PROJECT : SCStation - 664 Collins [Archive]

Yardmaster

April 24th, 2006, 01:50 PM

I just started a new stations thread (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=8176464#post8176464) in the SSC "Infrastructure" Forum... one new fan at least for this station!

I do think this thread has become focused on a down-market shopping centre lately ... but perhaps I am partly to blame. Also, noting some comments from time to time, looking back on the development of this project, it's kind of surprising how much rather than how little has been achieved by now, especially considering the trains have been running through that station more or less normally during the intervening period.

30 months ago:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/SouthernX/history/hist4121_rc.jpg

two years ago:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/SouthernX/history/hist4772.jpg

18 months ago:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/SouthernX/2004-10-10/spnc_1215.jpg

8 months ago:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/SouthernX/2005-08-12/IMG_3057.jpg

Now there seem to be some people who think that the whole thing would have gone a lot faster if Steve Bracks had been out there with his spanner tightening up the nuts at midnight each night, but if you look at what has been achieved here in the past few years, especially considering that trains have run through and terminated in it the whole bloody time, well, I rest my case.

b.t.w. ... brilliant photos of the boom being loaded onto the crane, Mugley. And Favco ... I have to ask ... how many men does it take to change a boom? :)

MelbourneCity

April 24th, 2006, 02:21 PM

It sure was a hideous place!
Looks like some third world suburban station - not a modern western city!
Thankgod the project finally got off its feet.

If SSS was host to trains from overseas, I'd be embarrased to be Australian.
You wouldnt see something as ugly as that in Europe, or even the States!

Drunkill

April 24th, 2006, 02:41 PM

Star Destroyer update. You can just see the damaged roofing at the top right...
They forgot to raise the shields. An A-Wing must of gotten thorough and damaged the hull. Next time the commander won't be so foolish, with vader watching him.

mugley

April 24th, 2006, 02:45 PM

I do think this thread has become focused on a down-market shopping centre lately ... but perhaps I am partly to blame.Nah, two main reasons (for me at least):

1) The DFO end is where the most obvious external changes are happening at the moment.
2) Due to the train station's silly anti-photography policy, I (and I suspect others also) can't be bothered going to the effort of doing updates on the internal progress. Seems like a real wasted opportunity for free publicity with little in the way of apparent benefits...

Next time the commander won't be so foolish, with vader watching him.Hehe. Next time the new commander won't be so foolish :)

Favco750

April 24th, 2006, 03:22 PM

Hey YM, They are erecting the crane here, not changing the boom over. Even though I hear you say the crane went up the day before, the bit they are doing is probably close to the trickiest bit, certainly the most labour intensive and take the longest amount of time. Once the Big black bit on the back is up, (A Frame), the men concentrate on piecing together the lattice boom sections on the ground. This can be done by a second crane whilst the main crane erects the main pieces, or it can be done by the main crane. There is a bit in assembling the boom, the boom must be assembled square and level, or the pins just dont go in. On most building sites there normally isnt 60m x 3m of perfect level ground, so it must be assembled on packing timbers to level everything up. Then the big fat steel pendant wires need to placed together and joined onto the boom head and the monkey, which is the black bit with the sheaves. The monkey must be temporarily suspended to the boom for it's trip through the sky.

Once the boom is assembled, the fibre reeving ropes must be run out through the monkey back to the butt, as well as the fibre reeving rope for the hoist wire/s which are run from one end to the other of the boom. All the electrics must be assembled and wired up as well, and secured 'cause it'll be up there in the breeze for a while. Then all the safety clips are wired on and checked, then the main crane hangs over it. Soft slings are usually used with 4 chains going back to the hook of the main crane. Last thing is to make sure there are long enough tag lines so the blokes on the ground can control it.

Then it is lifted up, around trees and power lines and placed within coo-ee of the deck of the crane. Then the men up the top take over a bit, guiding it in as close as they can get it. By now, the fitter will have the power pack of the favco running so the tower crane can be slewed sideways a little to help marry up the two bits. The butt of the boom must sit in two pockets and everything is a tight fit to eliminate slop when it is all together. After jiggling a bit of this and that, two big mo fo pins are pushed/bashed in to hold it. Arangements are made to secure these. Then the luff rope must be fitted. The end is joined onto the fibre ropes allready placed, and slowly run out of the drum of the tower crane. At this time there is at least one bloke out on the boom at the monkey, one on the top of the A frame guiding the rope over the sheaves and one on the deck joining and unjoining the bits of fibre rope as they go. There also is a bloke operating the crane driving the winches and a fitter who would still be working on the power pack, but also in case the crane stops.

This is probably the most critical part, once you commit to starting, there really isn't an easy way to stop. If the weather comes in now, you are stuck with it until all is done. Once the luff rope has been run out and fitted off, then the hoist rope/s will be done. Once all the hoist rope/s are on and the hook/s fitted, the crane is operational. The operator and the fitter stay up there setting all the limits and testing all is working ok, whilst the riggers go back to packing up all their gear, and the packing up the main crane that erected the favco.

Then normally the next day, the crane is tested by using test weights at certain distances. Once all is ok, the crane is placed into commission and is ready to go.

But answering your question briefly, there is a crane driver, fitter(mechanic), three or four riggers up the top, then 3 riggers on the ground to assemble the bits, unload the trucks, hold the boom whilst it is lined up and a bit of other stuff. Then there will be a safety person and a foreman or three supplied by the builder, a few others doing a bit of this and that and that's about it. Most crane erections in Melbourne by law require an exclusion zone of some distance equal to the size of the tower crane to be kept during erection. On alot of sites as you would understand, that means no one else can be there, hence why most of this work happens outside of normal hours. When the city is busy with cranes, that means it's 7 days a week, dawn to dusk on site and some.

And usually a few other people taking photos outside the zones. Most times there always seems to be a bit of a crowd. People seem genuinely interested how it happens. Bit by bit, it's the only way. :cheers:

b.t.w. ... brilliant photos of the boom being loaded onto the crane, Mugley. And Favco ... I have to ask ... how many men does it take to change a boom? :)

Yardmaster

April 24th, 2006, 04:27 PM

Nah, two main reasons (for me at least):

1) The DFO end is where the most obvious external changes are happening at the moment.
2) Due to the train station's silly anti-photography policy, I (and I suspect others also) can't be bothered going to the effort of doing updates on the internal progress. Seems like a real wasted opportunity for free publicity with little in the way of apparent benefits...

Hehe. Next time the new commander won't be so foolish :)

I have to admit that security has dampened my enthusiasm markedly. I discussed this with my partner. I considered taking a folio or CD of my efforts to the Chief Whatever at Southern Cross, to establish I had a genuine interest in documenting the development of the place, but she said ... "no, don't do that!"

Initially I thought that was just because she was Singaporean, but, after hearing now that you can be detained without trial or charge here now, without being given any account of why you are being apprehended, and, moreover, if you happen to be released, face the threat of indefinite imprisonment if you divulge to anyone (even your partner) anything regarding whatever your were interrogated about during your absence, well ... Singapore never had a good profile here, but she's got the story.

I know this is the wrong thread for pursuing this sort of issue, but it is pertinent to why (I) find difficulty completing the task I set out for myself two and a half years ago when the SXS Project started. If you ask me, you should look to Phillip Ruddock for the answer (not that you'll get any).

auslankan

May 7th, 2006, 07:42 PM

Looks like this guy has been logging on to SSC lol

http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/one-eyesore-goes-another-replaces-it/2006/05/07/1146940404938.html

One eyesore goes, another replaces it
By Simon Mann
May 8, 2006

Page 1 of 2 | Single page

What on earth are they doing to Spencer Street? The station redevelopment continues to win praise, and rightly so. Its roof is stunning, "breasts" and all, the remodelled West End hub a 21st century tribute to the grand 19th century terminuses of London - Waterloo, Paddington, Victoria, Kings Cross - and a fitting counterpoint to Flinders Street's grand old dame.

One hundred and fifty years after the birth of Victoria's railway network, the development is a timely reconjuring of the vision of the early proponents of rail transport.

While the name change has yet to catch on, Southern Cross Station looks every bit a worthy addition to the capital - majestic, but functional, towering but accessible. Its transparent Spencer Street frontage, between Collins and Bourke streets, has opened up the station to its city. For one thing, it's a lot more inviting than its 1960s predecessor. Its broad walkways link the CBD to its platforms, and to Docklands beyond. In modern archi-speak, it seems a good example of permeability, its boundaries working as filters rather than barriers.

Sure, there's a debate about the cost (a $1.8 billion "roof", some argue) and about how it's being financed: it's another one of those PPPs (public-private partnerships, which deliver infrastructure for governments too timid to borrow while delivering private developers windfall profits). But that's another story.

No, the problem is not the station itself - it has lifted the design standard - but its new neighbour to the north, the imposing shedlike edifice that is to hold cars and a bus terminal and yet another retail outlet, a so-called "Direct Factory Outlet", a string of stores flogging consumer brands cheaply. There's one at Essendon, just off the Tullamarine Freeway, which has apparently caused traffic headaches for the locals as bargain hunters have clamoured for weekend retail therapy.

