<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/crows-nest-nsw-2065">Crows Nest</a> continues to be a hive of activity for developers following the opening of the Crows Nest Metro station nearly two years ago.

The latest Transport Oriented Development plans are located directly across the road from the station, which sees around 6,000 commuters pass through during the morning peak.

A new State Significant Development Application, filed by an entity linked to Colin Rahim and Pierre Sukkar, directors at builder Growthbuilt and emerging developer Prosper, proposes a 40-storey mixed-use tower with 254 apartments on a 2,127 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/402-420-pacific-highway-crows-nest-nsw-2065">402–420 Pacific Highway</a>.

<img alt="Crows Nest" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dcc2264f-d701-4493-88e8-d2286770ed20" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-21%20at%209.19.11%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=ZayWJRJQvrngii1roqjR85EvTTmGXq6E" />

The development will comprise 40 one-bedroom apartments, 105 two-bedroom apartments, half of which will include an additional study, 101 three-bedroom apartments, and eight four-bedroom penthouses. These will sit above a four-storey podium, with four levels of basement parking providing 148 spaces.

fjcstudio has designed the building, which it says “embodies the principles of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) by promoting higher-density, mixed-use urban living in close proximity to the Crows Nest Metro Station, consistent with the Crows Nest Precinct Design Guide.”

The practice adds that the development supports economic activity, reduces reliance on private vehicles, and enhances the public realm through active ground-floor uses, public domain upgrades, improved permeability, and fine-grain street activation.

“The proposal aligns with the Precinct Vision by contributing to a vibrant mixed commercial and residential centre that integrates housing, jobs, and services while strengthening the local village character of Crows Nest.”

<img alt="Crows Nest" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d87ca5b0-d7d7-4721-b332-8c046afb4577" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-21%20at%209.08.01%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=ZCkGc4neaSZc6EHnsP2d2V0ZhRS2_BCz" />

Crows Nest has become one of the most sought-after suburbs for both apartment developers and buyers since the Metro opened in 2024. Developer Third.i quickly sold out half of the apartments at Elevate Hume Place, located directly above the station.

Deicorp recently launched its debut Lower North Shore project, Falcon &amp; Alexander, while Abadeen and Lindsay Bennelong have completed boutique developments in the suburb.

Prosper is also active in Crows Nest, having recently launched Kora, a boutique development of just 10 apartments on Willoughby Road. Its development pipeline has expanded significantly in recent years, following the completion of its luxury Bellevue Hill project, Splendour, in 2024. The group also has plans for a boutique development on Cowan Road in St Ives, as well as a 55-apartment project in Drummoyne.

&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

First look: Crows Nest Metro apartments pitched by Prosper

Private equity real estate firm Conquest is upsizing plans for its recently acquired Quadrangle Shopping Centre in Sydney’s Castlecrag.

Conquest purchased the site for just shy of $70 million last year, with existing plans in place for a mixed-use residential and retail precinct comprising 38 luxury apartments.

Those plans have now been significantly expanded, with the developer lodging a State Significant Development Application with the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority for 150 apartments across two 11-storey buildings. The apartments will sit above a four-storey podium, incorporating specialty retail tenancies and five levels of basement car parking, on the 5,166 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/100-edinburgh-road-castlecrag-nsw-2068">100 Edinburgh Road</a>.

<img alt="Conquest" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="581d49cf-7f03-4d17-a864-88700bf1fef1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-21%20at%208.24.49%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=K1U7nXEFcwuYHEKJwEKlnmtggRb2XjDQ" />

fjcstudio has designed the shop-top housing development, which it says will “deliver a more efficient and future-focused design outcome.”

“The site occupies a strategically significant position within the Castlecrag Local Centre, situated along Edinburgh Road and surrounded by established low-density residential areas and natural bushland,” the studio said.

“The proposal responds to this context through a carefully considered design that integrates built form, landscape, and public domain improvements, while respecting the suburb’s strong landscape and heritage identity.”

