Birchmore plot sustainable West Footscray apartment development
Plans have been filed for a new apartment development on West Footscray's popular Barkly Street.
Diversified developer Birchmore has submitted plans for a 56-apartment project at 590-596 Barkly Street, right near a number of food and beverage and the closest a Barkly Street project can get to Shorten Reserve.
They're proposing a five-level building designed by Genton on the large 2,612 sqm block, an amalgamation of four sites which currently home two single detached houses and two commercial and retail buildings.
Nearby, Woolworths have submitted a Planning Application for a mixed use development.
There will be eight one-bed apartments, 22 two-bedders, and eight three-beds.
The ground floor will be activated with two retail spaces fronting Barkly Street, something which Genton said in their application documents will no doubt provide benefit for both residents and the local community.
"An extension of the existing urban fabric, retail tenancies off the ground proposed will ensure development of the local context in line with council’s future ambitions for the area," Genton noted.
"Having retail space incorporated into the design on ground levels provides continuation of the existing retail fronts along Barkly Street. The retail and residential entry is set back creating a breakout space between the existing footpath and the building for small social gathering/meeting place."
Ed Cramer, Birchmore Development Director, said West Footscray is gentrifying, and the site sits in the heart of an area on the cusp of significant growth.
"That western corridor has grown massively, and we felt it was the right time to look to deliver an owner-occupier focused project that we believe will suit locals who want to be in the Footscray area, but away from the high density pocket toward the city."
They've taken some inspiration from Assembled Communities' 122 Roseneath St. in Clifton Hill, which received the Victorian Premier’s Design Award for excellence in Service Design.
"We've focused on airflow dynamics and crossflow ventilation incorporated in the design. One of the project's most striking features assists in the ventilation, a central open air corridor on the upper levels which opens to the sky."
Birchmore are now working with the local community, including the not-for-profit op shop which currently occupies one of the commercial buildings on the site.
They're strictly inline with the DDO that was put on the site after the West Footscray Structure Plan. The project will offer car parking for 73 vehicles and 71 bicycle spaces.
With a diversified development pipeline of over $450 million, Birchmore’s investment strategy focuses on have three sectors being retail, multi-residential and master planned communities.
Their most recent house and land project is a 200 lot plus development on the southern outskirts of Geelong.
To launch before the West Footscray project will be a 39- apartment development in Moonee Ponds, also aimed at the owner- occupier. Birchmore are hoping to start construction this year.
