time for a new thread

those off the top of my head

> duke of wellington redevelopment

> devine's 25L hotel complex at 119 bourke

> 171 collins st
http://advisers.macquarie.com.au/au/property/images/mof_171_collins_evening.jpg

> drapac's 33 mackenzie st office block
http://silvermb.thehoddlegrid.net/33mck.jpg

> melbourne central's proposed office tower which might get a run soon

> scots church
http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/859/schurchredevelopmentelell6.jpg

> rmit's site on swanston st next to the pub?

and anything else ive missed...

Edit...

It has it's own thread.

^ yip: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=190887

Another one to look out for is a future 10L office tower on the Rosati/RSL site on Flinders Lane just in front of 101.

News
Big screen for city centre a turn-off, say critics
Clay Lucas, City Reporter
4 April 2007
The Age

CITY SIGHTS

THE corner of Bourke and Swanston: is it to become Melbourne's answer to Piccadilly Circus and Times Square, or a garish blight on the city landscape?

Critics have lashed out at Telstra's plan to install a sprawling 24-hour screen above the intersection, warning its non-stop monster advertisements would undermine the CBD's amenity.

The proposed $500,000 multimedia screen would feature a continuous loop of commercials with audio.

It would be the centrepiece of Telstra's soon-to-be-unveiled "Telstra Experience Store" on the major city corner.

The multimillion-dollar flagship store will replace the NikeTown superstore, which closed in February.

"It's a big billboard for Telstra that they're calling 'an experience'," Greens councillor Fraser Brindley said.

"An all-singing, all-dancing billboard is what this is - not the path to enlightenment that Telstra's trying to push it to us as.

"Ads for Telstra aren't what people waiting on that corner need to be bombarded with."

In 1996 an application to erect a smaller video screen permanently on the outside of the building was rejected because it was deemed too much of an imposition on the landscape.

Telstra refused to comment on its application to redevelop the building. Designs for the new store, by architects Metier 3, are now before Melbourne City Council.

The corner of Bourke and Swanston streets was recommended in February as a site where supersize billboards and neon signs could be "clustered".

Concerned that billboards were ruining some of Melbourne's finest vistas, the council reviewed where it believed huge billboards should be allowed in the city centre.

boo hiss greenies, piss off.

bring it on, do the same with the building on the other side of Bourke St pls, kthnx.

It'd improve the look of the area if anything.

it would be great but just imagine the fighting over the remote control...sorry:runaway:

Build it. There is nothing else on that corner that is particularly interesting to look at or do.

They should build two of them, one on each corner, north-east and south-east. :)

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/gallery/photography/City/slides/BourkeEast11.jpg

Wasn't there one on the south east just recently? When did that vamoose?

Yes. It was small and was frequently not in working order. Been gone for a while now.

Its not gone, its just been covered over.

Do it for Christ sake! Did any of you remember me suggesting a giant screen at that intersection a number of times? My prayers have been answered!!

It would be fantastic for Melbourne and it would give the city a much more "big city" feel.

Knowing the council and the greenies though I would not at all be surprised if this was rejected. I'll believe it when I see it.

Go for it Telstra! Shame that the Nike store has closed though.

Should this go ahead, any idea when construction will start?

Let me just say also, when I was in Shanghai earlier this year, there was a neon screen in Nanjing Road exactly the same size and shape as the Nike store bilboard and boy was it incredible!! If this were built I would have a heart attack of joy!

"Big city" feel - please define whatever the hell that is.

It would be cool, but only if it was of decent quality like the ones at Piccadilly for example. The old one on the SE corner was a shocker, it always looked horrible because it was never working 100%.

Stu

Would it be showing adds in general or just advertisments for Telstra?

It's a good feeling how you can't go to anywhere these days without being shoved a ad in your face. I value that feeling.

It has it's own thread.I know it does....but it's still on the eastern side of "The Grid".


> Melbourne Central's proposed office tower which might get a run soon...but that would be on the western side of Swanston.

...

The centre of the city is Elizabeth Street.

Would it be showing adds in general or just advertisments for Telstra?

i mentioned this in the transportation thread. when a stupid question enters your mind, dont feel compelled to type it out instantly. how is anyone on a skyscraper forum going to know what sort of content will be shown on a TV screen when the first anyone knew of this was yesterday? you've got a habit of asking ridiculous questions, just a little bit of thought prior to posting goes a long way

I hope this goes ahead!!! They used to have one in Sydney than Clover Moore (retarted bitch) said it was distracting drivers and might cause accidents. They took it down.

This will be our first "permanent?" Screen in OZ!! I always thought Brisbane or GC would get one before Melb - I always new Sydney would NEVER get one - just imagine if the idea was even proposed... !!!

I think it will go ahead - although only problem is i think with all the global warming stuff going on, i think public will be against it - but what amazes me is why should there even be a big deal about a screen - all cities have them - big woop!! Just build it, who cares. I hate all the propaganda shit.

There's already full sized video screens in Federation Square and 2 at Waterfront City.

...and Telstra Dome.anyone remember the sad 'giant' t.v. screen at the sad old city square?
Pics anyone?

I think the screen at the city square..black and white...just didn't make enough revenue to keep it viable. It was high up and looked fairly small on the mass of the wall, therefore didn't attract enough attention. I'm sure the Fed. Square screen has many more lookers.

For a great pic of the screen in the old City square see ' City Images Architectural and Historical themes....Swanston St...Marvellous Melbourne..post #14 march 25th..The Collector....OK! That's me just right of the yellow peril....it was opening day..the Queen is on the screen.

A few shots of the DCM designed City Square below, 1980s.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/private/CitySquare4.jpg


"Just right of the yellow peril." :lol:

yer, have a Wini.

Well.......if I knew the guy was taking the pic I would have worn a brighter colour and turned and waived....Sorry for calling it Yellow Peril......( Vault )

I was pretty fond of the water wall/fall thing...it was pretty noisy but kinda cool...and yes the screen was too high and small. I remember central station records having a shop there and that lounge area becoming a hang out for young early 80's fashion victims. It was far from great but wasn't all bad...then again...

that picture shows a lotta people. That place used to be dead 24/7 any pix of the true reflection?

There are lots of people in that pic because it was the official opening day!!! I remember lots of times it was full of people...Rallies....political etc...The live announcement for the '96 Olympics.....turned out a bit of a fizzer...The different areas in the square were OK...The meeting corner..Collins and Swanston...The Water feature around the large Oak or Elm that has since been moved yet again and it's Graffiti wall....noe that was ahead of it's time!....the water wall looked great...the reflecting pool in line with St.Pauls spire...the covered sunken ampitheatre near Flinders Lane. The Cafe above near Collins St..and there was talk of a restaurant high in the metal vaulting closer to St. Pauls. The large formal square lined with Plane ?? or Elms were just starting to gain maturity when they cut them down.The shops flowing under the Regent were visibly cut off but had the fantastic Plaza ceiling above...Lucky thats still there, now part of the Plaza Function room as it was originally designed....I have a newscutting scap book with just about every story and drama of the City Square Saga...including the Star Holdings bid to build back then Melbournes tallest building on the site...a 55-60 story ?? Office Hotel complex...there was huge outcry that the square would become the hotel forecourt...what is it now ??? yet I guess it's importance has been recinded to Fed. Square.

red i have many of those mutual memories of the old square. I remember being very excited about the prospect of a new build there ... and then disappointed again. I dont suppose you could scan that article with the render?

I have so much stuff that I would love to post on here !!!! I have a printer with a scanner but have tried before to attach pics but somehow it doesnt work??? One day hope to catch up with a local and work out how to get it right ? Sorry.....

Do it like this:

Upload your images to something like imageshack.us then past the web address for each image into the thread with [ IMG] and [/IMG ] around it. Eg. [ IMG]http://your_picture.jpg[/IMG ] . Take the spaces out of the IMG tags though like this: [IMG]

If you use imageshack they give you sample hotlinks for forums so you can just copy one of them and past it straight in.

While I think the 1980's City Square was nothing special, the one that replaced it is no better. At least some THOUGHT went into the DCM 1970's/80's square.

The Weston Hotel version will be demolished in a decade or two, mark my words, time will be harsh.

Thanks....It's kind of how I've been told before but maybe I didn't drop the spaces out ??? thanks ;)

There are lots of people in that pic because it was the official opening day!!! I remember lots of times it was full of people...Rallies....political etc...The live announcement for the '96 Olympics.....turned out a bit of a fizzer...The different areas in the square were OK...The meeting corner..Collins and Swanston...The Water feature around the large Oak or Elm that has since been moved yet again and it's Graffiti wall....noe that was ahead of it's time!....the water wall looked great...the reflecting pool in line with St.Pauls spire...the covered sunken ampitheatre near Flinders Lane. The Cafe above near Collins St..and there was talk of a restaurant high in the metal vaulting closer to St. Pauls. The large formal square lined with Plane ?? or Elms were just starting to gain maturity when they cut them down.The shops flowing under the Regent were visibly cut off but had the fantastic Plaza ceiling above...Lucky thats still there, now part of the Plaza Function room as it was originally designed....I have a newscutting scap book with just about every story and drama of the City Square Saga...including the Star Holdings bid to build back then Melbournes tallest building on the site...a 55-60 story ?? Office Hotel complex...there was huge outcry that the square would become the hotel forecourt...what is it now ??? yet I guess it's importance has been recinded to Fed. Square.


