Fishermans Bend’s First Project Breaks Ground
Amidst the ongoing political kick-to-kick over the handling of Fishermans Bend, a new era has begun as the Urban Renewal Area’s first project has officially commenced construction. Developer Blue Earth Group’s Gravity Tower now sees head contractor Hamilton Marino in charge of the project which fronts Montague Street and Gladstone Street.
Geotechnical Engineering has been engaged as a specialist subcontractor, going about delivering foundation piling for the 31 level tower with its conspicuous Continuous Flight Auger rig onsite.
With no basement levels Gravity Tower is set to rise at pace. As is the case with the majority of projects within Fishermans Bend, car parking provisions for the tower are located above ground owing to floodplain considerations.
Being the first project to reach construction, Gravity Tower will command sweeping views upon completion when it will appear as the only substantial project on the Fishermans Bend skyline.
This will not be the case in the medium to long term as additional projects within Montague Precinct become reality. Designated as Fishermans Bend’s high-rise precinct, no less than seven additional towers are approved on the same block as Gravity Tower while a host of high-rise planning applications directly north of the project remain at planning with the likelihood that they will ultimately stymie Gravity Tower viewlines.
Commencement of works on Gravity Tower follows Blue Earth Group’s recent move to initiate another development within Fishermans Bend. BEG Developments Pty Ltd is behind a planning application lodged during late October covering 245-251 Normanby Street South Melbourne which falls within Capital City Zone 1 considerations.
At 2,640sqm, the site was offered for sale by agents Dawkins Occhiuto mid year with a ROTHELOWMAN detailed development scheme included for 448 apartments within a tower that looks to reach the 40 storey height limit for the area.
In an overall snapshot Blue Earth Group’s move on 245-251 Normanby Street pushes total planning applications for Fishermans Bend to beyond 40 with approximately half holding approval to date. While many planning applications are for multiple low to mid-rise residential developments, there are still in excess of 40 towers proposed or approved for the Urban Renewal Area with the majority located within Montague Precinct.
Source: News Release, Urban Melbourne, 10 November, 2015
https://urban.melbourne/development/2015/11/10/fishermans-bends-first-project-breaks-ground