The guest house, which nightly provides a bed for up to 60 people, has been under wraps since March as more than $700.000 in renovations are completed to the front of the building, verandah and parapet.

Ballarat Uniting Care bought the 1886-built coffee palace in 2013 and received a state government grant, on top of a $60,000 City of Ballarat Council grant to restore the building.

The recent move of an Indian restaurant at the base of the guest house to a new premises had prompted concerns about how the renovations were affecting businesses, but Uniting Care said the restaurant had decided to move to a bigger site. 

Uniting Care spokeswoman Marisa Bilston said it was expected the works would be completed before the end of the year.

“We expect the scaffolding to be removed in October with works completed in November,” she said. 

“Reid’s Guest House has a rich history of providing shelter to those in our community who are experiencing hardship. By restoring the building to its former glory, the whole community can be proud of the building’s history while admiring the stunning architecture and intricate details synonymous with Ballarat’s heritage.” 

The project will also give residents further use of the closed sections of the building including the veranda which overlooks Lydiard Street.

Internal work is also being completed to reveal and restore paintings on the walls of the foyer.

“Uniting Ballarat is currently considering options for the use of the vacant space for homelessness services,” Ms Bilston said.

“A project of this scale can’t be without some impact. As a responsible landlord and community service organisation, we have been liaising with tenants to mitigate any potential impacts that might come about.”