Do you remember the kid that got sucked into the fountain and was only barely saved? LOL wonder where he is now or if he's been sucked into anything else lately...hehehe

It did have a lot of good idea elements to it but the 'scrawl wall' was a big mistake. Did they really think the scrawling would be confined to the white bit of wall? Incidently I LOVE places like ACDC lane etc and 'street art' but back then it was just a spray painted mess that spread.

Didn't the queen open the UFO looking Museum station during the same trip? Interesting that both no longer exist. No wonder she doesn't come here often...we pull down everything she opens! hehehe. Keep her away from E' Ob' Deck!!

Yeh I do remember the kid being sucked down in the water feature....it had stepping pads with running water flowing from teh Burke and Wills statue....ironic concidering they died of thirst!!! then it fowed down abstact cut blustone and around to a channel that flowed to the water wall..but the lower level had a stong pump to cycle it all up to the top again and they didnt have a grate over it...so as the kid walked across and slipped ...that could have been it !I liked the trip the water took from one end to the other...maybe that type of thing is something future generations wont see...I think the drought is just a passing thing...in 3000 years we may have heaps of water.

And in 3000 years I might learn how to spell....type anyway???

I was pretty fond of the water wall/fall thing...it was pretty noisy but kinda cool...and yes the screen was too high and small. I remember central station records having a shop there and that lounge area becoming a hang out for young early 80's fashion victims. It was far from great but wasn't all bad...then again...

Yep....I used to get all my 12 inches from that Central Station and yeah I remember all the brown leather couches they had in the foyer and we could even smoke inside....cool!

Same here - I think it was about the only shop that had any commercial success at the old city square. I can't recall any of those stores in that odd arcade behind the water wall ever being there for any length of time. By the way...what was the deal with that lounge area anyway? I have only vague memories of it. Was it a food court? I just remember it being a hang out for loitering teens and it was also pretty dark in there. Was it part of the Regent before it was renovated or was it under the Regent? I do recall the street fashion there however...it comprised of young dudes with jumpers tucked into tight stone wash jeans with studded belts...oh and of course there was the Mullets . No wonder it was torn down - I think the priest next door had to salt the earth before they built on it again LOL!

The undercroft shop area behind the Square and under the Regent came about as a use for the Plaza theatre....When the Regent was first built this area was designed to be a ballroom. It had a beautifully painted deco ceiling. It became a theatre and became maybe the first multiplex??? When the unions put a ban on demolishing the Regent it was decided to incorporate this area into the square, giving a large covered lounge area...padded lounges fountains shops etc....Being hidden away without a strong pedestrian flow it became a hangout for ??? unemployed or bored youths.The shops never had enough patronage to be viable, closing down and giving a feeling of no go area. With the restoration of the Regent this lower space is now a fabulous function area.

Thank you for that. Yes - I do recall the union ban regarding the Regent now and now I have that space/lounge in context thanks to your memory jogging post.

Same here - I think it was about the only shop that had any commercial success at the old city square. I can't recall any of those stores in that odd arcade behind the water wall ever being there for any length of time. By the way...what was the deal with that lounge area anyway? I have only vague memories of it. Was it a food court? I just remember it being a hang out for loitering teens and it was also pretty dark in there. Was it part of the Regent before it was renovated or was it under the Regent? I do recall the street fashion there however...it comprised of young dudes with jumpers tucked into tight stone wash jeans with studded belts...oh and of course there was the Mullets . No wonder it was torn down - I think the priest next door had to salt the earth before they built on it again LOL!

Yeah I don't remember any food being there at all...very dark and loads of fake plants.

Indeed - it was dark and I am sure there was not a single food outlet there. I remember some spin saying was a 'refuge from the stress of working/shopping in the city' - or something to that effect LOL. Stress!? in a city like Melbourne? in the early 80's?
I will say one thing for the square itself however - The flat, open spaces of the square where great and functional - and often used. More conducive as a public gathering area than Fed Square IMHO (in terms of area/space and functionality. Maybe it should have stayed and just had a 90's era plus makeover. That ugly big wall was a filthy eyesore though...it got so grubby. Doesn't even look clean in the openning day pic. They sure loved their latice in that era - it was everywhere - looks like left overs from Collins Place.

They sure loved their latice in that era - it was everywhere - looks like left overs from Collins Place.
The SPACE FRAME, they loved it back in the 1970s and early 1980s. :lol:
I never liked it. :down:

The SPACE FRAME, they loved it back in the 1970s and early 1980s. :lol:
I never liked it. :down:Yeah, it never looked that high-tech, did it? I think most of the time perspex was used and therefore it ended up all scratched over prolonged periods, along with the likes of bird poop dried flakes building up in the frame corners.

Last night I photograghed some pages out of my scrapbooks on the City square...probably better to try and post them in Architecture and Historic themes....so far no success on posting pics but will give it a try!

Anyone got any news of the proposed Macquarie Bank glass tower behind St. Pauls?

Yes.... it is proposed.

The proposed tower behind St. Pauls ?? does it retain the collins st facades of the old Theosophical Society etc....the streetscape here is nice with the old buildings....The old T&G did a good job of retaining the old facade.....I know there is often resistance to facadism...like disneyland Hmmm?? but the end product is historic retention with modern infrustucture behind..it has its place....Good examples..Olderfleet and Rialto and old Herald-Sun Building.

The Collins St facade will be retained, yes. There will then be some floorspace behind with an atrium linking it to the proposed tower. As seen here:

http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/8907/171northfi9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/6365/171sectionoo2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Fight looms over Uniting Church plan to build office block

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/fight-looms-over-uniting-church-plan-to-build-office-block/2007/05/16/1178995236268.html

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2007/05/16/svUNITING_wideweb__470x434,0.jpg

Clay Lucas
May 17, 2007

THE Uniting Church has revealed controversial plans to build a 20-storey office block alongside one of the city's oldest churches.

A battle looms over the fate of the Wesley Church site in Lonsdale Street, home to one of the city's oldest and most treasured churches.

The Uniting Church is desperate to raise almost $5 million to restore the classified, bluestone Wesley Church, which sits among a car park, run-down heritage buildings and a dilapidated former nurses' hostel.

Completed in 1858, the church was designed by Joseph Reed, architect of the Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne Town Hall and the State Library.

The Uniting Church has hired architects Peddle Thorp to design a $100 million, 20-storey tower and retail complex that will pay for the church's restoration.

It has applied to Heritage Victoria to demolish the Princess Mary Club, built in 1926 to house nurses from the country.

The church said building the office tower on the Princess Mary site, and next to the Wesley Church, would create a "spiritual precinct".

Money raised would also be used to restore the manse, school house and caretaker's cottage.

"The development (will lead) to a renewal of spiritual life," said the Reverend Kim Cain, of the Uniting Church.

Mr Cain said building the office tower, which will be set back from Lonsdale Street, was necessary to repair the church. No damage would be done to it, he said.

"The church will remain, the spire will remain, and we will use the profits from the development to restore the old church and the old buildings on the site. We want to develop a really nice garden complex."

But neighbours are less enthusiastic about the church's plans. Peter Faris, QC, who lives in Regency Towers next door, said the Princess Mary building had been neglected for a long time and "that's one way of pulling down old buildings". It was a beautiful building "and it's hard to see why it couldn't be renovated and reinstated".

National Trust chief executive Martin Purslow said the Princess Mary Club had "quite a lot of social significance".

"Any heritage building that's lost is to the detriment of the history of the city, so we would want to see pretty good proof that they need to do this," he said.

"The key thing is that you are not building anything to the detriment of the church."

The Big Issue magazine, which has offices in Uniting Church buildings on the site, would likely be moved to make way for the project.

The church said yesterday that it would likely rehouse the magazine somewhere on the redeveloped site.

Mr Cain said that if the project proceeded, a once-proposed safe injecting room for drug users on the site would be demolished. "The removal of this building (would) end for all time the safe injecting proposal," he said.

The B graded heritage building that would be demolished to make way for the tower:
http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/iheritageweb/images%5C105760_sp_200210.jpg

I'm not sure why they can't keep the first 10 meters of this building and build the new tower behind.

[B]The B graded heritage building that would be demolished to make way for the tower:
http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/iheritageweb/images%5C105760_sp_200210.jpg

I'm not sure why they can't keep the first 10 meters of this building and build the new tower behind.

I agree. Don't know what the scaffoldings are about - but it's rather a handsome building, and the proposed alternative looks pretty ordinary. Seems to me this plan could be adjusted to save that nice streetfront.

i cant read the heights of the elevation but iknow the church is 53m high, so new bldg measures 82m. is that right grol?

