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The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has signed a management contract for a new hotel and branded residences to be located in the late Dame Zaha Hadid-designed 582-606 (600) Collins Street.  Planning permits were signed off by the Minister on the 20th of June.

The building will include 196 guestrooms and suites over the lower floors and the upper floors will be known as the Residences at Mandarin Oriental.  The Mandarin Oriental Hotel group will manage the 148 residences.

Likewise, the build will carry 1,742sqm of office space and a hefty 6,500sqm of retail space.

<blockquote>
Mandarin Oriental, Melbourne will feature 196 spacious, contemporary guestrooms and suites designed to reflect local culture, together with features inspired by Mandarin Oriental’s oriental heritage.

The Group will also manage 148 Residences at Mandarin Oriental, located on the tower’s upper floors, which will provide some of the most luxurious private homes in the city. Owners will have exclusive access to the luxury hotel experience, as well as their own bespoke amenities including a private residents’ lounge.
</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/151214_1039_closeup_hires.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Collins Street perspective - planning scheme images"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="327" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/151214_1039_closeup_hires.jpg?itok=2ZfnWGOJ" title="Collins Street perspective - planning scheme images" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Collins Street perspective - planning scheme images</figcaption></figure>Mandarin Oriental Melbourne as it is to be known will feature an all-day dining restaurant and a bar with a landscaped roof terrace.  The building will also house several meeting spaces, an executive club lounge and a Spa at Mandarin Oriental.

The managing director of developer Landream says "we are proud to bring the award-winning Mandarin Oriental brand to Melbourne.  Mandarin Oriental Melbourne will set a new standard for luxury service in the city and will offer a preferred choice to travelers and potential homeowners who desire the finest accommodation".

Group Chief Executive of Mandarin Oriental stated "we are delighted with this opportunity to open our first hotel in Australia.  This new development will be a welcome addition to the brand's growing global portfolio".

A construction start date has not been set however the Mandarin Oriental Melbourne is expected to open in 2023.
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Alastair Taylor

Mandarin Oriental to open its first hotel & residence property in Australia

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100,000 jobs, 80,000 residents and 50,000 students.  They're big numbers and if it goes ahead, the Australian Education City in Werribee East will revolutionise Melbourne's West.

The Herald Sun has been running an interesting week-long series on what Melbourne might look like in future and in John Masanaukas' - the Herald Sun's City Editor - piece on Australian Education City we learnt that a decision on the proposal is due to be made later in the year.

Specifically, the <a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/future-melbourne/australian-education-city-one-step-closer-in-melbournes-western-suburbs/news-story/de7f28255d509ed632b14d329b8b0d17">HUN report</a> cites State Finance Minister Robin Scott as saying the AEC's exclusivity period for the area had been extended to September.

<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/aec_ewez_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Mega masterplanned development comes to Melbourne - image via the Herald Sun"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="327" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/aec_ewez_1.jpg?itok=0LkMa3zN" title="Mega masterplanned development comes to Melbourne - image via the Herald Sun" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Mega masterplanned development comes to Melbourne - image via the <a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/future-melbourne/australian-education-city-one-step-closer-in-melbournes-western-suburbs/news-story/de7f28255d509ed632b14d329b8b0d17">Herald Sun</a></figcaption></figure>Stepping dramatically away from how we've built new university campuses in the past - think Monash Clayton and La Trobe Bundoora, expansive areas dedicated to education &amp; research - Australian Education City's headline numbers point to a highly integrated, multi-use precinct which would likely result in abnormal transport demands.

Like any other jobs hub, there would be significant demand on getting to the precinct in the morning and departing in the evening, however the 80,000 residents would also increase demand for travel from the precinct in the morning and back to it in the evening.  

Throw in a lot of a students who by their very nature have highly variable transport needs that correlate with their variable university timetables and you have a recipe for disaster if the precinct is not planned with high-quality public transport.

One of the primary features of the area is the existing Werribee line which skirts just outside the northern end of the precinct.  And what's more, it's the same line that would be connected to 'Melbourne Metro 2'.

The site is somewhat unique in that it's likely to attract significant amounts of people from two different city metros and therefore the transport network would need to adapt to cater for this.  Likewise, AEC sits in a prime position to radically alter the way we deliver road-based public transport in the outer suburbs. 

On the eastern side of the Princess Freeway lies Point Cook that looks set to be in pole position in regards to access to the precinct thanks to the Sneydes Road work that's already been implemented.  And herein lies the rub - if rail is put at the heart of the AEC project, the road-based PT network would naturally suit converging on AEC as well.

There is perhaps a unique opportunity to expand the Werribee line's coverage in relation to AEC by building a new diversion which would put a rail station at the very heart of the precinct.

The proponent, through the Herald Sun, is portraying the project as one on the same level as Fishermans Bend - a project that will be ongoing and likely to span multiple decades.  And it's with this in mind coupled with the big numbers that have been reported on, should we not be demanding the precinct be directly served by rail?

Consider the context: Infrastructure Victoria has found Metro 2 to be a candidate project for further consideration and study - despite the fact it came out with a preliminary negative BCR.   The Metro 2 project would see a single rail line run from the northern suburbs right through the heart of the city and out to the south western suburbs in Werribee.

The site as it stands today is lightly developed and is in the truest sense of the word a Greenfield.  Given the vision to build an intensive, integrated precinct, would it not be prudent to take advantage of the sparsely developed land and build a cut and cover tunnel that would divert the Werribee line from Hoppers Crossings into the heart of the site and then back out to Werribee station?

Cut and cover is broadly regarded as a cheaper method of tunneling - except in already built-up areas where disruptive costs become prohibitive - and in the case of AEC, here we have a golden opportunity to put proper high-quality PT infrastructure into a precinct before the artificial lake and street grid is created, with a cheaper-to-construct cut and cover tunnel.

Both Werribee and Hoppers Crossing stations are likely to have their respective level crossings removed in due course and connecting a new tunnel through the heart of AEC to the existing lines would require other non-cut and cover methods of tunneling in order to avoid property acquisition.

The premise is that all metro services would deviate via the tunnel with a second layer of rail service to Geelong on top of the faster Southern Cross services extending from Werribee, therefore servicing AEC from both Melbourne &amp; Geelong, when the line is electrified as outlined in the 2012 Heavy Rail Network Development Plan.

<iframe frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1uW1QnoZ-BUuhGyljrlTb_yQJYjE&amp;hl=en&amp;z=14" width="100%"></iframe>

Blue line: cut and cover tunnel through the majority of the site, built before the street grid and water features are implemented and major development work kicks off. (Approximately 3.3km)

Red line: traditional mined/bored tunnels to connect the cut and cover tunnel to the main line. (Approximately 1.4km)

Brown lines: two possible major BRT routes linking the local area directly into the heart of the precinct.
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East Werribee, Australian Education City and what to do about public transport

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Last week <a href="https://www.o.bike/">oBike</a> - a Singaporean-based dockless bike sharing scheme - began a <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/are-you-curious-orange-when-it-comes-to-shared-cycling-obike-is-the-new-blue-20170608-gwmz3u">pilot</a> in Melbourne. It's the first of what may be many private-sector bike sharing schemes that could start to proliferate the public realm right across the city and it's worth pondering what this means for the transport network and for local government.

