PDG has submitted an application for the site of the former Qantas building in Frnaklin Street.

The Qantas building will be fully refurbished including a new facade and podium/entrance from Franklin Street.

Behind the Qantas building fronting Therry Street they plan to build a 47 storey apartment building that will be around the same height as the nearby Verve 501 (155m to roof :-).

The architects are the same as for Verve 501 (Urban Design Architects).

The new tower will be in front of the Qantas building in this pic:
http://web.aanet.com.au/nmharrison/09-10-2006/verve%20501%20spire%20forum.jpg

Great news, hopefully it comes through

good to see the Qantas eyesore get a makeover, and another 150m+ on it's way!

Fantastic :)

what views will residents in verve/milano miss out on? anything worth complaining to council about?
i quite like the Qantas bldg.
should produce a nice little cluster.

i quite like the Qantas bldg.


Please tell me you're joking... :nuts:

what views will residents in verve/milano miss out on? anything worth complaining to council about?
i quite like the Qantas bldg.
should produce a nice little cluster.

just some views to the northern suburbs...nothing special

Well I sure hope they do a damn better job of refurbishing the Qantas building, than they did with the old Ansett building. The old Ansett building is just the same on the outside as it always was...dull and ageing.

Also, anyone else notice the Ibis Hotel is almost now no longer that awful pink colour. It is now dark grey and white....big improvement!

http://www.pdgcorp.com.au/images/retail03.jpg

Hello.
Details?

..

Hello.
Details?

It's an artist impression of 50 Franklin St showing the Franklin St entrance. Makes a change from the usual renders showing a bright sunny day with with lot's of people out and about. Here is another:

http://www.pdgcorp.com.au/images/50F_02.jpg

I don't there are any images yet of what the new residential tower is supposed to look like. I hope they are still planning to build it.

http://www.pdgcorp.com.au/images/50F_01.jpg

http://www.pdgcorp.com.au/images/siteplan.jpg

Their web site says

50 Franklin Street

PDG's lates acquisition is located between the Verve 501 development and the Queen Victoria Market on Melboirne's rejuvanated Franklin Street.

A fully refurbished 16 level office building and a 46 storey residential tower will be complimented at ground level with a small number of retail stores, to be anchored by a large national retailer.

________________

I Think the 46 storey residential building is Milano. No other residential building.

Milano has only 35 floors. I think it's a new tower that's supposed to go to the north of the Qantas building fronting Therry St. That plan above shows only 501, Verve and Milano and not the Qantas building or whatever else they plan to build alongside it.

I wonder if they already have a particular "large national retailer" penciled in and who it is. I doubt it's Aldi because that's a seperate development isn't it?

...

Oh, it must be at the rear of the old Qantas building facing Therry St where the car park is, cos to the east is a historic pub and to the west of a multi-story car park with a permit for additional apartments on top.

^^ grollo says as much in the first post

Oops, don't I feel silly! :blush:

The new facade is ok but is it really that good? Looks kinda bland and cheap to me.
I worked for years it that old thing and even as a low rise it would really get the wobbles on windy days.

So the old TAA (QANTAS) Building will go from Gold and Brown to different shades of grey. :ohno:
I suppose it can now match the hideous Brutalist RMIT Building across the road.

http://www.pdgcorp.com.au/images/retail03.jpg

PDG is in competition with Brady to see who can take over from the mantle that was Central Equity. :down:

p.s. At least Central Equity have improved over the years.:)

I would've liked something colourful like NAB but I guess it's an improvement. Looks like it'll get some new windows with the rest being clad in alpolic panels. Not the best render in the world either. Anyone have dimensions? I reckon I can do a better one.

Done:

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/5979/50frenderek7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

As soon as we see some renders of the resi I can add it into the model.

Hmm I think I'd rather they just tore it down and built something new. Nice render Archi.

I kind of prefer it the way it is. It's ugly, but at least its unique.

tear it down, it's an eyesore with or without the makeover.

The only good thing about the building was the gold tiles and they are getting rid of them! They should demolish it or at least do a more radical makeover.

http://web.aanet.com.au/nmharrison/quantas%203.jpg

http://web.aanet.com.au/nmharrison/quantas%201.jpg

http://web.aanet.com.au/nmharrison/quantas%202.jpg

more crap

Shame.. If I requested a refurbishment proposal for the building I wouldn't be impressed with that result.