<img alt="Conquest" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1c170ad2-0a65-43a3-a5de-8bea82b69b11" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-21%20at%208.25.38%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=gqsRHFKAlG7kH4t4Q9rkFWTMpmEbKmI8" />

The architects say the increased height and density are consistent with the NSW Housing SEPP objectives, supporting greater housing diversity and affordability while achieving high standards of architectural and environmental performance.

The proposal also references the draft Willoughby Local Centres Strategy 2036, which aims to promote a network of thriving, attractive and distinctive village centres across the local government area.

“The current trend shows that Castlecrag’s population is set to increase significantly over the coming years. The site falls within the study area for Castlecrag and is in an ideal location for higher density to meet anticipated urban strategy targets at both a state and local level. Aligning with metropolitan strategies, the proposed development will contribute to a more walkable local centre and help meet demand for an additional 1,500 dwellings across Willoughby’s local centres by 2036.”

Of the roughly 1,000 homes in Castlecrag, only around 11 are apartments, according to the latest ABS Census data.

Conquest has been increasingly active in the development space in recent years. The group acquired the Eastlakes Shopping Centre redevelopment, where it plans to deliver more than 1,000 apartments above a new retail precinct, and has also lodged a $900 million State Significant Development Application for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/conquest-unveils-900m-stanmore-village-vision-for-landmark-inner-west-site">mixed-use precinct in Stanmore</a>.

First look: Conquest targets higher density at Castlecrag shopping centre site

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/capital-corporation">Capital Corporation</a> has announced that its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/lovedale-farm-1054-1184-wine-country-drive-lovedale-nsw-2325">Lovedale Farm</a> residential, resort and golf project has secured $24.6 million in sales in just three weeks since the opening of its display home, underscoring the appetite for premium lifestyle property in the Hunter Valley countryside.

The sales milestone has been driven by a diverse mix of buyers, including owner-occupiers and investors from Sydney, Newcastle and the local Hunter region, purchasing both land-only lots and house and land packages across the development.

<img alt="Lovedale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e173edc9-e60e-4f19-a060-9dc4421a3233" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/LovedaleFarm_20250215-1.jpg?VersionId=1LY6CvOaD.Dzrt8tWpWxXtPyfchixNIo" />

&nbsp;

The result builds on the momentum generated at the display home opening on 22 March, which attracted more than 460 attendees.

With house and land pricing from $1.14 million, Lovedale Farm continues to attract strong interest from buyers seeking a premium lifestyle offering at a compelling price point. The development’s vision, a championship golf course, future epicurean village and access to the Hunter Valley’s celebrated wine country, has resonated with a broad buyer profile, from first-time investors to those looking to make the move and call the Hunter Valley home.

<img alt="Lovedale Farm records $21.4 million in sales in three weeks" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b358e789-e1eb-40ed-8105-ed5c8297136f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/20260321LovedaleFarmDisplayHomeOpening--6.jpg?VersionId=6GUO8TNnxuELONrsM6n9imDB6oc82Bor" />

Jim Hunter, Managing Director of Capital Corporation said the response since opening the display home has been encouraging.

"To reach $24.6 million in sales in just three weeks speaks to the genuine demand for a lifestyle community of this calibre in the Hunter Valley," Hunter says.

"We’re seeing buyers from across the region and beyond, including investors who recognise the long-term value, and owner-occupiers who simply want to live somewhere truly special.

“Lovedale Farm is two decades in the making, and the market’s response is everything we hoped for. We’re excited to see these first buyers become part of the Lovedale Farm story from the very beginning."

<img alt="Lovedale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="54d985cf-2ac2-400b-ac02-4401f3421ac7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/20260321LovedaleFarmDisplayHomeOpening--5.jpg?VersionId=3866bPoqpLZsm.3ACg9EafAr1W3miC_f" />

&nbsp;

Spanning 240 hectares on Wine Country Drive in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/lovedale-nsw-2325">Lovedale</a>, the $1 billion development is expected to deliver around 1,250 jobs during construction and inject more than $300 million into the local economy. The first 200 homes and championship 18-hole golf course are anticipated for completion in late 2027.

