Construction of the $500-million redevelopment of Wesley Place in Melbourne kicked off in November last year.
Centrally focused on the existing ten-building Wesley Church complex, the most significant aspect of the project is a COX Architecture-designed, 34-storey office tower that will replace the existing heritage Princess Mary Club building at 130 Lonsdale Street.
Recently, a second tower has been approved for the site. Located at 140 Lonsdale Street, the 22-storey tower – also designed by COX and developed by Charter Hall – will feature 16,500 square metres of office space.
"The Victorian government's support for this new tower will contribute to the development of the Wesley Place precinct, which will be transformed into a world-class workplace and lifestyle precinct that combines the rich heritage of the site as well as creating a new vision for Melbourne's CBD," Charter Hall's head of office development, Andrew Borger, told Fairfax Media.
Alongside the substantial commercial additions to the area, urban regeneration has been identified as key to the project. Despite the demolition of Princess Mary Club – a former accommodation centre for young women undertaking tertiary education in the city – the project will largely leave the southern church forecourt untouched. Another courtyard will be created to the north of the site as a “community hub, shaded by the significant historic trees”.
Both of the COX Architecture-design towers are expected to be complete by mid-2020.