Can't anything go ahead in this city without some sort of problem or controversy?

It's probably cheaper to just demolish it but it's a nice little building and aside from a bit of extra dosh I see no reason why that can't retain it. As for the new design looks like a cross between the Powerstation proposal and the Scot's Church proposal. Hard to make a judgement based on one elevation but it looks like it may have screens on the western facades.

The site is just too small for an office building, they should build a nice thin 150m high apartment tower instead ;-)

^ you should try to build something in sydney. if its not sun access plane, height limits, heritage impact,nimbys, its something else.

Those residents just don’t want to lose their views or have another development next door. Well, tough luck!

The building that is proposed for demolition is quite nice, but it has concrete cancer and is crumbling to bits, hence all the scaffolding.

There are other plans afoot for more redevelopment to the west. I hope it all happens, for the sake of restoring the numerous significant buildings on the site including the wonderful church (with non-original tower)

They should definately be made to restore the spire if they are allowed to knock the other building down.

http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/jcollins/0/1/9/im/jc019308.jpg

Currently the spire looks like crap:

http://www.wesley.unitingchurch.org.au/church%20building%20v2.jpg

^the spire was in such bad shape that in 1968, instead of rebuilding it, they clad it on copper, so the weather wouldnt effect it anymore.such a bandaid solution.they should replace all the bluestone and restore to former glory.

Had a good look at them today, Church and Princess Mary Club, and apart from the tower, the church is in good condition, the bluestone does not need replacing (I have yet to come across crumbling bluestone blocks), the Princess Mary Club on the other hand is a showcase for concrete cancer, which is a pitty really, because it is such a nice looking building.
The Princess Mary Club was even featured on postcards in its heyday (I have a couple).

Below, an Edwardian postcard of Wesley Church and after that a recent photograph of my own.

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/gallery/postcards/Edwardian/slides/Wesley1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/gallery/photography/City/slides/Wesley1.jpg

[img]http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/Wesley1.jpg

Pretty nice sculpture of that old wowser John Wesley there too, Collector. Like to have that out for some street viewing.

The new proposal by developers Devine for a 25-level hotel is planned for 131-135 Bourke Street, that may be similar in height to SX2 (95m/312ft) as Archi has been told. SX2 is @ 111 Bourke, next door. Their podiums are obviously long enough to skip a few street numbers as per Archi's graphic below.

Unfortunately, no renders as yet. We'll look forward to those!

As mentioned, Archi fortunately did this graphic (Green = SX2, Red= Devine poposal):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/sxdevineae61.jpg


Posted by Grollo in the PROJECT: Southern Cross - SX2 on Bourke (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=13323736#post13323736) thread:


Hotel plan just Devine

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21491153-664,00.html

Ben Butler
April 03, 2007

PROPERTY developer Devine has announced a 444-room, four and a half star hotel development worth $150 million at the top end of Bourke St.

On Friday, Devine announced it had purchased the 2000sq m site at 131-135 Bourke St, next to the Southern Cross office complex, for $18 million.

"The building will comprise 25 levels and feature retail outlets fronting Bourke and Little Collins Sts," managing director David Devine said.

He said Devine was talking with a publicly listed, hotel management company over operation of the hotel. Construction is due to start next year and be completed in 2010.

Devine bought the property offmarket from Sundew, Eizik Nominees and Quintov Nominees. Settlement is due January 31 2008.

While the company is usually associated with low-cost housing estates, aimed at first-homebuyers, it has recently expanded into the hotel and apartment business.

Devine has just completed a $338 million residental development in the Docklands and it recently announced a $425 million six-star hotel and apartment complex in Brisbane.

In early February, listed developer Leighton Holdings announced it had agreed to buy 40 per cent stake in Devine for $95.6 million.

The deal requires Devine shareholder approval at a meeting on April 26. Devine predicts its financial year 2007 net profit will exceed last year's $18.9 million.

444 rooms is big hotel, that's almost as many rooms as Crown Promenade.

^^ Hey doesn't this have it's own thread? :jk: It'll be interesting to see what the renders look like. How close is it to SX2? Seems very in Archi's hypothetical, so could block all their views. Oh well that's what you get in the city.

Had a good look at them today, Church and Princess Mary Club, and apart from the tower, the church is in good condition, the bluestone does not need replacing (I have yet to come across crumbling bluestone blocks), the Princess Mary Club on the other hand is a showcase for concrete cancer, which is a pitty really, because it is such a nice looking building.
The Princess Mary Club was even featured on postcards in its heyday (I have a couple).

Below, an Edwardian postcard of Wesley Church and after that a recent photograph of my own.

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/postcards/Edwardian/slides/Wesley1.jpg

http://www.thecollectormm.com/gallery/photography/City/slides/Wesley1.jpg

yes, the church is in excellent shape. such good workmanship, but its the spire which is in need of repair. Its encased in copper housing since 1969 to keep the spire in kinda like a "time capsule" away from the elements until the church get some $$ to fix it.

A planning application has been lodged for that Telstra advert screen on the corner of Bourke and Swanston.

http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/opm/bc/CTEE/meetings/PC_51_20070605.pdf

Very cool indeed. Nice and times square-ish. Hopefully in the future there will be more of these public advert screens.

It doesn't seem to download. Can someone please give me the jist of the application for the screen?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/telstrasignageA.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/telstrasignageB.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/telstrasignageC.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/telstrasignage.jpg

It'll be good to move all the signs away from Flinders/Swanston corner, and clean up the buildings they were covering. That channel seven ticker does no favors for the area. The bourke/swanston intersection has a lot of life, and athe most pedestrian traffic in the city, a more appropriate place for video screens/neon signs/billboards etc.

I think the proposal will be rejected for two reasons. 1. The council will argue that the screen will ruin the character of that part of CBD and 2. the greenies will argue that the sign requires too much power to operate.

I think the proposal will be rejected for two reasons. 1. The council will argue that the screen will ruin the character of that part of CBD and 2. the greenies will argue that the sign requires too much power to operate.

1. There has already been a massive TV right accross the street before.
2. You don't know the greenies very well.

I think that proposal is really bland - it's waaay too sparse/conservative.


^^^ P.S. Second you on the lame ticker, although I don't think all the billboards are bad.

That is really ugly and boring...

hope they reject this particular proposal.

Whats strange is that the initial proposal for this (not submitted for approval) was to have the entire corner as a screen. Not just the bottom of it.

One video board and then the rest blank is just crap.

Typical telstra they want to monopolise the corner with their bland crap and not allow any competing signs which might actually make it more interesting.

Even if they did propose other signs they would probably charge so much that other companies could not afford to use it anyway :-)

Meh.

But it's kinda cool how the lights retract.

Meh.

But it's kinda cool how the lights retract.

Those lights are already in operation.

Have been since summer, I see them every Thursday and Friday night when I am on my break from work.

Which retracting lights are those? ^^

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/telstrasignageC.jpg

Hehe, if you look closely that's actually an Optus ad.

What's bigger? This proposed screen or the LG one on the opposite side of the street that's now covered up?

Esanda is parked in this 16 level bldg and are likely to get wrapped into ANZ's relocation to the Docklands. The building owner is now considering its future - great location over the Parliament tube station and opposite the government precinct, deserves some special treatment !

That building would have been constructed in the late 80's and still looks pretty modern. Not sure they could do much else with the site, the current building pretty much fills the entire site, unless they converted it to apartments and added a few levels.

On a somewhat (ok very) unrelated note, does anyone know who is responsible for that abomination the 'William Buck' building near the theatre on Spring street.........I actually cry tears of blood each time I pass it on the tram in the morning :( :(

Good call ! Direct Property Investment Fund owns the building. DPIF is an unlisted wholesale property fund managed by a division of the Commonwealth Bank. It was formed in 2002 by the merger of Commonwealth Property Investment Fund and Colonial First State Wholesale Direct Property Fund.

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/3125/215springxt4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I originally posted this in the Apartment marketing/speculation thread a few months back not knowing what the building was. Anyway there was an ad in today's Age for it. It will be called East End Apartments and be located on Exploration Lane near the corner of Little Lonsdale and Exhibition Streets. Looks to be about 28 storeys so maybe just shy of 90m.

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/224/bradytoweray6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

108-114 Little Lonsdale Street and 6-10 Exploration Lane.

28 levels, 94 metres high.

Approved by VCAT October 2003.

They applied for 38 levels, 124m high but that was refused so they applied at 28 levels and that was also refused by council but approved by VCAT.

!It rears its ugly head again!

We need to get the mugmeister to go back to where he took his below pic and take a wider angle as it would be just to the left:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/244/517593051_f0b94e01b2_o.jpg
^ mugley on flickr

Cheers Mugley.. moved to west end thread..

We need to get the mugmeister to go back to where he took his below pic and take a wider angle as it would be just to the left:Just to the left and a couple of blocks backwards mate - that's Market Lane :)

@ Shumway - west of Swanston is the West End/Northbank thread. Thanks for all the updates today.

