[Brizer]

GREEN SQUARE LIBRARY

It is reported by locals to be open today BUT
NO FANFARE
NO BIG ANNOUNCEMENT
NO OPENING CEREMONY
NO CLOVER PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES

What gives?

https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/explore/libraries/locations/green-square

 

[CULWULLA]

^yeh strange
from instagram
looks great
https://imgur.com/vzhvd6J.jpg

https://imgur.com/p4oa2Uu.jpg

https://imgur.com/9flHgl9.jpg
https://imgur.com/XiWMpJy.jpg
https://imgur.com/GFak4Fk.jpg
https://imgur.com/2GKS7Ms.jpg

https://imgur.com/JBtsG4P.jpg

 

[Waterlooo]

Really disappointing from CoS to delay approval of such important buildings in the green square precinct by almost as long as it would take to build them. Now we face the unfortunate and amenity killing prospect of opening the new library and plaza, only to then have it sitting next to two huge construction sites for years, thereby making it an unpleasant place to be. Those buildings are right on ebsworth st next to the plaza, across from the soon to be completed infinity, and across from the newly completed Ovo. The sooner they are built the sooner there can be an actual community develop down there. Whilst they are being built you will not see people flocking to the area to shop, dine or anything else. What the bloody hell are they doing delaying these sites for such an unforgivably long time?

 

[Brizer]

Despite my hissy fit about how long it is taking to approve these projects we have to accept the reality, financial, commercial and physical, that the whole town centre cannot reasonably be built all in one go to avoid inconvenience.

There are the 3 buildings identified above along the north side/Ebsworth Street of GSQ Plaza but there also will be 3 even larger buildings built eventually along the south side/Woolpack Street of GSQ Plaza.

The Library is a reality so it's best we get in an enjoy it and accept the real world effects of noise, dust and inconvenience of constructing a large town centre.

 

[Brizer]

GREEN SQUARE LIBRARY
GREEN SQUARE PLAZA*
NEILSON SQUARE

* The main plaza/place of the centre of the town centre was officially named 'Green Square' but ongoing confusion re Green Square (Urban Renewal Area), the council's (failed?) bid to rename the town centre 'Green Square' (it's in Zetland) against community objection, the Green Square Railway Station, the original Green Square and people generally not knowing exactly which Green Square was which and what was being referred to has resulted in common practice calling it 'Green Square Plaza' though it would seem to some either 'square' or 'plaza' is redundant, but there it is!

Pix thanks to GraceMan

Green Square Plaza and the main entrance to the Library, looking west.

Inside the main entrance 'Prism'.
On the right will be a café.

The eastern entrance which doubles as a small outdoor theatre.

Green Square Plaza looking west with the Library Tower and Infinity by Crown.
Note water feature, fountains and paddle pool.
Blue-green column is an artwork that responds to weather, changes in atmosphere, tides, etc. It will be constantly changing in colour and pattern.

View from the Library Tower down to the library atrium and the main entrance.

View down into the library atrium.

View into the library atrium from inside the library.

The main interior space of the library.
Gone are the restrained, discreet colours of libraries of earlier times.

Book art wall in the interior.

Looking west across Neilson Square and Green Square Plaza and the Library Tower.
The large, sloped building in the distance is the Dangrove Art Centre.

Neilson Square.

View from Library Tower of Infinity by Crown & Ovo Buildings.

View from the music room in the Library Tower south to UNO and Jade buildings u/c.

 

[Brizer]

'HATBANDS' SITE/LATERAL ESTATE
511-515 BOTANY ROAD
Zetland

Update 17 September

 

[Sky_Is_The_Limit]

The library and public square look great.

Good to see the community facilities at Green Square slowly coming together.

Next cab off the rank must be the aquatic centre?

 

[Brizer]

GPARC = GUNYAMA PARK and AQUATIC RECREATION CENTRE

already under construction.

 

[Brizer]

UNO & JADE

Construction update 17 September

UNO looming large with Jade tucked behind.
View from Paul Street which is now open between Ebsworth Street and Geddes Avenue.

View from intersection of Paul Street and Geddes Avenue, the latter now open between Paul Street and Botany Road with new lights operating at Botany & Geddes.

