488-494 La Trobe Street, West Melbourne

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All Victorians, except those residing within the boundary of the City of Greater Geelong, will head to the polls to elect their next council on Saturday 22nd October and the City of Melbourne is certainly getting busy before caretaker modes kicks off this week on the 21st of September.

On Monday morning the council announced it 'proposes to enter into a commercial arrangement with Cairo Melbourne Pty Ltd for a residential and commercial development to be built on a portion of the former JH Boyd School in Southbank'.

<blockquote>
The new agreement reinforces our commitment to transform the former school site into a key civic centre and provide much needed open space for Southbank residents, workers and visitors.

Retail shops will be located on the ground level with 200 residential apartments in the floors above.

Twenty per cent of the development, 46 apartments, will be affordable housing. The apartments will comply with liveable housing guidelines which mean they will be safe, comfortable and easy to access for people of all ages and abilities.
<cite>Robert Doyle, Lord Mayor of Melbourne</cite>
</blockquote>

Cairo Melbourne Pty Ltd has agreed to pay $15.5 million for the cost of the land sale and the proposed sale will be considered by Council before the end of 2016, a City of Melbourne media release states.

<h2>Last Future Melbourne committee meeting before caretaker period</h2>

According to the <a href="http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/about-council/committees-meetings/meeting-archive/pages/future-melbourne-committee-20-september-2016.aspx">agenda posted on the council's website</a>, the last Future Melbourne committee meeting to be held before the caretaker period will see multiple items discussed at the meeting on the 20th of September.

71-87 City Road, Southbank has a <a href="http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/about-council/committees-meetings/meeting-archive/MeetingAgendaItemAttachments/754/13549/sep16-fmc2-agenda-item-6.1.pdf">recommendation</a> that council not support the application based on height and setbacks '[do] not provide an appropriate transition to adjoining areas, dominates the urban form, does not consider the equitable development potential of adjoining lots'.

488-494 La Trobe Street, West Melbourne carries a <a href="http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/about-council/committees-meetings/meeting-archive/MeetingAgendaItemAttachments/754/13551/sep16-fmc2-agenda-item-6.3.pdf">recommendation</a> that council support the proposal subject to a height reduction that deletes one podium and one tower level. The site saw a proposal for a 98m residential building in late 2014 which was subsequently knocked back by council and VCAT upheld the council's decision.

Lend Lease have submitted an application to alter the Victoria Harbour Development Plan (2010) that would see a reduction in commercial uses (retail and/or office space) and an increase in residential uses in Collins Wharf - the last remaining undeveloped portion of Victoria Harbour. The <a href="http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/about-council/committees-meetings/meeting-archive/MeetingAgendaItemAttachments/754/13552/sep16-fmc2-agenda-item-6.4.pdf">report to the committee</a> notes that Lend Lease has included an additional 5,000 square metres of public realm under the proposed 'Victoria Harbour Collins Wharf Development Plan (2015)'.

383 La Trobe Street, Melbourne has a <a href="http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/about-council/committees-meetings/meeting-archive/MeetingAgendaItemAttachments/754/13553/sep16-fmc2-agenda-item-6.5new.pdf">recommendation</a> that council support the 70-level, mixed-use residential &amp; hotel proposal.

The last Future Melbourne committee meeting will also decide on a proposal that is 100% within the purview of City of Melbourne: 271 Spring Street, Melbourne. The <a href="http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/about-council/committees-meetings/meeting-archive/MeetingAgendaItemAttachments/754/13550/sep16-fmc2-agenda-item-6.2.pdf">recommendation</a> is that council provides a 'Notice of Decision to Grant a Permit' for the proposal that has <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/key-sticking-points-hammered-out-as-ispt-seeks-approval-for-its-spring-street-tower">drawn the ire of some in the Urban.com.au community</a>.

