A few weeks back we were having some terrible vibrations throughout the building. I tried to explain that they were removing concrete segments and the blinding layer ceiling underneath St Kilda Rd.

Here is a video that shows what was happening.

A few things to note

• The camera does not move – the back wall keeps moving away from the camera
• The camera is about at Bowen Lane / St Kilda Rd looking south
• If you look closely, you can see a ‘thin’ layer of ceiling concrete that falls away (with some help) at various points. This was a temporary layer laid to give a solid base to lay the concrete lab onto. Called a ‘blinding layer’. It was these chunks falling that caused us the grief
• In the final shot, the top right of the scene is immediately in front of The Botanica, near our front steps

Enjoy

See attached full details

Some observations…

The survey numbers down about 20% this year – partly impacted by empty apartments

Front page has a summary of the last few years, but looking at the areas that were given the lowest scores this year

• Civium / OC mgmt
• Car park
• Lobby flowers
• Gardens

None of them are a surprise but worth keeping at top of mind in our planning

Looking at the trends on the front page

• Almost all have improved
• Renters are less happy with the decision to live here, I guess Metro Tunnel has a big impact.  The empty rental apartments back that up
• Less satisfaction with Metro’s 1800 number

Some observations from subsequent pages

• More than 25% of respondents have been here less than 5 years
• All owners and all renters (except 1) have seen the residents guide. 
• Feedback on the sprinkler project is very good.  Both in terms of people understanding the need and it actually being low impact.
• Favoured sustainability ideas are
  • Solar for common areas and apartments if possible
  • Electric car charging
  • Water harvesting

Some ideas put forward

• Lobby chairs – we have had this several times
• Improve access to the building / car park.  Again an old chestnut. We improved with automatic doors but still not fabulous
• Car park cleaning
• Smells in corridors
• Better notification of renovation noise
• Put ‘time’ back on lift screens
• Better soundproofing
• More social gatherings
• External painting

Timelapse from The Botanica today

We don’t want to get into this situation – please limit numbers in the lifts and get your tradies / visitors to wear masks in common areas.

We have had 23 completed surveys, many thanks to those people.

No-one on Level 5 has done it yet and only one person on Level 4, maybe I should disable the lift on those levels …just kidding.

Click here to go to the survey

It is OK for more than one person in an apartment to complete the survey.

Here is a sample question to get you thinking

Thanks to the people who have done the survey already.

Interesting to see the level of interest in solar power and an electric car charging facility!!

It is wet and cold outside…and you’re locked down anyway, why not do the survey for The Botanica.

Click here

If you would prefer a paper copy, send me an email – buckgw@gmail.com

Each year we survey the owners and renters in the building. It should only take 10-15 minutes

At the start of this year’s survey, there is a link to the results of earlier surveys

Click here please