Where are Qantas going to move their Melbourne offices to?

I always sort of disliked this building, but in a way I'm sad that it's going to change. I'd prefer if they just cleaned and restored it, while obscuring it from most angles by building other towers around it.

the old qantas building is alright

Melbourne NEEDS to have a neon Qantas sign somewhere. Makes the city look more professional and makes people think Qantas is based in Melb!:D

Who cares if people think QF is based in Melbourne? Also IMO neon signs are more commonly associated with 'brash' or 'tacky' than with 'professional' although maybe there will be others here that disagree on that.

Who cares if people think QF is based in Melbourne? Also IMO neon signs are more commonly associated with 'brash' or 'tacky' than with 'professional' although maybe there will be others here that disagree on that.

Do you know by any chance where Qantas are moving their Melbourne offices to?

Do you know by any chance where Qantas are moving their Melbourne offices to?

sydney

I thought I read somewhere they were taking or had taken space somewhere on Exhibition St but I can't remember. Doesn't matter anyway because I doubt they do anything particularly important in their Melbourne offices anyway.

Then again who knows because the building at 50 Franklin was the corporate headquarters of TAA and Australian before they were bought by Qantas. Prehaps they still have some higher level domestic operations based out of there? I still think it's doubtful though.

In 2005 at the Monash careers fair they had an army of people trying to convince you that moving to Mascot for the graduate programme to be an IT chump (only to have your job recently offshored? :P) was a good thing.

Stick that up your arse is what I thought at the time.

Jetstar has a Tullamarine office address anyhow.

sydney

:lol: That's what I thought!

Any more news on the proposed apartment towers? Went past there last week and there were no billboards or anything. Qantas is still the same too.

I think we should donate this building to Longreach, Qld.

great idea.

The residential tower will be called Zen apartments and will be released by PDG corp soon.

http://www.zenapartments.com.au/








Oh, and the height of the tower has been increased to

56 storeys!!!

Should be at least 170m high right across the road from the 230m+ CUB tower and next door to the 156m high Verve 501.

cluster++ :banana:

Yes!

Also that one on Abeckett street will be good, filling up the nothing along there.

Awesome, Northern cbd is getting some lovin'

If it will look anything like Milano, it will only end up dragging down the look of the whole area, including the CUB site. :ohno:
PDG is worse than Central Equity now. :bash:

Then again, it could end up being a decent looking structure that will hide Milano (fingures crossed). :|

well Verve is 46 stories plus a spire so looking for another 150m+ tower in this area! This is great news!

By my estimates the site for this A'Beckett tower is about 650sqm or so. A good location though; A'Becket is a wide, but quiet street and there is also laneway access to the rear.

Numbers set to Climb in Carlton (http://www.melbourneleader.com.au/article/2007/10/17/23981_mev_news.html)
By Larissa Ham
17 Oct 2007

CARLTON'S population has jumped by more than 3000, with the official opening of a $300 million development opposite the Melbourne City Baths last week.

And the population is set to rise again, with the same developers, PDG Corporation, last week gaining State Government approval to convert the Qantas tower in Franklin St into a 57-storey tower. It is likely to include about 260 apartments and a 4 1/2-star hotel.

Managing director Vince Giuliano said the company would spend $200 million developing the site after settlement next February, with apartments in the "Zen'' complex expected to cost between $300,000 and $2.5 million.

Facilities will include a day spa, yoga, a library room and Japanese garden.

There will also be two new supermarkets, one at the base of the Qantas tower and the other at the old bus terminal between Franklin and Therry streets.

The PDG development opened last week and was built on land formerly owned by airline tycoon Reg Ansett.

It includes a 46-storey and a 36-storey apartment tower, an Audi showroom and an Aldi supermarket. It also includes an indoor rock-climbing centre fully encased in glass, believed to be a world-first.

Mr Giuliano said he was pleased with demand for the two apartments already built. "The amount of people that are going to be in the area, it's really brought the area to life,'' he said.

Melbourne Council planning chair Cr Catherine Ng said the two developments were "great news for Melbourne''.

The State Government is still considering a five-tower office and apartment application by developer Grocon at the old Swanston St CUB site.

This one will be built by LU Simon Builders.

And the population is set to rise again, with the same developers, PDG Corporation, last week gaining State Government approval to convert the Qantas tower in Franklin St into a 57-storey tower. It is likely to include about 260 apartments and a 4 1/2-star hotel.


