Chinatown

Well-know China-town restauranteur, Stanley Yee, has taken to the development world, lodging plans to construct a 14-storey mixed-use building on the amalgamated site of his Emperor&#39;s Garden Restaurant at 96-100 Hay Street, Haymarket.

The ownership families have a long history of operating restaurants and supplying to the community from the site.

The Lai family are the other owners of the site, who were original contributors to the construction of the Chinatown gates, with Lai&rsquo;s father honoured with his name inscribed on the gate.

To celebrate these connections, a graphic display will feature across a double-storey wall across the ground and first floor retail space, showcasing the history of the building, of Chinatown and of the families involvement in the community.

<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/96-100-hay-street-haymarket-nsw-2000"><img alt="" height="730" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2022-03-24_at_10.44.37_am.png" width="1200" /></a>

Sydney-based architects, PTI, have been engaged to handle the design of the development, with a focus on creating a Chinese-style architectural form, to not only complement the surrounding area, but to further celebrate and bring to life the Chinese community.

&ldquo;We have sought to design a building which expresses the history and culture of the Chinese community, so it can be a further image of Sydney&rsquo;s Chinatown and that it adds to deepens the experience of seeing and coming to the area,&rdquo; PTI noted in their submission to the City of Sydney council.

In doing this, the design takes inspiration from the traditional curved roof forms commonly found in traditional Chinese architecture, which is also expressed in the form of the gateway to Chinatown that sits adjacent to the site.

The eccentric shape will be created through horizontal fa&ccedil;ade spandrels, while a curved roof crowns the building, gently curving upward to further reference the junction of Hay Street and Dixon Street, which marks the entrance to Chinatown.

Yee&rsquo;s Emperor&rsquo;s Garden Restaurant will continue to operate at the site, along with other retailers on the ground and first floor. The second level will be dedicated commercial space, adding further support for the business and organisations that operate for and within the Chinatown community.

<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/96-100-hay-street-haymarket-nsw-2000"><img alt="" height="764" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2022-03-24_at_10.44.49_am.png" width="1200" /></a>

The third floor of the development will serve as a communal indoor and outdoor open space, with the residences beginning on level four. Two one-bedroom apartments and two studio apartments occupy the floorspace to level 12, with the arrangement created so either four apartments can be sold separately&nbsp;or combined to create a larger residence. The result of providing this flexibility is that the property can meet the many and varied needs of the community, from down sizers, to couples and families.

Level 13 features one, full-floor three-bedroom apartment.

Haymarket is positioned at the southern end of the Sydney CBD and with close proximity to a range of modes of public transport making it a highly accessibly area.

The area comprises a major tourism destinations, bustling retail and entertainment uses and a cluster of hotels and backpacker hostels, making this a diverse and vibrant village.

[smartcode_project_cta: project_id=112359]

The Lai family are the other owners of the site, who were original contributors to the construction of the Chinatown gates, with Lai’s father honoured with his name inscribed on the gate.

alisonwarters@gmail.com

Haymarket set for new mixed-use apartment tower

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A disused carpark in Victoria’s Chinatown could be receiving a bit of TLC in the near future, after City of Melbourne Councillors voted in favour of hospitality tycoon Maz Salt’s open-air restaurant ‘Park’.

The proposed hospitality venue designed by <a href="http://www.baraccowright.com">Baracco and Wright</a> endeavours to cater to 200 patrons, with 150 seats available downstairs and another 50 on a roof deck. A large canopy covers the area of the venue, with a circular opening in the centre to provide an influx of natural light into the dining areas. The 454sqm will be landscaped with a crushed rock base and the central area will be planted with trees and greenery. A mesh cyclone fence will surround the perimeter section.

Plans for the development were discussed at the <a href="https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/about-council/committees-meetings/meeting-archive/Pages/Future-Melbourne-Committee-19-March-2019.aspx">Future Melbourne Committee meeting</a> on the 19th of March, where the key issue identified was “the appropriateness of the built form within the existing heritage context”.

Contention around the application was expressed by 18 objections, with main concerns noting that the design was “out of character with the streetscape and wider heritage precinct” and fears that noise and smoking will cause problems due to the venue also functioning as a licensed bar.

The counter argument made by multiple Melbourne City Councillors reassured meeting attendees that the application would be assessed based on what was proposed (a restaurant with a commercial kitchen), rather than predicting any alterations and liquor licenses in future. The public will be able to enjoy the park without feeling the pressure to purchase food from the restaurant.

<blockquote>
“It’s very straightforward, what is going to replace it will be of much higher quality of what is currently there at the moment.”
</blockquote>

- Cr Leppert, Chair of the Arts Culture and Heritage portfolio

Park’s lease will be valid for three years. 
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Olivia Round

‘Park’ development proposed for Melbourne’s Chinatown sparks debate

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Considered one of the longest continuous Chinese settlements anywhere in the western world, Melbourne's Chinatown has a lot to offer those who meander through. Quoting <a href="http://chinatownmelbourne.com.au" target="_blank">chinatownmelbourne.com.au</a> "It was the discovery of gold in 1851 which attracted Chinese immigration to Victoria on a large scale. Ships sailed to Australia from Hong Kong with their cargo of men who had come in search of the “New Gold Mountain”. The small but burgeoning Chinese community in Little Bourke Street provided for all the needs of the diggers – lodgings en route to the goldfields, food, equipment and medicine."
Running east-west along Little Bourke between Exhibition Street and Swanston Street, the area spawns a number of laneways, in and of themselves well worth viewing; eateries, street art, the Chinese Museum, hidden bars and much more. 
Here's a collection of photos I took during my recent visit to the precinct.
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