Gold Coast dermatologist Andrew Freeman and his wife Ashley are trading in their family home to focus on developing a state-of-the-art skin cancer hospital.
The waterfront property at Jacobs Well, complete with architectural plans for a luxury Hamptons-style home on the site, goes under the hammer on Sunday.
The Freemans, owners of The Skin Centre, made the tough decision to ditch their dream home build as they forge ahead with a mixed-use project at Mermaid Waters delivering a private hospital specialising in skincare surgeries.
Amir Prestige agent Mitchell Booth is marketing the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home on a 663 sqm lot at 18 Esplanade. It has been owned by the Freemans since 2019.
The northern Gold Coast property has a huge entertaining deck leading onto a private boat ramp and jetty providing direct access to Moreton Bay.
Built in 1980, it has spacious open-plan living and dining areas, with a large timber-panelled retreat space and balcony upstairs.
Ms Freeman said it was a “reluctant sale”. The couple has three young children, Archie, 5, Arianna, 3, and Arnold, 1.
The home has a private boat ramp and jettyThey had engaged Spatium Architects, a collective of professionals from the Sunland Group, to design an upgraded home for the idyllic site.
The Skin Centre’s Australian Mohs Hospital development was approved in August for The Lanes precinct, which was spearheaded by Sunland Group.
“Our plan was to eventually move closer to work and have the house at Jacobs Well as our weekender, but then the hospital development came up and our focus now is to optimise our time and investment into that so we can really help the Gold Coast community,” Ms Freeman said.
Australia has the highest melanoma rates in the world, with Queensland recording the bulk of skin cancer cases.
Artist impression of The Skin Centre hospital. Picture: SuppliedWith wait times for a skin specialist consultation between 6 to 12 months, Ms Freeman said the hospital had received overwhelming industry support, prompting an expansion of the original concept to provide more people with improved access to much-needed services.
Mr Booth described Jacobs Well as a “seaside village” situated between the waterways of Brisbane and the Gold Coast and offering a “serene escape from the bustling city life”, yet within 15 minutes of the highway.
Popular weekend pursuits included fishing, boating, kayaking and paddleboarding.
PropTrack data shows house prices in Jacobs Well were down 5.4 per cent over the past 12 months to a median of $720,000.
Ms Freeman, managing director of The Skin Centre and a former lawyer, said the tranquil surroundings were the perfect antidote to her busy schedule.
Spacious family living zones“We absolutely love it here. You drive through cane country to get here and all of a sudden you are on the bay. It is such a special place, very tightly held and a really beautiful community.
“I’ve always worked in high-stress environments, but I deal with it just by stepping out on the deck and that stress just washes away in an instant.
“This is the ideal place for a boatie, you are right on the Broadwater. I can see Stradbroke Island sand dunes from where I am standing and the islands just look like diamonds sparkling — it is just stunning,” she said.
The Skin Centre was founded 20 years ago by Dr Freeman’s father, industry leader Michael Freeman, and operates from specialist suites at Benowa and Chevron Island.
Construction of the hospital is expected to commence late 2024.
Article source: www.news.com.au
