Exo to start next month

Lend Lease expects to start work next month on its mostly-car park Exo building on the corner of Collins and Merchant streets.

Eight of the 12 storeys will house 642 car spaces, with 96 two and one-bedroom apartments being available on the other four floors.

Exo gets its name from a metallic outer skin, a perforated, virtual exoskeleton which shields the workings of the car park from view.

The $107 million development is expected to completed by mid-2013.  The extension of Collins St is expected to be completed at the same time.

During construction, parking will be available on the “C5” site to the west of Seafarers Lane.

Exo will feature 64 two-bedroom apartments (each with a car space) and 32 one-bedroom apartments (without parking) as well as seven new shops.  Lend Lease is aiming for 4 Star Green Star building accreditation.

There will be an open landscape courtyard on level eight, and the residential corridors will be open for natural ventilation and light.