The September 20th meeting agenda also carries an item titled "Better Apartments Draft Design Standards Submission" yet at the time of writing, the document had not been uploaded to the council's website.
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Alastair Taylor

City of Melbourne gets busy as caretaker mode kicks in this week

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Cremorne-based Spacious Property Group have teamed with Hayball to create the developer's next two apartment projects.

Pending approval, St Kilda and West Melbourne will house the respective mid-rise projects, adding to Spacious Property Group's sole current Melbourne project located opposite Blackburn Station.

The St Kilda project involves a 2,110sqm site at 54-60 St Kilda Road which the developer secured at the turn of the year for a reported $13.7 million. The current low-rise commercial complex will make way for a 10 storey residential building holding 103 dwellings, including apartments, townhouses and three bedroom penthouses.

 504sqm of retail space is spread across the design's St Kilda Road frontage, whilst the facade features an urban lighting installation involving colour-programmed LED luminaires set behind perforated vertical metal screens.

 54-60 St Kilda Road adds to the recent upswing of apartment projects at St Kilda Junction; the largest of which is a 28 level tower slated for <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/8-12-punt-road-st-kilda">8-12 Punt Road.</a>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image13_8.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="54-60 St Kilda Road. Planning image: Hayball"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="356" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image13_8.jpg?itok=TrhvmW1P" title="54-60 St Kilda Road. Planning image: Hayball" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>54-60 St Kilda Road. Planning image: Hayball</figcaption></figure>In West Melbourne, Spacious Property Group is attempting to pass its site through planning once more, post the rejection of an initial attempt for a <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/planning-application-488-494-la-trobe-street-west-melbourne">32 level residential tower</a>. The site at 488-494 La Trobe Street is back at planning with Hayball undertaking the revised design process that has now asked for a more modest 19 levels.

Within the tower 118 apartments are sought with one, two and two plus study options included. Two retail tenancies are at ground level, whilst 95 bicycle and 28 car parking spaces are located within a solitary basement level.

On its initial planning pass, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/vic/VCAT/2015/1895">VCAT provided</a> the following assessment on the initial 32 level version:

<blockquote>
We conclude that the proposed building is not an acceptable design response to it physical and policy setting due to its overall height, massing and lack of side or rear setbacks. We consider these are inconsistent with its existing and preferred character setting.

We do not seek to determine what an appropriate response is for this site as this is not our role. However, based on our concerns about visual bulk and direct amenity impacts we note that even if the height of the building was significantly reduced (even below 40 metres) it would not resolve our concerns about the direct building interface on boundary to the north and east or concerns with internal amenity.
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image10_7.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The revised 488-494 La Trobe Street. Planning image: Hayball"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="412" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image10_7.jpg?itok=dXE3QQGw" title="The revised 488-494 La Trobe Street. Planning image: Hayball" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The revised 488-494 La Trobe Street. Planning image: Hayball</figcaption></figure>Spacious Property Group's Melbourne development pipeline is rounded out with 55-65 Railway Road, Blackburn. Purchased by the developer with a planning permit in place, the project was quickly taken to market under the moniker of <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/boardwalk-55-railway-road-blackburn">Boardwalk Blackburn</a>.

The CHT Architects-designed development sees 33 apartments set above 7 retail tenancies over a 1,475sqm triple fronted site. Orange Building Solutions currently have the project above ground with construction with a likely finish date approaching the new year.
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silvermb

Spacious and Hayball team up to create two new residential projects

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West Melbourne continues its impressive run toward the latter part of 2014 with yet another large-scale planning application currently before authorities. Located on the northern side of La Trobe Street between Spencer and King, City of Melbourne is currently assessing the merits of the residential tower which may accommodate 247 apartments if approved.

Sold by agent Savills during August 2014, new owner Spacious Property Development Group is behind the current 488-494 La Trobe Street proposal which is adjacent to a large vacant block, itself expected to become a prime residential development in due course.