Esanda is parked in this 16 level bldg and are likely to get wrapped into ANZ's relocation to the Docklands. The building owner is now considering its future - great location over the Parliament tube station and opposite the government precinct, deserves some special treatment !

Who is the building's owner?

AMP own 85 Spring, together with Collins Place (ANZ also departing) and more recently, 222 Exhibition (a personal CBD favourite - Denton Cork.Marsh) who has TAC moving to Geelong and WorkCover also talking about leaving !

A little help please. What's this?

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1281/659773911_fb675cbc46_b.jpg

^^Hero Apartments, north-east corner of Russell and Little Collins Streets.
Originally a PMG building that got the Katsalidis treatment a few years ago. :)

^^ Impeccable timing as always. Thank you, thank you very much.

^^......The former PMG building brings back a lot of childhood memories.
As a former telephone exchange and post office that for awhile was also the city philatelic centre, I was forever visiting it to pick up stamps for my collection.

I used to save 5 cents a week at the age of 10 to pick up new releases and hoping that one day I would be able to pick up the incredibly expensive $1 dollar stamp. :nuts:

It took me another two years to do that.
I still have those stamps. :lol:

Enough, I must be boring people. :sleepy:

You should call yourself the Collector??? hey..you already do..so that's OK!!! I just started a thread about collecting pins on skybar Heeee!

8 East End (http://www.8eastend.com/) Little Lonsdale St.

is anybody else concerned about what's going to become of the nightlife in Melbourne once the big shift to apartment complexes is well underway? think of all the venues that are either closing down, or closing early, already. supposedly Metro is going to be turned into apartment buildings too. wtf!?!??! that's a great club and live venue, and one of the last of its size left in this city.

also, i have relatives in the building industry, either directly or with close ties, and many of these 'flashy' apartment buildings are all show; they are very poorly built. i've heard residents complaining they hear what's going on in the apartment next to theirs due to various cost-cutting measures; the walls are paper thin. stupid.

I don't think it will be a problem. You can't hear most venues music from outside. The main problem would be patrons leaving the establishments, but you're in the city, so they won't get too much sympathy i think.

^ I think he is more questioning whether Melbourne's CBD nightlife will die with the conversion of venues (eg. metro) into residential and the inevitable subsequent loss of traffic/people.

I don't think it's any huge secret that much large-scale residential construction is fairly shoddy. It's all about the economies of scale baby :\

The more people living in the cbd the better the nightlife will get. More residents means an end to Melbourne being dead after dark as it was 15 years ago. Look at Manhattan which never sleeps because 1.5 million people live there. currently about 8,000 people live in the cbd ex docklands so still a long way to go to have a real great nightlife here.

Statistics came out recently that would appear to show to opposite occuring. I don't know about nightclubs specifically, but more than 350 bars, cafes, and pubs have opened in the city in the last two years. Also I believe in the city approximately half the resident population is aged in the mid 20's to mid 30's age group.

Also the Age put the number of CBD households at 16,000. The population within the Melbourne City Council Area is 67,000. That figure probably does not include the Docklands which was not part of the MCC until just the other day.

Yes, I agree...in fact I think the evolution of the CBD nightlife will be aligned to reflect with its new and increasing population.

I'm sure selling venues like the Metro (for instance) would not be feasible options if they were truly necessary (ie. the demand would be too great to justify shutting the doors)....the way we play is changing as much as the way we live and I think that the venues opening are in response to projected trends or current needs/market gaps from the inner city inhabitants.

The guy that owned the Palace in St Kilda recently bought the Metro.

^^i'm not sure whether you noticed guys, but things are closing earlier in the city now because of all these apartments; residents near brunswick st, st.kilda square etc are all complaining and noise restrictions are being enforced. this, at least to me, spells the death of a previously vibrant city.

as for the palace owning the metro, has that been confirmed or is it just a rumour?

But as per Tyson's point - comparatively more venues are opening than are shutting down....

Though I do take your point about anywhere being shut down because of residents complaints. Highly irritating...a la spanish club.

^^i'm not sure whether you noticed guys, but things are closing earlier in the city now because of all these apartments; residents near brunswick st, st.kilda square etc are all complaining and noise restrictions are being enforced. this, at least to me, spells the death of a previously vibrant city.

as for the palace owning the metro, has that been confirmed or is it just a rumour?
You live in the burbs, don't you? :ohno:

More people = more night life! simple as that!

Check this out:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=491473

Quite a few of us live in the city including me and from my daily experience judging by what you said, it appears your comments seem to be based on ignorance and bad second hand information.

A couple of other points:

• Everyone knows that student apartments are just that!

• Please scroll through this forum and search before you start a thread that already exists! :gaah:

You live in the burbs, don't you? :ohno:

More people = more night life! simple as that!

Check this out:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=491473

Quite a few of us live in the city including me and from my daily experience judging by what you said, it appears your comments seem to be based on ignorance and bad second hand information.

i live in the burbs but i have property in the city too, which i mostly live in on weekends.

as for social life, maybe you like going home at 3.00 am on weekends; i don't. clubs used to be open later in the old days, that's just a fact. maybe you are the one ignorant about how these things work. yes, more bars are open in the city now, but i'm not interested in having some geeky, sterile discussion about the marketplace and its future potential; it's very different to what actually happens on the ground level. i.e where it matters. since i'm interested in staying out late on weekends, i could care less if there are more places for me to go till 3.am.

And for the record, i know plenty of people that own bars and clubs in the city. important people too. since i often hear these complaints from them, i would consider them to be more reliable sources than you or anybody else on this forum.

and you quite clearly have no idea of the membership that this forum attracts. would you like a larger foot to put in your mouth?

and you quite clearly have no idea of the membership that this forum attracts. would you like a larger foot to put in your mouth?

i'm sure there are people in the 'know' here too; personally i'm not fussed either way. But his post--u know, the one i responded to--annoyed me, since he was calling me ignorant, when i'm involved with people who are knee deep in the thick of Melbourne's club/bar/party scene. i'm well aware of the ins and outs and the _real_ problems associated with it.

Agree with Tays. Be silent, and stop winging.

Are Ekky dealers considered to be people in the know?

On a serious note about that topic, it is a falsehood to assume that nightlife figures tend to go up with people moving to city apartments. Most people move to be closer to work or to other family members and are just as "home-body-ish" or adventurous as they were in the suburbs before they moved in. Sure, it may mean a little business goes up in a nearby coffee shop or 2, but....after the novelty quickly wears off, they cocoon.

"You can take the girl out of the country, but cha can't take the country outta the gal" is the expression.

Depends on their age to be honest. Had a mate who lived in Southbank, we while he was their we spent waaaay more time in the city than we did otherwise (out to dinner, bars, etc). If you can get young people in, it helps a lot.

Over his/her 12 posts, pinoslios has told us he has close friends who are property developers, bar owners and in the movie industry. Maybe you guys should give him a chop out and soon we will all be able to star in our own home movies whilst having enjoyed free drinks in groovy late opening bars whilst living in salabrius and free digs.

You wanna be my first co star Tays? J'taime home movies. and what is with the todd russell look-a-loike-moi.

But as per Tyson's point - comparatively more venues are opening than are shutting down....

Though I do take your point about anywhere being shut down because of residents complaints. Highly irritating...a la spanish club.


Quote Fortitude Valley Unquote.

at least the valley is fighting back, and winning..........

:lol:

Over his/her 12 posts, pinoslios has told us he has close friends who are property developers, bar owners and in the movie industry. Maybe you guys should give him a chop out and soon we will all be able to star in our own home movies whilst having enjoyed free drinks in groovy late opening bars whilst living in salabrius and free digs.

:lol:

WOW...big building, small block. Should have a nice presence.

http://www.8eastend.com/index.html

Quote Fortitude Valley Unquote.

at least the valley is fighting back, and winning..........

You know it!

But yes....the valley is a prime example....but the 'silent protest' that Rics Bar held was ingenious :)

:lol:

I don't know who to go into bat for here as Favco's post is funny but I for one can say that I DO work in the film and television business - I do know Property developers and I DO know Club and bar owners too...along with a lot of other folk in all sorts of diverse business and industry...anyway...back to doing the commentary track for 'Cocaine Cowboys' and Great Australian Albums for SBS. ;)

Well it looks like pinoslios can laugh at himself. :) OK then.
Maybe we got off on the wrong foot.
First of all, your issue with residents moving into what used to be non-residential areas in the city where nightclubs are based and curtailing there activities (forced noise reduction and hours), has taken place but, at the same time the one thing that you forgot to mention was supply & demand.

