Docklands Development Update July 2018
The Docklands development machine continues to roll on with a significant number of projects having either commenced or are due to commence this year. Today's article will predominantly focus on the northern precincts including District Docklands (formerly Waterfront City/Harbour Town), New Quay, and Digital Harbour.
Quest / Elm & Stone, NewQuay
The cores of the dual tower development designed by DKO have now topped out, with the last remaining floor slabs still to be poured and work now underway on the installation of the facades and internal fitout.
The development features 221 Quest serviced apartments in addition to 142 dwellings and is due for completion in 2019.
Marriott / The Docklands Residences, NewQuay
Capital Alliance and DKO Architecture's mixed-use development which will comprise 200 Marriott branded hotel suites is due to commence construction in the coming months following the appointment of a head contractor.
Read more in Monday's piece by Mark Baljak.
District Docklands, Master Plan
Owner of The District Docklands, AsheMorgan has engaged NH Architecture to undertake Master Planning to facilitate the development of a 190,000sqm mixed-use precinct on the remaining undeveloped land within the former Waterfront City boundary offering employment, shopping and living space.
This follows on from the first stage overhaul of the former Harbour Town centre which has now been completed and comprised the installation of new canopies, facades, paving and landscaping elements.
The next stage involves the provision of a 8,300sqm HOYTS cinema and entertainment complex, which also include Archie Brothers Electric Circus, 8Eight Street Asian hawker-style restaurant and Urban Alley Brewery along with other food and beverage offerings.
The $45m development is on track to be completed in September of this year.
Looking further ahead, future stages of the overall Master Plan which are being rolled out include a fresh food market within the re-purposed existing multi-storey car park and a Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) commercial building.
These are further outlined below;
Woodwork Building, The District Docklands
A planning permit was recently issued for an 8,000sqm office building which will sit above the existing centre along Waterfront Way (soon-to-be Market Lane), valued at $56m.
Designed by NH Architecure, the building, to be known as Woodwork comprises a ground floor retail lobby with four large open plan office floors above, and 80% of the construction will consist of CLT, with the timber to be sourced from sustainable forests.
Woodwork will be the first CLT office building in Melbourne and is expected to be completed in 2020.
The Market, The District Docklands
On Tuesday 15 May the District Docklands team "cracked the concrete" of the East Car Park to officially mark the beginning of construction on Docklands new food precinct, The Market.
The internationally-inspired marketplace, will provide Docklands with a fresh food precinct that includes butchers, delis, bakers, coffee roasters and cafes in addition to major retail in the form of a Woolworths supermarket, Dan Murphy’s, a large-scale Asian Grocer and Priceline Pharmacy.
A Medical Centre, as well as health and beauty services, will round out the convenience offer, providing for surrounding residents and visitors with a one stop shop for their day to day needs.
The Market is officially slated to open in July 2019.
218 Harbour Esplanade, Digital Harbour
The latest application to be submitted within the Docklands precinct is for 218 Harbour Esplanade. Designed by Jackson Clements Burrows the development will comprise 183 apartments across 21-storeys with 117 car spaces to be provided.
The apartment mix will include 6 x three bedroom apartments, 118 x two bedroom, and 55 one bedders in addition to SOHO style two-storey dwellings.
According to Docklands News, the design was "inspired by a vision of containers stacked on a wharf. Wharf-type timbers will also be employed on the lower podium levels to complete the metaphor."
26-34 Digital Drive, Digital Harbour
Architects BATES SMART have recently published images in their online Journal of a new 22 level commercial office building for Cbus Property located adjacent to 1010 LaTrobe Street.
The brick-clad building draws on the texture and character of nearby heritage buildings, and includes an outdoor terrace 40m above ground marking a streetwall datum, while three-storey voids internally allow for more expansive views outwards from the office levels.
160 Harbour Esplanade, Stadium Precinct
The home of the Seven Network's digital broadcasting studio was recently purchased from owner the NRMA for $100m
How this strategic acquisition ties into the redevelopment of the soon-to-be renamed Marvel Stadium and Harbour Esplanade remains to be seen, but the price tag suggests it forms a crucial piece of the puzzle.
It could potentially provide the AFL with accommodation allowing its current headquarters to be redeveloped into a 7 star waterfront hotel, inline with concept plans released earlier this year.
According to the AFR, a Development Victoria spokesperson has stated that the purchase would allow it to "develop long-term strategies to revitalise the Docklands Stadium and waterfront."