<h2>488-494 La Trobe Street West Melbourne summary</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image73.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Immediate built form. Image courtesy Rothelowman"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="385" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image73.jpg?itok=DACJ-zG6" title="Immediate built form. Image courtesy Rothelowman" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Immediate built form. Image courtesy Rothelowman</figcaption></figure><ul>
<li>Current 1,011sqm site use: dual level office building with 1,312sqm of leasable space.</li>
	<li>Planning application submitted November 2014.</li>
	<li>Proposed: 32 level residential tower at 102.35 metres.</li>
	<li>​Total GFA: 32,910sqm.</li>
	<li>​247 apartments: 113*1BR / 134*2BR</li>
	<li>​Basement catering for 38 car parking spaces and 77 bicycles.</li>
	<li>Rooftop garden at 135sqm, residential amenity and cinema at 148.5sqm</li>
</ul>
<h2>Design concept</h2>

<blockquote>
The concept for the exterior design has evolved from a carefully considered desire to create a timeless design solution. One which contributes a strong, elegant and pure form to the city's skyline. Notions of balance and symmetry lead to the pure vertical expression of tower, and created a 'Ying and Yang' dynamic between the key components.

This dynamic also allowed for a refined palette of materials. With the central component representing the solidity and strength of stone, while the northern and southern components mirror each other, and represent the graceful shimmer of water. The podium levels also take these concepts further at a scale designed to relate to the public realm.
<cite>Rothelowman, planning documents</cite>
</blockquote>

<h2>From the ground up</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image15488.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Artist's impression of the development. Image courtesy Rothelowman"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="513" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image15488.jpg?itok=aGHE98u2" title="Artist's impression of the development. Image courtesy Rothelowman" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Artist's impression of the development. Image courtesy Rothelowman</figcaption></figure>Atop three basement levels sits a ground floor heavy with building services. With three apartments located to the northern edge of the ground floor, the La Trobe Street frontage is dominated by the building substation, car park entry and hydrant booster resulting in little activation to the main pedestrian thoroughfare.

Subsequent podium levels are almost exclusively devoted to two bedroom dwellings with a smattering of single bedroom apartments included. Designed to the eastern boundary, the tower element will maintain a setback to the western boundary of 5.5 metres with an almost generic floor plan incorporated over levels 6-30. Eight apartments per level is the norm where two bedroom apartments are to floor plate corners while single bedroom apartments are clustered around the lift well to the centre of the proposed tower.

Crowning the development would be an external CBD-facing terrace of 135sqm supplemented by in excess of 140sqm internal residential amenity, consisting of dining, lounge and cinema areas.

<h2>Comment</h2>

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A number of salient points have been made in forum discussion regarding the recent planning application for 488-494 La Trobe Street. While the existing building onsite has not been included in the City Heritage Review, its loss would represent a further erosion of the historic fabric of inner Melbourne.

It's most definitely a shame the existing frontage has not been incorporated into the proposed tower, but we're not privy to development team discussions and must assume there remains an overpowering reason for the deletion of the existing structure.

Overall the curtain facade offset by a strong vertical element provides a sharp contrast to the many existing and proposed apartment towers, while also providing a practical common wall to the east and west boundaries. While these flanks represent "The solidity and strength of stone," they in actuality would consist of precast panels in varied colours and finishes according to the materials schedule; not quite the refined finish of polished concrete or stone.

<h2>488-494 La Trobe Street West Melbourne development team</h2>

<ul>
<li>Architecture: Rothelowman</li>
	<li>​Urban Planning: Urbis</li>
	<li>Wind mitigation: Mel Consultants</li>
	<li>Traffic engineering: Cardno</li>
	<li>Environmental Sustainable Design: ADP Consulting</li>
	<li>Waste management: Leigh Design</li>
	<li>Tree Protection: Galbraith &amp; Associates</li>
</ul>
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488-494 La Trobe Street, West Melbourne

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City of Melbourne gets busy as caretaker mode kicks in this week

Spacious and Hayball team up to create two new residential projects

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