But first, a disclaimer: I happen to work in arguably the ugliest building on Spencer Street. Tagged the "Spencer Street Soviet", not only because of its Stalinesque layer cake stature the like of which the Soviets erected throughout the capitals of eastern Europe, but also as a pejorative reference to the pinko commentators who supposedly inhabit it, the brown brick building often features in polls of Melbourne's worst blights. No. 250 continues to scale the ranking of ugliest building as competitors for that accolade are dismantled or redeveloped. The Gas and Fuel buildings gave way to Federation Square; Markillies Hotel, once branded the worst spot by Premier Jeff Kennett, is getting a facelift.

Maybe my expectations were unfairly raised by the success of the station's new roof, suspended like a giant spider over the three hectares of railway platforms on long steel legs, and its exhilarating, airy feel. It's just that it makes for quite a contrast with its neighbour, which is shaping as an uninspiring, massive grey box: a bit like a giant Nissen hut. Usually, these sorts of factory outlets get built in the burbs or in an industrial belt, not in the centre of town.

The Spencer Street complex, West End Plaza, with its 120 shops and food courts, will be the first of two: a second of its ilk is expected to open in Docklands in two years' time. The latter location would seem to make more sense, especially as the waterside population grows. But having opened up the West End with the Southern Cross makeover, it seems contradictory to develop a shops precinct alongside, which draws the retail centre further towards the CBD fringe and which doesn't interconnect with the city. Just as one "blockage" to opening up Docklands is removed, another is seemingly erected.

Granted, the developers had a tough assignment - they had to include the station car park and a bus terminal - and the tenanted shops, including a Coles supermarket for inner city dwellers, puts icing on the cake as far as making the thing pay its way.

But the 800 parking spaces suggest it will attract a fair bit of traffic, not just shoppers who arrive by train, with the already strangled surrounding roads and Spencer Street itself (reduced to one lane in parts to accommodate wider tram stops) facing greater congestion.

Dimity Reed, on this page (2/5), cautioned against undervaluing the importance of beauty in a city's public buildings. She's right, Southern Cross Station is "exquisite". It's just a shame about the neighbours' joint.

Simon Mann is a senior writer.

Adamonline

May 8th, 2006, 04:30 PM

I guess that people have to wait and see what the final building looks like. Of course it will look a little funny on it's own. People need to use their imaginations to visualise other buildings and developments going up around it in time.

Also, if the building were an architectual masterpiece then it would detract from SCS. I think that it won't necessarily hurt for the building to look a little bland.

Blabbyboy

May 9th, 2006, 07:18 AM

I agree with the article. SCX is great but the DFO is shite. The DFO is neither permeable nor transparent. It's about as solid as the Gas & Fuel buildings. Beirut end of Collins St indeed. Get some terrorist activity happening down there...blow it up! :D

Dalts 1985

May 9th, 2006, 05:31 PM

Get some terrorist activity happening down there...blow it up! :D

I would be very carefulk with a comment like that in this day & age we live in, you never know just when the Authority's are looking in! :gossip: :runaway: :horse: :guns1: :|

realmakoym8

May 15th, 2006, 04:52 PM

Lol Then stick it under Costello's car.....

Dalts 1985

May 18th, 2006, 08:53 PM

SCS Website Photo GAllery has been updated, w/ photos for the month of May.

Grollo

May 19th, 2006, 01:37 AM

Looking good:
http://www.spencerstreetstation.com.au/images/gallery/fullsize/imageN3356591331.jpg

http://www.spencerstreetstation.com.au/images/gallery/fullsize/imageN3356593060.jpg

Adamonline

May 19th, 2006, 06:32 PM

I would be very carefulk with a comment like that in this day & age we live in, you never know just when the Authority's are looking in! :gossip: :runaway: :horse: :guns1: :|

LOL ... Political correctness just weakens our morals, makes us weaker and ruder as a society. The quicker that we nick it off the better.

NO, Blabby mate ... YOu speak your mind and don't be ashamed to use the vernacular. Stuff ASIO, if they don't get then that's their problem. :)

On the other side of the discussion, that SCS is one "sexy", hot little "chicky babe", "horn bag" of a "sheila" of building. If it were a human being (female) then I'd knock the back out of it ... :D

tayser

May 20th, 2006, 12:53 AM

hah, those pics = teh win.

very noice.

Drunkill

May 20th, 2006, 03:23 AM

On the other side of the discussion, that SCS is one "sexy", hot little "chicky babe", "horn bag" of a "sheila" of building. If it were a human being (female) then I'd knock the back out of it ... :D
You just want a woman with lots of breasts :p

Yes i like those two pics, show it off very well. We need a long exposure at night from up there, around 5-6pm when everyone's leaving work and going in the doors.

mugley

May 20th, 2006, 09:03 AM

The sister's a bit of a minger (star destroyer update from today)

http://static.flickr.com/46/149661611_e36e09add6_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/91256982@N00/149661611/)

tayser

May 20th, 2006, 09:08 AM

minger :lol: greatest British adjective ever.

mingen indeed.

tigermike

May 20th, 2006, 09:17 AM

minger :lol: greatest British adjective ever.

mingen indeed.

agreed.....and agreed....it's all very Jade Goody (if anyone knows who she is)

mugley

May 26th, 2006, 09:22 PM

Isn't "minger" a noun and "mingen" or "minging" the adjectival form? :)

<pedant status="off" />

Anyways, it's 5AM and 6.8 degrees, and these buggers are out pumping concrete. Respect...

http://static.flickr.com/57/153754251_209277a84e_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/91256982@N00/153754251/)

Yardmaster

May 27th, 2006, 12:11 PM

how many of these new Velo units are there?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/SouthernX/2006/velo_4522.jpg

This afternoon, I counted 7 2-car units inside the station (and managed to photograph 4 of them without getting my camera confiscated):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/SouthernX/2006/velo_4518.jpg

There were also another 6 double-car sets outside the station, and a seventh came in from somewhere:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/SouthernX/2006/velo_4530.jpg

And there was also at least another pair hiding out the back (not sure what's behind the diesel immediately on the right):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/SouthernX/2006/trains_4528.jpg

Does anybody know? Hopefully one set is being repaired at the moment.

May 27th, 2006, 12:25 PM

IIRC, the order was for 38 2-car Velocity sets.

MelbourneCity

May 27th, 2006, 02:49 PM

Yeh 38. One is out of service indefinately thanks to the incident a few weeks back near Ararat.
Im assuming it will be rebuilt.

Yardmaster

May 27th, 2006, 02:58 PM

Yeh 38. One is out of service indefinately thanks to the incident a few weeks back near Ararat.
Im assuming it will be rebuilt.

It looked like it might need a bit of rebuilding.

MrPC

May 27th, 2006, 09:25 PM

Has anyone noticed that inside Spencer Street Station it looks perpetually overcast during the day? Granted that's not unlike the rest of Melbourne, but the roof does seem to have created an effect that runs contrary to all the artists impressions of a bright interior. The overuse of grey/blue tones inside isn't helpful either.

Perhaps larger sections of transparent or translucent roofing would have been better. Particularly if they are banging on about the new name farce. You certainly can't see the southern cross from inside the new station no matter how permeable the design is. Or, if nothing else, find a more appropriate colour scheme for the internal structures and put in more lighting.

Yardmaster

May 27th, 2006, 09:47 PM

MelbourneCity

May 28th, 2006, 04:55 AM

It looked like it might need a bit of rebuilding.

It sure did - after smashing into a truck loaded with blue stone, I'm not surprised.
It might not be economically viable to rebuild it though - might be cheaper just to order a new unit.

The Collector

May 29th, 2006, 09:40 AM

Great shots, Yardmaster! :)

Yardmaster

May 29th, 2006, 01:57 PM

^^ Thanx.

Getting photos of this yard was of course pretty impossible until they built all those bridges across it. Might as well take them before it's covered over! :)

There seem to be at least 7 carriage sidings between platforms 7&8 ... and a lot up beyond Latrobe Street, some of which look rather dysfunctional.

Does anyone know the final track layout? Tayser?

The Collector

May 30th, 2006, 05:19 AM

Dalts 1985

June 1st, 2006, 07:10 PM

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/postcards/1920s-1980s/slides/MelbTrain2.jpg

Can any one tell me where that photos was taken? As it looks suspiously like Ballarat after you leave the station on the bend & make your run for Warrinheap bank!

Yardmaster

June 2nd, 2006, 01:42 PM

Can any one tell me where that photos was taken? As it looks suspiously like Ballarat after you leave the station on the bend & make your run for Warrinheap bank!

I don't know, but I'll make these observations:

There are at least six (curving) tracks in parallel in the photo.

So far as I am aware, these S-Class locos were only used to haul the express from Melbourne to Albury and back.

The signal in the back might provide a clue. If it is heading for Warrenheip, aren't there too many sidings on the left?

Eureka!

July 2nd, 2006, 05:15 AM

The stations almost finished now!!! just realised Queen vic. market needs a makeover... never really thought about it before...

Kiss the Rain

July 2nd, 2006, 12:07 PM

Anyone got any updates on the station yet? Hope it's finall finished.

jlb

July 2nd, 2006, 01:31 PM

went through on a loop train the other day, the roof looks pretty impressive and it's such a massive improvement on what was there before. But it's incredibly dark in there, even with the skylights and lighting. Also the structure of the roof has become home to a lot of birds and they're crapping everywhere, there are lines of crap all down the structure parts!!

auslankan

July 2nd, 2006, 02:21 PM

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/postcards/1920s-1980s/slides/MelbTrain2.jpg

It’s a pity we no longer have this gem around.:bash:
It would have looked great pulling up next to the Velocity trains in Southern Cross station. :)

And the stupid Victorian Railways Commisioners at the time of the Spirit of Progress locos retirement decided to dismantle them for scrap so only a few photos are all we have left of these magnificent monsters.

