Batavia Motor Inne demolition progressing fast as co-owner Joe Scaffidi visits the Geraldton site

Part-owner of the Batavia Motor Inne Joe Scaffidi was onsite on Thursday as demolition of the derelict eyesore kept making swift progress. The property developer husband of former City of Perth lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi was seen on the Fitzgerald Street site as demolition crews continued tearing down buildings in the complex. Mr Scaffidi co-owns the site with two other co-directors who are part of 54 Fitzgerald St Pty Ltd after they purchased it in 2021. The long-awaited demolition of the site began on Sunday and drone photos taken on Thursday show more than half of the complex has been levelled after just five days. Mr Scaffidi was seen walking around the site in a hard hat and work boots and it is believed to be the first time he has been photographed at the notorious location. The rate of demolition is in stark contrast to the previous decade and a half of inaction, which current and previous owners moving at a snail’s pace to do anything with the site, while it became a magnet for criminal and antisocial activity and squatters. Local demolition company Buhnu has been contracted to complete the works. They tore down the centre structure, as well as half of the building on the Gregory Street facing side. Next door neighbour and City of Greater Geraldton Mayor Shane Van Styn said the sole digger operator work rate was “incredible”. “His ability to ability to operate that machine and bring down buildings is phenomenal. It makes for spectacular viewing from my house,” he said. “I watched him take out about one-third of the tallest buildings in about 40 minutes.” Mr Van Styn said works start at 6.30am and finish at 6pm and he has seen security keeping an eye on the site overnight, and every morning before works started crews do a room sweep to ensure there are no squatters. He said the noise was a “small price to pay” and the dust was not too bad at this stage. “This is the bringing down part, which at the rate he’s operating is probably only going to take a couple of weeks. But then there’s going to be a major carting campaign and sorting and separation and then ground work,” he said. Mr Van Styn said he did not know why Mr Scaffidi was in Geraldton but it was “good to see him onsite and taking action”. City CEO Ross McKim said the City had no planned meetings with Mr Scaffidi.