In my youth (1980s), I used to frequent night clubs and the city must have had at least 40 of them, especially noticeable on King Street which must have had about six in a row. There was a great demand for them back then, and supply matched that demand. Being part of the largest age demographic (baby boomers), I have now slowed down somewhat and prefer bars. Now couple that with trends as well, and you have probably the main reason for a diminishing number of night clubs.
You probably belong to a smaller age demographic and also the fact that night clubs aren’t as popular as they used to be, makes you and others think it’s the whingeing residents in city apartments that are mostly to blame. :2cents:

In my apartment block we have a number of older residents that do nothing but complain about noise and the city bustle (they should never have moved), but for every one of them there are just as many, if not more who are indifferent or relish the street life and noise that comes with city life like me!

Remember the article in The Age (Melbourne comes alive):

“Bars, pubs and cafes continue to surge, with almost 350 new places to drink or eat opening in the past two years. The number of venues, including restaurants, has exploded from 400 in 1982 to 2500 this year”

Generally speaking, more people more everything!

we must be around the same age collector - they certainly were the hey days of clubbing in this town. Remember when inflation got that funky makeover by 'Built Moderne' LOL. I remember thinking that was a pretty cool refurb back then. Remember the hippodrome? LOL they spent loads on that but I don't think it ever really took off...upward thrusting rocket cones coming out of the dance floor! lol...oh the memories...
i think only the underground and inflation actually maintained any constant crowds in that king st stretch back then. I'm afraid I was a bit of a club victim back in those days when the number of club vip medallions you had seemed to be a symbol of social status - I was given about 8 to 10 by various club owners of different clubs LOL - they were good times though and they didn't even need any cctv's back then...sniff...now I just have my seniors card to look forward to hehehe.

Listen to these two: "when I was your age......." Hmm maybe we need inner city nursing homes? :lol: :lol: :lol:

we must be around the same age collector - they certainly were the hey days of clubbing in this town. Remember when inflation got that funky makeover by 'Built Moderne' LOL. I remember thinking that was a pretty cool refurb back then. Remember the hippodrome? LOL they spent loads on that but I don't think it ever really took off...upward thrusting rocket cones coming out of the dance floor! lol...oh the memories...
i think only the underground and inflation actually maintained any constant crowds in that king st stretch back then. I'm afraid I was a bit of a club victim back in those days when the number of club vip medallions you had seemed to be a symbol of social status - I was given about 8 to 10 by various club owners of different clubs LOL - they were good times though and they didn't even need any cctv's back then...sniff...now I just have my seniors card to look forward to hehehe.
Lol, that could be me saying all of that! :lol: :cheers1:

Well it looks like pinoslios can laugh at himself. :)

yep. i realised how arrogant and pompous i sounded. that's ok though, i have a healthy sense of humour about myself. i wasn't offended. :lol:



In my youth (1980s), I used to frequent night clubs and the city must have had at least 40 of them, especially noticeable on King Street which must have had about six in a row. There was a great demand for them back then, and supply matched that demand. Being part of the largest age demographic (baby boomers), I have now slowed down somewhat and prefer bars. Now couple that with trends as well, and you have probably the main reason for a diminishing number of night clubs.
You probably belong to a smaller age demographic and also the fact that night clubs aren’t as popular as they used to be, makes you and others think it’s the whingeing residents in city apartments that are mostly to blame. :2cents:

probably. in all honesty, i'm not as much of a avid clubber as i used to be--prefer bars like yourself nowadays--but it annoys others around me, so naturally i hear about it constantly :) you are definitely right that the demand for clubs has gone down over the years, and this may or may not be linked to an increase in the overall population growth of the CBD. i'm willing to accept that it's a factor though, but it's probably just one of many factors and variables that dictate these sort of trends.

In my apartment block we have a number of older residents that do nothing but complain about noise and the city bustle (they should never have moved), but for every one of them there are just as many, if not more who are indifferent or relish the street life and noise that comes with city life like me!

i have no idea why anybody would move to the city and expect total silence. :lol:

Remember the article in The Age (Melbourne comes alive):“Bars, pubs and cafes continue to surge, with almost 350 new places to drink or eat opening in the past two years. The number of venues, including restaurants, has exploded from 400 in 1982 to 2500 this year”

Generally speaking, more people more everything!

yep. can't argue with those figures. i just wish bars would stay open later that's all. the government shouldn't make it difficult for bar/club owners to extend their liquor license.

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

Remember when the Inflation Night club had that Hologram you could walk around inside the entrance???....looked straight out of 'Star Wars'.....that movie was new too!

Remember when this thread was about East End developments.

I'm not that old Archi...

DCM designed this great set that they superimposed on to the CBD skyline, probably where the Herald Weekly Times bdlg now stands - it kicks Eureka in the arse IMHO

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/7710/dcmdd3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I wish renders were not on old crappy photos, and that the renders showed something that isn't just a stick with a gradient on it. :p

Thanks AgentX; one for the conceptually and~dena monumentally "Never Builts".

Hang on, I'm lost. Angent X, what the hell is that????! I never heard of it before.......

Does anyone have todays Fin Review? Aparently there's a render of the new Devine hotel in Bourke St.

Looks very very smart. Very long & thin. Blackish/dark Blue glass, white highlights every few levels (forming a pattern), Bourke Street frontage looks like a standard podium treatment with tapered balconies above.

When I first glanced at the render I thought it was 11 Exhibition Street, just cut in half down the middle.

oo er.

Are they keeping the existing building on Boruke Street?

Nup, gone.

Listen to these two: "when I was your age......." Hmm maybe we need inner city nursing homes? :lol: :lol: :lol:

hehehe- i just need a walking frame and a nice blanket for my lap LOL - Nah I am a very young at heart 41 y.o. and feel little different than I did when I was prancing about night clubs being all 'mega cool and and a dazzling urbanite' LOL! and having hair to rival Robert Smith. I am solely responsible for the ozone hole due to hair spray over use between 1982 and 89. Anyway I know this thread has moved on but I have been away - Yes, back to the East End.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/revlis81/dbs.jpg

silvermb saves the day once again.

Shazam! I like how they've included SX2 in the render. East end density.

Hang on. The historic facade is gone!

Looks a like a Hassell job.

Goodbye Former Eastern Arcade. :ohno: :nono:

http://www.thecollectormm.com.au/private/EasternArcade2.jpg

Interesting that they have designed a building like that on that site, with windows and views along one side.

Are they assuming that no other buildings will be built on those sites next door in the future??

I don't think the tower extends all the way to the western boundary.

Looks a like a Hassell job.

Woods Baggot, 90m/25L, 400+ units - hotel operator still unknown but Devine are on the hunt.

sorry, I should have included that before!

That explains SX2 being in the render. :D

Oh well, the eastern has remained unused as an arcade for years, but the building is still fairly iconic. They should have at least incorporated the facade.

I don't think has been approved yet.

The only reason the building doesn't have a heritage listing is because when the heritage study was done it used to have these metal slats across the facade so you couldn't actually see that the facade was still intact underneath.

The application has just been lodged with DSE. I think City of Melbourne will object to the removal of the heritage building and probably request the minister to fast track aplanning scheme amendment to include it under a heritage overlay.

Planning Application for 171 Collins should be up on the MCC website in the next week or so (it's mentioned but is currently unavailable).

http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=247&pg=1801&mtg=376&upg=1800

The facade that will be demolished for the Devine hotel is apparently being nominated for heritage protection.

there was a big story about this in todays fin rev. Apparently Council want to refuse the application due to heritage bldgs.did anyone see story?

there was a big story about this in todays fin rev. Apparently Council want to refuse the application due to heritage bldgs.did anyone see story?

Doesn't surprise me. Had a feeling this would happen!

I dont see why they couldn't keep the facade and build the tower ontop of it. Hopefully this building get built. Mid city district needs a change. Its stuck in the 60's.

The applicant is not opposed to a high rise but states that the facades should be preserved. What Heritage Victoria actually does though is something else. IMO the facades are worth saving, the rest of the structure is not.

The application has just been lodged with DSE. I think City of Melbourne will object to the removal of the heritage building and probably request the minister to fast track a planning scheme amendment to include it under a heritage overlay.

The only reason the building doesn't have a heritage listing is because when the heritage study was done it used to have these metal slats across the facade so you couldn't actually see that the facade was still intact underneath.


:-)

story about that tower planned near St PAuls. looks like its comin down 3 floors
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/higher-power-makes-for-lower-tower/2007/08/01/1185647980201.html

yes, i was just about to scan it: overlooked in all the excitement about SAMA Docklands. Roger Poole of Bates Smart's comments on the reflective light to fragment the facade - as a creative solution to the question of dominating St Paul's - are actually quite interesting.

in architecture, it seems, there's always a way. theage.com.au site promises a video of how this tower will now look from Southbank, btw.

digression: has anyone else been surprised at how BROWN the sandstone of St Paul's is, since the cleaning scaffolding came down ? I guess it hasn't been seen in its orginal colours for a century of so.

Just build it!

These arguements often seem redundant to me.
The Westin hotel completely ruins the silhouette of the spire from St. Kilda Rd. anyway. On top of that, what about the silhouette of the Town Hall clock tower. It has a marvelous backdrop of ....... the blank concrete wall of RMIT.
Swanston Street lost it's olde-worlde look years ago, and, unless they are going to demolish RMIT and the Westin to bring back the uninterrupted views of it's heritage buildings than I don't see the point in trying to preserve what's already gone.