Capital Corporation has also lodged development plans for the Lovedale Farm clubhouse, set to become a vibrant hub for residents and the wider Hunter Valley community. Further releases are planned for later this year.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=14476]

Lovedale Farm display home opening triggers $24.6 million in sales in three weeks

Prominent Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/osk-property">OSK Property</a> has unveiled <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aura-at-melbourne-square-7-hoff-boulevard-southbank-vic-3006">Aura</a>, the next stage of its $3.5 billion Melbourne Square precinct in Southbank, continuing its push into wellness-led, amenity-rich apartment living.

The $800 million tower, planned for 7 Hoff Boulevard, will rise 67 storeys and deliver 673 apartments, with COX Architecture drawing on both Japanese design principles and Australia’s natural landscape to shape the building’s identity. A rectangular grid aesthetic defines the building’s exterior, with COX drawing design cues from New York high-rises and Tokyo’s skyline.

Aura builds on a growing trend in high-density living, where wellness is no longer an add-on but central to the product. The development is structured around four key pillars, combining calm, minimalist residences with layered communal spaces, landscaped gardens, and a suite of wellness amenities designed to support both physical and mental wellbeing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367465]

At the core of the project is what OSK describes as a vertical wellness ecosystem, a multi-level approach to amenity that integrates health, lifestyle, and social spaces throughout the building rather than confining them to a single level.

The main resident hub, the Aura Club on level seven, will include a pool, cold plunge, spa, gym, Pilates and yoga studios, alongside more lifestyle-driven inclusions like a golf simulator, music rooms, library, and work-from-home spaces. Above, a series of higher-level amenity zones, including the Meridian Club and Cumulus Club, introduce more refined, social and retreat-style environments, with private dining, lounges, and premium wellness spaces positioned to take advantage of city views.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367467]

The residences themselves will largely include balconies, a key design move in a market increasingly focused on natural light, airflow, and connection to the outdoors. Views will extend across the CBD, the Arts Precinct, Royal Botanic Gardens, and beyond.

Aura also introduces approximately 1,600 sqm of retail across the lower levels, further activating the Melbourne Square precinct, which already includes Kennedy Park, a Woolworths, childcare, and a growing mix of hospitality operators.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367474]

“Aura stands tall as an exemplar of holistic wellness – its focus on social, physical and mental health culminate in a building that is calming, restorative and relaxing, where residents will have their own sanctuary within the well-connected and sought-after <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank</a>," says&nbsp;OSK Property CEO Chong Boon Woon.

“We have been very encouraged by the market’s response to the BLVD offering, and we know there is a strong demand for the level of amenity, service and design that the Melbourne Square precinct is known for.

“Complemented by work-from-home lounges for professionals, family friendly outdoor garden spaces, and state-of-the-art fitness and wellness facilities, Aura will continue our focus on maximising physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing,” he said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367475]

The project follows the strong performance of BLVD, which is now around 80 per cent sold, and reinforces OSK Property’s long-term commitment to Melbourne Square as a fully integrated, mixed-use precinct.

Construction is expected to commence in late 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151921]

OSK unveils AURA, the latest stage in Southbank's $3.5 billion Melbourne Square precinct

National developer Time &amp; Place appears to have settled on a design for its long-anticipated Potts Point project.

After several years of back and forth with local council and the NSW Government, the developer, which has spent seven years targeting the former The Chimes site on Macleay Street, has now progressed its plans.

Following a concept design submission last year by SJB, Time &amp; Place has lodged a full State Significant Development Application with the NSW Government, this time for a scheme designed by Kerry Hill Architects.

<img alt="Time &amp; Place" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="504d2a27-d65f-4227-8189-1e35e3376e62" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-20%20at%209.38.24%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=_XqFKATYHF30KnVByPxhaI9UBzmkmfn7" />

The 16-storey proposal includes 44 apartments, 21 of which will be build-to-sell. These will comprise 19 three-bedroom apartments and two four-bedroom units.

More than 50 per cent of the development will be dedicated to affordable housing, with 23 studio apartments to be delivered in line with the NSW Government’s Housing SEPP.