Heres a link.http://www.freewebs.com/spiritprogress/

Eureka!

July 3rd, 2006, 12:28 AM

Stupid Victorian railway. GRRRR... That train is awesome!!! put a nice bit of technology into it and yeah it would be good! I think the stations just about finished now!

Grollo

July 3rd, 2006, 01:32 AM

http://www.leski.com.au/news/20060131/0003a.jpg

MelbourneCity

July 3rd, 2006, 12:08 PM

^^^ Put it away!
It depresses me - such a stately and impressive trains! They don't make them like they used to.

A r c h i

July 3rd, 2006, 12:15 PM

What's the latest incarnation of 664 Collins? Is it this one

http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/6457/sxsrender4cf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

this one?

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/3346/sxrender5gu.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Or none of the above.

silvermb

July 3rd, 2006, 12:42 PM

the second one

the euro's know how to do a great ground scraper, that SCS design is a toaster - shameful

tayser

July 3rd, 2006, 12:50 PM

http://www.kasbahouse.com/images/5555-14.jpg

Melburnian_in_sydney

July 3rd, 2006, 01:11 PM

Beirut end of Collins St indeed. Get some terrorist activity happening down there...blow it up! :D

Beirut is known at the 'Paris of the Middle East' though.

Alibaba

July 3rd, 2006, 01:24 PM

the second one

the euro's know how to do a great ground scraper, that SCS design is a toaster - shameful

pretty sad design...
what is it with melbourne and its square things ?

Tyson

July 3rd, 2006, 02:45 PM

I personally don't mind square per se, but that second design is rather uninspiring. The first one is much better and I think would suit the site better as far as asthetics are concerned.

Such a futuristic render but with Z class trams in old green and gold. :)

A r c h i

July 3rd, 2006, 03:17 PM

Oh dear, it just keeps getting worse and worse. Oh what could've been. :cry: I'm not so upset about the resi's (although at least one of them would have been nice) but the office tower (which would have been among the better 30storey + office designs to have gone up) and that roof, it just looks more 'complete'. It's still awesome but could have been so much more.

http://www.architectureaustralia.com/resources/aa/2002/09/images/020301.jpg

Grollo

July 4th, 2006, 06:50 AM

The second design must be the current design because the most recent design consists of two seperate buildings. If it gets built it would be a disgraceful outcome, as if DFO isn't bad enough to have Southern Cross Station surrounded on all sides by shit would be a disaster.

somebody should be shot for this:
http://web.aanet.com.au/nmharrison/DFO%20ugly.jpg

wowsim

July 4th, 2006, 07:09 AM

DFO absolutely beggars belief..... Somebody had to be paid off for that.....

Aussie Steve

July 4th, 2006, 07:44 AM

somebody should be shot for this: http://web.aanet.com.au/nmharrison/DFO%20ugly.jpg
Oh I sooooo agree. What a disgraceful outcome for such a prominent city street. This would never have been allowed in Sydney.

Wilko

July 4th, 2006, 08:12 AM

Fuck yeah, at least make it colourful and interact with the street better than that eysore! Sorry, my opinon only.

cowface

July 4th, 2006, 08:24 AM

When can we demolish it? 5 years time? 10?

mugley

July 4th, 2006, 08:35 AM

...colourful and interact with the street...Covering the panels in signage will take care of the colour (debatable whether it'll be an improvement), and as for street interaction, you're absolutely right - all those hoardings and bits of construction equipment interact terribly.

A large chunk of the DFO is built above the coach terminal, which interacts much better with the street than the previous incarnation did.

The whole thing's still pretty ugly, but as far as combined coach terminal/shopping centre buildings go it's about standard. At least it doesn't have a big impact on the skyline.

auslankan

July 4th, 2006, 10:01 AM

Oh I sooooo agree. What a disgraceful outcome for such a prominent city street. This would never have been allowed in Sydney.
Spencer Stret has always been the arse end of Melbourne and any new building is an improvement on the shit that was there before.

Not all new buildings can be sensational/beautifull and this complex will at least add some life to this deadbeat part of town and highlight just how sensational Southern Cross Station is- something that would never be built in staid old Sydney!.

Garmatt

July 4th, 2006, 11:34 AM

It's actually very Melbourne with it's huge expanse of bluestone (although I think it's just dark grey coloured concrete than actual bluestone, but, hey).

What amazes me is that there is almost 100% consensus that the Age building is a complete eyesore and Spencer Street really won't go ahead until it comes down and therefore it's days are numbered, and then they go and build a replica of the bloody thing right across the road!!!!!!

As for interaction with the street - it's too early to say. It's ground level at the moment is hoardings and construction, as Mugley said. But what will be there? Open shop fronts? Or the coach terminal? It could be quite lively either way........
Anyway, it craps all over any coach terminal currently in existance in the city and is better than what was there before. 10 years from now when Spencer Street has gone all upmarket (thanks to the Russians??) vast improvements will be forced upon this builiding and it will probably get a Melbourne Central style makeover. Rather have it in place now and improve upon it later than to to just leave it as it was. People have to remember that Spencer St. is still a real gamble for developers. It's only the pioneers that are going to turn this frontier land into anywhere worth visiting. The big spenders will follow after the the area has become a sure bet.

Melb1

July 4th, 2006, 01:15 PM

In person, this building doesn't actually look too bad. I know, its a bit grey and bland at the moment, but once the street signage goes up and shop fronts/glass replace the current boardings, it won't be too bad.
I think what was there before, and this is much better. Give it time.

Tyson

July 4th, 2006, 01:37 PM

It would have been the station redevelopment that started it all. I can see Spencer St precint paying off for developers, especially those with a focus on retail and commercial. Spencer St area has always had people moving through it, but the thing was no one wanted to actually hang around there. People went there to catch a train. If you had to wait for a train for any length of time there was absolutely nothing to do and nowhere to go. On top of that it was dark, dingy and uninviting. I think developers were probably lurking just waiting for the government to clean the station up so building new developments would be worthwhile.

I mean when you think about you got a huge railway station there bringing in thousands of travellers daily from around Melbourne and Victoria. Add to that the foot traffic that passes through went something is on a the Dome. For retail outlets and places like DFO that must be like building next to a goldmine. In the past most people catching a VLine train would want to get there just before it leaves so they don't have to wait around. When DFO is open people will amble down there because there will be something to do. Likewise in the past a good portion of the passengers that filed off an arriving VLine service all walked straight over to the tram stop. DFO (and the rest) will provide incentive to keep people hanging around. It feels like the developers was just waiting for a 'spark' that would set it all off. Everyone had their eyes on the area but no one really wanted to be the first to put their hand in.

As for the building itself at the moment it doesn't look too spectacular. But if the original plans for hotel or resi tower on top go ahead then it will probably look less bad IMO. Also I think that expanse of black concrete might find a few illuminated signs or neons up on it, which would also make things a little more interesting.

Aussie Steve

July 4th, 2006, 11:48 PM

Instead of having blank walls, we could have had glass walls of an office building or balconies and windows for apartments on top of the Bus Interchange. The shopping centre should have been pushed into the middle of the site with active/passive street frontage along Spencer St. Now that would have been good planning, not blank walls ripe for advertising next to one of our fantastic 21C architectural sculptures! Grrrrr

Grollo

July 5th, 2006, 01:10 AM

Just a reminder:
http://web.aanet.com.au/nmharrison/dfo.jpg

DFO advertising signage will not make this look any better. I do fear that this will have a negative effect upon the furture development of the Power Station Site. Who would want premium office space across the road from this? It was supposed to be the gateway to Docklands with a huge bridge leading to Telstra Dome but that and the planned residential and hotel towers are not going ahead :-(

mugley

July 5th, 2006, 01:41 AM

Who would want premium office space across the road from this?Hmmm... If I was in an office across the road and had the choice between a view over the top of a shed out to Docklands and the river, vs staring into the walls of a building opposite, I know which one I'd take.

The West End Plaza ain't pretty on the ground, but people with high views from Spencer St are not going to be the ones unhappy about it.

The Collector

July 5th, 2006, 02:44 AM

Deemed Forever Objectionable or
Dull Forgettable Object,
take your pick. As for the groundscraper, I prefer nothing until they have a decent design. :rant:

Aussie Steve

July 5th, 2006, 03:37 AM

Oh dear God! Grollo, did you have to remind us what the monster is going to look like on Spencer Street? What a shame. We have moved the old 1960s Spencer Street Station north along Spencer Street and doubled it!

jlb

July 5th, 2006, 06:44 AM

Deemed Forever Objectionable or
Dull Forgettable Object,
take your pick. As for the groundscraper, I prefer nothing until they have a decent design. :rant:
Or if viewed from rialto ob-deck:

Darth's Flying Object
Darth's Force Obliterator

Tri-City Guy

July 5th, 2006, 06:46 AM

Lordy - it's looooonnngger than I first thought! *The Great Wall of Spencer*

How many stores is it supposed to have?

Mr. Maciek

July 5th, 2006, 07:17 AM

lol that looks shocking.. the render makes it look sooooooooooooooooo boring its not funny. guus hiddink's chest hair is more appealing than that ugly grey old long thing...

Eureka!

