Update on the Sydney Ideal Org situation

[Zhent]

I thought it was about time for an update on this, I don't think its really been discussed since they moved out to the temp org, and now we have some more data and a clearer idea of whats going on. Also I really need to write down some stuff and gather my thoughts before I forget it all.


As you probably know, the Org at 201 Castlereagh st closed down and they moved into their new (temporary) building at 4 Hercules st Surry Hills around June.
Scientology has leased the building for a year in 2x6 month blocks for $390,000 (2022 sqm gross floorspace). This lease expires on the 14th of July, 2010.

Here is a pic for reference:



Now whilst at the protest on Saturday I noticed this big sign on the side of the building:


The building is being sold off for when Scientology leaves, and actually its already been sold before the auction. There's already some approved DA's for it, and its probably going to be turned into this commercial/retail thing:


Also after a little digging online I found some pics of the current interior of the org that may be of interest :






Relavent links:
http://www.dbproperty.com.au/property.php?id=1344
http://www.realcommercial.com.au/5515589
You can find floor plans, site surveys and more at these.


Anyway getting back on track to the Ideal org, what interested me about the sale and the data I found online about it was that Scientology now has a firm (?) deadline to be out of the building of the 14th of July 2010.

Of course the problem with this is that Scientology wont have a home then!

Quick history lesson on the state of Scientology's DA for the Ideal Org:
The final submission of the upgrade was lodged in November last year, after much revision and debate it was approved in June 2009.
Whats happened since then?
Nothing.
In fact in August they filed for a deferred commencement following even more revisions to the plan! They don't even have a construction permit yet, and as of Saturday when I walked past it the building is completely empty, boarded up and untouched. (save for the doors being covered with dianetics seminar posters)

Here is a pic:



Now I'm no civil engineer, but I think the chance of completing their proposed upgrades (and they are quite major) in 10 months seems a pretty improbable task. I think they are going to try and throw even more money at it to try and expedite it, but I just don't see it happening in time. Plus I don't think they have the money to complete the upgrade anyway. According to my estimates from donation lists they have about $5Million in donations. I imagine they have been regging super hard in the last 6 months so you can probably bump that up another million. Still far short of the $12Mil needed, wheres the rest going to come from I wonder?
IAS going to bail them out? I doubt it very much, I've never seen Sydney listed as a 'IAS sponsored ideal org' in any publications, in fact I've hardly ever seen Sydney mentioned at all!



Also whilst at the protest I managed to snag a few pics of just what their upgrade is going to look like. They had some displays up in their foyer showing computer renders of what its supposedly going to look like.
Note the quality of these pics are pretty poor as I was shooting through glass from a distance (obviously they wont let me in to take pics). I'm pretty sure this is the first time these have been seen on the net though so its probably worth it.


This is the Cafe


This looks like a courseroom


Reception area (cut off) and the display stands on the first floor (front groups etc)


This is their proposed exterior, if you're familiar with the current building you will know this is a fairly major face-lift. Actually I'm pretty sure most of this is NOT going to happen given the conditions of the DA and 201 being heritage listed. (one note: the tree outside has to stay and their awning can't interfere with it! )


The LRH office, lol


The Chapel, ughh


Not sure about this one


An auditing room


Note this is pretty standard fair for Ideal Orgs, like most of the other Ideal's or major renovations around the world its just pretty computer graphics that DM is pumping out. Quite interesting none the less.
As you can see from the pics its a pretty major overhaul (and at a cost of $12 mil remember) and like most Scientology building projects its not going to get done in time.
Only in this case Scientology is pretty screwed because they cant stay longer in the temp Org!

For reference heres what a previous concept of the exterior looked like:

The green glass house thing on the top has since been scaled down to 2.5 floors.

I also found this weird flyer with a rendering of the ideal, not sure when or where it came from, but its definitely from quite a while back.



Anyway this thread is getting pretty long and rambling, I think I've summed up most of the important new data here so now I will let others speculate on whats going to happen with the Ideal (and Scientology when their lease runs out!)

