from a number of parties.
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The site sold for $960,000 on September 5 to a private buyer, shaping the future of commercial real estate in the city with one transaction.
"The response we had over the marketing period reflected on the auction day," agent Brian Bertolin said.
"We had a strong list of registered bidders and the bidding was good right from the get go.
"Obviously people saw the real value, location and status of the site."
The first bid of the day came in at $550,000 and was followed by a constant flow of $10,000 incremental increases.
Potential business owners and investors flocked from across the region to try their hand at attaining a site in the heart of the city.
"We had quite a number of out-of-town investors registered for the auction and that obviously shows that they see Griffith as a key area to invest in," Mr Bertolin said.
"I think anyone holding commercial property in Griffith should be happy with that result and the strength of the commercial market."
The building was vacated by NSW Ambulance 18 months ago, during their relocation to a new premises on Wakaden Street.
The old site, comprised of two brick homes adjoined by a large undercover garage, has potential for either residential or commercial use.
It was originally built in 1959, cementing itself as an icon along Banna Avenue and a symbol of the city's growth since that time.
"The people who have bought it have booked some local architects and they're going to have some meetings with council, just to throw out some concepts of what they may do with the site," Mr Bertolin said.
"I do believe they will preserve the facade, so I don't think there's any mention of doing anything drastic there.
"They're looking at what they can do internally with the building and how they can maximise the usage of it."
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