July 5th, 2006, 08:48 AM

Very bland and boring... more trees to cover up the building would be good. It could be alright.... never "good"

Oh no i just remembered... THATS A RENDER!!! RENDERS ALWAYS HAVE SUNLIGHT ETC ETC ADDED TO MAKE IT LOOK GOOD... THIS WILL BE VERY UGLY....LOL

mugley

July 5th, 2006, 08:52 AM

Of course no human being could ever see that big long ugly stretch from the perspective of the render without standing near the corner of Lt Bourke and King Sts, and demolishing virtually every building between the Spencer/Lt Lonsdale and King/Bourke corners.

Eureka!

July 5th, 2006, 08:54 AM

Yeah good point... thats good then. we'll only be able to see half the ugliness at a time!

Garmatt

July 5th, 2006, 11:41 AM

People are forgetting about Melbourne Central. Not only was there premium office space AS PART OF the development, but it was bigger, more obtrusive, uglier (in it's original incarnation, at any rate), had LESS interaction with the surrounding streets and was in a much more prominent city position than this development.
Probably a mistake at the time it nevertheless managed to push the bustling centre of the city northwards and, after a few hiccups, has become a huge success.
What's to say this won't happen with West End Plaza?
Yes, it dominates the streetscape, but it's not like a row of beautiful heritage buildings were torn down to accommodate it. Also any design TOO ostentatious would've have taken away the impact of the new station design, not complement it.
Having a huge shopping centre and more life on the other side of the street is more likely to attract premium office space to the area than discourage it.
I think people are being a bit overly precious about the design of this development. It will do wonders for the area.

The Collector

July 5th, 2006, 12:34 PM

^^Lol Garmatt, how many shares do you have in DFO. :hahano:
No offence there, I often agree with you. ;)

Mr. Maciek

July 5th, 2006, 12:37 PM

^^ i agree, however a more street friendly design should have been chosen, perhaps a huge wall cladded in see through glass with modern steel support posts in a nice modern funky design. judging by the renders, it doesnt seem too inviting because of the bland colour scheme and defiantly not enough glass! - (comming from a melbournian but :D )

Garmatt

July 5th, 2006, 12:49 PM

No offence taken!
I agree the design is pretty poor....but when you live overseas you often see things in a different light. There's plenty of worse developments going up in other cities in other countries and you never hear them complaining. I think Melbournians are a spoilt lot....but that's what happens when there is a relatively consistent level of good design in one city - something ordinary comes along and it's citizens are hopping mad about it! I think it's great Melbournians are passionate about good design. Who'd have thought that about ANY Aussie city 20 years ago!
I say - build it. It's shit, but it will anchor the area and can be improved upon later when Spencer St. is looking really schmick.
And please stop the complaining about SCS everybody - it's AWESOME!

Mr. Maciek

July 5th, 2006, 12:57 PM

^^ hey i luv scs!... just dont like the tag along building that takes up a whole dam street lol

fair enough you make a good point, we melbournians take pride in our city and what gets built in it. guess we are a lucky bunch

Eureka!

July 5th, 2006, 01:12 PM

Yeah we are spoilt. Fed sq, SCS, Convention Centre, new stadium, eureka etc.etc.
but who cares!!! as if we want crap buildings popping up round the place.

invincible

July 5th, 2006, 04:58 PM

IMO, there's always room for a few anonymous buildings to take up some space, to make sure that we don't just have a bunch of magnificent buildings all competing against each other, leaving buildings with less attention than they deserver.

It's like in a garden, you don't want to put your plants so close that they compete for nutrients. :)

But with Spencer St being what it is, it's already got its fair share of crapness. Still, I'd like to be optimistic - what's there now is better than what used to be there and it's not like the DFO is going to still be here in 100 years, although I'd expect the station to be.

I must say that the carpark entrance looks a bit weird - if you put the entrance lane on the right, I'd expect to see a lot of head-on collisions.

Eureka!

July 6th, 2006, 11:01 AM

True. And you always need crap spots so people in the future can bulldoze them and make more great buildings.

ciaobellaxo

July 6th, 2006, 03:27 PM

Looking good:
http://www.spencerstreetstation.com.au/images/gallery/fullsize/imageN3356591331.jpg

http://www.spencerstreetstation.com.au/images/gallery/fullsize/imageN3356593060.jpg

WOW!! :shocked:

I must get into SCS for a more indepth look! Been a while since I've taken photos of anything in the CBD!!

mugley

July 19th, 2006, 02:37 PM

Glassy bits going up over the carpark entrance

http://static.flickr.com/49/193332299_b7dbba4033_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/193332299/)

RSG

July 20th, 2006, 10:26 AM

I would just like to say that I believe that this is now the best looking station in Australia.

Eureka!

July 21st, 2006, 08:16 AM

I don't know every station in Australia but it's definatly one of the best!!!!!

Drunkill

July 21st, 2006, 12:12 PM

It's good but the inside is too cluttred, and looks too patchwork. Ashphelt being laid down, then cut into and repoured (looks crap) Poles all over the place.

It could of been much better with a bit more planning/funding.
But i guess it's not finished yet.

Yardmaster

July 21st, 2006, 03:50 PM

Walked through there today. Noticed two Japanese Girls taking photos of the interior. The lighting was poor, so I didn't follow suite.

Bus Terminal still seems far from complete. The edge of platform 15 was under construction, as was an access stairway/escalator to platforms 15/16 (well, the walkway at the top was, anyway). It seems like a glass wall is going to be constructed down the middle of platform 15/16 to keep out the sou-westerlies? Bad luck for platform 16!

Curiously- especially given the rapid rise of buildings in the Docklands Precipent- , the "campus style" office block over platforms 13-16 doesn't seem to have risen much at all, except that the glass roof connecting its base to the Bouke St. Footbridge is being completed.

Eureka!

July 22nd, 2006, 12:18 AM

It'll be betteronce all the construction people are gone and all their fences and portables. Also when the roofs green sheets are ogne. (I think all that stuff is still ther?:))

MelbourneCity

July 28th, 2006, 12:55 PM

Any chance we can knock down Melbourne Airport's terminals and replace them with a Southern Cross style design? :)

Shumway

July 28th, 2006, 01:30 PM

Does anyone know about the subway in SCS? That walkways have been blocked off for months now with no signs of being opened up again...

tayser

July 28th, 2006, 03:42 PM

probably private / station access only from now on.

Shumway

July 28th, 2006, 05:16 PM

Really? I thought they were would always be opened back up, and that they were only closed beacause they were being revamped as well, hence the walkaways remaining there etc..

BroadGauge

July 29th, 2006, 09:16 AM

With the subway from the other side of Spencer St into the station, there are sort of temporary boards in the floor that you walk over directly opposite the subway entry on the other side of the street, and they have a new sign on the Savoy side, so I dare say it may be re-opened.

As for the one to the platforms (which used to meet-up with that one), that is service access only now, but you see trespassers walking down there

Does anyone know when DFO & Coles are supposted to open?

A r c h i

July 29th, 2006, 09:40 AM

According to the Atlantis tower website DFO's supposed to open in November.

vytux

July 29th, 2006, 10:28 AM

Heaps of Factory Outlets have closed down in Smith St Collingwood recently. Maybe there's a mass move planned to Southern Cross? Only speculation... In fact they may be two distinctly unique outlets i.e. Upper class factory outlets at S/C vs Other

Eureka!

July 29th, 2006, 01:01 PM

There are heaps of factory outlets at Smith Street still though. Fila, Nike, Adidas, UFO Converse etc. Hopefully there's some good shops in the DFO.

vytux

August 5th, 2006, 05:51 AM

^ Well its been dubbed as being an 'upper class' factory outlets

Eureka!

August 5th, 2006, 11:28 AM

Yeah some of the Smith Street ones aren't great..

silvermb

August 5th, 2006, 11:44 AM

EUREKA!

a few more construtive comments relative to the topic and less random crap that has no significance, this applies to the majority of your posts so far...

random comments tend to get deleted

auslankan

August 7th, 2006, 12:23 PM

I was at SCS today and the interior is very dreary for such a state of the art building.The first thing I would change is the horrible "prison grey" paint scheme on the columns and beams. It plainly just looks like a cheap job.
Surely a white or pastel shade would lift the tone of the now depressing interior.

Jason R

August 7th, 2006, 02:09 PM

Surely a white or pastel shade would lift the tone of the now depressing interior.
It would also look like crap once the diesel trains have had their way with them.

Favco750

August 7th, 2006, 02:42 PM

EUREKA!

a few more construtive comments relative to the topic and less random crap that has no significance, this applies to the majority of your posts so far...

random comments tend to get deleted

Welcome Back Kotter.

"I like the new station"

A r c h i

September 2nd, 2006, 07:06 AM

Wondered what was to become of the mural.

'History of Transport' to hang in there
LORNA EDWARDS
2 September 2006
The Age

A GREATLY loved artistic depiction of Victoria's transport history will soon see the light of day again.

The epic History of Transport mural, painted in the 1970s by a former state artist, the late Harold Freedman, will be erected in its new home above the Spencer Street coach terminal, in the new West End Plaza, early next year.

The 37-metre by seven-metre artwork took five years to produce, and had pride of place in the old Spencer Street railway station.

The developers, Leighton Contractors, faced a public outcry when they announced plans to mothball the work two years ago because it did not fit into the new station's design.

The National Trust, Country Women's Association and unions joined the fight to keep the mural in the public eye.

Southern Cross Station's project director, Tony Jolly, said it would cost $2 million for the relocation and restoration.