Kerry Hill Architects said the proposal is driven by a strong response to place.

“Our proposal for a new residential building for Potts Point in Sydney is driven by a deep consideration of place,” the practice said in its submission.

“This operates on multiple levels, including a landscape approach that reinstates endemic flora of the Sydney peninsula and provides a ground-floor garden for residents, reconnecting the site to its pre-European history. A brick podium further strengthens this relationship to context, integrating planting and fine bronze detailing that references the predominant material language of Macleay Street.”

The three-level podium will be topped by a communal resident space, featuring a covered pool designed to receive direct afternoon sun in winter, a neighbouring reflection pool, dining and event areas oriented to maximise sunset views, and an outdoor exercise zone.

<img alt="Time &amp; Place" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8d3eedc1-babb-44a3-bd96-d8a42f3adf1f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-20%20at%209.37.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Ii7.4dvqNatu5GQi6bhqNjAswrMB998." />

The design also incorporates highly crafted shopfronts and a clearly defined residential entry to activate the street. Juliette balconies to the podium residences will provide passive surveillance and a strong sense of habitation.

Above, the larger apartments are housed within a light-coloured masonry and bronze tower.

“The tower steps back in a series of gently curved volumes that reference the rich Art Deco context of Macleay Street,” the architects said. “Carefully calibrated vertical fins frame the views while providing privacy and a sense of refuge.”

<img alt="Time &amp; Place" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6fab60f4-3140-4469-b47a-48c781e0a30b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-20%20at%209.28.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=e5XxrM3kzdASdKlcIACHAHbOSZhSKC9O" />

Time &amp; Place has been one of the most active developers nationally in the last 12 to 24 months. Late last year they completed&nbsp;The Queensbridge in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank</a>, a mixed-use tower with 353 apartments and a hotel. They are currently selling Park Modern, 246 apartments near the famous Botanic Gardens in South Melbourne.

The developer has approval for The Burke, a mixed-use project in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/glen-iris-vic-3146">Glen Iris</a>&nbsp;being delivered in partnership with Woolworths. The 60 apartments, positioned above a new Woolworths supermarket, are expected to launch in the coming months. Time &amp; Place is also progressing plans for the redevelopment of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/northcote-vic-3070">Northcote</a>&nbsp;Plaza, and have recently submitted plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/time-place-unveils-plans-22-storey-south-melbourne-tower">22-storey tower</a>, another in South Melbourne.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/sydney-nsw">Sydney</a>, the developer has two projects in Manly: Two Tides, which is currently under construction, and an ultra high-end building on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/shoreline-manly-beach-89-90-north-steyne-manly">North Steyne</a>, fronting the beach. It is also continuing to work through the redevelopment of The Chimes building on Macleay Street in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/potts-point-nsw-2011">Potts Point</a>, as well as Marlborough House, the redevelopment of the original David Jones warehouse building in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/surry-hills-nsw-2010">Surry Hills</a>.

First look: Time & Place settles on design for The Chimes, Potts Point redevelopment

Toronto

<html><body>
In the age of High Lines, Low Lines and everything in between, cities across the world are investigating ways in which to improve underutilised or abandoned infrastructure and the spaces associated with them. One such project is <a href="http://www.undergardiner.com/">Under Gardiner</a> in Toronto which seeks to give back to the city by turning the underutilised space beneath the Gardiner Expressway into a long park that would reconnect the neighbourhoods below it.

Transforming more than four hectares of land beneath the elevated portion of Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway into a series of public spaces, a 1.75-kilometre multi-use trail and 500m connection to Exhibition GO Station will also be included. By reclaiming this forgotten space Under Gardiner will create a series of rooms formed by the spaces between columns, reimagining the area beneath the expressway as a place for people.

