La Trobe Street

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Lodged for planning assessment last month, <a href="http://sterlingglobal.com.au/">Sterling Global's</a> intended $700 million tower set over a 2,850 square metre site at 383 La Trobe Street is poised to become a new visual marker to the CBD's north. At 70 levels the proposed mixed-use development is the work of renowned international architect <a href="http://www.jeannouvel.com/">Ateliers Jean Nouvel</a> with local practice <a href="http://www.architectus.com.au/">Architectus</a> installed as executive architect.

Urban.com.au recently sat down with Sterling Global’s Head of Investment and Development, Mark van Miltenburg, for a detailed briefing on the project which shapes as being something very unique for Melbourne.

At 242 metres above street level, 383 La Trobe Street has been designed to accommodate 488 residences and a 196-room premium hotel which Sterling Global expect to retain post the project's completion.

With over $1.5 billion worth of development in play, Sterling Global are well positioned to deliver the stand-out project under their own capabilities. Asked if the developer was open to a joint venture for 383 La Trobe Street, Mark van Miltenburg stated Sterling Global is open to the possibility of a partnership, but are quite comfortable in solely delivering the project.

<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/383_montage.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The tall-slender form of the tower."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="457" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/383_montage.jpg?itok=cMCub8zj" title="The tall-slender form of the tower." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The tall-slender form of the tower. Image: Sterling Global &amp; Ateliers Jean Nouvel</figcaption></figure>Sterling Global's intention was to bring a degree of difference to the project, setting it apart from many current CBD projects that the developer believes are quite generic in what they bring to the public realm. Thus Ateliers Jean Nouvel were appointed after a competitive design process, creating a project that in many ways is unique to Melbourne.

Dubbed "The Tower of Seven Colors," the moniker refers to the building's response to its context, adopting the visual characteristics of its neighbours via different colours to its four elevations.

The primary northern facade will be coloured red, drawing on the red brick heritage wall of the Royal Mint and Hellenic Museum, the eastern facade will be golden, reflecting the rising morning sun on Melbourne's streetscapes and the west facade will be lined with green in a nod to the nearby Flagstaff Gardens.

 An etched silver facade to the south ties the sky to the tower via its crystalline summit.

<blockquote>
The Tower of seven colors has roots. It knows where it is. It is a friendly tower that likes and respects its neighbors: the Hellenic Museum in the Royal Mint, Flagstaff Park, the Republic Tower. It is part of this family. One doesn’t choose one’s parents or one’s cousins, but there they are.

Is it because the tower was born right next door to the wall of the museum that it is dressed in this warm mat brick color through which white, green and blue highlights shine? 

Is it out of friendship with the Republic Tower that the tower adopts and shelters between its great feet giant screens that are permanently inhabited by dynamic images, an ideal complement to its neighbor’s own art space? Is it to touch the sky, or marry it, that the tower’s summit develops reflections and transparencies in a crystalline and deliberate ambiguity?
<cite>Ateliers Jean Nouvel</cite>
</blockquote>

The facade is composed of a 500mm deep grid-like outer structure of various densities and scales, with a juxtaposition of order and chaos, much like Melbourne's Hoddle Grid. This depth allows for a further articulation of colour which changes as you move around the tower.

This chameleon-like effect is illustrated bellow.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sLvQESCOlBw" width="100%"></iframe>

It is at ground level where 383 La Trobe Street truly distinguishes itself.

The proposal looks to introduce a highly active ground plane which ties into Victoria University's adjoining development program at its city campus. The spacious internal laneway which bisects the site is in typical Nouvel fashion, featuring a mass of bright digital surfaces and ever changing digital artwork and large volumes.

Within these grand spaces there are galleries, a bar, restaurants, retail spaces, video arcades and a public book exchange. Mark van Miltenburg explains that the intent was always to bring a new level of public activation to the lower levels of the tower, providing a heavy level of public benefit, while allowing the evolving digital displays to cater for different public events such as White Night Melbourne.

This heightened public benefit aspect of the design which sees 30% of the site area allocated to public space is also expecting to counter recent restrictive plot ratios imposed across Melbourne's CBD. 383 La Trobe Street maintains a plot ratio of 29.1:1 which exceeds the interim controls of Amendment C262 at 24:1.

Sterling Global are hoping the altogether unique design aspects of 383 La Trobe Street will see a plot ratio exemption granted.

<blockquote>
The tower wants to be welcoming and alive. Behind its great urban gate, passageways branch out and connect to the main streets of the neighborhood, creating a mini-neighborhood of laneways and covered porches, all under laid by a bluestone floor that extends outward into different variations of ceramic brick through all the spaces it crosses including the lobby bar of the hotel, which faces the heritage wall, and the grand entrances to the apartments and the restaurant.

