Whitehorse Towers in Box Hill, owned by the Deague Group, has topped out at 115m

THE tallest building in Victoria outside of central Melbourne has officially topped out.

Whitehorse Mayor Denise Massoud and members of the Deague Group cut the ribbon at the Whitehorse Towers topping out ceremony. Picture: Nicole Garmston

THE Whitehorse Towers has officially topped out at 115m.

The Deague Group’s $330 million twin-tower project will be completed later this year, however the topping out ceremony today, held on the pool deck looking out to Melbourne’s CBD, marked the development reaching its highest point.

Deague Group founder and chairman David Deague said it was a “monumental day” for the company.

The view from the top of the Whitehorse Towers, looking out to the Melbourne CBD. Picture: Nicole Garmston

“It’s the tallest building we’ve ever constructed — 36 storeys and the tallest building in Victoria outside the CBD, so it’s a milestone,” Mr Deague said.

A helicopter had been planned to lift a pine tree onto the building’s roof, as is tradition for a topping out ceremony, but Mr Deague said strong winds had meant the tree had to be hoisted up by hand instead.

“Traditionally when you top out a building you hoist up a Cypress tree. It’s an old builder’s tradition going back hundreds of years, but I don’t think anyone appreciated the effort it was to get this thing up here, but here it is.”

Anthony Deague, Will Deague, David Deague and Jono Deague at the official topping out ceremony of the tallest development outside of Melbourne CBD, Whitehorse Towers, Box Hill. Picture: Nicole Garmston

The Whitehorse Towers will be made up of 511 apartments, retail and commercial space and a luxury 100 room hotel, The Chen, named after and inspired by Chinese Australian artist Zhong Chen.

Every single apartment has been sold, with Mr Deague’s son and company chief executive William Deague saying “you can’t even buy a storeroom in the place”.

“With the collaboration with the council and their vision for Box Hill, it’s been one of the more straight forward developments we’ve ever done,” Mr Deague said.

“I think it’s been good for Box Hill as well, since we bought this it’s helped with permits of surrounding sites, it’s helped with land values.

“We were the first serious size development and when we bought there really wasn’t a whole lot going on. There was talk of a site which is now coming out of the ground on Station St, Sky One, but that was it.

“We went to great lengths to make sure we had reflective glass, not clear glass so you’re not seeing stuff on balconies, to making sure we haven’t overshadowed any residential housing, it’s been very responsible.

“Even the employment and economy as well — I must have bought 300-400 coffees from the patisserie in Box Hill Central, let alone the 400-500 construction guys here every day.

“The hotel will also directly employ about 120 people, so the knock on effect to employment and economic benefits to the surrounding retailers has been huge.”