<blockquote>
As cities densify, we begin to view lost or underutilized spaces in new ways. This proposal is a visionary approach to celebrating and inhabiting a spectacular, dramatic space, stitching together a series of existing areas to provide a front door to Fort York, one of the Toronto's most significant historical resources.
<cite>Jennifer Keesmaat, City of Toronto Chief Planner</cite>
</blockquote>

The project is based on a transformative framework design by urban designer Ken Greenberg plus Marc Ryan and Adam Nicklin of landscape architecture firm Public Works. The vision for the project includes the continuous multi-use trail, a bridge over Fort York Boulevard for pedestrians and cyclists, a grand staircase at Strachan that will double as seating for an urban theatre and a series of flexible, year-round performance and programming spaces that can be used by the community.

<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/undergardiner_-_backgrounder_-_final.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Aerial of Under Gardiner Master Plan. Image courtesy of PUBLIC WORKS"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="341" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/undergardiner_-_backgrounder_-_final.jpg?itok=77n0vFKb" title="Aerial of Under Gardiner Master Plan. Image courtesy of PUBLIC WORKS" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Aerial of Under Gardiner Master Plan. Image courtesy of PUBLIC WORKS</figcaption></figure>Each of the public "rooms" formed by the highway will become part of a network of public spaces for everything from farmers markets and concert venues, to summer camp. The designers will work with residents to decide how to use each part of the park with a trail will connect each of the spaces and reconnect a network of bike paths across the rest of the city.

<blockquote>
This is a project that cuts through about seven different neighborhoods that are all in a way fragmented. They don't see themselves as unified in any way.
<cite>Marc Ryan, co-founder of PUBLIC WORKS</cite>
</blockquote>

What is most interesting about this project is the fact that while the Gardiner Expressway currently acts as a barrier severing connections between neighbourhoods it also has the potential to provide the solution by re-stitching the city.

<h2>How might such a project like Under Gardiner be of relevance here in Melbourne?</h2>

With the City of Melbourne advancing plans for City Road, Southbank Boulevard and Dodds St as part of a series of initiatives identified for development within the <a href="https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/AboutMelbourne/ProjectsandInitiatives/Southbank2010/Documents/Southbank_Structure_Plan_updated_30Nov2011.pdf">Southbank Structure Plan 2010 </a>document, the next cab off the rank in terms of improvement and enhancement of the public realm within Southbank should be the Westgate Freeway Undercroft.

An opportunity exists to connect Southbank not just with itself but with the Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal 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/m1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Westgate Freeway aerial. Image courtesy of Nearmap."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="294" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/m1.jpg?itok=-94RvQRS" title="Westgate Freeway aerial. Image courtesy of Nearmap." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Westgate Freeway aerial. Image courtesy of Nearmap.</figcaption></figure>Southbank suffers from a lack of accessible and high quality public open space: there is currently 4,800m2 of green open space and as Southbank’s resident and worker population grows, addressing this issue becomes more and more critical. In addition to this there is currently a scarcity of pedestrian and cyclist routes through Southbank that are attractive, continuous, safe and of high amenity.

It's worth noting the Southbank Plan seeks to "establish new parks within the area and deliver a finer grain of attractive public gathering spaces."

The approach to the CityLink Tunnels was also identified as contributing to the disparate nature of Southbank. The Southbank Plan proposes to stitch together the northern and southern fragmented ‘halves’ of Southbank by decking over the void with new development to create a connected and continuous mixed use area which provides the opportunity for new public open space.

<blockquote>
Delivering new public open spaces of any significant size in this area is difficult and would involve the conversion of private, developable land for public, noncommercial use with an associated high acquisition cost. The exception includes the M1 undercroft which is an opportunity to provide a linear park in the western end of Southbank.

The CityLink Deck precinct offers a new opportunity to provide a new large public park within this development site. The location of the Arts Activity Precinct at the intersection of the new Sturt Street spine and Southbank Boulevard emphasises the imperative to deliver the linear parkland within Southbank Boulevard.
<cite>Southbank Structure Plan 2010</cite>
</blockquote>

While the CityLink deck could be considered a much longer term proposition, it would also make sense to act as the 'exclamation mark' or termination node for a linear park and walking/cycling network as part of a revitalised M1 Undercroft. As the extract above points out, acquisition of private land comes with a significant cost and this was recently highlighted with the <a href="http://www.skynews.com.au/news/local/melbourne/2015/11/25/-19m-spent-on-land-for-vic-playground">State Goverment paying $19m</a> for a development site on Buckhurst Street within the Montague precinct of Fishermans Bend to allow for the provision of a future park for the precinct.