In a nutshell, the system works like this: you download the app on your phone, sign up (which includes a one-time deposit), and then find a bike near you in the app's map user interface. You can reserve a bike near you for ten minutes or if you're near a bike, you can reserve through the app and then scan a QR on the bike's handlebars to unlock it.

The unlocking process gives you access to a helmet that comes with the bike and then you're free to make your trip. At the end of the trip, you go back into the app and then lock the bike; your account will then be debited the charge for the time you've used on the bike.

As wearing a helmet is required to legally ride a bike in Victoria, oBike are starting off on the right foot by providing them for free. Whether the helmets indeed stay with each bike is another story, but it goes a long way to removing the inconvenience factor of cycling on short trips, especially if you intend to use oBike as an extension of the public transport network.

Also benefitting oBike, according to the report in The Age, is the intention to expand the bike-sharing scheme to areas that aren't even covered by the existing Melbourne Bike Share Scheme. Brunswick and South Yarra are notable for having no coverage at present.

And the dockless concept lends itself to providing coverage areas beyond the more densely populated areas right out into the middle ring and perhaps some outer ring suburbs. Especially if councils or the state government incentivise concentrations of bikes at stations.

All that new space under each of the new elevated stations on the Dandenong corridor, for example, are candidates for dedicated mass bike parking areas.

<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/bikes_parking_in_amsterdam_central_station.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Amsterdam station bike parking: a multi-level parking structure any urbanist can get behind (Wikipedia)"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/bikes_parking_in_amsterdam_central_station.jpg?itok=Z60Z-KQZ" title="Amsterdam station bike parking: a multi-level parking structure any urbanist can get behind (Wikipedia)" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Amsterdam station bike parking: a multi-level parking structure any urbanist can get behind (Wikipedia)</figcaption></figure>And what to do if oBike and any subsequent competing schemes are embraced take off? Might we go down the Amsterdam path?

We've got time before we'll need anything like they have in Amsterdam, but it's conceivable infrastructure will need to change both in the inner city and elsewhere. Natural destinations for bikes like the Queen Victoria Market, Flinders Street, Southern Cross, The MCG, Richmond Station, North Melbourne Station, Crown and many other points in Southbank and Docklands could see a lot of footpath congestion if there's no decent way to manage an influx of bikes.

And what should we do if things get that popular that people can barely walk down streets because footpaths are overflowing with parked bikes? It would seem it's fun times ahead for councils under a scenario where private bike share schemes are embraced en masse.

Working on the assumption that many of these new operators will expand into multiple Australia cities, a nationally consistent database of bike infrastructure might have a sharpened focus. Knowing where each piece of bike infrastructure is - from bike lanes and trails to footpath hoops and new spaces to be created for an increasing amount of parked bikes - would be valuable for app developers to use.

If one council wants bike share users to utilise new parking spaces over leaving bikes randomly locked to road-side posts, the council need only flag it in the database and the bike share apps can then use this information and direct users to those areas.

Anonymised usage data would conversely be extremely useful for transport planners and encouraging each bike share scheme operator to open this data up would be informative for the public debate on transport policy.

Over to you.

Lead image credit: Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/australiaobike">@Australiaobike</a>
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Pondering what oBike and other dockless cycle schemes mean for Melbourne

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The Age's transport reporter Adam Carey broke the news that Transdev - the operator of one-third of Melbourne's bus network - has initiated a market-lead proposal to bring a modern Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system to Melbourne's East.

The proposal would see road and freeway medians taken over by dedicated bus lanes - including using the wide median in the Eastern Freeway - as well as raised platform stops scattered along the line, The Age <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/bid-to-pave-over-doncaster-rail-reserve-for-melbournes-first-rapid-busway-20170601-gwie1z">reports</a>.

A dedicated fleet of new vehicles would operate the services and as the bus lanes would be located in road medians, the vehicles would require doors to be located on both sides to allow for boarding/disembarking on the right side.

The Age's report states that Transdev proposes services run every three minutes in peak with a journey time of 30 minutes to a new Southern Cross terminus and the vehicles would have a capacity of 150 passengers. In short, the proposed system would operate much like a rail line, just with large capacity buses.

<h2>Comment</h2>

Busways have been proposed in Melbourne in the past and there are a myriad of international examples to look at for inspiration - Transdev in a media release even pointed out it runs similar systems in <a href="https://www.transdev.com.au/media/13417/20170608-doncaster-brt-media-statement-final.pdf">Bogotá, Nantes and Rouen</a> - however this would appear to the be first with any teeth.

Transdev has outlined that the proposal will evolve as consultation begins and thankfully they have committed themselves to this. Because, from the initial reports, there is a yawning gap in the scope: The Age reports that the infrastructure (and I'm assuming the premium-level services) would begin at Donvale, opposite Tunstall Square.

The gap is between Tunstall Square and Nunawading, a natural terminus for the BRT if ever there were one. Nunawading is a premium station which sees good weekday and weekend services that can connect passengers from the BRT to Ringwood, Box Hill and beyond. It could also connect passengers from the outer reaches of the Lilydale/Belgrave lines with a fast and frequent service into Doncaster.

New pieces of public transport infrastructure, as a rule, should maximise connectivity, not simply pushing the same barrow of, for the most part, ferrying suburban commuters to the inner-city like all our current rail lines do.

Notwithstanding the governance merits of this proposal being implemented as a PPP with the terms highlighted in The Age report (it appears Transdev would lock themselves into operating the services for 30 years), terminating this infrastructure at Nunawading naturally leads into turning the entire Springvale Road corridor - all the way to the bay - into a BRT at a later stage.

Melbourne's smartbus routes are routinely hailed as a success and at a conceptual level, this Transdev proposal - if the same type of infrastructure and new bus fleet were to be implemented in other parts of the city - would be an upgrade to the smartbus services in the Springvale Road corridor.

Heading south from Nunawading station, Springvale Road serves many of eastern Melbourne's primary job centres: The Tally Ho business park at Burwood Highway, Glen Waverley &amp; station, Brandon Park at Ferntree Gully Road, the entire eastern edge of the Monash NEC with two high profile intersections at Wellington Road and Springvale junction, Springvale &amp; station, Keysborough and Edithvale station.

Many more major arterial roads which have either 4 or 6 lanes and a median would also be an obvious candidate for study on how to bring high-quality, fast and frequent public transport to the suburbs as well.

One wonders what could have been possible had the infrastructure to support BRT operations as part of the recently announced <a href="https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/planning-and-projects/melbourne-road-projects/outer-suburban-arterial-roads">$1.8 billion PPP to upgrade arterial roads in Melbourne's west</a> been included.