This urbanity is particularly made to measure in the long, tall video space that terminates in a street library that reads as an extension of the heritage wall. The urban attraction of this place is linked to its singularity, to its magnetic charm that will be as important for the residents of the tower as for the Melburnians who will come here again and again.
<cite>Ateliers Jean Nouvel</cite>
</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/383l_ground_plane.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="383 LaTrobe Street activated ground plane. Image courtesy Sterling Global"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="272" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/383l_ground_plane.jpg?itok=Y6pN-RTV" title="383 LaTrobe Street activated ground plane. Image courtesy Sterling Global" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>383 LaTrobe Street activated ground plane. Image: Sterling Global &amp; Ateliers Jean Nouvel</figcaption></figure>The development will also include four sky gardens designed by Oculus, including one which will be accessible to the public, another element common in Nouvel tower designs. These provide areas of respite for residents and further ground the tower within its context, reinforcing its relationship with Flagstaff Gardens.

All things going to plan, Mark van Miltenburg expects 383 La Trobe Street to grace the skyline in four to five years time, post its planning and apartment sales campaign.
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Laurence Dragomir

A rather Nouvel approach: 383 La Trobe Street designed to impress

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Urban.com.au can reveal Singaporean firm <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developers/figtree-holdings-limited">Figtree Holdings Limited's</a> proposal for what was formerly the Duke of Kent hotel on La Trobe Street. Better known as a builder of commercial and industrial facilities throughout east Asia, the group will press into Melbourne's high-rise residential sector via its subsidiary Figtree La Trobe Pty Ltd.

Securing the Duke of Kent for $14.08 million during 2014, Figtree subsequently added the adjoining <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/projects/303-la-trobe-melbourne">301-303 La Trobe Street</a> in order to amalgamate both sites in the hope of gaining approval for a 213 metre residential tower.

Responsible for the preliminary development scheme devised for the Duke of Kent's sales campaign, <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/architects/dko-architecture">DKO Architecture</a> were also engaged in order to conceive the scheme for approval, with the application currently before the State Government. If successfully approved, 293-303 La Trobe Street would see 370 apartments delivered, consisting of one, two and three bedroom dwellings.

<h2>293-303 La Trobe Street application 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/image43_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Facing demolition. Image courtesy DKO Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="340" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image43_1.jpg?itok=Fub3elRH" title="Facing demolition. Image courtesy DKO Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Facing demolition. Image courtesy DKO Architecture</figcaption></figure><ul>
<li>Planning application lodged April 2015</li>
	<li>Site area: 667sqm with the Duke of Kent to be demolished</li>
	<li>66 level tower at 213m above ground (OLS ceiling)</li>
	<li>Total GFA sought: 34,353sqm</li>
	<li>​370 apartments: 1/2/3 bedroom options</li>
	<li>Podium parking for 61 vehicles and basement allowances for 168 bicycles</li>
	<li>50.2sqm of ground floor retail tenancy space</li>
	<li>Level 1 amenities area and level 13/44 communal spaces</li>
</ul>
<h2>Ground level greatness?</h2>

DKO Architecture have employed a visually unique and highly interesting ground level interface to the site's three frontages, namely La Trobe Street, Sutherland Street and Flanigan Lane. To avoid creating a 'choke point' of sorts by building to the site's boundaries, the lower levels has been arched inwards so as to improve the pedestrian experience to both Sutherland Street and Flanigan Lane.

Framed by perforated golden metallic screens, a new plaza to the eastern perimeter will open up Sutherland Street in particular while also allowing for enhanced solar penetration.

According to the town planning report, the proposed urban realm will not only allow for increased pedestrian movement north and south along Sutherland Street, but also create a space where pedestrians can relax and congregate. Landscape consultancy T.C.L have envisaged bluestone public seating and Bower Vines climbing the metallic screens as a means of softening the space.

<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/image40_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Street level interface. Image courtesy DKO Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="532" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image40_1.jpg?itok=zMpdx4GO" title="Street level interface. Image courtesy DKO Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Street level interface. Image courtesy DKO Architecture</figcaption></figure><h2>Tight site, tight fit</h2>

<blockquote>
The tower is architectural resolved in a cylindrical shape with convex ends east and west which make a tower form unique to Melbourne. The use of dark blue glazing to the façade, interspersed with gold-colour glass, complements the perforated gold metal of the ground level plaza to create a building that will be an iconic building within the CBD.

