Another upgrade for Merchant St

Another upgrade for Merchant St

Lend Lease will upgrade part of Merchant St in an attempt to entice the worker population to spend time in the precinct after the working day is done.

Refurbishment work will take place on the western side of Merchant St to modify existing tenancy layouts to create a hospitality precinct.

The upgrade includes work on the exterior facades and canopies of the retail spaces along the north/west section of Merchant St, including the creation of balcony seating in the corner tenancy.

“The works will focus on making the spaces more ‘hospitality-friendly’ by changing materials and doing things like increasing space for footpath trading, repositioning trees to provide shade at concentrated areas, modifying the awnings and generally lifting the standard of design and construction,” a Lend Lease spokesperson said.

“By ensuring there’s quality hospitality offerings in Victoria Harbour that remain open at close of business, workers will be more likely to stay in the precinct to socialise and relax rather than head up to the CBD.”

“The small-scale works in Merchant St are intended to make a significant difference to the street’s appeal making the area more people friendly, offering a genuine alternative to the CBD and affirming Victoria Harbour as Melbourne’s premier living waterfront.”

The spokesperson said Lend Lease was working with the owner of the retail spaces to secure superior operators to lease the tenancies and had engaged Six Degrees as the architect for the project.

Work is set to start in early 2014.

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