Developer contributions would go some way to helping deliver the vision for an improved, accessible and safe M1 Undercroft with the subsequent benefits and opportunities provided being immense. A good indicator will be the Kingsway Undercroft works associated with the City Road masterplan; this should be used as a case study to investigate and test the best uses and subsequently provide direction for any potential M1 undercroft project.

Hopefully Southbank won't have to wait too much longer for meaningful and usable open space. In the meantime I look forward to seeing Under Gardiner develop over the next few years with an eye toward what it could show Melbourne in the process.

<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/3053787-slide-s-11-the-forgotten-space-under-a-toronto-highway.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Under Gardiner proposed spaces. Image courtesy of PUBLIC WORKS"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="267" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/3053787-slide-s-11-the-forgotten-space-under-a-toronto-highway.jpg?itok=fKz9WgeV" title="Under Gardiner proposed spaces. Image courtesy of PUBLIC WORKS" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Under Gardiner proposed spaces. Image courtesy of PUBLIC WORKS</figcaption></figure>
</body></html>

Laurence Dragomir

Taking a cue from Toronto to create the Southbank M1 Undercroft

<html><body>
The journey will take roughly 25 minutes calling at two intermediate points; the services will operate every 15 minutes for 19 hours a day; and the vehicles will run on - for the most part - existing rail corridors. Sound even remotely familiar?

I'm not referring to a Melbourne Airport Rail Link, I'm in fact referring to Toronto's <a href="http://upexpress.com/en/">Union Pearson Express</a> project that is well underway and scheduled to be operating next year.

Over the weekend Urban Toronto published a piece asking "<a href="http://www.urbantoronto.ca/news/2014/10/lanes-melbourne-could-something-similar-happen-here">The lanes of Melbourne: could something similar happen here?</a>" and in the spirit of mutual recognition our eerily similar, arguably long-lost Doppelganger located on the other side of the planet, I'd like to take a look at what Toronto's doing with its airport transportation.

The Union Pearson Express project in a nutshell:

<ul>
<li>New terminus platforms at Union Station (Toronto's central station) and Toronto Pearson International Airport.</li>
	<li>Upgrade and re-use of existing rail corridors between the centre of the city and near the airport.</li>
	<li>New branch line to allow trains to enter the airport precinct from the nearby existing rail corridor.</li>
	<li>Upgrade of two existing intermediate stations, one at Bloor which connects with Toronto's subway and one in Weston.</li>
	<li>Capital expenditure of $456 million CAD ($490million AUD in 2010 dollars), broken down in Canadian dollars: $355million for infrastructure works and approximately $100 million for service development.
	<ul>
<li>The Ontario Provincial Government-owned Metrolinx <a href="http://www.metrolinx.com/en/projectsandprograms/upexpress/upexpress.aspx">website</a> goes on to state they have awarded contracts worth $128 million for new airport station and branch line connection, $75 million for train procurement and $24 million for the development of the Union station terminus.</li>
	</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/6wOnNt3WdDA" width="100%"></iframe>

This is where comparing the UP Express project with the many ideas that have been floated for Melbourne Airport Rail Link gets really spooky.

Toronto's airport is located in the über-burb of Mississauga to the west of central Toronto with a road distance (as measured by <a href="https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/Union+Station+Rail,+Toronto,+ON,+Canada/Toronto+Pearson+International+Airport,+6301+Silver+Dart+Dr,+Mississauga,+ON+L5P+1B2,+Canada/@43.6524001,-79.5750703,18092m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x89d4cb2cb8f8d3cb:0xc859da5affa61138!2m2!1d-79.379456!2d43.645218!1m5!1m1!1s0x882b394ac02dd491:0xb41d5de9c4030ec5!2m2!1d-79.62482!2d43.677718">Google Maps</a>) of approximately 25km. Tullamarine is uncannily similar when you <a href="https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/Southern+Cross+Station,+Docklands,+Victoria/Melbourne+Airport,+Departure+Dr,+Melbourne+Airport+VIC+3045/@-37.7865809,144.9010968,19762m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x6ad65d4e2e5ae775:0xf6cc548ff3f8019c!2m2!1d144.953388!2d-37.81816!1m5!1m1!1s0x6ad659a9ebaa3917:0xf045676052ff090!2m2!1d144.841027!2d-37.669012">measure road distance</a> from Southern Cross: 22km.