I was under the impression that the 57 level building would be a completely new and separate tower???... not just a conversion of the old Qantas building which i would highly doubt it would have the foundations to support such a huge increase in weight and height.

I was under the impression that the 57 level building would be a completely new and separate tower???... not just a conversion of the old Qantas building which i would highly doubt it would have the foundations to support such a huge increase in weight and height.

I just took it as sloppy writing... I think they mean the QANTAS building site.

I just took it as sloppy writing... I think they mean the QANTAS building site.

Yeah you're probably right.

Instant skyline:

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/842/northquarterlq2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

And from Docklands:

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/1699/fromdocklandsfm2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

57 floors would be nudging 200m wouldnt it? Maybe 180m -190m???

Probably 170(ish)m to roof, with LMR or architectural features taking it to 180m+.

Illustrative renders. Danke.

Man the view from the FLinders end of Swanston down to the other end is about to get very interesting. Me likey.

Looks like a miniature city.

CUB looks much shorter than it's meant to be.

Err, no it doesn't.

Err, no it doesn't.

Sorry to go off the topic but in the second render, CUB roof height is shorter than Melb Central's (which is 211m to roof). If CUB is supposed to be 230m to roof then it should be a lot higher than Melb Central. Roof of CUB should be almost to the top of MC's spires, plus the 50m light becon.

Melbourne Central is closer to the camera.

Hmm... OK.

Compare it to Verve and Milano, it's huge.

So the old TAA (QANTAS) Building will go from Gold and Brown to different shades of grey. :ohno:
I suppose it can now match the hideous Brutalist RMIT Building across the road.

http://www.pdgcorp.com.au/images/retail03.jpg

PDG is in competition with Brady to see who can take over from the mantle that was Central Equity. :down:

p.s. At least Central Equity have improved over the years.:)

I quite like it, a Melbourne 'mood' building...

I quite like it, a Melbourne 'mood' building...

Umm just to let you know, there's been a change of plans and its being detonated instead.

Umm just to let you know, there's been a change of plans and its being detonated instead.

Sorry about my ignorance but you mean the old QANTAS building, right?
once again i'm sorry if its a stupid question.

Sorry!!! Talke it back, I got the sites confused. I'm going to sit in the corner now :goodnight

I think the name of this thread should be changed to Zen Apartments.

...

According to Cul's diagram today it says this one is at 180m. Anyone else got any info?

^i just went off what grollo mentioned. it may go even higher.give or take. when are they lodging? this year?

It has been approved and is currently on sale but still no render :-(

nice to see another cluster developing!

anyone know who are architects are for zen?

Urban Design Architects, same as Verve/Milano. Unless something has changed

just had a chat with Urban design.
he said the top will have a "lantern" feature.
heights
ground RL= 19m
height to roof =RL209m (190m)
height to LMR=RL212m (193m)
floors=60 (57 above).
render is coming. maybe 2 weeks.

Thanks Cul, great news

forgot to mention they are designing a couple of more towers in 130m range in Southbank.

Is the height to LMR including the lantern feature?

193m would make it the equal 8th tallest to roof in Melbourne, not bad :-)

It would also be the tenth building in Melbourne to have 50 or more floors.

This quiet cycle of this tower over that last few months has been a nice surprise out of "nowhere". Let's hope the renders give us something to get excited about. :cheers:

just had a chat with Urban design.
he said the top will have a "lantern" feature.
heights
ground RL= 19m
height to roof =RL209m (190m)
height to LMR=RL212m (193m)
floors=60 (57 above).
render is coming. maybe 2 weeks.

Is the height to LMR including the lantern feature?

193m would make it the equal 8th tallest to roof in Melbourne, not bad :-)

It would also be the tenth building in Melbourne to have 50 or more floors.

Bumped from the bottom of the previous page.

If it's anywhere near as pukeworthy as Verve-Milano, hight is nothing.

If it's anywhere near as pukeworthy as Verve-Milano, hight is nothing.

You're reight about that! ;)

Is the height to LMR including the lantern feature?

193m would make it the equal 8th tallest to roof in Melbourne, not bad :-)

It would also be the tenth building in Melbourne to have 50 or more floors.
i asked him that and he said the lantern is height of roof. i cant picture it but the render may show what he means.its tact onto front face.?