^^ Agreed. This height limit and empty feel the council is going for around mid-city belongs in Adelaide. Time to build some towers in the area. The design for this tower is great and should go ahead.

I agree, although I wouldn't mind if they demolished the Westin. They could fill up that space out the front with terraced retail or an arcade and it would be used far more.

The design for this tower is great and should go ahead.

It's ok, just another glass box, and Melbourne could do with more than just glass boxes. Having said that I wouldn't mind some more projects in the east end, box or not.

I think this design goes beyond a glass box. The sections and floorplans give a better indication.

I hope so ^^

171 revised design:

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/9171/171crenderny9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/6434/171cmw7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/4430/171ciill4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/365/171ciiirb6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

wasnt it 90m last time?
now RL99m-RL16m= 83m.
only 7m dif?

The overall height is now 76.85m to the top of the building and 81.67m to the top of the lift overrun, (a reduction in 11.25m and 7.75m respectfully)

It can't be any worse in terms of height then the Westin Hotel.

from Archibomber's pic ^^ , i'm sort of glad the new height doesn't knock the top of 101C out of the view. That pic also demonstrates an earlier point i made elsewhere - how brown(ish) the newly cleaned spires of St Paul's have emerged. But the shadings look quite lovely in that pic.

btw, i must be the only person on the forum who doesn't mind the French turretted roof look of the Westin Hotel - but i think i was away when it was built, and don't exactly recall what the old City Square looked like there before.

I don't mind the Westin either, except for the sandy plaza area out the front.

^^ Yup I kinda like the Westin too...

Oiy concur.. sandy bits and all..

^^ It's yuck, don't like it at all. Plus their club sandwich is crap!

posted by The Collector on the City Squares thread: seen worse - but i haven't tried their club sandwich.

interesting to imagine how the new glass tower will look almost beside it, on the other side of The Regent. hint, hint - Archibomber?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/Bronteboy/CitySquare31.jpg

well - i drank beers with Michael Palin in there back in '04 so I don't care how it looks - i always smile when I see it.

Sorry- this maybe elsewhere, but I can't find it after searching

What's happening with almost completed building at the far east end of Lonsdale street - southside. It's scoring it's first graffiti on the windows, the footpath hasn't been fixed and I really want to know if the top level is going to be some nice apartment p0rnage...

i don't get why people don't like the Westin; it's a cool mix of old and new europe to me. it looks great at night too. perfect location.

Don't get me wrong, I like the Westin Hotel, but the problem is, that the view of sky behind the Cathedral towers was lost when the hotel was built, so there really is no longer a need to argue that point, cos we lost it when Jeff approved the Westin redevelopment at that height.

Why did no one tell me of this? Aren't they an American communications company or something, or am I getting confused?

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1297/1126163223_be75c2171e_b.jpg

Certainly different to the good old blue star.

T'was mentioned in the 'Melbourne office market' thread.

80 Collins to get AON signage as naming rights...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/80CollinsAON_FinRevArticleA.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/80CollinsAON_FinRevArticleB.jpg

I didn't think it'd go up that quickly. Now we have to find out if it glows at night.

AON are an insurer.

Gappa have you heard of AON Centre in Chicago? They are a worldwide insurance firm. That logo on 80 Collins looks bad IMO :( it's not even red.

...unless it's incomplete?

Gappa have you heard of AON Centre in Chicago? They are a worldwide insurance firm. That logo on 80 Collins looks bad IMO :( it's not even red.

I'm sure they'll get around to painting/cladding it red.

You're probably right.

Gappa have you heard of AON Centre in Chicago? They are a worldwide insurance firm. That logo on 80 Collins looks bad IMO :( it's not even red.

Yeah, I've heard of it - but I thought they were a telecommunications company - obviously I thought wrong. Go sit in the corner Gappa you naughty boy! :)

Is the logo going to be on all sides of the building?

Sorry- this maybe elsewhere, but I can't find it after searching

What's happening with almost completed building at the far east end of Lonsdale street - southside. It's scoring it's first graffiti on the windows, the footpath hasn't been fixed and I really want to know if the top level is going to be some nice apartment p0rnage...

opposite or near something recogniseable? southside of lonsdale at the eastern end - landmark was finished a while ago?

Dont know if its possible to fix??? but it bugs me that the box they put on top of Aon ( old Nauru House ) is not central or octagon shaped as the main tower....guess there was window cleaning equipment up there before recladding some years back?? whats it for? and ......um..thats all!

FROM THE MINISTER FOR PLANNING

DATE: Saturday, August 18, 2007


MADDEN APPROVES REDEVELOPMENT OF FORMER VICTORIA CARPARK

Part of the former Victoria Car Park building on Little Collins Street will be retained and incorporated into a new redevelopment on the Scots Church site, the Minister for Planning, Justin Madden announced today.

The redevelopment paves the way for a new 13 storey office building with ground floor shops, a three level basement car park and improved pedestrian access.

“The redevelopment balances the historical significance of the building with the need for inner city buildings to serve the growing needs of the community and I’m confident the modern architecture and urban design will complement the site,” Mr Madden said.

Mr Madden has approved the redevelopment under two Heritage Victoria permits and Amendment C129 to the Melbourne Planning Scheme under section 20(4) of the Planning and Environment Act 1987.

The 9 metres of the Little Collins St heritage building will be incorporated into the new development and restored to represent the historic significance and use of the building.

“By keeping the significant building fabric, we’re retaining an important part of Melbourne’s rich history, while paving the way for a new building that supports growth in the city, more jobs and services for the local community,” Mr Madden said.

The existing laneway and original entry to the car park will also be upgraded as a pedestrian entry to the building.

A new car park entrance from Little Collins Street will be located at the west end of the former Victoria Car Park building, to maintain a connection to the building’s history.

“Profits from the development will be passed onto the Scots Church Property Trust, who own the site, so they can continue restoring and enhancing two of the most significant heritage listed buildings in the area, Scots Church and Assembly Hall,” Mr Madden said.

The heritage permits will require all the demolished materials to be comprehensively recorded and archived along with the methods used to incorporate the retained part of the car park building into the new development.

The final plans for the redevelopment, including plans for landscaping, archival recording of the Vestry building and details of these works are to be submitted to the Minister for Planning and the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria, in line with the planning and heritage approvals.

^^ a strike for good architecture

Awesome. Next on the list 171.

I noticed there's some work happening on the building on the south-east corner of Bourke and Swanston these past few days, pulling bits of the sunshades off the Bourke St facade. I wonder if we'll see the whole thing covered with ads soon?

The City of Melbourne Planning Committee, after lengthy debate, has supported the proposed tower at 171 Collins Street at the amended height.

The application will now go to a full council meeting on 28 August.

The planning minister has the final say but it looks like this tower is a goer at the amended height.

I think the deal breaker for them was the addition of the podium along Flinders Lane and the fact that at the reduced height it wouldn't overshadow Fed Square's plaza.

Smaller accompanying render than previously posted...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/DevineFinRevRender.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/DevineFinRevArticleA.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/DevineFinRevArticleB.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Muse11/DevineFinRevArticleC.jpg

Fury over church car park demolition (http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/fury-over-church-car-park-demolition/2007/08/23/1187462438762.html)
http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2007/08/23/rgn_development_wideweb__470x296,0.jpg
An artist's impression of the proposed office tower development, which retailers say will destroy the popular shopping strip.

By Clay Lucas
24 August 2007

A DECADE-LONG battle over one of the city's prime heritage sites has been resolved, after Planning Minister Justin Madden gave Scots' Church the go-ahead to bulldoze a popular shopping precinct and replace it with an office tower.

Retailers in Little Collins Street are furious at Mr Madden's decision to allow the trustees of Scots' Church to demolish a heritage-listed car park on the corner of Russell and Little Collins streets.

Only the front nine metres of the curved, art deco Little Collins Street car park will be kept. The rest, including an adjoining building that houses clothing boutiques, will be demolished to make way for a 13-storey office block.

"This is just absolutely criminal. It will kill this strip," said Raphael Kara, the spokesman for the Little Collins Street Precinct group and owner of the Verve cafe and clothes store.

Mr Kara's group represents a range of fashion boutiques, cafes and restaurants, including the well-known Il Bacaro restaurant, in the street.

Mr Kara said the new retail precinct — to be built on the ground floor of the office tower — would destroy the precinct retailers had worked so hard to develop over the past decade, promoted by Melbourne City Council as "heaven for fashionistas with sartorial flair".

"What they are going to replace us with is Chadstone-on-Little-Collins," Mr Kara said. "None of us are interested in coming back once it's done."

The plan has also drawn the ire of heritage groups and parishioners at Scots' Church, Melbourne's oldest Presbyterian church.

The church has entered into a joint venture with the developer APN Funds Management, which will redevelop the site on a 99-year lease. Architects Peddle Thorp have designed the tower.