I think the next year is going to be very interesting for Scientology in Sydney

[degraded being]

Well, when they have to move out of the temp place and they are waiting for the upgrade of that fucking old dump in Castlereagh st, they can use the new Auckland org which was bought for about 10 million god knows how long ago (1 year?) and is still empty.

Yes they would have to get there by boat. Mind you when it's time to get out of the syd temp org the Auckland org might still not be ready. Something about the foundations of that of stone historic building have to be fixed up first. I wonder how many more million that will take, that the international Assoc of Scicultist will have to pay seeing as the two hundred scicultists left in NZ don't have any dosh.

[Nurse Pinch]

When I first saw the bag full of money on the bottom picture, I thought it was a toilet. Would have made more sense if it was

Pinchy.

[Moosejewels]

When I first saw the bag full of money on the bottom picture, I thought it was a toilet. Would have made more sense if it was

Pinchy.

Hah. I thought it was a toilet too !

[Dulloldfart]

Thanks very much for all the work, Zhent.

Paul

[Carmel]

Yeah, thanks Zhent, it's good to have the info.

I gather that the 'stop' on the reno's at Castlereagh St, must be due to lack of approval from up lines (DM). Given that they got the Development Application approved, you'd think they'd be right in there with the Construction Certificate all but finalized and ready to go, but as the CC has to specify every little detail, which can't be changed, that's more than likely the hold up - Even when things weren't as nutty as they are now, it used to take an age to get approval on anything - I recall it taking an absolute age to get approval from up lines on the colour which we chose to paint the building in the early '90's.

How bizarre not having it all done, ready to go, and started in the shortest possible time. It's the public's money they're throwing down the girgler though, not theirs. That makes ya feel sick, but there ya go.

[Zhent]

I gather that the 'stop' on the reno's at Castlereagh St, must be due to lack of approval from up lines (DM). Given that they got the Development Application approved, you'd think they'd be right in there with the Construction Certificate all but finalized and ready to go, but as the CC has to specify every little detail, which can't be changed, that's more than likely the hold up - Even when things weren't as nutty as they are now, it used to take an age to get approval on anything - I recall it taking an absolute age to get approval from up lines on the colour which we chose to paint the building in the early '90's.

I was definitely thinking this. I cant remember which one it was, but in one of DM's long rambling speeches he was talking about the Ideal org project and how they are all going to '100% standard' and perfect right down to the last detail.
I think they are all being completely designed by some big architectural firm in America that DM was rambling on about (extolling its awesomeness without ever naming them or providing details). If this is the case then its no wonder things have been slow, trying to get the city council to liaise with the firm in America would be a nightmare I imagine. And of course there's the issue of 201 being heritage listed and subject to some stringent requirements regarding the refurbishment that I bet is infuriating Davey and his plans for 100% Ideal standards.


BTW: Scientology did manage to paint the building! They filed a DA in June after they leased the place to repaint the front facade and build new steps. When I was there on Saturday I did indeed notice they had finally completed the paint job!
The additional steps however, remain non-existent

Also I'm not sure if many of you may of heard, but Scientology did not file for a DA for the redevelopment/refurbishment of the temp org at 4 Hercules st!
All that work their 'volunteer tradies' did was quite illegal, I'm not sure if this was harpoon'd though...

[Lulu Belle]

And of course there's the issue of 201 being heritage listed and subject to some stringent requirements regarding the refurbishment that I bet is infuriating Davey and his plans for 100% Ideal standards.

You'd think after going through what COS went through with the HGB DM would know better than to buy another "historical" building.

[wigee1]

SYDNEY IDEAL ORG,, GRANIT

[supafreak]

I took a stroll down Castlereagh St on the weekend. 201 is looking derelict. Some windows are broken, others are blacked out, and it has quite a few graffiti tags.



The small temporary shopfront org at 209 looks pathetic. It wasn't even open when I passed by. The lights were off and the door was locked. Great job "booming" ANZO, really.