Taller than I expected. Hopefully the design has merit. RE: Verve, I think the design is actually pretty decent it's just the quality of the finishes, which let it down. Darker, more opaque, glass near the top (similar to the darker portions of Vic Point), black mullions rather than cheap uncoated aluminium ones, would've made a big difference.

I think both towers are victims of cost cutting/cheapness and had they stayed truer to the renders, wouldn't have been such a big deal. I guess I see them so often I've just become accustomed to them.

^^ Agree, as we discussed at the last meet Archi, Verve, a victim of cost cutting and Milano as I've mentioned many times, we could have done without. :ohno:
If PDG take the same approach for the construction of Zen, then all hope is lost already.
We need to see a paradigm shift in the way PDG design and finish their buildings!!
John Denton, where are you?

and looking Tall :banana:

http://www.zenapartments.com.au/

From the above link:
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t284/ArunavaDas/Zen1.jpg

lol wtf.

Crap, that is really tall!
how many new towers have we seen today????

I was pretty close with the fins up top...but that was about it. :D

http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/4691/cubvictoriastvistaah4.jpg

I'll make my own render this afternoon.

OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG :drool: Thanks Archie ^-^

zen has precast exteriors and aluminium clad windows (according to the website) just like verve

http://www.barrycrocker.net/images/albumcovers/Moonlight%20And%20LoveSongs2.jpg

what a shocker!

boom tish.

Well it's different hehe

http://web.aanet.com.au/nmharrison/zen.jpg

Looks like they forgot to add the glass.

hmmm i like it..i think
looks an awful bit like neo 200 but with spikes on the top :S

God's electric shaver.

I don't mind the top, but the rest is a bit of a mess

It looks pretty bad and unfinished, but what worries me more is that I think the finished product would look even worse. I don't mind the overall form of it though.

Whats the bet they decide to cut costs and leave off the spikes at the top? just they like they shortened the spire on verve :|

God's electric shaver.

What a privilege ;)

Looks like an orc siege tower! If they keep it minimalist and brutal I think it may turn out ok. If they try for all those cheap gimmicky things that adorn Verve then I think it won't.

At least it doesn't look bland ? What stage is this at now ? Is it started ?

At least it doesn't look bland ? What stage is this at now ? Is it started ?

Not when I was there on Friday.

At least it doesn't look bland ? What stage is this at now ? Is it started ?
its only just gone to marketing. thats one thing i didnt ask architect. i think it should start sometime in 08.

I might swing by the display suite in the next week or so and see if they've got the model in or some better renders. From what I can tell the core runs through the middle rather than along the outside like Verve and Milano, and it is predominantly glass clad.

Thanks for info guys....Even though I've missed stuff being away for a while I didn't think I'd miss something this big!

Mondriane, Verve, Neo200 and now this... :(

I think everyone's being a bit haste with their judgement. So far we've seen one render (and a poor one at that) which just shows the shell and none of the glass or finishes (at least properly), with the assumption that because Verve/Milano didn't turn out so swell than neither will this. Going by that theory, based on the finish of PDG's Franklin Lofts development, Verve and Milano should have come up looking pretty schmick.

It's at an arse end of town as well so it will put some nice height in which, in my personal opinion is also important.

The lantern sounds nice though!

^^ why is it you consider this to be the arse end of town?

I think the north/western edge of the CBD could become next place for apartment/office expansion after St. Kilda road, the CBD, southbank and docklands. It has the QV market nearby...close to the Uni....hospitals etc....and access to the Airport...for those that need that?

Most certainly. Didnt the council do a report on the need for more high density units for the uni students?

I think the north/western edge of the CBD could become next place for apartment/office expansion after St. Kilda road, the CBD, southbank and docklands. It has the QV market nearby...close to the Uni....hospitals etc....and access to the Airport...for those that need that?

What do people think Royal Pde would look like 20 years from now? Its very similar in design to St Kilda Road in that it is sandwiched between parklands, major tram route, mixed commercial/residential - close Zoo (hear lions roar in the morning), hospitals, uni, markets, close to Brunswick, Smith, Lygon streets... it goes on. What do people think it would take to see serious development of this area?

What do people think Royal Pde would look like 20 years from now? Its very similar in design to St Kilda Road in that it is sandwiched between parklands, major tram route, mixed commercial/residential - close Zoo (hear lions roar in the morning), hospitals, uni, markets, close to Brunswick, Smith, Lygon streets... it goes on. What do people think it would take to see serious development of this area?