View from south where Tosh Lane crosses the point where Dunning Avenue becomes Paul Street - illogical except in the mind of the one who selects the names.
Jade is at front with larger UNO beyond.

View looking north along Portman Street, the east side of the buildings.
Jade near, UNO beyond.

From Portman Street looking west along Sonny Leonard Street with Jade on the left and UNO on the right.

 

[Gimble]

GREEN SQUARE LIBRARY
GREEN SQUARE PLAZA*
NEILSON SQUARE

Looking west across Neilson Square and Green Square Plaza and the Library Tower.
The large, sloped building in the distance is the Dangrove Art Centre.

The area along the right seems to be a share road. Regular traffic can enter at Tweed Place, turn left and drive up this path. You can see some parked cars in the photo.

 

[Brizer]

Don't get too excited, Gimble. My understanding is that access is temporary until all surrounding construction is complete then only vehicles related to staging of events & emergency vehicles will have access.

That long, lane like space is reserved for the GSLightRailLoop, should it ever come to pass.

In the meantime there will be, allegedly, bus routes via Zetland Avenue/Paul Street/Geddes Avenue/Botany Road &/or New Cross Link Road, though I'm not expecting those to eventuate any time soon.


edit

 

[CULWULLA]

da about to be lodged for 10storey units at 338 botany road.next to near geddes rd extention

 

[Brizer]

Affordable housing, two sites on Botany Road on either side of planned connector street.

This site is on the west side of Botany Road so not, pedantically, in GSQ Town Centre. Why the entire site bounded by Botany Rd, O'Riordan St and Johnson St was not included in the Town Centre is a puzzlement! Especially as the tip at O'Riordan & Botany above the GSQ Railway Station is included. As a result we a getting an ad hoc clutter of buildings.

I'll post info in the Green Square Thread in preparation for Cul's pic of the model of the new DA.

 

[Gimble]

Cafe in the library is now open.

Next door they appear to be finished demolishing large slabs of concrete at the base of Infinity for the creation of the station entrance.

 

[Brizer]

GREEN SQUARE AND WATERLOO ESTATE MODEL

GREEN SQUARE TOWN CENTRE

Model maker: CULWULLA

Photos taken 25 September

View from the east from above Victoria Park, Zetland.
Ovo Buildings are now completed while Infinity and UNO & Jade are still under construction but nearing construction completion though fit out will take a while longer.

View from the east looking along Zetland Avenue to GSQ Plaza with the small Library Tower.
Front and centre is GPARC, the Gunyama Park & Aquatic Recreation Centre in red so under construction.

View from the south from above North Rosebery.
UNO & Jade, large red blocks to the right of centre, are under construction while the two long blocks to their left are Lateral Estate's buildings for which site excavation is under way.

View from the SW.
The 3 rectangular towers on the front left are Emerald City project.
The triangular tower with the curved butt is the 21 storey mixed use tower on Transport Place above GS Railway Station.


././.

 

[Brizer]

https://news.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.a...ictures:+Green+Square’s+new+library+and+plaza

CoS:
In pictures: Green Square’s new library and plaza
A striking glass prism, a sunken garden, a plane indoors: there’s heaps to see at Green Square Library and Plaza.

 

[kiwirich_uk]

Another prop for the library, but I somehow doubt the author is a member of this forum...

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...-of-hideous-green-square-20180927-p506em.html

 

[Gimble]

Oh, Elizabeth. You did it again.

 

[Brizer]

The saddest aspect of that luddite lamentation is the author herself.

Whatever has happened that has turned her once sharp talent to such relentless gloom and bitterness?

 

[Sky_Is_The_Limit]

The worst thing about this article is that she singled out UrbanGrowth as a primary culprit...

At best this is ignorant and at worst it is convenient. The City of Sydney has been the driving force for many years behind Green Square. It was the City of Sydney which set the planning rules, enforced the planning rules and approved the development applications for Infinity and Ovo.

I don’t disagree that Green Square could end up with more than it’s fair share of mediocre architecture (I’m thinking the shorter, cookie cutter buildings with bland concrete walls and balconies where developer + architect were less inclined to up the standard because of the dense nature of Green Square), but unlike other developments in Sydney, it won’t be the State Government to blame.