In fact, this should be part of VicRoads modus operandi, how to get higher people, not vehicles, throughput on our arterial roads in part by sequestering existing lanes and in another part adding new dedicated bus lanes for high-frequency bus services.

Overall, it's a welcome addition to the debate on how to transport Melburnians around Melbourne and the consultation process will be one to watch.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://railgallery.wongm.com/melbourne-buses/E106_3866.jpg">Marcus Wong</a>.
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Transdev's Doncaster & Donvale BRT proposal: a welcome addition to the public transport debate

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Two important stories which traverse both transport and housing topic areas were highlighted on Apartments.com.au this week.

The news that the medium and high-density components of <a href="/news/targets-williams-landing-hq-a-boon-for-the-wests-commercial-prospects">Williams Landing will ramp up</a> highlight what some might gloss over but what I think is the correct 'order' of doing things: the rail station is built first, developers then piggyback off the new infrastructure second.

Likewise, this morning's report on <a href="/news/xo-projects-first-database-entry-makes-for-a-sleek-alphington-addition">XO Project's first foray into the UM database</a> is a good example of how the apartment market in Melbourne more broadly is maturing.

<h2>Alphington</h2>

Putting aside price per square metre and whether this (or any) development has a certain percentage of units targeted for affordable housing (at or below market prices for purchasers or units made available for affordable housing associations); putting aside whether the building is "too tall"; putting aside whether the apartments are the "right" internal square metre size - basically putting aside all the standard arguments which have multiple proponents and opponents across academia, the industry, government and the community at large - let's devote our attention to this one aspect for a moment.

It's this one line in Mark's <a href="/news/xo-projects-first-database-entry-makes-for-a-sleek-alphington-addition">article</a>: 

<ul>
<li>109 apartments: 31 x one-bedroom, 56 x two-bedroom, 22 x three-bedroom</li>
</ul>
One project out of 1400 on our database doesn't make a trend, yet this is what I'd call a balanced configuration.  One that should be highlighted given the current set of planning regulations and real estate dynamics that define our current market.

(Apologies for going all Kevin '07), there's merit in calling affordability and housing equity issues the great moral, city-building, challenge of our time, but just for a moment let's pause and celebrate the fact that developers are confident enough to take a development to market that for all intents and purposes will smash the stereotype pedalled by some that apartments are just for singles, couples or investors.

In the arbitrary world of measuring the size of a development by height or number of floors (which I freely admit does the planning world &amp; profession a disservice), I like to call the residential growth zone the Goldilocks Zone: not too small and not too big - the 'just right' size of [potential] development that's not going to send too many members of the community out into the streets with pitchforks. It's the 'just right' compromise that is easily understood.

Despite this development's size not fitting within Goldilocks Zone parameters (it's 9 levels as opposed to the Goldilocks Zone standard of 4 levels), I'm hereby dubbing this and all future projects like it to be a Goldilocks Development.  This is based purely on the diversity of unit configurations available off plan.

A sizeable chunk at the larger end that could conceivably be considered family-friendly and the bulk of the units in the mid-sized configuration.  

If more and more projects currently on the drawing board or those that will be proposed in the future have a similar level of 'off plan' diversity then Melbourne's apartment market will have said goodbye to its formative teenage years and made that first step into adulthood.  

There's a long way to get there, however confirmation that the city's apartment market has moved well and truly into adulthood will happen when we get policy and planning settings right on affordability and when the city's citizens don't feel the need to automatically look to the fringe to start a family.

<h2>Williams Landing</h2>

In Williams Landing we have a small scale but clear cut example of doing things in the right order.  Williams Landing station was opened in April 2013 and thereafter the medium and high-density components kicked off with both the Newton and Oxford apartment buildings entering their registration and sales phases in 2015 and 2016.

Now we have a new catalyst, a commercial building with a well-known brand to have its head office housed there.

In the world of gazing into the crystal ball on how to expand and ultimately augment Melbourne's rail network, talk on how the land surrounding the rail network inevitably gets discussed.  What's now happening in Williams Landing stands as a great example of can happen when we get the order of development right.

Unfortunately for Geelong, its loss is Melbourne's gain with Target moving its head office right next to the Williams Landing station.  

While I have and will continue to applaud businesses who employ large numbers of people under one roof and then choose to locate themselves next to the transport mode which will have the most dramatic impact on lessening our insidious car culture, the way the rail network now operates will make it hard for those who would presumably like to remain living in Geelong but follow their job to Williams Landing.

Geelong trains now run around the back of Werribee and there is a bus that links Tarneit - where some Geelong trains stop - and Williams Landing station, however the frequency of service leaves little to be desired.  That said, rail and bus frequencies can (and do) increase over time; however what's the bet that joining the hordes of people on the Princes FWY will be the favoured journey to work from Geelong?

Spring Street has already signalled that it intends to hold back the more intensive redevelopment of the Arden precinct until the new metro station opens - it gets to dictate these terms directly in this case as the state government is a major landholder in the area.  In my view, again, this is the correct order of doing things however what of Fishermans Bend?

Despite its purchase of the former GMH site, the state government is not in the same position as Arden when it comes to south of the Yarra - already developments have kicked off in the eastern end around Montague and in this early stage the 109 tram might be able to cope with a small increase in residents and workers, over the medium to long-term it'll be - excusez mon français - a shit fight.

The cat's out of the bag and Melbourne can't do a Williams Landing on a much larger scale in Fishermans Bend, however that doesn't mean the state government shouldn't reprioritise and play catch up so that proper transport for the precinct is provided in the earlier, rather than later stages of this multi-decade redevelopment zone.

A final framework for Fishermans Bend without a clear picture of how heavy rail will work (and perhaps more importantly when it will begin operations) will mean it's dead on arrival.
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Reflections on doing it right: Alphington, Williams Landing and Fishermans Bend

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<h2>Comment</h2>

At first, there was $10 million on the table in the Victorian Budget.  And when it was time for Canberra to hand down its budget, that figure swelled to $30 million.  In short, whatever the final figure will be, a sizeable chunk of dough is to be spent executing a proper feasibility study on a Melbourne Airport Rail Link.

The study will look a number of aspects, most notably what form a high-capacity rail link would take (its corridor, its technology, its transit time etc) and how building and operating it will be funded (via a PPP, government debt, the Federal Government's new National Rail building fund).  This funding aspect seems to be key, not least because the Victorian State Government to date has been reluctant to commit to any airport link project, except during this year's budget time.

Firstly, let's look back at what's already been studied.

In 2013 the <a href="https://static.ptv.vic.gov.au/siteassets/PTV/PTV%20docs/Feasibility-Studies/Melbourne-Airport-Rail-Link-Study-Overview-brochure.pdf">Melbourne Airport Rail Link (MARL) Study</a> was completed.  Its findings primarily focus on corridors - working on the assumption a MARL would be an extension of the existing network (or utilise network-compatible rail equipment).

