Out with the new and in with the really-new

Out with the new and in with the really-new

Equiset will demolish a building constructed just four years ago, under a proposal currently seeking planning approval.

The developer wants to knock down the three-storey entrance to the Goods Shed North at 710 Collins St, and build a 32-storey, 180 metre high building in its place.

The proposal would also see a further six bays of the northern Goods Shed removed, but would improve public access to the historic building, both visually and physically.

Equiset Grollo Group executive director Matthew O’Halloran told Docklands News the proposed high-rise wasn’t originally built on the site because there wasn’t market demand for a tower of that size.  

“Docklands was in its nascent stage of development,” Mr O’Halloran said.

“Over the past five years, that end of Collins St has matured and there is now greater demand.”

Land values in Docklands have skyrocketed since the original land deal was done, signalling the potential for a major profit for the developer when the site jumps from just over 10,000 sqm of leasable space to 47,500 sqm.

When asked if there was a big profit to be made from developing a high-rise on the site, Mr O’Halloran said this was “potentially” the case.

“From a margin point of view it’s probably similar to what it has always been, just on a bigger scale, based on what the market demands,” he said.

Mr O’Halloran doesn’t believe the proposal will be the start of a trend of demolishing smaller developments in Docklands to make way for higher buildings.

“I think it’s a unique circumstance with this particular site because of where it is,” Mr O’Halloran said.

“There’s some specific location advantages, there’s a specific point of difference because of the heritage shed.”

“It would be highly unlikely that you’d see such a series of events that would lead to a modern, albeit small building, demolished in favour of a major one. Economically that would normally not work,” he said.

The proposed tower would be elevated above the ground plane of Collins St, allowing views through to the Goods Shed.

The development would also include a public staircase, nearly a third of the width of the site’s Collins St frontage, connecting Collins with the Goods Shed and Village St and Aurora Lane below.

A new urban plaza would be located at the bottom of the staircase, running between the Goods Shed and the commercial tower and connecting Aurora Lane and Village St.

Further retail is proposed for the ground floor, running along the Village St side of the building.

The Goods Shed is leased to Places Victoria (at the Collins St end) and the Victorian Building Authority and Platform 28 (at the Bourke St end) for the next 10 years.

However, Places Victoria’s restructure and subsequent plans to move out of the Goods Shed have opened up the opportunity for the lease to be broken early.

The building authority and Platform 28 would not be affected by the proposed development.

“While we are planning for the future and could deliver the project by early 2017, we remain subject to some commercial realities,” Mr O’Halloran said.

According to Mr O’Halloran, following planning approval, pre-commitment for lease of 70 to 80 per cent of the building would be required to kick-start its construction.

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