The proposed built form has been sensitively designed to offer improved public amenity at ground level and excellent internal amenity, while also responding to the surrounding built (existing and approved / under construction).
<cite>Urbis, town planning report</cite>
</blockquote>

The tight nature of the site has led to minimal setbacks to La Trobe Street and Flanigan Lane, although there is precedence in the area with current towers under construction also maintaining minor setbacks to all frontages. The design's intended setback to La Trobe Street ranges between 0 and 2.3 metres over levels 14 to 43, while the west boundary is setback between 4 and 5.57 metres in anticipation of a possible redevelopment of the adjoining property into the future.

Beyond level 44 the tower's form bulges, resulting in decreased east and west setbacks. It is noted within the planning documents that although 293-303 La Trobe Street's setbacks are minimal, recent projects in the area such as <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/victoria-one-452-472-elizabeth-street-melbourne">Victoria One</a> and <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developers/brady-group">Brady Group's</a> completed Melbourne Star &amp; Sky employ little if any setbacks.

<h2>The tall and the short of it</h2>

As per many other pockets of inner Melbourne, the southern footpath of La Trobe Street between Elizabeth Street and Queen Street is in the grips of mass development with five residential towers at various stages of the development process. <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/eporo-tower-279-la-trobe-street-melbourne">Eporo Tower</a>, <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/la-trobe-tower-323-la-trobe-street-melbourne">La Trobe Tower</a> and <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/the-carlson-321-la-trobe-street-melbourne">The Carlson</a> are all under construction, with another 48 level residential development approved atop the <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/paragon-318-queen-street-melbourne">Celtic Club</a>.

The above projects border the Guildford Lane Heritage Precinct which is a prime example of early twentieth century low-rise industrial and warehousing buildings, and quite a unique aspect of <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/melbourne-vic">Melbourne's CBD</a>. With limited blocks fronting La Trobe Street available for development, 293-303 La Trobe Street shapes as one of the last sizeable residential towers that will front both La Trobe Street and the heritage precinct.

Only in the last year has the scale of La Trobe Street as depicted below begun to change immensely; it remains to be seen how Figtree's proposal along with the aforementioned towers slot into the streetscape and what effect, if any, they have upon the adjoining Guildford Lane Heritage Precinct.

<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/731003w-latrobest-dofkhotel-rsmith.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Duke of Kent in times gone by. Image courtesy tdu.to"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="273" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/731003w-latrobest-dofkhotel-rsmith.jpg?itok=WD4x7J_Z" title="The Duke of Kent in times gone by. Image courtesy tdu.to" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Duke of Kent in times gone by. Image courtesy tdu.to</figcaption></figure><h2>293-303 La Trobe Street development team</h2>

<ul>
<li>Developer: Figtree La Trobe Pty Ltd</li>
	<li>Architect: DKO Architecture</li>
	<li>Town Planner: Urbis</li>
	<li>Structural: Webber Design</li>
	<li>Services &amp; ESD: ADP Consulting</li>
	<li>Building Surveyor: SW Partners</li>
	<li>Traffic: GTA Consultants</li>
	<li>Waste: Leigh Design</li>
	<li>Land Surveyor: Bosco Johnson</li>
	<li>Wind: MEL Consultants</li>
	<li>Landscape Consultant: T.C.L</li>
</ul>
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silvermb

Figtree's Melbourne foray: 293-303 La Trobe Street, Melbourne

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The jungle drums are beating for Melbourne's next big development with word that 254-260 La Trobe Street is subject to a tower that if approved will rival its neighbour, <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/aurora-melbourne-central-224-la-trobe-street-melbourne">Aurora Melbourne Central</a> for size. The height of the intended development, which approaches the PANS-OPS ceiling for this section of the CBD has seen the proposal referred to aviation authorities for input.

This is somewhat unusual as the application for the tower has not appeared on the State planning register as yet, which is usually the first port of call. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) will instead initially make a call on the project which would see two tower cranes utilised during its construction breach the PANS-OPS barrier for an extended period of time. Post a consultation period the project is expected to move through standard planning channels.

CBD-based Landream are understood to be behind the project, which would add to their portfolio which also sees apartment projects in <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/northcote-hill-1a-campbell-grove-northcote">Northcote</a>, <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/carrington-109-carrington-road-box-hill">Box Hill</a> and further east along La Trobe Street, namely <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/the-trillium-36-la-trobe-street-melbourne">Trillium</a>. Currently under construction, Trillium's head contractor Built is also involved in the early planning for 254-260 La Trobe Street, having aided in construction feasibility and the placement of the all important tower cranes as seen below.