Intensive restoration was recently completed. "It is the only part of the old station that was heritage-listed," he said.

The artist's son, Swan Hill doctor David Freedman, said he was relieved his father's greatest work had not been banished to storage forever.

"There was an army of people who put it together, and there is nothing else like it in the world," he said.

"A lot of hype goes into modern art, but this is an honest painting that speaks directly to the man in the street."

The huge mural portrays the history of the state's private, public and commercial transport from 1835 to 1935.

Harold Freedman, an acclaimed war artist, mural painter and book illustrator, took on the huge five-year project at the age of 58 in 1973.

vytux

September 2nd, 2006, 07:17 AM

^ The head contractor seen as bully against art. Whats the true story here? The architects make the design decisions...

mugley

September 4th, 2006, 12:36 PM

Roof under construction at the north end of the West End Plaza

http://static.flickr.com/86/233654210_ec3a23107a_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/233654210/)

mugley

September 9th, 2006, 03:53 AM

More roof bits going up...

http://static.flickr.com/98/238031467_88d78f2e7e_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/238031467/)

http://static.flickr.com/83/238031466_99aa22733e_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/238031466/)

Some concrete pumping

http://static.flickr.com/86/238031464_eb84c2d953_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/238031464/)

And a Tonka truck down at ground level

http://static.flickr.com/93/238031463_2d46300503_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/238031463/)

Muse

September 9th, 2006, 06:57 AM

^^ Cool shots mugs. Any render of what that roof could eventually look like?

...and what is the latest with 664 Collins? Last pic I remember seeing of it a few months ago was just some of the ground work. Surely there has been some progression since, surely!

664 reminder render - courtesy of Archibomber:

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/3346/sxrender5gu.jpg

tayser

September 9th, 2006, 07:32 AM

[insert technicolour yawn sound here]..

mugley

September 9th, 2006, 07:54 AM

Muse - it'll probably look pretty much like the existing Star Destroyer roof, ie grey colourbond rolled out over the same framework:

http://static.flickr.com/46/149661611_e36e09add6_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/149661611/)

Drunkill

September 9th, 2006, 09:39 AM

"I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. "

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/7717/battletsationocopyrv0.jpg

tayser

September 10th, 2006, 01:36 AM

:lol:

someone else watching the Star Wars marathon on Showtime this weekend? ;)

uewepuep

September 10th, 2006, 03:16 AM

hahaha.

mugley

September 10th, 2006, 03:37 AM

:bow: Right-click, Save As.

Obi-Wan has taught you well Drunkill

Drunkill

September 10th, 2006, 04:09 AM

:lol:

someone else watching the Star Wars marathon on Showtime this weekend? ;)

Yep, toobad our three month trial runs out in a few days, no more showtime :(

Indeed he has Mugly.

Aussie Steve

September 10th, 2006, 04:23 AM

Does anyone think we may ever get a building built between SXS and BoM over the roadway to continue the Collins Street street frontage?

Muse

September 10th, 2006, 04:31 AM

Oh youze (previous page) goiyze! *slaps knee*

Tyson

September 10th, 2006, 06:52 AM

I hope so. Given the nature of the site the architects would have to be rather creative I'd imagine. But I also don't think that road needs to have a median strip as wide as it does and so they would probably redesign they road as part of any building project.

I think it would good if they had a building on either side of Collins and the structure continued beneath the Collins Street bridge to connect the two buildings together. But in any case I think we will see other sites built on first before they build over the road. Like over the train lines across Collins Street from SCS.

Mandelbrot

September 11th, 2006, 06:44 AM

Shops are appearing under the each of the Office pods at long last and Skybus ticketing and terminal are now operating from the southern section of the terminal with waiting rooms open. Plasma screen platfom information is still down. I hate the bitumen platforms (as does everyone) and have issues with the fact they are so cluttered and junky with lighting poles every 5 metres. Skylights work well under todays beautiful sunlight, but every second platform misses out on that. Collins Street ticket booths face Collins street, when most/all people approach from the eastern section of the concourse. Apart from it still not being anywhere finished and the points above, it's an impressive building.

auslankan

September 11th, 2006, 08:39 PM

Wots this the Hun not blaming the Government for another Leighton stuff up?
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20394025-661,00.html

Where are the shops at the station?
Liam Houlihan

September 12, 2006 12:00am

IT was meant to be a major Melbourne shopping mecca built around a transport centre, hosting a hundred shops, and spilling into Spencer St.

A year after Southern Cross station's mega mall was due to open, you can get a potato cake but forget about the Prada handbag.
A Herald Sun investigation has found some shops -- including the supermarket meant to serve Docklands' 6300 residents -- won't open for almost another year.

And the earliest won't open their doors to shoppers until the other side of the Melbourne Cup.

The station's three commercial precincts, including a swanky bar and 100 factory outlet stores, have been delayed by late station works.

In January, the two heads of the $700 million station project shared their fantasy of popping a cork at the station's swish bar shortly after the Games.

Today the "Loco Bar", like the food hall, post office, Hungry Jacks, 7-Eleven and Tabcorp, is a boarded-up black hole.

Shop builders have been kept waiting while builder Leightons finishes works that were due in mid-2005.

"We didn't want to have multiple contractors on site at the same time," said Phillip Walker, the head of the station's private operator Civic Nexus.

The waiting game would be particularly frustrating for Coles, which was meant to have a big lead on any Docklands competition.

They now must watch while a rival Safeway supermarket springs up at Victoria Harbour, possibly opening just four months after Coles' store at Southern Cross.

"We're disappointed," said Geoff Porz, the chief executive of Austexx, the company in charge of more than 100 factory outlet stores at the station.

"We normally do our own construction.

"(At Southern Cross) we had a third party builder, which we won't do again."

Mr Porz said Austexx wouldn't be seeking compensation from the builder or the Government because delays were out of their hands.

One retailer complained: "There's always been an earlier date than the current one with Southern Cross."

Commuters who regularly use the station had no idea it was the planned site of a major shopping attraction.

"We come through here every day," music student Danielle Smarrelli said. "I didn't even know there was going to be a number of shops around here."

Ms Smarrelli and friend Michael Butera said they usually shopped at Melbourne Central and wouldn't be changing their habits until the station had more shops.

Shops in the new bus interchange building were to open and pay rent 14 weeks after practical completion of the station.

Practical completion was a full year late when it occurred last month.

Now shops in the bus building, which will front on to Spencer St, are rushing to open by the end of the year.

Most Direct Factory Outlet, or DFO, stores will open their doors mid-to-late next month.

"There will be a party and someone will come down and cut the ribbon," a source said.

But it will be far from a grand opening.

Many other DFO stores will have to open next year because builders won't finish their section of the complex in time.

Drunkill

September 11th, 2006, 11:42 PM

Avatar

September 12th, 2006, 04:20 PM

"I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. "

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/7717/battletsationocopyrv0.jpg

Haha I love it and I want one too!

If only this is what they had planned. Maybe it's a conspiracy remember Grollo Tower looked remarkably like a vertically mounted Super Star Destroyer. Could this be the new Kuat Drive Yards?

Icanseeformiles

September 13th, 2006, 04:19 AM

Drunkill - after winnning my company's Star Wars trivia night "smug mode engaged" you are invited to the next or at least my next Star Wars Drinking Party. Join me and together we can rule the Galaxy as...ummmm...two cool guys who happen to like Sci - Fi and appreciate it's cultural significance (AKA nerds). :cheers:

Blabbyboy

September 13th, 2006, 05:20 AM

Moff Jerjerrod: Lord Vader, this is an unexpected pleasure. We are honored by your presence...
Darth Vader: You may dispense with the pleasantries, Commander. I'm here to put you back on schedule.
Moff Jerjerrod: I assure you, Lord Vader. My men are working as fast as they can.
Darth Vader: Perhaps I can find new ways to motivate them.
Moff Jerjerrod: The Emperor asks the impossible.
Darth Vader: Then perhaps you can tell him when he arrives.
Moff Jerjerrod: The Emperor is coming here?
Darth Vader: That is correct, commander. And he is most displeased with your apparent lack of progress.
Moff Jerjerrod: We will re-double our efforts.
Darth Vader: I hope so, commander - for your sake. The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am...
Moff Jerjerrod: (gulp)

Dalts 1985

September 13th, 2006, 09:30 AM

Afternoon & Evening follow SkyScraoerCities Users! Been a whike since I kast posted here!

I typed the following URL: www.spencerstreetstation.com.au, to find the website has vanished & I am now redirected to: http://www.southerncrossstation.com.au/ (Revitalising Victorian Rail) & http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/DOI/Internet/planningprojects.nsf/AllDocs/223BEF9BD359094DCA256F32001FF218?OpenDocument (Southern Cross Station project) a crappy set of pages put together by the DOI! Oh dear! The images coving right from the demolishion derby to the opening have all gone! :eek2: :bash: :scouserd:

A r c h i

October 1st, 2006, 07:24 AM

Ghost line among station's surprises
By STEPHEN MOYNIHAN, TRANSPORT REPORTER
30 September 2006
The Age
SPECIAL REPORT - Southern Cross Station was meant to be Melbourne's flagship project, but could we have done much better? - PROBLEM 2: THE RIGHT NEIGHBOURHOOD?

IT APPEARS to be a giant transparent box, but Southern Cross still has a few surprises inside.

