#UC: RNA Redevelopment - mixed

[Fyver]

How about a big slippery slide from the top of Brisbane Square...

[Dimethyltryptamine]

Photo from Brisbane Open House's Facebook

[nathandavid88]

That's a good shot of the site pre-development. It won't look like that anymore though. Apparently the first sod on Showground Hill was turned on Tuesday. From the RNA Website:

Queensland Premier breaks ground for new Lend Lease Community at historic Showground site

02.10.2012

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman has turned the first sod on the initial stage of residential development for the $2.9 billion RNA Showgrounds Regeneration project.

The RNA transformation, the most significant urban renewal project in Brisbane since Southbank, is expected to create economic activity worth close to $4 billion and more than 15, 000 jobs, both direct and indirect. Upon completion, it will be home to more than 3,000 residents and 12,000 workers.

Lend Lease Australia CEO Mark Menhinnitt said the sod-turning event was a key milestone for one of Brisbane's most historic sites. "The construction activity so far here at the home of the Ekka has focussed on RNA assets and much needed infrastructure and enabling works.

"What we are officially starting today is the first of the residential homes and that means by mid 2014 people will be living here at The Green, a new Lend Lease community in inner Brisbane at a site with a rich and historic past."

Tomorrow major earthworks will begin on the footprint for the first five residential buildings on the site, creating 340 one and two bedroom apartments around a central open courtyard theme, providing a unique green zone for residents and starting a new phase in the RNA's transformation.

Queensland Premier, The Hon. Campbell Newman said the partnership project between the RNA and Lend Lease represents a much needed boost to the Queensland construction industry - one of the four pillars of our state's economy. "Thanks to the regeneration of the RNA showgrounds, members of the community will now be able not just to live here, but to enjoy new state-of-the-art facilities at the home of their much beloved Ekka all year round."

Mr Menhinnitt said more than 140 apartments had been sold at The Green with steady enquiry continuing, assisted in part recently by the Government First Home Owners Construction grant. "It's an unmatched events destination close to hospitals, schools, the CBD and the Airport with all the major road and rail connections right here. People are also embracing the opportunity to be part of Lend Lease's first inner Brisbane mixed-use development."

RNA Chief Executive Brendan Christou agreed construction of the first residential apartments signalled a critical stage. "This renewal is transforming our iconic RNA Showgrounds into a year round destination and events precinct, a place where people will live, work and play,'' he said. "This precinct will greatly improve our events through state of the art facilities, and attract thousands of new visitors a year while retaining our historical legacy."

This year more than 400,000 people enjoyed The Ekka, testament to the close collaboration between the RNA and Lend Lease project teams, allowing work to continue seamlessly at a highly active and visual site.

The 15-year regeneration project includes 416,000m2 of new event facilities, residential, commercial and retail buildings along with significant public green-space and new streetscapes.

[nathandavid88]

Over the weekend I went and checked out Supanova at the RNA Showgrounds (before you ask yes, I am a nerd and no, I did not cosplay! ) which gave me a chance to check out what progress had been made on site.

Starting with the site of The Green, there has been a lot of shallow excavation since Dime's photo (removing the concrete slab), but that's about it so far as I can tell.







Now, the new RICC, on the other hand, is looking very close to complete (which is good considering it's due to open in March I believe). The facade of the Industrial Pavilion is looking the best I have ever seen it, but there's no missing that roof!







And a few down the entrances off Gregory Terrace.





The only issue I have with the facade was the section closest to the Old Museum. During the facading, they completely separated a segment from the rest of the facade. You can see it in this post a few pages back. I imagine it was done either due to difficulty in holding up that section of facade, or to allow larger vehicles access during construction. They've replaced the section removed, but the cut marks are still very visible. That might even be done on purpose, but it just irks me a bit.





It's interesting how the backmost section of facade isn't actually part of the convention centre proper, but now acts as a fence for a rear loading dock and Energex substation.



The Ekka Plaza frontage was a bit harder to photograph, and the RNA Offices meant I couldn't get any of the new section down towards Sideshow Alley (I'll be glad to see those offices go when the RICC is finished – the offices will relocate into it. But what I can see is looking pretty good!

[brizguy]

I dont understand why they used grey metal for the roof, they should of glassed it or used a different material.

[nathandavid88]

Why glass it? You wouldn't be able to see out of it due to the ceiling system, and it would be counter-productive for a convention centre to have such a roof. Can't think of many other appropriate materials that they could really use for this type of roof structure... the BECE Grey Street uses a similar material for it's roof.

I don't mind it really.

[Fyver]

It does have skylights from memory still. The grey does compete a little, maybe it's a similar colour to the brick mortar.

[nathandavid88]

Not sure if that was the intention, but the grey probably isn't far off the mortar colour, maybe a bit colder. I do think that there might have been some intention to keep the feel of 'machinery' and therefore linking the building to it's original purpose (Industrial Pavilion). That's based off just a gut feeling rather than tangible evidence, so don't quote me on that!

They've done their best to position it nice and far back from the facade, and with the great job they're doing with the restoration of the facade, I can forgive the roof!

[Fyver]

Reminiscent:

[TOCC]

looking good!

[f3s]

The break in the facade towards the Old Museum is indeed there to allow trucks access to the loading dock area from where they can drive directly into the convention centre floor space.

[Mickeebee]

Looking forward to this one

[nathandavid88]

With construction having begun for The Green, I'll be trying to get over there to see where they're at with it. I can't wait until the RNA starts looking a bit more like this:





(Excuse the advertising).

[McWhirters]

Those apts in the centre bottom of the first pic have a beautiful view of the red and white exhaust chimney (sarcasm). Hope they have air conditioning cos they'll never want to open the windows. Cough cough.

[Fyver]

I thought the stacks were filtered?

[nathandavid88]

I think those are going to be offices rather than apartments. You wouldn't be able to pay me to live there that close to the tunnel exhaust stack, plus so close to Bowen Bridge Road, the vomitron and on O'Connell Tce.

That said, Metro was able to sell the Chelsea and it's just up the road slightly...

[McWhirters]

Would love to know the ratio of owner-occupiers to rentals in Chelsea. I doubt many people would want to live in that hell hole themselves but for renter scum (sarcasm) it'd be fine.

[nathandavid88]

But if the renters don't want to live there, the investors are screwed! I can see the value of living in Bowen Hills as a location. Cycle distance to the city, good bus and train links, etc etc. But until the whole suburb has been largely redeveloped (with the RNA being a big part of that), it definitely would not be my first choice as a place to live!

[McWhirters]

Bowen Hills has an amazing area on Cloudland Hill. Our Lady of Victories, Cintra, and Miegunyah are spectacular. That hill has some really cute lanes and surprising bits of old gardens. I'd kill for a place up there.

[Marty_]

I wonder how much time you've actually spent in this area with a comment like that. No way is it nice.