The big changes coming to Melbourne’s Southgate complex
Melbourne’s Southgate shopping and dining complex is a riverside tourist mecca but there are plans to demolish the exisiting building and completely overhaul the site. See the proposal.
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Melbourne’s Southgate shopping and dining complex is to be demolished and rebuilt with sprawling sky gardens and a 21-storey office tower in a $800 million redevelopment.
The massive overhaul — which could start as early next year — also includes a new food hall, supermarket and shops.
There would be more than 4000 sqm of elevated parks, gardens and public space.
The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal redevelopment plans for the riverside tourist mecca, built in 1992, are now with the state government.
It would take about three years to complete.
ARA Australia head of asset management Rohan Neville, whose property group owns the 2ha Southgate site, said the revamp would reflect Melbourne’s reputation as a dining and cultural destination and open up connections to the adjoining arts precinct.
“We want Southgate to become synonymous with celebration — a place that people love working and playing in, and want to return to time and again,” Mr Neville said.
Leading Melbourne architect firm Fender Katsalidis has designed the new complex.
The existing building containing a food court and popular restaurants including Tutto Bene, Pure South, Red Emperor, Blue Train and The Deck would be demolished.
It would make way for the new food hall, shops and a high-rise tower with offices for more than 3100 workers and multiple communal balcony gardens.
The nearby Langham Hotel would remain as would the two-level structure in front which houses HopHaus, pub PJ O’Brien’s and Waterfront restaurant.
But it would be remodelled inside.
“We’ve spoken with each of our retail and commercial tenants about our planning application for Southgate,’’ Mr Neville said.
“Given we are only at lodgement stage, there’s still a long way to go before we can start having more detailed discussions with our tenants about future opportunities, should approval be obtained.”
Fender Katsalidis director Nicky Drobis told the Sunday Herald Sun the front of the new Southgate would be single level and provide more green space for workers, tourists, residents and shoppers.
Construction would create about 340 full-time jobs.
“Southgate has served its purpose very well but it is a development which doesn’t necessarily engage with its wider context as successfully as it could,’’ Ms Drobis said.
“It was relevant for a time and place.
“The hero of the whole development is the introduction of the new park. Southbank can only benefit from any introduction of green.’’
The existing three-level Southgate complex, opposite Flinders Street Railway Station, was built as part of the regeneration of the south bank of the Yarra River.
ARA, a Singapore-based property and funds manager, bought it for about $600 million in 2018.
The complex has 76,600 sqm of commercial space mostly in the two office blocks — the HWT Tower and IBM Centre.
Melbourne City Council has plans, delayed by a year, to upgrade Southbank promenade with landscaping to slow bikes and improve pedestrian safety.
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