Jan and I had a confidential update from CYP on the latest design for Anzac (Domain) Station.  I have permission from Rob Mair at CYP to share this with residents, but I was not permitted to use any of their diagrams. They are only preliminary still.

Chiller Plant

The biggest design issue we have had was the bluestone covered chiller plant out the front of The Botanica.  There is good news and not so good news.

The good news is that it will now be covered in Corten steel, some will be solid panels (facing the side of the road) and the ends will be more open weave patterned steel (allowing airflow).  I think this is MUCH better and less imposing than the bluestone.  I understand that the Office of Victorian Government Architect was also involved and said that the chiller plants must not look like monuments and this was part of the reason for the changes.

Various drawings from the previous design are shown below – which we understood to mean that there would be one structure with two vents.

The bad news is that the two vents have now been spread.  We were not permitted to have the current equivalent diagrams but each structure is about 12.5 metres long and 6.25 metres high.  A gap of 17.5 metres will be between the two units and the southernmost unit will be in front of 412 St Kilda Rd (Old Police Building).  The reason for the change was to increase noise dampening and increase air intake.

To give you an idea of size, an A Class tram like the one below, is 15 metres long and 3.3 metres high.  So each chiller plant will be like one of these trams stuck on top of another with a tram between the two plants.

We were not told at the meeting but were subsequently told it was also to assist with the ‘working in confirned spaces’ safety work practices.

A bit like this

In the next diagram, I’ve tried to draw them from our front steps.  The size and position is close but certainly not exact.

Street trees

We had five elms trees and we currently have five temporary street trees, we are disappointed to discover that the new design only has four trees.  They will be like for like and we have been assured that they won’t just be plonked in a hole.  We have also been assured that there is sufficient room above the station box lid for satisfactory tree growth.

The current plan also has plantings between the trees, but not sure exactly what that will look like.

The previous version of the plan has five elms clearly marked. See below

The current plan has a bike hoop in front of 402 St Kilda Rd which we said made no sense.  There are bike hoops outside 412 St Kilda Rd, riders to our building can leave their bikes in our carpark.  We strongly pushed for the bike hoops to be relocated to the commercial building at 390 St Kilda Rd.

CYP said that, as part of this design process, they need to show City of Port Phillip locations where bike hoops may be installed in the future.  That makes no sense to me at all.  They clearly should not be installed there now or ever.

The location and number of the central street trees were less clear but we requested that strong consideration be given to camouflaging the chiller plants.

Footpath

We have been assured that it will be level and drain properly but will not be bluestone.  For some reason the bluestone will stop at Bowen Lane.

Driveway access / car parking / bike lanes

No decision yet has been made on central or kerbside bike lanes.  In front of The Botanica the plan is for one bike lane, one lane of car parking and two lanes of traffic.  The lanes are effectively interchangeable and so the bike lane, currently kerbside (Copenhagen style), could be moved to the centre.

No decision has been made yet on whether our parking will be off peak only or full time.

After the meeting Rob said that I had misunderstood this and that our parking will be off-peak only.

We again had the conversation about safe access to our St Kilda Rd driveway.  The design as presented has gone back to the very sharp and dangerous entry across a bike lane and footpath.  Rob confirmed after the meeting that they have committed to remove one parking bay  and will ensure a safe entry and exit.

Vents

There have always been some vents in the middle of St Kilda Rd, in front of 390 St Kilda Rd.  These remain but have been made slightly smaller.

The designs will go out for public comment later in the year, I will let you know when that occurs.