The Albion freight and interstate standard gauge rail corridor, the preferred alignment of State governments of both persuasions, <a href="https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Melbourne+Airport/@-37.7163219,144.8708364,2473m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x6ad659a9ebaa3917:0xf045676052ff090">passes to within 1km</a> of Tullamarine airport's southern boundary; the Kitchener GO Rail corridor which is to be used for Union Pearson express services, is <a href="https://www.google.com.au/maps/search/toronto+airport/@43.6975328,-79.6259714,2260m/data=!3m1!1e3">within spitting distance</a> of the northern corner of Pearson airport's boundary.

If you stick to limited-access roads, the road journey in Melbourne is more direct versus using Toronto's grid of inner city freeways. Conversely the rail journey in Toronto will almost be as direct as is possible versus, should a Melbourne Airport Rail Link use the Albion corridor, the rail journey to Tullamarine which will swing out west via Sunshine then turn north east towards the airport.

Perhaps most importantly in explaining how Toronto's UP Express project has come about so quickly as opposed to the stagnation confronted by the predicament we face in Melbourne, it's wise to look at how differently rail has developed in our respective regions.

Despite many similarities between Melbourne and Toronto - and perhaps Australian and Canadian cities in general - a stark difference lies in the way our respective rail networks have developed over time. Where many of Melbourne's current rail corridors began with private operators, nationalisation was all the rage from the 1870s onwards and it laid bare to the vast metropolitan rail network we now have reaching from the CBD to the suburban fringes in all directions.

With the colonial and post-Federation state government owned and operated rail networks acting as the backbone for suburban expansion throughout Australia well before anyone had even heard of an 'automobile, private companies pushed forward and continue to be a dominant owner and operator of rail corridors in Canadian cities. The Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railway companies have played a part in suburban rail services in Toronto like private companies did in Melbourne a long time ago but it wasn't until (relatively) recently - in the 1960's - that the Ontario Government rolled out the 'GO Transit' services operating over private railways.

<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GO_Transit#Operations">According to Wikipedia</a>, GO Transit now owns 80% of the track in which it operates services over and given the relative lack of service frequency compared to most Melbourne Metro lines, Metrolinx (which owns and operates to the GO Transit brand for the Ontario Government) has a lot of flexibility to make projects like UP Express work.

<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/arl_spur_map-850x411.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Alignment of new branch line to serve Toronto's Pearson airport"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="280" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/arl_spur_map-850x411.jpg?itok=5wlNme77" title="Alignment of new branch line to serve Toronto's Pearson airport" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Alignment of new branch line to serve Toronto's Pearson airport</figcaption></figure>As I wrote last year, <a href="/news/half-of-the-melbourne-airport-rail-link-is-currently-under-construction">half of Melbourne's Airport Rail Link is already under construction</a> through the Regional Rail Link project.

In that piece I argued that the capacity which will be unlocked as part of the RRL project should be used to run rail services utilising an operator and a separate train configuration we already have to and from Tullamarine after expansion of the Albion corridor and a Tullamarine branch has taken place. I'm still very much of this view.

If you watch the current Spring Street Government's pre-campaign advertising about the Melbourne Airport Rail Link, the Government appears fixated on the notion the airport should be serviced with standard metro trains by making the Pakenham/Cranbourne corridor through-route to the Sunbury and a new airport line. The ALP's policy, stretching back to when they were last in government, is similar in that they originally proposed to have Pakenham/Cranbourne services run through the Melbourne Metro tunnel rather than the current Liberal Government's proposal to run it through existing track between South Yarra, Flinders Street, Southern Cross and North Melbourne.