<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/location.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Tower crane positioning for the intended development"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="383" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/location.jpg?itok=dNCBrz5u" title="Tower crane positioning for the intended development" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Tower crane positioning for the intended development</figcaption></figure>Incidentally a post on Urban.com.au's forum has linked to an <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/3l-alliance-pushes-for-twin-246-metre-towers-at-350-queen-street">online document portfolio</a> for a project dubbed Skyline Melbourne located at 254-260 La Trobe Street, which looks to be a concept created within University of Melbourne's design studio on behalf of Landream.

Irrespective of the design's purpose, the 83 level mixed-use concept does provide a fair indication as to what can be expected onsite once an official planning application is lodged.

<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/c139e915b0e1f829d18e6708384aa3fc.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Skyline Melbourne. Image courtesy Studio 11"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="327" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/c139e915b0e1f829d18e6708384aa3fc.jpg?itok=zo56aIk8" title="Skyline Melbourne. Image courtesy Studio 11" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Skyline Melbourne. Image courtesy Studio 11</figcaption></figure>If and when 254-260 La Trobe Street does eventuate it will sit alongside Aurora Melbourne Central which is currently due to see its site demolition works commence, prior to Probuild undertaking construction works. Located at 224-252 La Trobe Street, Aurora weights in at 267 metres above ground and will carry in excess of 1,000 habitable dwellings split between private apartments and serviced apartments.

Only last week Urban.com.au covered plans for <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/3l-alliance-pushes-for-twin-246-metre-towers-at-350-queen-street">dual 246 metre towers</a> further west along La Trobe Street for developer 3L Alliance. Coupled with Aurora and 254-260 La Trobe Street, this quartet of towers has the ability to radically alter the skyline in this section of Melbourne's CBD which has for so long been dominated by the lone presence of Melbourne Central.

Lead image courtesy Google maps.
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260 La Trobe shapes as Melbourne's next big tower

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The CBD's west end is set to receive an ultra-luxury development with plans afoot for a 70 level mixed-use tower carrying in excess of 1,100 apartment and hotel rooms. Based on St Kilda Road, established developer Vic Investments Management Group (VIMG) is behind the plan which is expected to crown their expanding development workbook.

Formed near on a decade ago the firm is active in both the Melbourne and Sydney apartment markets, and has seen both the frequency and size of their projects increase over time.

The subject site of VIMG's intended blue ribbon development is 600 Collins Street which was <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/business/investors-move-into-collins-street-as-values-build-up-in-central-melbourne-20150324-1m667g">reported</a> as sold during late 2014 to a syndicate of Chinese, Malaysian and German investors for $60 million. Currently a low-rise commercial office and day care facility, the expansive site sits alongside the under construction 568 Collins Street which is due for completion in coming months. 600 Collins Street looks set to eclipse its neighbour for height, with a tower of between 220 and 240 metres a likely outcome.

<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/image228.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The site as is and as expected. Images courtesy 600collinsstreet.com.au and VIMG"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="281" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image228.jpg?itok=SgArD5Q0" title="The site as is and as expected. Images courtesy 600collinsstreet.com.au and VIMG" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The site as is and as expected. Images courtesy 600collinsstreet.com.au and VIMG</figcaption></figure>VIMG have stated via their <a href="http://vimg.com.au/portfolio/collins-street-melbourne/">website</a> that the tower will carry an end value in excess of $1 billion, with a tentative completion date set for 2021. While other pending projects in the immediate area such as <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/west-side-place-250-spencer-street-melbourne">250 Spencer Street's Ritz Carlton</a>, <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/projects/555-collins-street-new-melbourne">555 Collins Street</a>, <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/premier-tower-134-160-spencer-street-melbourne">Premier Tower</a> and <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/besgate-group-readies-their-surge-into-the-melbourne-apartment-market">640 Bourke Street</a> jockey for position in the market, 600 Collins Street's $1 billion price tag may well usurp the aforementioned projects and pit it against <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/one-queensbridge-street-1-23-queensbridge-street-southbank">1 Queensbridge Street</a> as Melbourne's most opulent current development.

At the opposite end of the CBD the developer is pursuing another tower, albeit more modest. With the site in question sold during August 2014, a planning application was submitted during October 2014 seeking the approval of a 52 level residential tower. Covering 141-149 La Trobe Street and 25-27 Bennetts Lane, the proposal would see Bennetts Lane Jazz Club make way for 210 apartments over 51 floors with two retail tenancies at ground level.

