How Ringwood’s skyline is going to change in 2023

Ringwood is undergoing massive changes with some important projects about to start construction. See the list of big builds.

A series of key development projects in the Ringwood activity centre are under construction or could start later this year. Picture: Kiel Egging.

Old-school local historians might be hating it, but Ringwood is fast becoming a hub for the outer east as high rise development transforms the heart of the suburb.

The suburb has soared to new heights after the $100m, 11-storey EastCo complex was finished last year and the Department of Transport and VicRoads moved in.

But if you think the construction cranes and hard hats are going to disappear any time soon, think again, with a number of long-planned projects possibly set to begin this year, and others already underway.

Here’s your guide to the projects set to change Ringwood even further.

5 BOND ST

An artist's impression of Eastland owner QIC's proposed office tower at 17-21 Ringwood St. Picture: Extract from planning documents.

After finishing off the 11-storey $100m EastCo office tower next to Ringwood railway station last year, Eastland’s owners QIC are underway with another similar project, which is also a stone’s throw away from the shopping centre.

The 5 Bond St office complex is being built on empty land in front of Ringwood’s Costco store and on the corner of Ringwood St.

It will be slightly smaller at 10-storeys, but will have a similar concept with ground floor retail, four levels of parking on top, and office space on the remaining levels above.

The cost of the project is unclear, but according to planning documents, the tower is scheduled for completion in March 2024.

No news yet on which businesses could be moving into the new tower.

RYMAN RETIREMENT VILLAGE

2-16 Mt Dandenong Rd, Ringwood East

Ryman's Ringwood East village will replace the historic Daiseys Hotel and its nearby gardening supplies store on Mt Dandenong Rd. Picture: Supplied.

The historic Daisey’s Hotel is now long gone, and work on Ryman Healthcare’s next retirement village is tipped to ramp up this year.

In case you missed it, the Kiwi aged care giant bought the 2.2ha Daisey’s site on the corner of Mt Dandenong Rd and next to Ringwood Lake Park back in early 2019.

It announced plans for six-level retirement village, set to cost $220m and room for

241 independent living suites, 120 care beds and 53 assisted living suites.

The village will also include an all-weather bowling green, heated indoor swimming pool, cafe, hair and beauty salon and cinema.

There was a push to keep the historic pub — which had been based at the site for more than 140 years — but Ryman determined it “wouldn’t be practical or safe” to retain it, and the wrecking balls came in.

A Ryman spokesman said Melbourne’s very wet spring caused “a number of disruptions”, and builders had begun minor works including putting in steps and paths to integrate the village with the park.

A time frame for construction being completed and the first residents moving in is yet to be announced.

QUEST HOTEL

229-231 Maroondah Highway

An artist's impression of the planned 14-storey Quest Hotel (centre) in Ringwood, taken from planning documents.

A demolition permit for one of the existing buildings was recently approved at this plum site which will soon be home to a 12-storey Quest hotel.

Original plans for the site, next to the 10-storey 233 East apartment complex, were refused in early 2021 after developers originally wanted to build a $30m, 14-storey development.

But Maroondah Council later approved a revised application after the project was reduced by two storeys.

The hotel will contain four levels of parking, including one level underground, conference rooms and nine levels of serviced apartments.

EAST END

28-30 Maroondah Highway

An artist’s impression of a proposed plaza at the East End development in Ringwood, which is yet to commence after being announced back in 2019.

Could shovels finally go into the ground on this long-planned, record-breaking project in 2023?

First announced back in 2019, this three-tower development opposite The Coach hotel and next to EastLink was planned to become a mixed-used hub with one of the towers reaching 19-storeys.

It was set to feature apartments, co-working facilities, shops, restaurants and a flash AC Hotel operated by the Marriott Group

Apartments began being sold along with penthouses for up to $4m.

But in early 2021, sales were paused, the project’s official website was taken down, and a display suite at Eastland closed.

Agents Marshall White also pulled out of the project and referred all queries to developer Sunstone Projects, who no longer have an anticipated completion date listed on its website.

Last year, the site was cleared and signage for East End was removed.

Maroondah Council was assessing proposed amendments to the project’s permit earlier this year.

They included increasing the height of the proposed hotel building from nine to 11 storeys, and reducing the height of the two other towers by one and two storeys.

The council did not specify what the new heights of the two towers would be, and said the proposed changes were under review.

RINGWOOD RESIDENCES

301 Maroondah Highway

The 16-storey Ringwood Residences project near Ringwood Lake Park is yet to begin construction, despite plans being announced almost five years ago. File picture.

Mystery also surrounds the future of this long-planned project opposite Ringwood Lake Park and next to the Ringwood Bypass.

Designs were unveiled in 2018 for the 16-storey development, which was approved by Maroondah Council in 2015.

It was set to contain a 160-room Holiday Inn hotel on the first seven levels, and residential apartments on the remaining levels above.

Soil is yet to be turned at the site despite sales commencing in late 2018, and an office also opened for a short period at the Midway Arcade near Eastland.

The latest update on the project was in October 2019 with the appointment of Hamilton Marino as builders, and construction was set to begin a short time later before Covid-19 hit in early 2020.

Despite Ringwood Residences’ website still being active, the project is not listed on Hamilton Marino’s website or developer Ninety Four Feet’s website.

Former sales manager Lucas Gianotti is also no longer involved with the project.

Ninety Four Feet were contacted for comment.

OFFICEWORKS

3 Heatherdale Rd/2A Maroondah Highway

The former Hungry Jacks restaurant on the corner of Maroondah Hwy and Heatherdale Rd, Ringwood, before it was demolished. Picture: Kiel Egging.

The former site of Ringwood’s Hungry Jacks’ restaurant near EastLink will become home to a new Officeworks store, believed to be three storeys.

The restaurant was bulldozed in 2021 and construction has begun at the site, however a completion date is unclear, as is the future of Ringwood’s existing Officeworks store on the corner of Pratt St and Maroondah Highway.