Former architect Derek Edgerton, who has been a member of the church's congregation for more than 40 years and is on the church's board of management, described the move as similar to "selling the family's silver".

He said the proposed office tower would obscure views of the church from Russell Street and affect light coming in through the church's stained-glass windows.

"We are selling our birthright as Esau did to Jacob," he said, referring to the biblical Book of Genesis.

Ministerial approval for the project comes after 10 years of wrangling. An earlier plan for a hotel on the site, approved by Kennett-era planning minister Rob Maclellan, never came to fruition because of a disagreement within the church over alcohol on church property.

The project, which is expected to commence next year, will take around 18 months to complete.

Melbourne City Council planning chairwoman Catherine Ng said she supported the plan and was keen to see it go ahead.

Members at Scots' Church must vote on the plan before it can proceed. The chairwoman of Scots' Church Properties Trust, Rae Anstee, said last night the project had "the overwhelming support of the congregation".

The income from the property deal would allow the church to complete badly needed preservation work on the heritage-listed assembly hall, Ms Anstee said.

"The income will preserve for future generations two very important heritage buildings, namely the Scots' Church and the Assembly Hall," she said.

____________________________

The traders are complaining because a poorly designed, ealry 20th century car park is going to be demolished. Oh purplease! The current car park does not meet todays standards and although i am all for keeping our heritage, the traders don't care about heritage, they just don't want to lose the car park. Well, hate to tell them, but there are plent of other car parks in the area and most of their customers come into the CBD to shop via tram, train and bus.

And as for killing the strip or turning it into Chadstone, well, the strip was extended east over Russell St and is thriving. This new development will replace what is already there, so there will be no loss.

And you wont lose the views to the Church from Russell St. You can clearly see that from the plans. Yes, some of the light coming into the windows will be lost, but external flood lights could solve that issue. And all they need to do is look across the road at what they did to St Michaels. What a great outcome for an inner city church. They have a steady income forever!

The tower could form a nice backdrop to the church, a nice contrast, but really apart from that I can't see much positive out of this proposal. I like that little strip, although I never custom those shops so I guess I can't complain.

What happened to the design of the Scots' Church proposal? It looks pretty ordinary in that rendering.

The application seeks approval for the demolition of the existing buildings on the site and the construction of a 25 storey (444) serviced apartment building, ground level retail uses and basement car parking.

The proposal has been designed to incrementally step back from the building frontage to Bourke Street. To Bourke Street, the podium is to be constructed to the title boundary to a height of 13.3m (3 storeys). At levels 4 to 12, the building is setback approximately 11.2m from the northern boundary, 6m from the eastern boundary and 3.6m to the western boundary. At levels 13 to 24, the building is setback from the Bourke Street frontage by 24.7m.

To Little Collins Street, the podium is setback 0.88m from the southern title boundary for a height of 7.9m (2 storeys). At levels 4 to 24 of the building the tower is setback 2.45m from the southern title boundary, 6m from the eastern boundary and 6.14m from the western boundary.

The overall height to the top of the building, excluding plant, is 77.9m as measured from the Bourke Street frontage.

HERITAGE:
The subject building is currently graded ‘C’ in Council’s Central Activities District Conservation Study, however Council’s Conservation Consultant confirms that the building was originally graded ‘C’ in 1985 due to the heritage consultant’s lack of certainty regarding the condition, appearance and integrity of the upper level façade, which at the time, was completely obscured behind a large screen.

The ornate façade has been revealed for some years now and Council’s Conservation Consultant advises that a more appropriate grading would be either B, or possibly an A grading. As such, Council’s Conservation Consultant considers that the existing building is worthy of heritage protection via a Heritage Overlay under the Melbourne Planning Scheme.

RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that Council requests the Minister for Planning to apply an interim heritage overlay on the site....

:D

131 Bourke Street is 77.9 to the roof and 90m to the top of the plant room on top of the roof. The site has an 80m height limit to the roof of the highest habitable floor.

The plans can easily accommodate the existing heritage building so I think they will just submit amended plans showing the first 9 meters of the heritage building to be retained to get a quick approval.

KONE was also awarded an order to supply and install all elevators in the Southern Cross West Tower project. Located in the heart of the Melbourne Central Business District, this 92-meter building will be owned and operated by Multiplex Facilities Management and occupied by Australia Post. KONE will supply 13 KONE Alta(TM) custom elevators traveling at speeds of up to 5 m/s for this project.

Construction of the building has also begun and is scheduled to be completed by early 2009. This order follows the successful completion of stage one of the project, the Southern Cross East Tower, which was also built and managed by Multiplex Facilities Management.

crane about to appear on the duke of wellington

Sorry if its already been posted, but what exactly is happening with the Duke of Wellington?

Sorry if its already been posted, but what exactly is happening with the Duke of Wellington?Bottom 1/2 of page:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=52243&page=21

Tower crane is up on the SX2 site. I don't think there is much else to look at there yet though.

Tower crane is up on the SX2 site. I don't think there is much else to look at there yet though.

They wasn't anything going on last week - just a lonely excavator and a couple of bored surveyers.

750 now up at The Duke

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/ngv-push-for-landmark-gallery-extension/2007/09/21/1189881777512.html

NGV push for landmark gallery extension
September 22, 2007

THE National Gallery of Victoria has proposed an ambitious $150 million indigenous, Asian and oceanic art gallery to be built in an extended Federation Square.

Under the scheme, a landmark building would be built on decking over the Jolimont rail yards from Russell Street to Exhibition Street.

NGV director Gerard Vaughan confirmed that preparatory work was under way on plans for a new wing to the highly popular Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, at Federation Square.

"This could be transforming for Melbourne as a kind of museums hub for Australia and the region," Dr Vaughan said.

Indigenous art was popular with locals and tourists, and the Ian Potter Centre, just five years old, had run out of space.

A dedicated indigenous wing would be a "massive drawcard" for Melbourne.

But as a gateway building, such a gallery had to be "highly distinguished, monumental and significant" architecture.

"It cannot be done on the cheap," he said.

Preliminary costings show that such a building could cost about $150 million.

Dr Vaughan said the NGV's idea for a new wing was in draft form only. It was developed in anticipation that government and business would eventually extend decking over the Jolimont rail yards.

He said it was crucial that any such project include a major cultural component. "We would like to book some space on the deck that the government and private sector will build for some other entirely different purpose."

Dr Vaughan said the NGV needed more space for indigenous, Asian and oceanic art. A key attraction for such a gallery would be a large multi-media display of rock paintings from around Australia.

While the Government was believed to be sympathetic, it had major arts projects already in pipeline — the redevelopment of the arts centre and the creation of a pedestrian plaza around the arts centre and NGV on Southbank.

"What I'm talking about here is a big idea of the future, but it's not going to happen in the next year or two," Dr Vaughan said.

The State Government was non-committal about the idea, but did not rule it out.

"Melbourne is recognised as Australia's cultural capital, and there is lots of exciting thinking about what the future might hold," a Government spokeswoman said.

Building over the rail yards was dreamt about and debated for decades before the Kennett government finally decided in the mid-1990s to build Federation Square, between Swanston and Russell streets.

Construction giant Grocon has since proposed decking all the way to the MCG as part of its failed bid for the contract for the Commonwealth Games village.

The NGV has discussed the idea with the Museum of Victoria and is hoping the museum might want to share the space for some of its indigenous collection.

But museum director Patrick Green said the museum was planning a major redevelopment of its own indigenous campus, Bunjilaka.

____________

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/more-space-should-help-ngv-function-better/2007/09/21/1189881777518.html

More space should help NGV function better
Gabriella Coslovich
September 22, 2007

IT WAS just under five years ago that the National Gallery of Victoria opened its $100 million site at Federation Square. The new building came with a long-winded name, The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, and a lot more space — four galleries on the ground floor dedicated to indigenous art, and two floors for the Australian art collection.

"With all this space, we're really doing justice to the collection," gallery director Gerard Vaughan said in October 2002.

So why, not even five years later, is the NGV pushing for further expansion? If it sounds like an opportunistic land grab, Vaughan makes no apologies. "All we are doing at the moment is flagging a big idea for the future," he says.

"It's the last opportunity that we will ever have to have a new wing attached to our building … what we are saying is please think ahead a decade … We are not saying there is a crisis."

Nonetheless, for all the extra space at Federation Square, the NGV is still not functioning optimally. Temporary exhibitions of Australian art are crucial to a dynamic gallery experience, and yet, they constantly displace works from the permanent Australian collection.

"The building was not designed for temporary exhibitions," Vaughan says.

"So the top floor is constantly being taken down and put up again. This is time consuming and it slightly compromises our mission."

His solution is to build a new wing for indigenous art on the platform over the railway yards, doubling the present space allotted to indigenous art and freeing up the ground floor of the NGV Australia for temporary exhibitions.