According to VIMG 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments will constitute the living options within the tower. City of Melbourne currently have the proposal listed at an 'appeal' stage.

<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/8941dd5b118085c844a249414324433a.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Artist's impression of 141-149 La Trobe Street . Image courtesy VIMG"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/8941dd5b118085c844a249414324433a.jpg?itok=FAdYO9Z_" title="Artist's impression of 141-149 La Trobe Street . Image courtesy VIMG" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Artist's impression of 141-149 La Trobe Street . Image courtesy VIMG</figcaption></figure>Nearby Hamilton Marino Builders have taken VIMG's <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/metrolitan-melbourne-137-bourke-street-melbourne">Metropolitan</a> on Bourke Street above ground level, on the way to delivering the 19 level dKO Architecuture-designed tower midway between Russell and Exhibition.

The remaining local VIMG project has just reached construction tender. <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/coventry-haus-33-coventry-street-southbank">Coventry Haus</a> on Southbank will see a JCB Architects-designed 20 level residential tower slot into the popular residential precinct.

Hamilton Marino Builders have also recently completed Central Gardens in Box Hill and Prahran's Scout Apartments for VIMG in addition to Metropolitan, suggesting they may be considered favourite to snare the Southbank build.​
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VIMG's latest tower valued in excess of $1 billion 

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The commercial sector's apparent disinterest in the western end of La Trobe Street has given rise to one of Melbourne's premier residential development sites. At the foot of Victoria Harbour, 1000 La Trobe Street has emerged as The Millennium Site, a 6,007sqm land holding with the ability to hold approximately 600 apartments.

Land owner Digital Harbour Holdings has chosen to sell the prime site following years of staggered activity within their Digital Harbour Precinct, seeking instead to capitalise upon fervent market conditions which continues to seen strong prices achieved for inner city development sites.

Selling agent Colliers International is preparing for a tide of interest from both local and international developers as The Millennium Site represents the largest single development site currently available in the City of Melbourne. The current approved commercial scheme has been superseded with the below concept, yet still allows for a total of 47,940sqm of residential living gross floor area.

<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/image134_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Artist's impression of a revised 1000 La Trobe Street. Image courtesy Colliers"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="980" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image134_1.jpg?itok=MJETN2KL" title="Artist's impression of a revised 1000 La Trobe Street. Image courtesy Colliers" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Artist's impression of a revised 1000 La Trobe Street. Image courtesy Colliers</figcaption></figure><h2>What they say</h2>

<blockquote>
The Millennium Site forms part of Melbourne’s waterside precinct which will benefit from the redevelopment of Harbour Esplanade. Situated between Southern Cross Station, Etihad Stadium, New Quay, the waterfront, and the soon to be announced E Gate precinct, The Millennium Site will be a key element within a highly connected precinct linking the Melbourne CBD to the Docklands waterfront.

There is a tram stop on the doorstep of the site and developers will be able to capitalise on the uninterrupted water and CBD views from the upper levels of any potential future development. CBD development sites are becoming increasingly popular among developers as central CBD precincts become more tightly held.”

Melbourne as a city has a diminishing supply of prime residential development opportunities, with development sites increasingly hemmed in by adjoining buildings. Docklands is not as intensively developed on a site-by-site basis, so it is becoming increasingly desirable for residential development because there are more opportunities to optimise both built form outcomes and future view lines.
<cite>Trent Hobart, Colliers International media release</cite>
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
Docklands is also becoming more connected to the CBD. Whereas once Docklands was thought of as a very separate precinct, new roadways, pedestrian access and tram super stops have seen it become increasingly thought of as part of the western core of the CBD.
<cite>Bryson Cameron, Colliers International media release</cite>
</blockquote>

<h2>All washed up</h2>

A string of commercial developments at the Docklands end of La Trobe Street have failed to materialise in recent years, much to the delight of residential developers. Subject to a low-rise commercial development, <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/projects/695-699-la-trobe-street-docklands">695-699 La Trobe Street</a> is now with Salta Properties seeking approval for a 303 apartment development while the neighbouring <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/685-la-trobe-street-docklands">685 La Trobe Street</a> development site was sold to a residential developer following its unsuccessful commercial leasing campaign.

Diagonally opposite The Millennium Site, Chinese-aligned Capital Alliance Investment Group is delivering <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/m-docklands-679-la-trobe-street-docklands">M Docklands</a>, a mixed-use residential and hotel tower that backs onto Etihad Stadium. The residential prospects of The Millennium Site coupled with the five most recent development site sales in Docklands averaging $7000/sqm points to the inherent value that this emerging Docklands residential pocket holds.
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