At the far end of the station lie the unmarked platforms 15 and 16. There's no track for a train to run on, no escalators and no lifts for passengers. But it will one day provide the facilities for the city's long-promised and now shelved rail link to Melbourne Airport.

The State Government specified in the contract for the station's redevelopment that it allow for an airport train. As well as platforms, airport check-in desks were built. (They are currently used for V/Line and interstate trains.)

But while the train line to the airport might be missing, deep beneath platforms 15 and 16 lie the foundations for a future subterranean station.

Piles were sunk 50 metres below ground to stabilise the structure so that tunnels could be built underneath.

If constructed, the tunnels could replace the railway viaduct between Flinders Street and Southern Cross stations. They would also increase capacity on the City Loop.

Southern Cross Station authority boss Tony Canavan said it was an integral part of the construction process to look forward.

"It's common sense that if someone might build an underground platform, even in 100 years, they don't have to go and change the footings for that building," he said.

I like this article most:

Railway plaza a shocker, angry architects lament
Royce Millar
30 September 2006
The Age
SPECIAL REPORT - Southern Cross Station was meant to be Melbourne's flagship project, but could we have done much better? - PROBLEM 2: THE RIGHT NEIGHBOURHOOD?

Many people are unhappy with the West End Plaza, reports Royce Millar.

MELBOURNE'S architectural elite have broken ranks to heavily criticise a significant component of the State Government's Spencer Street redevelopment, the West End Plaza, declaring it an appalling scar on the city.

The Age also reveals that the Southern Cross Station project, designed by British-based architects Nicholas Grimshaw and Melbourne's Daryl Jackson Pty Ltd, was not the scheme preferred by a Government-appointed design panel.

The plaza, a three-level building adjoining the station's northern end, stretches almost two city blocks from Bourke to La Trobe Street and houses a new bus depot, Direct Factory Outlets, and 800 car parks. The car park entrance is a gaping hole at the intersection of Spencer and Lonsdale streets.

Although critics have hailed the achievement of the railway station, they liken the adjacent grey, industrial-like Plaza building to the former Spencer Street Station.

As part of their professional code architects are not supposed to criticise each other's work. But leading members of the profession are too angry to restrain themselves.

"I don't know who the architect is, but whoever it is they should be ashamed of themselves," said Randal Marsh, director of Wood Marsh, winner of this year's prestigious Victoria Medal.

The main architect for the plaza is believed to have been Daryl Jackson.

Mr Marsh said many architects worked tirelessly to design great buildings that contributed to making Melbourne a better city, but the West End Plaza was a "blight".

"This is a major building in the city that seems to give no consideration to the fundamentals of good planning and design," he said.

This year design doyen and RMIT architecture professor Leon van Schaik published a book Design City Melbourne that celebrated the city's architectural achievements. The West End Plaza is not among them.

"It's the worst thing I've ever seen," he said. "It's devoid of any quality at all. How could this thing have got through all the (Government) systems that we have in place that are supposed to deliver a better city. It's a shocker."

The Southern Cross project is part of a Public Private Partnership between the Government and Civic Nexus, a consortium that includes financier ABN Amro, builder Leightons, and architects Grimshaw Jackson.

Under the deal Civic Nexus builds and manages the station - the Government will pay the group $1.8 billion over 30 years - and gets to develop surrounding public property for commercial use. After it won the tender in 2002, Civic Nexus reworked plans for the area around the station, replacing high-rise apartment and office towers with lower-rise buildings.

As the station PPP was deemed a project of state significance it was not subject to the usual public scrutiny. Professor van Schaik believes the plaza would not have been approved under usual planning processes.

Transport Minister and former major projects minister Peter Batchelor proudly declared yesterday that the West End Plaza housed "the first DFO (Direct Factory Outlets) in any CBD in Australia".

But Government Architect John Denton said DFO, given the type of building it occupied, was probably more appropriate in the suburbs than the CBD.

DFO would probably not have been included under the scheme that the Government's expert panel recommended in the bid process that concluded in 2002.

High-level sources confirmed this week that the three-man panel, led by Professor Peter McIntyre, favoured an alternative design by local firm Ashton Raggatt McDougall, but the Government opted for the cheaper bid.

Industry sources said they believed the difference between the bids was about $80 million.

Mr Batchelor defended the Government's choice. "Victorians have a new, world-class railway station that has set the standards in design, engineering and technology," he said.

"What we sought was value for money. In determining value for money, all aspects of the bids were considered including bid price and design."

Daryl Jackson general manager Chris Perry said that he looked forward to reading critics' comments and "responding accordingly". Civic Nexus did not want to be interviewed.

The view from the industry

JOHN DENTON

Government architect

It could reflect problems with the current PPP methodology, which should be reviewed to see if those arrangements can be improved on.

RANDAL MARSH

Director Wood Marsh

I don't who the architect is, but whoever it is they should be ashamed. . . . This is a major building that seems to give no consideration to good planning and design.

LEON VAN SCHAIK

RMIT University architecture professor

It's the worst thing I've ever seen. It's devoid of any quality. How could this thing have got through all the systems that we have in place that are supposed to deliver a better city?

ELI GIANNINI

MGS Architects and former president of architects' institute

It's very disappointing. It seems to be an opportunity lost, given . . . the promise the station held.

SEAN GODSELL

Award-winning architect

There seems to be an inconsistency in . . . quality between the station and "the box"' (West End Plaza). It seems to me to be an odd building type to insert into that end of town.
_______________________________________________________

West End Plaza looked pretty decent in the initial scheme at street level and with a lot more glass and with the two resi towers & office block, it wasn't until the design was changed that it became the crap we see today. I think in terms of the station the superior proposal won out in the end, ARM's was to monolithic IMO. Was the DFO always planned or was the design of the Plaza changed to accomodate DFO's needs ie. cheap and crap warehouse style building (I don't mean in terms of omitting the resi's, just the plaza itself)?

Andrewwise

October 1st, 2006, 08:16 AM

Are they talking about the Star Destroyer building?

kichigai

October 1st, 2006, 08:19 AM

Yes they are.

wowsim

October 10th, 2006, 02:32 AM

Apparently its a part of the contract that within 2 (or 3 I can't remember) years all the stores in DFO Spencer Street will have to become "firsts". Ie they won't be factory outlets anymore, but fullblown city flagship stores. I guess this means that the internal fittings of the centre will be alot more upmarket than the current trashy state of DFOs around the country.

Not surprising, I know my company wouldn't have agreed to put a store there if it would be canabalising sales from its other city stores for below cost crap for too long.

comingsoon

October 10th, 2006, 03:19 AM

Many will probably disagree with this but I think the station, despite all its accolades, is disappointing. I ws wondering around it the other day and it occured to me that as wonderful as the roof is, we don't see it. Unless you travel to the city by helicopter, all you see of the station when you arrive is the space frame structure. As space frame structures go, it's quite elegant, but the real beauty of the roof is the lovely curved silver surface fipside.

Aerial shots of the station make it look great, but for daily commuters I don't see the point. I wouldn't mnd if the interior of the station was interesting, but it's pretty bland. It's not an inviting space, just a big open boring one. Thoughts?

pixaus

October 10th, 2006, 03:47 AM

Agreed comingsoon, i think they can start with improving the lighting in the place, instead of cheap fluros everywhere, maybe they can aim spotlights into the roof and help it stand out like it should.

I think they began with a great proposal for the place and have tried to cut so many corners for the sake of saving a few bucks that we are now left with a mere shell of what the station should have been.

On a more positive note it is still 1000000% better than what was there.

Something that does bother me though, is the side of the station facing Wurundjeri Way its just a glass wall butted up to the road with no entrance. Does this bother anyone else? Not just the planning of the station but the whole street in general. I cant understand why there arent footpaths or bike tracks or anything. Are people so niave to think that the road will only ever be used by cars? i dont get it, especially at a time when councils are trying to promote anything other than car use in the city, they go and drop an expressway straight through it! dumb.

auslankan

October 10th, 2006, 03:47 AM

Melb1

October 10th, 2006, 04:33 AM

I am very dissappointed with Southern Cross. I'm a regular visitor to the station and I personally think the quality of the work is average. I also think they have cut corners and left so many things looking exactly the way there were before any roof went over it.

Why are the spaces between the platforms where the railway lines are, just left with the old gravel and left covered with rubbish?
Why are the original structures that hold the power lines and train signals still standing inside under the roof?
Why aren't the electronic screens for the suburban trains working yet?
Why is there still cabling and old orange flags still hanging from the roof?
Why have they left some of the old red lighting poles on the walking bridge over to Telstra Dome, when the majority where removed?

Some of these things may still be to be completed, but overall, considering the amount of time and money that has been spent, it is a major dissapointment.

Was in there last Sunday when it was very windy and I can tell you it was freezing in there, even when the sun came out!

Tyson

October 10th, 2006, 02:16 PM

mugley

October 11th, 2006, 02:09 PM

The star destroyer nearing completion. As far as poorly-integrated blights upon the city go, it doesn't look quite so evil at night...

http://static.flickr.com/97/266854970_679ecc0886_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/266854970/)

Drunkill

October 13th, 2006, 06:20 AM

Needs more turboblasters or Tractorbeams.

sakor1

October 14th, 2006, 02:51 AM

It is gonna have a lot of signage and neons though isn't it? Should cover up a fair chunk of that Star Destroyer blank hull.... Hell, this is 100x better than what used to be at the site even if it is rather disappointing given its next-door neighbour.