Here are the corridors that were looked at in the study.

<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/melair_corridors.png" rel="gallery-all" title="MARL Study (2013) - corridors"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="650" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/melair_corridors.png?itok=l2jbrN3a" title="MARL Study (2013) - corridors" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>MARL Study (2013) - corridors</figcaption></figure>And here's the assessment of each corridor.

<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/melair_corridors_assessment.png" rel="gallery-all" title="MARL Study (2013) - corridor assessment"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="303" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/melair_corridors_assessment.png?itok=YgV11hLG" title="MARL Study (2013) - corridor assessment" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>MARL Study (2013) - corridor assessment</figcaption></figure>The conclusion from this study is that the Albion East corridor best meets the various criteria each corridor was assessed against.  It is a very safe assumption to make that should a standard heavy-rail / existing rail network compatible solution be chosen, the Albion East corridor will remain top dog.

On Wednesday 31st of May, RMIT's Centre for Urban Research held the latest in its series of Talking Transport seminars which focused on the Melbourne Airport Rail Link.  One of the panellists was John Hearsch from the Rail Futures Institute and he spoke about <a href="http://www.railfutures.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/170409-Airport-brochure-v6.pdf">RFI's proposal</a>. 

RFI's Airtrain proposal &amp; documentation is a subset of its larger InterCity study which aims to completely separate all regional and metropolitan rail traffic over the longer term and while at the conceptual level, it's no doubt going to be a reference point for the new study.

At the seminar John Hearsch also provided greater context for the RFI proposal in that it would likely be a 3 phase implementation, done under a public-private partnership with the first phase being the most capital intensive: building the three tunnels, airport train shuttle maintenance and storage facility over a 4 year planning and 4 year build timeframe.

The transit time of 15 minutes would be made possible through the combination of tunnels and at-grade sections having a track speed (and operational service) in the same realm as the regional lines outside Melbourne: 160kph.

It takes inspiration from the 2013 MARL Study and John Hearsch made particular mention of the connectivity benefits in that from either Melbourne Airport, Sunshine or Southern Cross stations, the RFI proposal railway would be a 1 train change from any rail destination in Victoria.

The other public-domain proposal that the new feasibility study should look at is the <a href="http://www.airshuttleaust.com.au/">Airshuttle Australia express train project</a>.  This is a proposal to use different rail technology on more direct corridors - in the Citylink median or a combination of above the existing Craigieburn rail corridor and the Tullamarine Freeway median north of Essendon.

As it is technology independent and wouldn't directly interface with the existing network, the Metro Tunnel dependency that has been used as an excuse to not talk about the Airport link in any great detail by the State Government - up until this year's budget - is irrelevant.  In fact, both public domain concepts propose operationally separate railways with no dependency on the existing network; in both cases thne real sticking point is narrowing down the costs, potential benefits and how to fund them.

Of course, we shouldn't discount another well-rounded solution to the long-term needs of passengers at the airport and the employees who work within the vicinity of it to come out of this process either.

<h2>The road public transport network should also be a study priority</h2>

As PTUA's president Tony Morton mentioned at the Talking Transport seminar, the rail link should be ambitious and aim to do most of the heavy lifting; it should aspire to carry a high proportion of trips to and from the airport but we musn't also exclude other modes of public transport.

More than one panellist made mention of the 903 Smartbus that connects the airport with the Craigieburn line and going forward this is likely to remain the primary public transport connection for those who live in this area. But what other opportunities are there for a large airport-focused high-frequency bus network to the east of the airport?

Should money be invested in expanding 24-hour bus lanes &amp; bus priority on Broadmeadows Road, Mahoneys Road, Pascoe Vale and Cooper Street? How much would it cost to operate a 15-minute frequency service from places like South Morang, cross-town, through outer north to Broadmeadows and onto the airport? What would patronage be like?

And a shout out for the tram network, the #59 tram terminates at Airport West, just short of the southern airport employment precinct and terminals.  How much would it cost to extend this tram route out to the airport to compliment the bus network to the airport's east and the heavy lifting rail line?

Servicing the areas directly to the east and south-east of the airport should be within the scope of the new study.

<h2>Strategic land-use context</h2>

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZBdK2sX3DFo" width="100%"></iframe>

It's also worth reminding ourselves that there is a significant body of strategic planning work underway in the region, most notably the <a href="https://vpa.vic.gov.au/project/sunshine-employment-cluster/">Sunshine National Employment and Innovation Cluster</a> shown in the video above.  

'All rails lead to Sunshine' when it comes to the metropolitan and regional network in this part of Melbourne - the Ballarat Line has budgeted work coming online soon where the line will be duplicated to Melton in preparation for electrification and the Sunbury line is directly benefiting from the Metro Tunnel project.

It's a combination of this already budgeted for or investment that's underway, minimal property acquisition/re-use of existing surplus land in existing rail corridors, coupled with the Victorian Planning Authority's planning work that makes Sunshine such a potent inclusion to a rail link to the airport.

In short, the promised cash should not be limited to just studying how to get an airport rail link up and running sooner, it should be a holistic airport ground transport plan for the next 50 years.
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Setting the scope for the upcoming $30 million Melbourne Airport Rail Link study

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On Wednesday next week, <a href="http://cur.org.au/">RMIT's Centre for Urban Research</a> is holding its third monthly Talking Transport event: The Melbourne Airport Rail Link, are we there yet?

It is a free, <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/the-melbourne-airport-rail-link-are-we-there-yet-tickets-34843527930">ticketed event</a>, to be held at RMIT's Building 80 - located at 445 Swanston Street - level 11, room 10 from 6:00 pm.

<blockquote>
<h3>Description</h3>

Recently, the Australian Government pledged $30 million in addition to the Victorian Government's $10 million for the development of a business case for a rail link between Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport and city, much to the delight of many Victorians.

A train between the airport and city may seem like a no-brainer for Melbourne, but are there details that may derail our expectations?

Join us for the third instalment of RMIT Centre for Urban Research’s Talking Transport series where we bring together leading experts from government, academia, industry and the community sector, to explore and identify real solutions for our city’s future mobility.

The panelists will be seeking to address:

<ul>
<li>Should the link be privately or publicly owned?</li>
	<li>How will that affect ticket pricing?</li>
	<li>What route should the link take?</li>
	<li>Should it be part of the Melbourne Metro?</li>
	<li>Should it be built before or after the Metro?</li>
	<li>What mistakes have other cities similar to Melbourne made and how can we avoid it?</li>
	<li>Should the airport rail should be our #1 priority or are there other public transport projects or issues more deserving of immediate attention?</li>
</ul>
Speakers:

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.ptua.org.au/team/tonymorton/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Anthony Morton</a>, President PTUA</li>
	<li>
<a href="http://www.impa.org.au/peoplek/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Marianne Richards</a>, Vice-President Inner Melbourne Planning Alliance</li>
	<li>
<a href="http://www.railfutures.org.au/about-rail-futures/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">John Hearsch</a>, President, Rail Futures Institute</li>
	<li>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-smelt-327b3242/?ppe=1" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Edward Smelt</a>, Principal Engineer Infrastructure Victoria</li>
</ul>
* More speakers to be announced

Moderator:

<ul>
<li>
<a href="http://cur.org.au/people/professor-michael-buxton/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Buxton</a>, Professor of Environment and Planning RMIT University</li>
</ul>
Date/Time:

Wednesday 31st May, 6:00pm-7:15pm.
</blockquote>

To book a free seat, please see this link on <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/the-melbourne-airport-rail-link-are-we-there-yet-tickets-34843527930">Eventbrite</a>.