Money?

What do people think Royal Pde would look like 20 years from now? Its very similar in design to St Kilda Road in that it is sandwiched between parklands, major tram route, mixed commercial/residential - close Zoo (hear lions roar in the morning), hospitals, uni, markets, close to Brunswick, Smith, Lygon streets... it goes on. What do people think it would take to see serious development of this area?
There will be very little change along Royal Pde as most of it (north of Ievers St and between the Haymarket round-about and Leonard St) is covered by a Heritage Overlay (thank God!) I certainly do not want to see another St Kilda Rd along Vic Pde.

There are also detailed DDOs for the precinct
DDO36 - ROYAL PARADE CENTRAL (http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/PlanningSchemes/melbourne/ordinance/43_02s36_melb.pdf)
DDO37 - PHARMACY COLLEGE (http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/PlanningSchemes/melbourne/ordinance/43_02s37_melb.pdf)

Here is the Zen site:

http://web.aanet.com.au/nmharrison/09-01-2008/zen%20forum.jpg

Is the display suite located there or is it at the base of Verve?

It is at the base of Verve on teh corner:

http://web.aanet.com.au/nmharrison/verve%20forum.jpg

It's at an arse end of town as well so it

Arse end of town ?

I see lot's of words strung togeather by you -- to form sentences -- but I am yet to discover any meaning, or substance.

join the club alpha, join the club.

Arse end of town ?

I see lot's of words strung togeather by you -- to form sentences -- but I am yet to discover any meaning, or substance.

It looks like you'll be another one who I will have difficulty getting along with on this forum.

And naturally Tayser had to make yet another smart-arse comment just for the sake of it.

It looks like you'll be another one who I will have difficulty getting along with on this forum.

And naturally Tayser had to make yet another smart-arse comment just for the sake of it.


Seems to be a pattern forming here doesn't there qantas.:banned:........

hahah.

looks hot

Give the kid a break...........

and Qantas, do something useful....... you know, contribute something other than crap..... It's not all that hard.........

I havent seen inside any finished PDG buildings, does anyone have a opinion as to their quality, level of finishes etc compared to Central Equity?

reminds me of casino towers in bris

They've updated the render:

http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/4610/zenaptssv0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

still relatively chunder-worthy - a perfect neighbour for Milano.

still relatively chunder-worthy - a perfect neighbour for Milano.

Nice to see that you still speak your mind Tays.

^^ A half notch improvement on Milano, and that's from a very low base. :ohno:
Pity me, as these PDG developments are almost in full view from my balcony. :cry:

There was a PDG tent up in Russle Stret today for Chinese New Year advertising Zen Apartments.
:)
I would have taken a brochure but it was in Chinese!

What an irony. You'd could hardly reach a state of Zen shoved in that cookie-cutter overkill.

oh - it's ok - it's The old Ansett building that needs to be demolished and not just because I spent 3 miserable years working on the 9th floor of it. It's just another brown turd on our skyline.

activity on the site, seems demolition has commenced at the rear of the site joining the qantas tower

it looks like this precinct of town is going to have a complete makeover, with its own seperate skyline too i might add :rock:

looks great !

lozza

Better render:
http://web.aanet.com.au/nmharrison/zen%20new.jpg

Doesn't look too bad actually, at least it is nearly all glass

Is that on Victoria St?

^^ Good spot! :lol: Looks like they're going to build over a public roadway and Horticulture Hall.

I think it's called artistic license.

Phew, for a second there.....

I think it looks pretty good. They've made a good effort with the top of the building. The worry of course is that it will watered down later.

verve 501 looked good in renders too.
the old looking up on dusk trick.lol
http://www.tvdance.com/aceventura/8a.gif

No, Verve never even looked good in renders.

Verve looked like a big slap of Vancouverism from the word go. Not good.

verve 501 looked good in renders too.
the old looking up on dusk trick.lol
http://www.tvdance.com/aceventura/8a.gif

I agree, we were all (well most) excited about Verve!....

Look what a piece of crap that is now. It's a disgrace and ever looked it closely and see what occupants have been allowed to put on windows???

Bloody awful!

What's that narrow full block depth construction going on beside the Zen site?
http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/6065/2008429004largedj6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
By redbaron_012 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/redbaron_012)

Residential, I think student accomodation.

So in that pic, what will Zen be blocking? Ansett building or Verve? I can't quite make it out from the renders.