Like the East West Link, this position has not be explained well, if at all.

Passengers heading to or from Tullamarine are going to have different needs than those who use the rest of the Metro network. Even a business day-tripper traveling with hand luggage to Melbourne will take up more space than the average Metro commuter.

In short, the vehicles which operate an airport service must take into account the extra spatial and luggage storage needs of airport passengers.

Any Tullamarine Airport rail link project should be an opportunity to break the "one train size/technology caters for all" mentality we have in Melbourne that so often produces great ideas but ultimately, at best, is severely delayed owing to enormous capital requirements or at worst enters the never-never. We must recognise that an airport rail link will be a premium service and therefore we should plan accordingly, just like Toronto has with the Union Pearson Express.

Image credit: <a href="http://upexpress.com/">UPExpress.com</a>.
</body></html>

Alastair Taylor

Is Toronto's airport rail link a model for Melbourne?

<html><body>
For the first in a weekly spotlight on foreign projects, we're going to actually feature an entire site that has high relevance to Apartments.com.au, and that site is <a href="http://urbantoronto.ca" target="_blank">Urban Toronto</a>.

Urban Toronto was the first of the splinter sites that was borne out of large-scale forums like <a href="http://www.skyscrapercity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=65" target="_blank">SkyscraperCity</a> (where the owners and editors of Apartments.com.au first met, developed and further expanded their interests in urbanism) or <a href="http://skyscraperpage.com/forum/" target="_blank">SkyscraperPage</a>.

Whether it was frustration about not getting enough exposure to attract more of the city's residents or the lack of detailed and integrated information relating to a specific geographic region, splinter sites like Urban Toronto and Apartments.com.au exist for the following reasons:

<ul>
<li>An untapped critical mass of people who are interested in the same thing: the urban expansion of their city and the need to focus and nurture that discussion.</li>
	<li>Technological &amp; financial willingness, know-how and sheer drive by the owners of these sites who seek to focus discussion &amp; provide raw data on urbanism for their city to consume.</li>
	<li>Provide a platform for the whole community of that city to come together and discuss, debate, critique and ultimately project an image of how they want their city to develop over time.</li>
</ul>
This isn't a cheap shot to the aforementioned global forums, quite the contrary - without these sites Urban Toronto or Apartments.com.au wouldn't exist, it's just that myself, Mark Baljak and Chris Peska, like Ed Skira on Urban Toronto sought to do what I listed in the three points above.

Urban Toronto in its current form has been live for three years and I've been lurking over there for near six-seven years - even back in its previous incarnation on the now defunct EZBoard forum structure.

You might notice that it has a similar structure to Apartments.com.au - a primary editorial / news <a href="http://urbantoronto.ca/" target="_blank">main page</a>, a <a href="http://urbantoronto.ca/database" target="_blank">project database</a> and a <a href="http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/forum.php" target="_blank">forum</a> - that's because UT was my direct inspiration for going to Mark and Chris and saying: let's do this.

So here's to Toronto, and Urban Toronto.

I don't really need to highlight any specific project, just have a browse through the Urban Toronto Database: <a href="http://urbantoronto.ca/database" target="_blank">http://urbantoronto.ca/database</a>

<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/empty_quarter_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Winter Wonderland, image credit UT member Empty_Quarter http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/showthread.php/8967-Toronto-skyline?p=700780#post700780"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/empty_quarter_1.jpg?itok=oQOK1fDn" title="Winter Wonderland, image credit UT member Empty_Quarter http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/showthread.php/8967-Toronto-skyline?p=700780#post700780" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>

Highly recommend the forum <a href="http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/showthread.php/8967-Toronto-skyline/" target="_blank">thread</a> that image came from and especially photos by UT members Empty_Quarter (above) and <a href="http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/showthread.php/8967-Toronto-skyline?p=713024#post713024" target="_blank">lucci</a>.
</body></html>

Toronto

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Toronto

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News