Stu

vytux

October 14th, 2006, 10:29 AM

For me the first thing I notice walking in is the lack of lighting. And I agree with the observation of old things like blackened signal ganteries should be removed. I raised that point and about the gravel on the tracks in another post a while ago.

To me the building interior just doesn't seem to have enough detail and lacks warmth or personality. It feels very cold, utilitarian and industrial, although it is a railway station after all I suppose.

I agree, reminds me of many European/German railway stations. However I like this. It fits well with the city and certainly makes other adjoing nearby buildings shine more. After all a station is a station nad first and foremost needs to be functional

Tyson

October 14th, 2006, 01:19 PM

After all a station is a station nad first and foremost needs to be functional

Exactly. Would have been cool to have the trains enter the station in elevated clear tubes above the concourse so you could walk underneath them and look up at them and everything, but not very functional or practical ;)

mugley

October 15th, 2006, 02:30 PM

Crane coming down on the mini-star destroyer section, shots from Friday and yesterday:

http://static.flickr.com/80/270076543_67bca4d04c_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/270076543/)

http://static.flickr.com/117/270076544_ada8c89bee_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/270076544/)

http://static.flickr.com/111/270076546_315885c0a6_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/270076546/)

http://static.flickr.com/112/270076547_036c476e13_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/270076547/)

http://static.flickr.com/111/270076549_2a1b3dc2b1_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/270076549/)

http://static.flickr.com/81/270076550_bc635abf5b_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/270076550/)

http://static.flickr.com/79/270079131_8b4441d267_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/270079131/)

http://static.flickr.com/87/270079132_c3ea3873b2_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/270079132/)

http://static.flickr.com/112/270079133_0451c6643b_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/270079133/)

http://static.flickr.com/107/270079134_2c07a68127_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/270079134/)

Eureka!

October 15th, 2006, 11:13 PM

NICE! Like how they crawl into the crane. I wanna go inside the crane but right to the end. :)

silvermb

October 16th, 2006, 01:48 PM

super shots mugley

a quantum leap forward as opposed to a few years ago, what a vista
http://silvermb.thehoddlegrid.net/scs200610.jpg

DrDan

October 16th, 2006, 04:39 PM

amazing...

no other words to describe it

Garmatt

October 16th, 2006, 10:10 PM

entity119

October 16th, 2006, 11:11 PM

I seem to recall that Yellow and Black tape just means that that section of tram wire is out of service temporarily. Presumably it'll come off soon.

And yes, you're right about the overhead wires looking dodgy and ruining every single photo that's taken looking up, but I doubt we're going to see them gone anytime soon :)

Grollo

October 17th, 2006, 02:05 AM

They always put that yellow and black tape up on the wires holding up the tram wires next to construction sites so that construction vehicles and cranes don't keep knocking the wires down. It will be removed when DFO is finished.

Spencer Street does need a tidy up now that the station is finished. The City of Melbourne needs to do streetscape improvements as Spencer Street to match the standard of new development along the street.

Tyson

October 17th, 2006, 05:08 AM

I think they need to plant some more greenery along there once all the construction is out of the way. I presume we're probably also due for another superstop somewhere between Bourke and Lonsdale.

Favco750

October 17th, 2006, 09:51 AM

The yellow and black "tape" is really just a sheath that goes over the wire. They are generally called tiger tails and they are supposed to provide a visible barrier only. They may prevent minor shorting if they are contacted, but I wouldn't rely on them.

Mugley, awesome shots. The one with the exhaust and the men is the best.

The Olderfleet

October 23rd, 2006, 12:42 AM

Southern Cross Railway Station on Friday...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v626/adonline/Webb-Spencer01.jpg

MrPC

October 23rd, 2006, 02:50 AM

While the frontage on Spencer Street from Collins to Bourke looks quite nice, in its way, the frontage from Bourke to Lonsdale is fugly enough to be on par with the old station building that was so derided.

What moron thought up the idea of putting a big shopping centre on an already congested road above a major railway station and coach terminal, then put in acres of car parking to encourage people to drive there and clog up the roads leading to said rail station even more so. Wouldn't it have been smarter to plan on selling cheap granny style trolleys (in multiple sizes) that people can use to wheel their DFO merchandise purchases home on less-crowded off peak trains?

Target on Bourke Street does plenty of trade without a single parking space to its name. Myer and David Jones do well too and they don't have a great deal of parking. Even Ikea out in the wilds of Abbotsford which was planned with no reference to putting the store/centre entrances anywhere near the nearby (rebuilt) tram stop has plenty of people arriving on the trams, if the number of people with ikea branded plastic bags or boxes on the 109 trams is anything to go by.

Tyson

October 23rd, 2006, 04:22 AM

^ That is a great picture. Looks like it could be a postcard.

As for parking they probably could have minimised it I think. I don't know about DJ's but Myer in the city which incidently is one of the world's largest department stores, has no parking of its own at all. I have no idea where the execs get to park their cars even. However it doesn't stop people asking if buying stuff at Myer counts towards the parking deal that Melb Central has.

It makes sense to go by PT to DFO on Spencer though. A car would be far more hassle IMO. I expect they will charge for parking?

auslankan

October 23rd, 2006, 07:04 AM

Southern Cross Railway Station on Friday...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v626/adonline/Webb-Spencer01.jpg

Great shot thanks.

mugley

November 25th, 2006, 01:24 AM

DFO signage going up this morning. The food court is due to open next week.

http://static.flickr.com/110/305285606_543f703354_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/305285606/)

sakor1

November 25th, 2006, 07:56 AM

The signage will at least liven up that facade a bit...

Stu

invincible

November 26th, 2006, 06:19 AM

It's unapologetically modern....looks great from that angle!
Spencer Street is fast becoming the 2nd most impressive in the city... who'da thought!
One pet hate of mine with Melbourne though is that you guys need to tidy up the amount of, and appearance of, your overhead cables for the trams etc. It looks really messy in that pic, particularly covered in bright yellow tape. Will that be removed?

A late reply, but it's also worth mentioning that with pantographs installed on all trams now, Yarra Trams has be able to install lighter overhead cabling, except for the couple of routes where the heritage fleet is able to operate on.

Qantas743

November 26th, 2006, 11:27 AM

I assume those bilboards will be changed regularly?

mugley

November 26th, 2006, 12:13 PM

Depends on how often they poop themselves I suppose :)

The Collector

November 27th, 2006, 07:57 AM

^^:lol:

MG2

November 28th, 2006, 07:41 AM

I really shouldn't have laughed at that line but I did. Just thought I'd let you know everyone at work now thinks I'm crazy :P

And yes, I imagine they will be changed each season, no point advertising miniskirts in winter is there? :)

LOL - MG2

Qantas743

November 28th, 2006, 10:59 AM

Just off the topic a bit regarding bilboards and advertising, what ever happened to the giant screen at the inter-section of Bourke and Swanston? You know the one I mean, the one that has been covered up on the side of that hideous building (opposite the Nike building).

That would be THE BEST PLACE for neon lights, screens and giant bilboards. IMO they should build the proposed 'Times Square' there, not Docklands.

sakor1

November 28th, 2006, 12:44 PM

That screen was a shocker, always entire swaths not showing anything, etc... but I agree, it is the best intersection in Melbourne for such a neon 'times square'/ 'piccadilly circus' type thing.

Stu

Tyson

November 28th, 2006, 01:09 PM

Wandering to a different topic here but I wish the station had a clock somewhere. They should have some big marvel of a clock that is an artpiece as well as a timepiece. A railway station isn't complete without a clock and I don't mean the time that is in the corner of the LCD displays with the train info. I mean a big grand clock! :)

Favco750

November 28th, 2006, 01:40 PM

And yes, I imagine they will be changed each season, no point advertising miniskirts in winter is there? :)

LOL - MG2

What what what???????

I can think of a million reasons.....:banana:

mugley

November 29th, 2006, 01:53 AM

I mean a big grand clock! :)One full of model cockatoos that opens up hourly and plays Waltzing Matilda!

Oh wait...

MG2

November 29th, 2006, 06:41 AM

What what what???????

I can think of a million reasons.....:banana:

Hey, you might like to wear miniskirts in the middle of winter but it's a little too chilly for me that time of year :lol:

And yes, I agree, I think they need a big hanging clock either in the atrium or on or near Collins corner!

MG2

Tyson

November 29th, 2006, 07:29 AM

One full of model cockatoos that opens up hourly and plays Waltzing Matilda!

Oh wait...

LOL but I said 'grand' not 'tacky' ;)

Dash 222

February 28th, 2007, 11:45 PM

There was an article in yesterday's Age - "Grocon likely starter for Fairfax Media Docklands HQ".

They said that Grocon will likely construct and than lease the Bates Smart designed buliding back to Fairfax

They refer to "Site 7" - I guess this site is over the railway lines between SC Station and 700 Collins Street?

Blabbyboy

March 1st, 2007, 07:44 AM

Isn't this project "completed"?

tayser

March 1st, 2007, 08:43 AM

the campus buildings haven't been built yet.

Drunkill

March 1st, 2007, 03:35 PM

And theres still some safty barriers around, also a lot of cables and temporary stuff needs to be moved. And those big LCD tvs installed for the timetables.

sakor1

March 2nd, 2007, 07:17 AM

Yeah, they're taking a long time to get those bloody LCD's working! Wouldn't have thought it required much effort to tell the truth... adjust the timetable display for the resolution, maybe a few graphical improvements if wanted to go fancy, and voila. Who knows...