The Centre for Urban Research also streams its events on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RMITCUR/">Facebook live</a>. Shown below are the first two seminars.

April 26th:

<iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="350" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FRMITCUR%2Fvideos%2F1259704960794910%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=560" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="100%"></iframe>

March 22nd:

<iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="350" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FRMITCUR%2Fvideos%2F1221957964569610%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=560" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="100%"></iframe>
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Event: The Melbourne Airport Rail Link, are we there yet?

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<h2>Comment</h2>

Sub-optimal outcomes, perceived or otherwise, were always going to be included in the wider level crossing removal project, and Buckley Street in Essendon just so happens to be one of them.

In 2015, <a href="/news/essendon-junction-structure-plan-and-buckley-street-grade-separation">Urban.com.au took a look</a> at the Moonee Valley-led council proposal to remove the level crossing at Buckley Street and apply a new structure plan to Essendon.  

To this day, the notion of removing the existing rail-over-road bridge at Mount Alexander Road and sinking the whole rail corridor under both a restored Mount Alexander Road and Buckley street appears to be the best case scenario.

However, if we take a look at it with fresh eyes after seeing the process of rolling out other level crossing removal projects, the gloss starts to wither away.

For starters as one commenter made mention in the original article, the originally predicted price tag of near $200 million would eat away into the overall budget and take funds away from completing another removal project in metro Melbourne.

Disruption would be huge and quite frankly unacceptable - removing an already grade-separated crossing, filling in the void created over a century ago and then digging another wide trench to fit a 3 platform station - is both profligate and would put the Craigieburn (and Seymour) lines out of action for months.  

Absolutely yes, if a rail line were to be taken out action for that amount of time, it would make sense to do other level crossings - Glenroy is also on the list - but budget for doing other local crossings like Park St and Puckle Street/Holmes Road in Moonee Ponds needs to come from somewhere.

The urban outcomes of the council-led plan tick a lot of boxes - better integration between rail and tram services, and they correct the wanton waste of land that is the Essendon station car park by developing on top of it as well as the sunken rail corridor - but it all comes down to disruption and budget.

One sledge against the preferred option for removing the Buckley Street level crossing is that it is a cheap solution.  Which in and of itself is interesting.  The detailed render in the lead image above depicts a far better urban realm than what currently exists at Buckley Street.

Employing Urban Designers does not come cheap and there's clearly been a lot of thought put it into the pedestrian realm.  In fact it's a massive upgrade over the current dominance of a 4 lane road choked with cars - never forget that, a level crossing is always the worst outcome, everything else is always better.

Whether this is an optimal or sub-optimal outcome, the land around Essendon station is changing and the station will solidify itself as the centre of the suburb soon enough - see the list of projects below.
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Give the road under rail grade separation at Buckley Street a chance

<html><body>
Forever present when there's a large amount of construction happening around the city, recent photographic updates by UM users in the projects &amp; construction threads on the forum have seen a large number of pits highlighted throughout the city.

<h2>Collins Arch - CBD</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/p5151469_redden.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Image by redden, originally posted 16/05/2017"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/p5151469_redden.jpg?itok=AB2U3iMR" title="Image by redden, originally posted 16/05/2017" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Image by redden, originally posted 16/05/2017</figcaption></figure>See more photos in the <a href="/news">Collins Arch forum thread</a>. 

<h2>Capitol Grand - South Yarra</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/p5151419_redden.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Image by redden, originally posted 16/05/2017"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/p5151419_redden.jpg?itok=bj7dJtge" title="Image by redden, originally posted 16/05/2017" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Image by redden, originally posted 16/05/2017</figcaption></figure><a href="/news">Capitol Grand forum thread</a>.

<h2><a href="/buildings/premier-tower-134-160-spencer-street-melbourne">Premier Tower - CBD</a></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/p5151463_redden.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Image by redden, originally posted 16/05/2017"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/p5151463_redden.jpg?itok=Jz_5kZCN" title="Image by redden, originally posted 16/05/2017" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Image by redden, originally posted 16/05/2017</figcaption></figure> 

<a href="/news">Premier Tower forum thread</a>.

The southern edge of the former markets site in Moonee Ponds is now in full swing with the northern edge the last remaining section to see excavation occur.

<h2>Former markets site - Moonee Ponds</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/img_9469_0_mb.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Image by Mark Baljak, originally posted 12/05/2017"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_9469_0_mb.jpg?itok=8Hmp38Br" title="Image by Mark Baljak, originally posted 12/05/2017" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Image by Mark Baljak, originally posted 12/05/2017</figcaption></figure> 

<a href="/news">Moonee Ponds forum thread</a>.

The cluster of CBD top-end talls also continues to feature heavily on the forum, including Victoria One whose floorplates are still playing catch up with the core box. 

<h2>Victoria One - CBD</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/img_0083_mb.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Image by Mark Baljak, originally posted 12/05/2017"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_0083_mb.jpg?itok=mgCLnRUD" title="Image by Mark Baljak, originally posted 12/05/2017" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Image by Mark Baljak, originally posted 12/05/2017</figcaption></figure> 

<a href="/news">Victoria One forum thread</a>.

Victoria One's next-door neighbour, Light House Melbourne, gets a lot of attention now that it is externally complete.

<h2>Light House Melbourne - CBD</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/img_0245.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Image by Mark Baljak, originally posted 17/05/2017"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_0245.jpg?itok=xTMYSR4R" title="Image by Mark Baljak, originally posted 17/05/2017" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Image by Mark Baljak, originally posted 17/05/2017</figcaption></figure> 

<a href="/news">Light House Melbourne forum thread</a>.

Australia 108 continues its march through the slower-to-build podium levels.

<h2>Australia 108 - Southbank</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/6670d0d6effb0d46ce79a60408dc42ce.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Image by Ryan Seychell, originally posted 10/05/2017"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/6670d0d6effb0d46ce79a60408dc42ce.jpg?itok=bJQfNWpT" title="Image by Ryan Seychell, originally posted 10/05/2017" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Image by Ryan Seychell, originally posted 10/05/2017</figcaption></figure><a href="/news">Australia 108 forum thread</a>.