Both

What's that narrow full block depth construction going on beside the Zen site?
http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/6065/2008429004largedj6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
By redbaron_012 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/redbaron_012)

Development on top of the bus depot. Check out the Westend thread; a lot of pages back.

Thanks gappa....I'll take a look!

Both

It's also going to block my amazing view over the Northern suburbs :(


(supressing inner NIMBY...)

So in that pic, what will Zen be blocking? Ansett building or Verve? I can't quite make it out from the renders.

in the photo, Verve and old Ansett building are in line with each other - so if zen blocks one, it blocks both. Did you mean the old qantas building?

That is one very UGLY collection of buildings! I surely hope Zen is an approvement despite it's height.
People complain about Southbank and Docklands, but they sh*t all over that lot!

Say what you like but by far the worst is that brown turd former Ansett building. THAT just HAS to go.
Someone please tell me it at least is going to get a refurb one day...

^^ Wouldn't hold your breath, it has had on on the inside at least. Fairly recently too by the looks.

any ideas when this one is going to begin construction?

PDG have a permit to add another 7 floors to the old Ansett building but they not acted on it yet.

The Ansett building isn't that bad. If they redid the facade it would look like a whole new building. Qantas building is worse IMO, but we've seen plans for they intend to do with that one.

I worked in it for a few years and hated/hate the look of it. Up in the plant room area there is a huge space where we used to archive all the old tickets. That was always a good day as it was a nice departure from the usual finance job I did on the 9th floor and you got to run amok in a labyrinth of corridors and massive shelves. We found a way to the roof and used to go up and check it out. Just below it was a lounge/arrival area that led to what was Sir Reg's Office. The lounge are was never completed as he was not allowed to use the roof as his landing pad - so like the years before he had to settle with arriving for work every morning using the helipad on the Yarra and driving up Swanston. I recall he didn't live too much longer after this building was built and Sir Peter Ables and his band of 'yes men' later set about 'crashing the company into a mountain'
with some shocking business risks and overseas partnerships. Anyway - I was long out before then but the building is as ugly as hell. Clad it - extend it - or demolish it.

any update for this project?

Extra Large render:
http://www.apartmentsuperstore.com/images/zenheroground.jpg

Last time I went past they were preparing to demolish the existing building on the site.

And the building to the east is also about to get a shorter (I think 11 floors) apartment tower behind it.

any ideas when this one is going to begin construction?

I spoke to the sales exec for Zen on Sat last week who told me construction would be starting in 2 months on the site and that construction would be complete in 2011.

I might also add that she was damn cute :laugh:

I work in the former Qantas building on Franklin St.

I have a view directly down onto the site-- and it will block the amazing view out over the inner north. (suppresses inner NIMBY)

welcome nukz. I'm pretty pleased to hear of movement on this one. Somehow I had felt it was a long way off, and - I don't quite recall why - even a tentative starter. Good news.

I don't think the hight of this one has sunk in yet; 193m is huge, especially at that end of town. Let's hope the design turns out all right in reality.

beware of night renders.
but its a great height.

I havent seen inside any finished PDG buildings, does anyone have a opinion as to their quality, level of finishes etc compared to Central Equity?

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/3156/foyer11bm7.th.jpg (http://img219.imageshack.us/my.php?image=foyer11bm7.jpg)http://img219.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)

Lobby Verve

The lobby looks cool

design has changed slightly, no concave fins on rear of tower

http://silvermb.thehoddlegrid.net/zen200809.jpg

Just recieved an email back saying that construction will begin in 4-6 weeks.

design has changed slightly, no concave fins on rear of tower
Cost cutting has started already. :ohno:

Now tell the truth Mark, did you deliberately photograph the model with the recycling bin underneath it. :lol:

i think its a stronger design actually, the concave ribs looked poor on both north/south aspects - its a tighter design now. anyway wait for the aluminium trim windows and the subsequent crap-o-meter rating - off the scale!

any news on this tower? construction was meant to start around this time?

It's supposed to start Tuesday.

awesomee =D thanks melbourneguy
finally we're going to have some tallies uc.
this one is going to stand out heaps. cant wait.

Unless of course the financial problems besetting the world have interfered with its construction. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

considering it's a resi, hopefully she'll be right

56 level resi at 193m is not bad.

