Dr Jerry Schwartz admits refurbishing the Newcastle Post Office to its former glory is his “passion project”.
But, to be honest, it’s just one of many developments the tourism and hotel entrepreneur hopes to unveil in the region in the next few years.
Not only is he renovating the historic premises in Hunter Street, the owner of the Novotel Newcastle Beach, Rydges Newcastle and Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley, as well as the Hunter Valley Convention Centre and Sydney Brewery at Lovedale, plans to build the Madoo Indigenous Museum and a $30 million tennis academy and equestrian centre, both at Cessnock, and release his own whiskey entitled Two Doctors with good friend Professor John Rasko.
And, while he has enough on his plate, his focus will always be returning the Newcastle Post Office to its once mighty grandeur.
“It’s such an attraction,” Dr Schwartz said.
“It would be a shame for it to be ruined and turned into some sort of money-making venture.
“Restoring such an iconic property will be complex but I have always stated my passion for the project.
“I have a long personal history associated with Newcastle, having been a medical student here and then a major investor in the city.
“On top of that, I believe Newcastle has enormous tourism and business potential, so it is essential that we make the most of the city’s prime assets.
“The best way of preserving heritage is by sympathetically using the property.
“Rather than being a run-down shell, closed off to the community, our proposal will see the community totally engaged in the process.”
Dr Schwartz initially “got involved” with the post office through the previous owner of the building, a Cambodian businessman.
“His wish was to put a nightclub there,” he told the Newcastle Weekly.
“So, he asked if I could help him.
“That was about 20 years ago.
“At that stage, I told him I didn’t think there’d be critical mass in Newcastle to establish such a venue in the CBD.
“Honestly, it would be a horrible use for such a beautiful building.
“Then nothing eventuated from the discussions.
“The post office finally went to auction in 2010.
“I actually bid $3.3 million for it, the highest offer on the day, but it was passed in. All of a sudden, the NSW Government purchased it for more than $4.5 million. And, that was the last I heard about it.”
“Five years later, after the building remained in total dilapidation, the Awabakal Land Council (ALC) inherited it from the state government.
“It eventually went back to tender, so I took the opportunity to buy it [for $3.5 million].”
The Newcastle Post Office will now be repurposed into a hospitality hub and cultural venue.
“The vision has always been to convert it into a function centre,” Dr Schwartz said.
“By going to a tender process with the ALC, they not only looked at the price tag, but they looked at what the concepts were, too.
“So, I’d like to follow our original plans.
“We’ll transform the basement into an Aboriginal cultural centre for the local Awabakal people – with artworks and a bush tucker café, for example.
“There’ll be a separate entrance off Bolton Street.
“The main colonnade will boast speciality shops, supporting the wedding market, with a function centre on the first floor that’ll attract conferences and banquets to Newcastle, which will help boost tourism and employment.”
Even though Dr Schwartz still has more hurdles to cross, he had to recently remove 1.2 tonnes of pigeon poo from the premises, he sees light at the end of the tunnel.
“It’s been a slow process, due to many reasons, however I’m hopeful we’ll open the basement section in 2024 – that’s a realistic date,” he said.
“Then, it should be another one or two years after that for the next stage.
“I’m not expecting the post office to make a huge cash profit, it’s more of a morale profit for me.”
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