<h2>Empire Melbourne - CBD</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/img_9568.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Image by Mark Baljak, originally posted 17/05/2017"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_9568.jpg?itok=baMQfiTy" title="Image by Mark Baljak, originally posted 17/05/2017" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Image by Mark Baljak, originally posted 09/05/2017</figcaption></figure>Click here to see the most recent article in this series: <a href="/news/the-state-of-construction-in-melbourne-mid-april-2017">The state of construction in Melbourne: </a><a href="https://urban.melbourne/development/2017/04/19/state-construction-melbourne-mid-april-2017">mid April</a>.
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The state of construction in Melbourne - mid May 

<html><body>
Calling all developers interested in affordable housing, the University of Melbourne's Transforming Housing network is set to host the Transforming Housing in 2017 Summit on Friday 2nd June.

The summit organisers would particularly like to hear from developers who have a genuine interest in delivering affordable and social housing. Please use the form below to register your interest.

<h2>About the summit</h2>

<blockquote>
The event, hosted by the University of Melbourne’s Transforming Housing network, will bring together 60 stakeholders from the affordable housing sector including researchers; state government; local government; private developers; the investment community; and not-for-profit housing associations. It will be an opportunity to contribute to current housing debates, create solutions to pressing housing problems and network with others who have a genuine interest in supporting, funding, designing and delivering affordable and social housing for very low to moderate-income households.

Given the changes to tax incentives, access to land, and opportunities for funding related to affordable housing announced in this week’s Federal Budget and the Homes for Victorians strategy, this is an opportunity for interested developers to build both their knowledge and networks in Victoria.

If you wish to be part of the conversation, we invite you to register your interest by contacting Sarah Backhouse using the form below and by briefly stating why you’re interested in participating. As this event is capped at 60 participants, we cannot promise that all registrants will be able to attend, so early registration is encouraged.
<cite>University of Melbourne Transforming Housing network, summit invitation</cite>
</blockquote>

<h2>Event details</h2>

<dl>
<dt>Date</dt>
 <dd>Friday 2nd June</dd>
	<dt>Time</dt>
	<dd>9:00am - 4:30pm, followed by networking drinks</dd>
	<dt>Location</dt>
	<dd>10th floor, Melbourne Law (Building 106), 185 Pelham Street, Carlton VIC 3053</dd>
	<dt>Website</dt>
	<dd>https://msd.unimelb.edu.au/events/the-housing-summit-transforming-housing-in-2017</dd>
</dl>
</body></html>

Event: Transforming Housing in 2017 Summit

Repeat buyers are one of the strongest measures of confidence in any apartment development.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/era-newcastle-west-124-126-bull-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">ERA</a> in Newcastle West, some purchasers are returning to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> after living at the developer's One Apartments. Their decision to purchase again was driven by the quality of life they found after moving into their first GWH home.

Keith Wilton had spent years living in a house in East Maitland before deciding it was time for a change. Apartment living had always been on his radar, but he was selective about what he wanted.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FH_1EzB-1vs?si=XScVlP1ERsTDJoME" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

"I had some boxes I wanted to tick," he says.

Keith points to the open-plan design, generous outdoor areas and considered inclusions as key reasons One Apartments worked for him.

“One of those things was a nice indoor open plan area, but also I wanted a nice outdoor open area that I could entertain on in summer or Christmases or birthdays,” he says.

He also found value in the smaller details, from integrated appliances to shared resident spaces including the pool, cinema and rooftop areas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356818]

After comparing several developments, he chose One Apartments because of GWH's longstanding local reputation and his own experience working with the developer on a commercial project more than a decade earlier.

"I knew that they were local, that the quality of the build was going to be up there. I'd looked at other apartment complexes around and close by, and I just knew that here was a better decision location wise."

Today, Keith says the move has completely changed how he experiences Newcastle.

"I enjoy living in this location because it's more of a lifestyle change. That Newcastle city living where you can walk to restaurants and bars and even beaches and parks and even shopping across the road."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356828]

Beyond the location, he says it's the sense of community that has surprised him most.

"Everyone loves living here because they chose to live here, but everyone looks out for each other. It's a real great community feel here."

For Aimee and Lyle Goodman, the journey started almost by chance.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tsioMLcnjas?si=zq-ys3JuWpfa5hFv" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The couple happened to be having coffee in Newcastle when they noticed the site where One Apartments was about to begin construction.

"We were aware GWH was planning a development," Aimee says. "We made one phone call and things moved pretty quickly after that."

As busy business owners, they initially thought apartment living would simply reduce the maintenance that came with larger homes. Instead, it fundamentally changed how they spent time together.

"We actually catch up more as a family now," Aimee says.

"We've had homes with big yards and lots of space, but everyone ended up in different rooms. Here we'll have dinner together, the kids can play, and we spend far more quality time together."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356829]

Lyle says their confidence came from GWH's reputation within Newcastle's building industry.

"I know people who've worked across different apartment projects, and whenever GWH came up the feedback was always the same. They're rock solid. They're quality."

That confidence only grew throughout the buying process.

"One of the things that really impressed us with GWH was the whole process, was the communication," Lyle says. "It was consistent, it was regular, there was no problem if we had some weird questions, there was no problems in getting answers."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351104]

Aimee says one moment stood out.

"The project actually finished on time. We realised we needed to hurry up and sell our house because everything was happening exactly when they said it would."

The positive experience at One Apartments ultimately gave all three buyers the confidence to purchase again with GWH, this time at ERA.

Their confidence reflects what many buyers are seeking in today's apartment market. Location remains important, but so too does certainty around delivery, quality and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356822]

ERA builds on those foundations with 280 one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two landmark towers in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Newcastle West</a>.&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a>, the project will include more than 2,000 square metres of resident amenities, including a resort-style pool, gym, sauna, private cinema and rooftop entertaining spaces overlooking the harbour and coastline.&nbsp;

The development is also within walking distance of the Newcastle Interchange, Honeysuckle, Darby Street, the harbour foreshore, restaurants, retail and the city’s beaches, continuing the walkable lifestyle that existing GWH buyers say has transformed how they live.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356826]

For Keith, the appeal remains straightforward.

"You feel at home even before you've moved into your home."

For Aimee, the change is measured in time.

“I just felt like I had more time,” she says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351102]

Construction at ERA is now underway, with more than half of the residences already sold and limited two and three-bedroom apartments remaining in the East Tower release. Priced from $980,000 for two-bedroom residences and $1.46 million for three-bedroom residences, buyers can secure an apartment with a 10 per cent deposit, with premium homes offering ocean views from Level 8 and harbour views from Level 10.

ERA is also backed by Resilience Insurance's 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing protection against structural or waterproofing defects for 10 years after completion. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135096]

Joel Robinson

From ONE to ERA: Why buyers are choosing GWH again in Newcastle West

Virgate Property Group is preparing to commence construction of Verdé, its new apartment development in Melbourne's Arts Precinct at Southbank, following a strong run of sales that has seen more than half of the project's 173 apartments secured.