Yes, if this one and Barton Tower we'll have things to keep us interested, and a skyline still changing while we weather out the financial storm - or should I say earthquake. At the moment it feels like the tectonic plates keep shifting and grating, with a jolt every couple of days.

this project will start mid jan.
they have to wait for safty issues /site works with qantas next door.

Thanks Cul. 193 is massive considering it's locale.

yes its RL212m or 700ft. same height as Nauru hs and collins place twins

Strangest thing, if you click on this link (http://www.zenapartments.com.au/) and then click on building it states it's 57-storeys.

Click on this one (http://www.zenharmony.com.au/) however and it says it's 48. It also looks noticeably shorter in the render. Looks like they may have chopped a few floors off.

verry odd indeed... fingers crossed for the taller one!

Strangest thing, if you click on this link (http://www.zenapartments.com.au/) and then click on building it states it's 57-storeys.

Click on this one (http://www.zenharmony.com.au/) however and it says it's 48. It also looks noticeably shorter in the render. Looks like they may have chopped a few floors off.

Are you sure that's not a web page from when the tower was originally shorter? Or is that the new website?

contacted developer and yes due to financial pressures the zen has been reduced to 48 levels.
its levels from 7-22 are called Harmony due to there smaller size and Zen are from 23-48.
the height has been cut by apprx 30m the architect said or now 163m tall.
should be slightly taller then nearby pdg tower.
atleast its going ahead not canned.
cheers

That realy sucks...................

No sign of activity on this site even though it was to have started (according to Cull) by mid Jan. Hope financing hasn't been a problem?

I was told by the developer it would start demolition in about 1 to 2 months.

We've been told this a few times already. Check the previous posts.

delta are smashing the existing building to bits, piling to follow

...bout time

still, so sad to see scale backs!

163 is stilll a respectable height

it is, but not as respectable as 194... or whatever it was... not winging, glad its finally going up... just somber...

BAHA!! im totally kidding, im as deep as a puddle!

but in all seriousness scaling it back does make me sad

The guys at PDG are all a bunch of crooks... I pity the people who bought apartments from them.

so wats the dealio with the qantas building? is it still getting a refurb?

so wats the dealio with the qantas building? is it still getting a refurb?

Yes.

It's all 16 floors have been leased out to Salesforce for a call centre hub.

But it still looks pretty ugly on the outside, even though the plaza area is being redeveloped.

You would think having a height advantage over nearby apartment developments would give this project a higher profile (pun?) and help sales ?

The new version of Zen apartments:

http://www.realestate.com.au/objects/props/7133/105727133ml1241507029.jpg

http://www.realestate.com.au/objects/props/7133/105727133al1241507029.jpg

fuck.
this will not end well.
it was shit enough. now it's just like verve *crys*

The difference between these two renders is unbelievable. It reminds of those pics of celebrities where they show what the star looks like without make up next to a pic of them all glamoured up. The first pic is the Zen caught while buying a pack of ciggies at the grocery store at 1 am. The second pic is from the Zen's latest photo shoot :ohno:

The new version of Zen apartments:

http://www.realestate.com.au/objects/props/7133/105727133ml1241507029.jpg


http://www.apartmentsuperstore.com/images/zenheroground.jpg

did they stack the top half of old ansett building on top of milano?
dear o dear.

I must be alone on this but i prefer the new designe.
The old render has 4 different mish-mash styles from top to bottom, the new one only has 2 and imo works better, not great but better.

Its still nicer than anything Meriton has built in Sydney Cull....

^nicer then World tower,Rialto,meriton tower????
and just think renders make building look good. just imagine in real life.
the top needs to be redone. atleast its first proposal had height.

The original height gave it real presence, unfortunately it now looks somewhat stumpy imo.

just contacted urban design again to confirm heights
plantroom=RL189m
roof=RL179m
ground=RL20m
thus heights= 169m (roof 159m)

Well RL 179 isn't too bad...will at least have a big impact on the skyline.

at RL189m, its same RL as SX tower, so should stand out over where its located near verve.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3009/2299078023_7464d6ba79_b.jpg

Speaking of Apartment blocks, Cul's pic shows the first three new apartment blocks built in Melbourne in many years. 15 Collins St, at the foot of Collins Place just above the roof of the State Office Block, with white balconies. Then ? in Spring st. corner of Little Collins next to the Windsor Hotel, over St. Pats left spire. and at far right side of pic Park Apartments also in Spring St. These three were the future but do remember 15 Collins St applying to the Council to use apartments for offices because Melbournians were slow to go for City apartment living.......early 70's. Would have liked Zen to stand taller !

from today

http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/P5290005.jpg
http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/P5290006.jpg

thanks for the updates. :banana:

http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/sen1.jpghttp://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/sen2.jpg
http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/sen3.jpg

i know its a marketing ploy but if they could sell the first stage out why wouldn't they just built the extra ten levels. if you can sell the apartments financing shouldn't be too much of an issue?

http://alamarav.com/mark/zen200907.jpg

'Stage 1' probably consisted of only 10 apartments.