Stu

A r c h i

March 20th, 2007, 03:36 AM

Civic Nexus set to sell off Spencer St site
Mathew Dunckley
20 March 2007
Australian Financial Review

After years of bleeding on the troubled Spencer Street Station redevelopment in Melbourne, the consortium behind the project looks set to cut its losses and sell the office component to Multiplex Group's development arm.

The consortium, Civic Nexus, has already built an elevated podium for the 35,000 square metre office building as part of the $700 million public private partnership reshaping of the railway station.

Returns from the office building, which would sit above the railway at the station's western edge, were a fundamental part of the projected returns for Civic Nexus's bid to the state government for the wider project.

The consortium has previously said it was not keen on a long-term interest in the property.

ABN Amro put together the Civic Nexus consortium with Leighton Holdings, Honeywell and Delaware North Australia. In a parting of ways with Leighton Holdings, the consortium appointed Multiplex's construction arm as the builder for the office block back in 2005.

Since then, the consortium has been searching unsuccessfully for a precommitment tenant before pressing on with building the office project.

The latest approved design for the development, which started life as a high-rise tower, features two seven-storey buildings.

It was designed by architect Grimshaw Jackson JV, which was also behind the station's distinctive ripple roof.

Fairfax Media, publisher of The Australian Financial Review, and IBM are widely rumoured to be among the tenants tempted but not secured.

A well-placed source said Multiplex was now in discussions with Civic Nexus, through ABN Amro's Infrastructure Capital Group, to take over the office development. Neither party would comment yesterday.

ABN Amro had an asking price of about $30 million on the platform, according to one developer.

"That price reflects cost and not value," he said. "The platform creates a new piece of land and as a piece of land it is not worth $30 million."

The developer said Multiplex was likely to try to secure a tenant before sealing any deal with ABN Amro.

The move follows a major win for Multiplex: it secured Australia Post as the anchor tenant for the second stage of its Southern Cross redevelopment in Exhibition Street.

Another Docklands insider agreed that Multiplex might well have a tenant in mind to consider taking on the platform.

The insider said ABN Amro had been looking for an accelerated exit strategy for some time.

Yet another property source familiar with the site said it had a number of challenges.

"I don't like it. It is long and skinny, it has the worst environmentally sustainable design orientation you could possibly imagine, with massive east and west exposure to the sun," the source said.

The source said it also had narrow frontages to Collins Street and there were difficulties with car access.

"I have never thought it was a site worth doing anything with, but Multiplex has pulled off some really good deals," the source said.

Multiplex and ABN Amro declined to comment.

KEY POINTS

*The office block's rents were a key part of the consortium's projected returns for the wider project.

*The design for the site features two seven storey office blocks.

*Multiplex secured an anchor tenant for its Exhibition Street project.
__________________________________________________________

Does it still look like this?

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/1592/sxrenderxw3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Shumway

March 20th, 2007, 03:48 AM

^^ Archi is the building they're talking about still have the design you posted on the Village docklands page?

Edit: You've moved the render already :P

A r c h i

March 20th, 2007, 04:00 AM

I've got these drawings from AA magazine which show a slight variation:

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/3947/sxs664jw4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

CULWULLA

March 20th, 2007, 06:27 AM

from todays fin rev

http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/6184/0001140ud8.jpg

http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/4692/0001141df2.jpg

CULWULLA

March 20th, 2007, 07:01 AM

for sake of Emporis, would these towers be measured from main entrance on Spencer st or down at railway concourse?
if the typical floor height is 4m, then height from concourse= 58m
height from Spencer st=48m.

Grollo

March 20th, 2007, 07:58 AM

Just as Melbourne is about to get a new architectural icon what do the state government do? They let the developers finish off the interior as cheaply as possible, put DFO on one side and this box of crap on the other. Way to go Bracksy.

We should have a landmark tower on Collins Street by now and the roof should have extended over the rest of the site.

The entrance to these buildings will be off Collins Street not Spencer.

wowsim

March 20th, 2007, 08:22 AM

^^ You have to wonder if our hard-working state architect is doing anything other than pulling a salary....

The Collector

March 20th, 2007, 08:44 AM

Yet another property source familiar with the site said it had a number of challenges.

"I don't like it. It is long and skinny, it has the worst environmentally sustainable design orientation you could possibly imagine, with massive east and west exposure to the sun," the source said.

The source said it also had narrow frontages to Collins Street and there were difficulties with car access.

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/1592/sxrenderxw3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
They should think outside the square, a la TURNING TORSO and design one or two tall distinctive buildings twisted to end up with a north and west exposure. :2cents:

Grollo

March 20th, 2007, 02:15 PM

^^ You have to wonder if our hard-working state architect is doing anything other than pulling a salary....

These changes were approved before we had a state architect .

Here is a nice quote from an article in The Age from 2005 that sums up exactly what would happen to Southern Cross Station project:

Kerstin Thompson, says that through PPPs, the Government invariably concentrates on the bottom line. As developers cater to the Government's financial dictates, projects are "stripped" and good design and environmental innovation suffer.

A r c h i

March 21st, 2007, 05:52 AM

To think we could have had this:

http://www.architectureaustralia.com/resources/aa/2002/09/images/020301.jpg

Anyone still have photos of the orignal model from when it was on display?

I'm not so bothered by the fact we didn't get the resi's more so the office tower, complete roof and better looking plaza. I reckon the tower would have had a precommitment by now and would have been under construction too. I wonder how much weight those pylons can support.

Tyson

April 14th, 2007, 04:32 AM

The mural is back up! :happy: But it's in DFO :(

Aussie Steve

April 14th, 2007, 09:47 AM

I was wondering when and where it was going to surface. Now I must go and find it at DFO, but where?

Tyson

April 14th, 2007, 10:02 AM

I was wondering when and where it was going to surface. Now I must go and find it at DFO, but where?

Down the end in the new bit that they've only just opened. Stage 2 or whatever it's called. It's shame it's so far from the actual train station.

Favco750

April 16th, 2007, 02:23 PM

They should think outside the square, a la TURNING TORSO and design one or two tall distinctive buildings twisted to end up with a north and west exposure. :2cents:

Ha ha ha they look like two little short and stumpy gas and fuel towers. :lol: :lol:

The Collector

April 16th, 2007, 02:25 PM

:gaah: I was hoping to avoid the DFO, now I have to visit it just to see this again. :|

http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/Freeman7.jpg

Tyson

April 16th, 2007, 03:08 PM

^ It looks like on top of one of the shops will be a platform where you can stand to get a full uninterupted view of it. It does look good, it's all flat along one wall, not going around a corner like it used to and it appears to be in very good condition. It's just a huge shame that instead of being in a train station it ended up in a shopping centre.

Aussie Steve

April 16th, 2007, 10:28 PM

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2007/04/16/1704N_MURAL_wideweb__470x269,0.jpg
:D

redbaron_012

April 18th, 2007, 12:21 PM

The mural although not within the station at least is safe from pollution here.

Icanseeformiles

April 19th, 2007, 04:00 AM

that depends on how you define pollution.

Dean

October 11th, 2007, 05:43 AM

Good news...Mirvac have just purchased the platform of 664 collins st for $30mill and intend to build low rise 40,000 spm of office space. Apparently they have HWT in their sites as an anchor tenant. With Fairfax/The AGE moving in over the road in the next few years this area may become the 'news/media' end of collins st.

Grollo

October 11th, 2007, 06:21 AM

It's only good news if Mirvac throw the current design for the site in the bin and come up with a campus building that actually looks good.

Qantas743

October 11th, 2007, 06:34 AM

Another low rise for Docklands? Hardly worth telling us the news.

melbournee12

October 11th, 2007, 11:01 AM

according to an article published earlier last month, Mirvac were looking at including office, retail and residential into the development. I'm pretty sure i have seen the article on here somewhere...

melbournee12

October 11th, 2007, 11:10 AM

Here it is...

with Marc Pallisco, Chris Vedelago
The Age
15/09/2007

Mirvac likely to graze the long paddock for $30m
IT MIGHT be third time lucky for property consortium Civic Nexus, with speculation that its unique 664 Collins Street site will be snapped up at last by development giant Mirvac.

Sources say Mirvac will pay about $30 million for the long, narrow site that runs the length of Spencer Street from Collins Street to Bourke Street.

The move follows two aborted attempts to sell the site to developers Multiplex and Austexx. Both negotiations fell over at the due-diligence stage.

Development of any kind at 664 Collins Street will be complicated and costly because of its position over the Southern Cross Railway Station and at two busy intersections connecting the CBD to Docklands.

These complexities are believed to be responsible for the failure of the earlier sale deals.

Mirvac is tipped to develop the site, at present a concrete podium, into a building comprising office, retail and residential apartments. It will add to the company's current development of high-rise apartment towers Yarra's Edge, on Lorimer Street, Docklands.

Civic Nexus, a consortium of developers put together by ABN Amro, was rumoured to have wanted to offload the site for more than a year after it failed to attract a tenant to anchor one of two office buildings it proposed two years earlier. It formally put the property to the market in the middle of the year.

Colliers International chief executive and selling agent John Marasco declined to comment on any part of the deal when contacted by Capital Gain.

A spokeswoman from Mirvac did not return Capital Gain's call.

http://www.directaccess.com.au/dotCMS/view_news_article?newsArticleId=571