Verdé has attracted a broad mix of first home buyers, owner-occupiers upgrading from nearby inner-city suburbs and investors, with younger owner-occupier couples aged between 28 and 45 accounting for the strongest enquiry. Many are already living in Southbank, South Melbourne, Albert Park, Port Melbourne, South Yarra and the CBD.

"Verdé is located in one of the most desirable pockets of southern Melbourne," Blair Property Group Director Darren Blair, who is managing sales at Verdé, said.

"It's within walking distance of the Arts Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens, Albert Park Lake, and Southbank's restaurants and retail. It's a great lifestyle location with strong amenity and liveability, which made it a very attractive choice for the project."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=372549]

Virgate was already familiar with the precinct, having previously delivered the successful Domain House development in neighbouring South Melbourne. That experience gave the developer confidence to acquire the Coventry Street site and continue expanding its presence in Melbourne's inner south.

"We had been keeping an eye on the site and the broader precinct for a few months before deciding to move forward with the acquisition," Virgate said.

The project was ultimately secured in 2020 following feasibility studies, planning assessments and due diligence, with the brief centred on delivering "a high-quality, considered design that feels both refined and fit for purpose."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=314259]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bruce-henderson-architects">Bruce Henderson Architects</a>, Verdé comprises 173 one, two and three-bedroom apartments priced from $599,000. The architecture is distinguished by a faceted glass façade that responds to both the site's outlook and Melbourne's changing light conditions.

According to Bruce Henderson Architects, the coloured glazing gives the building a distinctive identity while also providing privacy and solar shading, with residences oriented to capture views across the bay, city skyline and surrounding parklands.

Inside, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/designoffice">DesignOffice</a> has created interiors focused on natural light, efficient planning and enduring materials. Apartments feature engineered oak flooring, natural stone benchtops, floor-to-ceiling glazing and SMEG appliances, while a restrained material palette aims to complement the expansive outlooks rather than compete with them.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=372550]

Resident amenity has also been designed around everyday functionality rather than occasional use. Facilities include a concierge-serviced lobby, residents' lounge with fireplace, library and co-working space, gym, terrace garden with barbecue facilities, ground-floor café, and package delivery management.

The project's location continues to be one of its strongest drawcards. Positioned on Coventry Street, Verdé sits within walking distance of the National Gallery of Victoria, Arts Centre Melbourne, Royal Botanic Gardens and Albert Park Lake, while Southbank's dining precinct, Sturt Street trams and the new ANZAC Station are all nearby. The surrounding education catchment also includes Melbourne Grammar, Melbourne Girls Grammar, Mac.Robertson Girls' High School and several major university campuses.

The sales team says buyers have responded particularly well to the combination of location, design quality and long-term liveability.

"They're responding really positively to the quality of the design, premium resident amenities and the uninterrupted views. Many also appreciate the location and how connected it is to everything they need."

The ability to secure stamp duty savings before completion has also been a key factor for purchasers, alongside the opportunity to personalise finishes ahead of settlement.

With construction set to commence soon and more than half the apartments already sold, Verdé enters its next phase as one of the Arts Precinct's more established apartment developments, offering remaining buyers an opportunity to secure a residence before construction advances further. Expected completion is scheduled for late 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=4661]

Virgate's Verdé Southbank moves toward construction as sales fly past halfway stage

Downsizer-focused apartment development Kooyongkoot in Hawthorn has been recognised at the 2026 Better Future Melbourne Design Awards, taking home Gold and Silver awards in two categories.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kooyongkoot-hawthorn-1-kooyongkoot-road-hawthorn-vic-3122">Kooyongkoot</a>, currently being delivered by developer PQD and designed by Cera Stribley, received Gold in the Interior Design – Proposed category and Silver in the Architecture – Proposed category.

The dual recognition reflects the design approach behind the boutique development on prestigious Kooyongkoot Road, where the focus has been on creating homes for downsizers seeking the space, quality and functionality of a detached house within a low-rise apartment building.

Rather than maximising apartment numbers, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pqd">PQD</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cera-stribley-architects">Cera Stribley</a> limited the development to just 18 residences, allowing for larger floorplans, greater privacy, generous landscaping and expansive communal spaces.&nbsp;The majority of the apartments also benefit from corner aspects, allowing for dual sources of natural light.

Now around 70 per cent complete and on track for completion in November 2026, Kooyongkoot will comprise a mix of garden residences, ter​race apartments, sub-penthouses, and is crowned by two half-floor penthouses with direct lift access and private rooftop terraces.

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The Silver Award for Architecture recognised the way the building responds to its prominent corner position at the ent​rance to Hawthorn's Scotch Hill precinct, one of Melbourne's most established residential neighbourhoods.

Rather than competing with the grand homes that line Kooyongkoot Road, the architectural approach focused on restraint and longevity, using curved brickwork, generous landscaping and carefully considered proportions to integrate with the existing streetscape.

"The form feels fluid and timeless, as though shaped by the landscape itself – architecture that belongs, rather than competes," said Chris Stribley, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Cera Stribley.

The judging submission also highlighted practical innovations throughout the building, including lift cores servicing only nine homes each, a central landscaped lightcourt designed to bring daylight and ventilation into the building, and fully enclosed private storage rooms with lighting, power and shelving to better accommodate residents transitioning from larger family homes.

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The Gold Award for Interior Design recognised the project's focus on long-term liveability rather than display-home aesthetics.

According to the awards submission, the interiors were designed from the inside out, prioritising how homes would function over decades of daily use through generous proportions, practical storage, durable natural materials and flexible layouts.

The specification includes natural stone throughout, upgraded acoustic glazing, V-ZUG appliances and fully enclosed storage rooms, alongside an amenity offering focused on wellness, entertainment and everyday convenience.&nbsp;

Residents will have access to a gym and yoga studio, a wellness centre featuring traditional and infrared saunas, a cold therapy shower and treatment room, as well as a residents' lounge and golf simulator/cinema room for entertainment.&nbsp;Kooyongkoot has also considered the everyday convenience of its residents by offering a private carwash and pet wash facilities on site as well as dedicated parcel lockers and oversized fully enclosed storage rooms.&nbsp;

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The project's attention to detail has already resonated with buyers. Earlier this year, Kooyongkoot recorded one of Boroondara's highest apartment sales when an $8 million penthouse was purchased by a Melbourne CEO downsizing from a nearby family home.

"Every detail feels deliberate, from the overall design down to the smallest touches," the purchaser said.

"The level of quality and refinement is exceptional, but what really sold it was how liveable it felt... It felt like a place where everything had been considered, not just a luxury building."

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Sustainability also formed a key part of both award submissions. Kooyongkoot is targeting a minimum 7.5-star NatHERS rating across all residences, supported by passive design principles, high-performance glazing, EV charging infrastructure, water reuse systems and a wellness model focused on lower-energy dry facilities rather than pools and large wet areas.