I saw this project the other day, they were doing piling. I look forward to seeing how it progresses

I think they'd have to have sold more than 10 apartments to get finance in this environment.

hopefully stage 1 was the buildign without the additional 10 floors and stage 2 is for those additional floors to be added.

I can't imagine any apartments in any building anywhere in Melbourne being vacant or unsold ? If they made this place 20 stories taller they would probably sell even faster. Investors have an ever growing rental market.

I must be alone on this but i prefer the new designe.
The old render has 4 different mish-mash styles from top to bottom, the new one only has 2 and imo works better, not great but better.

Its still nicer than anything Meriton has built in Sydney Cull....

you're not alone. I like it better too. Looks pretty polished. Especially like the design of the podium level. Like the curved glass top too. Shades of Eureka seem to be the latest fashion and it works.

I must be alone on this but i prefer the new designe.
The old render has 4 different mish-mash styles from top to bottom, the new one only has 2 and imo works better, not great but better.

Its still nicer than anything Meriton has built in Sydney Cull....

You're not alone....
The podium levels are beautiful.

i walked past it today, unfortunately i didn't have my camera on me to take some photos, however nothing much has changed since the last photos that were uploaded

went past again today, and on the right hand site of the site, they are placing the reo for the slab. i couldn't take photos because there was black mesh on the fencing which made it difficult.

As of Today

http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/tt58/clinton09/Picture049.jpg

http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/tt58/clinton09/Picture051.jpg

http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/tt58/clinton09/Picture053.jpg

http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/tt58/clinton09/Picture055.jpg

Tower crane is assembled.

and up she goes.

the drill hall currently used as zen display is not far off commencing construction. 10L apartment social housing block from memory?

http://www.alamarav.com/mark/zen20091010.jpg

http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/PA100035-1.jpg
http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/PA100036-1.jpg
http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/PA100037-1.jpg

From today:

http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/PC201037.jpg
http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/PC201038.jpg
http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/PC201039.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m401/pouinetoksenodohio/IMG_8266.jpg?t=1263274600

http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/IMG_0320.jpg
http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/IMG_0319.jpg

What's with the set-back from the street frontage?

core yet to rise so rear end of floorplate rising. once core is above ground they'll bang it up to L10 or so and then fill in the floors

is it just me who thinks this is taking one hell of a time to get anywhere?

It feels like it has been at this stage and height for months - when you compare to something like The Bank that had big problems with soil etc, that is rising steadily already - this seems very slow?

Although i know it's not as tall as orginially planned....it's still almost 170 metres....it will look so tall around this part of town.

I walked down Therry St today and i saw wat appeared to be concrete going up with shelter protection at ground level from falling objects so it has to be u/c. This along with Barton will make the mid north of the cbd look alot better aslong as they keep high rise development away from central swanston st etc

I walked down Therry St today and i saw wat appeared to be concrete going up with shelter protection at ground level from falling objects so it has to be u/c. This along with Barton will make the mid north of the cbd look alot better aslong as they keep high rise development away from central swanston st etc

Welcome to the forum, but did you read the previous posts? Building has been under construction now for some time mate, just moving along very slowly.

http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/IMG_0391-1.jpg
http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/IMG_0390-1.jpg

Thanks for the update melbournee12
And that model - Looks more than 48L (counted 48/9 excluding podium), or is it just me?

maybe its the model for the old design that had more floors?

must be? never thought of that...unless they've increased height again? but i doubt it.

From the PDG site, taken last month...

http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/zen.jpg
http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/zen1.jpg

Nice project. Will solidify that part of the city.

Congratulations.

http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/photo4.jpg
http://i318.photobucket.com/albums/mm410/raz188/photo3.jpg

must be? never thought of that...unless they've increased height again? but i doubt it.

Was in the sales office yesterday. Height has not increased.. it's just an old model.