Vaughan then wants to position Oceanic and Asian art next to the new indigenous art wing, moving it from its present crammed home at the NGV International on St Kilda Road. Vaughan is proposing eight galleries for Asian art, double the space currently held at St Kilda Road, and three galleries for Oceanic art. He would like to collaborate with Museum Victoria on the venture. The museum's collection includes historic Oceanic and indigenous art, whereas the NGV has been collecting in these areas for only the past 25 years.

Although the linking of Asian, Oceanic and indigenous art makes geographic sense, the shift will require yet another branding exercise. The public has already taken some time to get used to the division of the NGV into Australian art at Federation Square and international art at St Kilda Road.

Encouraged by emeritus trustee and renowned philanthropist Baillieu Myer, Vaughan also wants to boost the gallery's contemporary Asian art collection. The NGV's sudden interest in contemporary Asian art seems curious. The NGV has lagged behind the likes of the Queensland Art Gallery, which has long been at the forefront of presenting contemporary Asian art.

Vaughan acknowledges that the NGV is not first in line for State Government funding, especially with the planned $250 million redevelopment of the Arts Centre and Sturt Street arts precinct.

The redevelopment of the original St Kilda Road gallery cost $170 million. Of that, $100 million came from the State Government, the rest was raised by the NGV from private benefactors.

Vaughan is confident of a repeat performance.

Wow! So potentially 2 landmark buildings! The other beign Central Pier.

Hopefully they're not BOTH indiginous art galleries!

(YAY 400th Post!)

Found this involving the Devine Hotel...

MELBOURNE'S biggest illegal brothel is set to be knocked down and replaced with a 444-room luxury hotel worth $150 million.

The Royal City health centre in Bourke St has been an illegal brothel for several years and operates between 1pm and 2am daily.

A private detective hired by the City of Melbourne paid to have sex at the centre as part of the evidence gathering process.

The Herald Sun has also seen affidavits from Royal City clients in which they detail how they received sex in exchange for cash at the luxury spa, sauna and massage centre.

Legal advice obtained by the City of Melbourne was that another private detective would have to go back in to prove the first provision of sex was not a one-off incident.

But Melbourne City councillors banned the practice before the second private detective could go in to try to get sufficient evidence to prosecute the business.

Councillors scrapped the practice of using private detectives in February after deciding paying them to have sex was not an appropriate use of ratepayers' money.

The tactic had enabled the City of Melbourne to close down 11 illegal brothels in three years.

With that tactic banned, it is having difficulty taking action against two illegal brothels in Bourke St, two suspected illegal brothels in Russell St and one in Lonsdale St.

So, while Bourke St's Royal City has been saved from prosecution, it now seems nothing can save it from the wrecker's ball.

The Herald Sun revealed last month another illegal brothel was operating near Royal City, but on the opposite side of Bourke St.

That illegal brothel is less than 50m from the offices of Consumer Affairs Victoria, which regulates the Prostitution Control Act.

The Herald Sun also reported there was confusion between CAV, Victoria Police and local councils as to which agency should be doing what to tackle illegal brothels.

Consumer Affairs Minister Tony Robinson this week acknowledged an impasse had developed between the bodies involved in combating illegal brothels.

"The different agencies were not talking to each other and instead of there being complementation there were just gaps and a bit of a solo mentality," he told the Herald Sun.

He said his current review of the Prostitution Control Act would result in a better system.

He said he was determined CAV should take more of a lead in the fight against illegal brothels.

The City of Melbourne has been notified a planning application has been made to demolish the three-storey building at 131-135 Bourke St, which houses Royal City, so a 25-storey building can be constructed.

Its planning department supports the application as long as the front portion of the existing building on Bourke St is retained for historic reasons.

The building dates back to 1872 and the National Trust claims its facade is the best example of 19th-century Moghul style in Melbourne.

Developer Devine Ltd said the site had been earmarked for a 444-room hotel worth $150 million.

There are 94 legal brothels in Victoria and the Australian Adult Entertainment Industry, which represents the legal sex industry, claims there are about 400 illegal ones.

AAEI spokesman William Albon yesterday praised Mr Robinson for taking action to crackdown on illegal brothels.

"I remain concerned that illegal brothels still operate in Bourke St in full view of the office of the Director for Consumer Affairs Victoria," he said.

"The Government's initiative doesn't let him off the hook. He still has to act to close them down."

The office of the CAV director is investigating the illegal brothel operating opposite its city office.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22655451-2862,00.html

Maybe they should put a brothel in the new hotel :)

It's a dirty job and someone was unlucky enough to have to do it! :lol:

The private detective was paid to use a hooker? LOL.

Just looking through emporis..anybody know about the 143m tower approved for 71 collins street? Never heard of this proposal before any info would be great :)

http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=71collinsstreet-melbourne-australia

old proposal from HiH days. Probably won't ever go ahead in that form.

that pic has 101 without the spire! i've always wanted to see the original plans without it!

71 Collins Street HIH/APN Joint Venture (Until the defecation hit the rotary oscillator). The Building was actually in Exhibition Street but counter-levered over 71 Colins St. High end apartments 1/2 and whole floors marketed by TBM.

If the BHP/Rio merger occured, is there a chance BHP would require a new building/more space? Or will the Lonsdale St building be sufficient?

If the BHP/Rio merger occured, is there a chance BHP would require a new building/more space? Or will the Lonsdale St building be sufficient?

They'll be required to move to Brisbane.

They'll be required to move to Brisbane.

I thought so!:lol: Wouldn't surprise me!

As mentioned by melbournee12 in the SX2 thread:

Property
Devine holds key to fate of rare facade
Mark Phillips
23 November 2007
Australian Financial Review (Abstracts)

Victorian Planning Minister, Justin Madden, has approved the construction of a new 25-level apartment building in Melbourne's Bourke Street. To be built by listed developer, Devine, the 90-metre tower will feature 444 apartments and will be built on the site of a 103-year-old building whose historical or architectural significance has not yet been established by the Heritage Council. Mr Madden granted the permit quietly on November 2.

:ohno:

What's wrong?

will be built on the site of a 103-year-old building whose historical or architectural significance has not yet been established by the Heritage Council.

103 year old building...

While it has been approved, Devine are still in talks with the National Trust about possibly including the front portion of the Bourke St building:

http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/opm/bc/CTEE/meetings/PC_510_20071204.pdf

no shortage of new builders willing to get their sticker on a crane, maxcon being the latest on the transit centre

http://silvermb.thehoddlegrid.net/tcx200712.jpg

Good Stuff

Nearly crashed the car driving down Lonsdale St on the w/end when this was going up - looked great !!:)


no shortage of new builders willing to get their sticker on a crane, maxcon being the latest on the transit centre

http://silvermb.thehoddlegrid.net/tcx200712.jpg

:ohno:

:ohno:

Just click the edit button. You can edit the images out of the quote you quoted.... It's not as confusing as it sounds!!!

What is a Maxcon?

It means ' To be ripped off or lied to in the biggest possible way'.....a good name for a company I guess?......usually means gives good returns to shareholders

It means ' To be ripped off or lied to in the biggest possible way'.....a good name for a company I guess?......usually means gives good returns to shareholders


he he...I always say that one can tell a difference between nobility and petite bourgeoisie...and you are a full `blue` blooded one...he he..smart and funny...have you had any dealings with them...I always thought that it (the name Maxcon) never implied to any construction activities...

what's tha development right next to train tracks on flinders street that's by LU Simon?

Northbank Place. See here (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=525255&page=8).

So it's not some big Greek Guy?

Primal Beauty......I make no link of my translation of Maxcon as a word to any Person, Place, Company alive or dead....any similarity or facimile should be seen as purely random coincidence.....heeehee

Primal Beauty......I make no link of my translation of Maxcon as a word to any Person, Place, Company alive or dead....any similarity or facimile should be seen as purely random coincidence.....heeehee

and You never had any dealings or contact with a person called Tony Mokbel...Redbaron, you sound like an angel...take care buddy!!!

So it's not some big Greek Guy?

yes,he he..you are right, it is Con the Maximus...it is a bastardized greek name with a roman twist...he he...

Melbourne City Council are looking at redeveloping/refurbishing CH1 into a six star green star building.

http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/opm/bc/CTEE/meetings/FGC_55_20071211.pdf

And a bit more info on Drapac's 212 Victoria St development:

Sitting adjacent to the proposed refurbished 200 Victoria Street and and part of the former Carlton and United Brewery Laboratory, this site will become a state-of-the-art strata office and retail development, creating one of Melbourne's most sustainable and energy efficient buildings.

The derelict building will be demolished making way for a 14 level building with a total NLA of 9,500sqm. With floor plates of approx. 700sqm each, this development will target small to medium-sized businesses that are looking to own or lease premises with the latest ESD features.

The proposed development will be completed in 2009 and Drapac is aiming for a 6-star Green Star rating

Melbourne City Council are looking at redeveloping/refurbishing CH1 into a six star green star building.

http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/opm/bc/CTEE/meetings/FGC_55_20071211.pdf

I'm watching a news report on it right now...
Involves making 16 council buildings 4 1/2 stars!