Located within walking distance of Scotch College, Methodist Ladies' College, Koo​yong Lawn Tennis Club, Aubur​n Village and Camberwell Junction, Kooyongkoot continues to target owner-occupiers looking to remain in Melbourne's inner east without compromising on space or quality. A limited selection of two, three and four-bedroom residences remains available, with prices starting from $1.9 million.

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Kooyongkoot wins Gold and Silver at Better Future Melbourne Design Awards

New apartment supply has become increasingly constrained across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parramatta-nsw-2150">Parramatta</a> in recent years, with fewer projects progressing through to completion as development conditions have become more challenging.

It makes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/novm">NOVM</a>'s 2021-completed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/the-lennox-parramatta-12-phillip-street-parramatta-nsw-2150">The Lennox</a> one of the most recently completed residential towers on the Parramatta River, and among the newest apartment developments in Sydney's second CBD.

With the project largely completed before the sharp escalation in construction costs and inflation following the pandemic, The Lennox is now offering pricing that would be difficult to replicate in a comparable new development in Parramatta today, or across much of Western Sydney.

The majority of the 413 apartments at The Lennox sold before and shortly after completion. A limited release of the remaining apartments has recently been brought to market by capital partner <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Equitifund</a>, with entry-level pricing from $700,000 and two-bedroom apartments available from under $1 million.

Rising above the Parramatta River at 12 Phillip Street, The Lennox comprises one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, appealing to first home buyers, young professionals, families, downsizers and interstate investors seeking a completed apartment in one of Australia's fastest-growing economic centres.

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Rather than positioning Parramatta as an alternative to Sydney's CBD, Equitifund believes the city has reached a point where it stands on its own merits.

"Parramatta is no longer simply an alternative to Sydney CBD, it's becoming a destination in its own right," Equitifund Executive Chairman Greg Huxley said.

"The Lennox captures that evolution with a level of quality and amenity that's difficult to match at its price point."

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Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/marchese-partners">Marchese Partners</a>, the tower responds directly to its riverfront setting through expansive glazing and open-plan layouts that maximise views across the Parramatta River and city skyline. Interiors feature engineered timber flooring, stone benchtops, stainless steel appliances and floor-to-ceiling glazing, while generous balconies extend the living spaces outdoors.

Marchese Partners says the project was conceived to balance high-quality apartment living with practical, long-term functionality, pairing larger, efficient floorplans with amenities more commonly associated with five-star hotels.

That emphasis continues through the resident facilities, which include a 20-metre rooftop swimming pool, fully equipped gym and wellness spaces, full-time concierge, a residents' lounge, function room, private lifts, secure basement parking and rooftop communal areas overlooking the Parramatta River. Ground-floor boardwalk retail and dining further activate the riverfront and integrate the building into the surrounding public realm.

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Australian housing and finance group Equitifund has secured the remaining apartments, believing there are few completed apartment opportunities in Parramatta that offer the same combination of location, amenity and pricing.

Equitifund National Sales Director Ben Hamblett says buyers are increasingly recognising that premium apartment living no longer needs to come with Sydney CBD pricing.

"The Lennox is where aspirational living becomes attainable," Hamblett said.

"Wake to river and mountain views, step into Sydney's Second CBD, and arrive home to resort-calibre amenities, all without the harbour price tag."

Hamblett says owner-occupiers are also attracted by the convenience of having Westfield Parramatta, Church Street's dining precinct, Parramatta Park, Riverside Theatres, Western Sydney University and major transport connections all within walking distance.

"At The Lennox, lifestyle is not an afterthought, it is the foundation."

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The Lennox places residents within walking distance of Parramatta Square, Westfield Parramatta, Church Street Eat Street, Parramatta Station, the ferry wharf, Light Rail, the future Sydney Metro West, Parramatta Park and CommBank Stadium, reinforcing Parramatta's position as one of Australia's most connected metropolitan centres outside Sydney's CBD.

Equitifund says buyers visiting the display suite consistently comment on the quality of the finishes, generous floorplans, river and skyline views, and the walkability of the location. The project has attracted a broad mix of local professionals, upsizers, downsizers, buyers relocating from Sydney's inner suburbs and interstate investors seeking long-term growth opportunities.

That demand aligns with Parramatta's continued evolution as an economic powerhouse. Equitifund Research and Market Insights specialist John Bekiaris says sustained population growth, infrastructure investment and expanding employment opportunities continue to support long-term housing demand across the city.

"Parramatta has evolved from a satellite city into one of Australia's most important economic centres. Population growth, infrastructure investment and employment are all supporting sustained long-term housing demand."

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The apartment price gap drawing Sydney buyers west

A luxury beachfront apartment at Rainbow Bay has more than doubled in value since it sold off the plan six years ago, setting a new local apartment record in the process.

The three-bedroom apartment in the Flow development on Petrie Street, the first of four new projects locally by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects, has sold for $7.4 million, after originally selling for $3.27 million when the project launched in 2020.

The seventh-floor apartment, comprising 187 sqm of internal living space and a 54 sqm balcony overlooking Froggies Beach and Snapper Rocks, was purchased by a local family.

The transaction was negotiated by Pezet Matheson director Kerry Pezet and equates to more than $30,000 per sqm.

Pezet said the sale reflected the limited opportunities to buy into the boutique beachfront development.

"The sale highlights the rarity of opportunities within the boutique beachfront development, where residences seldom become available," Pezet said.

"Flow is one of the Gold Coast's most tightly held buildings. Buyers from our database move quickly when residences become available, and achieving an off-market sale at $7.4 million demonstrates the depth of demand for property of this calibre."

<img alt="Flow" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c585b206-2130-4eee-a50c-3f27c51a7c70" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-06%20at%208.33.25%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=m3pHRDV62Y3fvN.XQuQHq.52ilTWpRLf" />

Flow was the first of four luxury apartment developments delivered by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects at Rainbow Bay and was completed in 2023.

Positioned on the beachfront overlooking Snapper Rocks, the residence includes three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a powder room and views stretching north along the coastline towards Surfers Paradise.

Pezet Matheson Residential principal Mitchell Lambert said buyers continued to prioritise quality beachfront apartments in tightly held locations.

"Flow Residences offers a rare combination of elevated beachfront positioning, architectural excellence, comprehensive resident amenity and premium finishes, which is exactly what discerning purchasers are seeking," Lambert said.

"The transaction further reinforces Rainbow Bay's reputation as one of Australia's premier coastal lifestyle destinations, where limited supply and growing demand continue to support strong market performance."

Pezet Matheson originally marketed and sold out Flow off the plan, making the latest transaction a return to one of the project's original buyers.

Paul Gedoun is selling his third project, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/radia-rainbow-bay-271-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Radia Rainbow Bay</a>, after recently completing, and selling out, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/esprit-217-227-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Esprit</a>. He has plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-s-s-projects-proposes-88-apartment-wellness-tower-at-coolangattas-boundary-street">fourth building</a>, 88 apartments on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/209-213-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Boundary Street</a>.

Alastair Taylor

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