Good afternoon everyone,

Welcome to this weeks look-ahead for works in the precinct.  Over past editions we’ve highlighted milestones such as the opening of tram stops, footpaths and completion of base slab pours – this week we had probably our most significant milestone with the first train in the Metro Tunnel. In the wee hours on Tuesday 25 July, the first train slowly rolled its way from down through the eastern tunnel portal in South Yarra and came to rest at Anzac Station, aligning with the newly installed platform screen doors. One of the most prominent signs to date that we are on the home stretch for the project.

You can read more about the new arrival to the station here:

https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/news/metro-tunnel-project/test-trains-enter-the-metro-tunnel

Meanwhile, works continue above ground, and below is a look at what is coming up next week.

1. Utility Works  – Bowen Lane to Bowen Crescent

Last week we finished the utility connection crossing over St Kilda Road, our thanks to everyone for their patience during these disruptive works. We rolled into this week into some more evening works, but thankfully without the night time road saws and excavators. The new street lights were installed along St Kilda Road, with CitiPower also conducting some of their own works at the same time. The project works side of things went well, and we’ve already seen some of the street lights illuminated.

We’ve finished the majority of our scope of works, but understand that CitiPower still have some works to complete and will still be in the area. The main activity will be a new pole erected at the intersection of Toorak Road and St Kilda Road.

Elsewhere, the utility connection works at the top of Bowen Lane are going well, we’re almost ready to tie in of the water main at the Bowen Lane end, but any tie in work needs to be coordinated with South East Water, which we’re currently doing. All going well this should happen late next week and means we will be able to move onto the stormwater connection here. The stormwater connection takes up a bit more real estate at the top of Bowen Lane, and will require pedestrians to be detoured onto a temporary footpath closer to St Kilda Road.

Access to 390 and 400 St Kilda Road will be maintained at all times, it is only the top section of Bowen Lane where we need to create a walk-around.

2. Albert Road Reserve Station entrance

Last weeks’ Albert Road Reserve forecast was for formwork, steel tying, concrete pour – and there are no plans to mix this up for the foreseeable future as we make our way around the permitter of the entrance forming up the station walls.

As mentioned last week, works will continue until 10pm in this area.

3. Albert Road legacy construction

This week we kicked off the latest round of drainage works in Albert Reserve, this has required taking up some of the parking in the eastern section of Albert Road and pushing traffic over towards Albert Reserve (retaining driveway access). These works will take us through all of next week, we’ll have an update next week on the next steps. Elsewhere, works are continuing to construct the legacy road alignment, including the egress lane out to Kings Way. The aim was to reopen this egress lane late next week, but it looks like this will push well into the following week, with unexpected services once again dragging the process out.

4. St Kilda Road median works – South

Tree plot excavation was underway yesterday and today in the southern end of the job – while the kerb installation is almost done for the inner lane of traffic on the southbound side. This is the precursor for us switching traffic into the inner lane and commencing works on the drainage installation against the kerb (In front of the Royce Hotel, heading towards Toorak Road)

Speaking of drainage installation, that’s exactly what will be happening on the city-bound lane of St Kilda Road in front of the Toorak Road Tram stop. Next week the team will begin the excavation in this area, followed closely by the progressive installation of the pre-cast concrete drainage pipes that are currently stored on site waiting installation.

5. St Kilda Road median works – North

The arrival of the first train in the tunnel has somewhat overshadowed a milestone that will be close to the hearts of many here in the local area – which is the planting of the first of our replacement trees on St Kilda Road. The recent completion of the works between Park and Dorcas Street means that we’ve given the green light for City of Melbourne to plant the first tree in the median. This is a tremendous milestone and a welcome reinstatement to the St Kilda Road heritage boulevard. I’ve included a photo of the first of these replacement trees going in today.

We are almost done in the section of St Kilda Road between Park and Dorcas Streets – the southbound lane still has some barriers aligning the road, as we finish off the last of the drainage installation through there. Early next week we’ll start some kerbing and landscaping works behind the barriers, and we’re hoping to get in with some asphalt late next week to finish this area off.  Finishing may be slightly overstating it, as we do need to make the final drainage connection into site on the Shrine side of the St Kilda Road crossing at Park Street. We will need to come back later in August and finish off this section – we’ll provide a heads up when we do as it will likely mean a short term closure of the crossing as we excavate the last piece and lay the final drainage connection.

6. Station box construction

In addition to last week’s exciting installation of carpet in back-of-house rooms – we’ve also started to lay the final tiling on the platform of the station.

7. Shrine Entrance

This week you may have noticed a big new orange crane on site, this was lowering in the precast sections for the station entrance, next week we’ll continue with the preparations for the pouring of the roof slab on the station entrance.

8. Park Street to Albert Road

Today we saw the excavators roll back into the footpath area to excavate for the tree plots for the new trees to be planted in this section of the garden bed in front of the Hallmark Building. The excavated tree plots are backfilled with soil and the irrigation installed, ready for the planting of the replacement trees through this area. We do still have some cladding and fencing to go onto the wall itself. We’re having issues with the manufacture and delivery of the specified tiles for this retaining wall, but rather than let that hold up the planting of the trees, we’ve decided to excavate the tree plots ready for planting.
We will however hold off on the ground level planting, as plants generally doesn’t respond well to tilers standing on them.

Have a great weekend
Rob and Remy

Please be advised starting on the 31st of July and going until the 2nd of August, Skyhooks High Access Solutions will be onsite cleaning windows via abseiling the building.

The works are expected to be completed within that timeline so long as the wind and rain are acceptable to allow safe abseiling. Please ensure your balcony is free of any obstructions that would prevent them from accessing your windows.

If you have any questions or queries, our office can be reached on either
info@bluestoneocm.com.au or (03) 8535 2770

Sorry not great quality

Good afternoon,

I am very pleased to say that the east / west crossing of Park Street has reopened! Say goodbye to the Wells Street detour. The north / south crossing will stay closed a little while longer so that you can keep your step counts up and we can finish off a few final things.

The left turn from Park Street to St Kilda Road will reopen over the weekend.

The pedestrian crossing to the tram stop from the top of Albert Road is also open.

Next week, we will close St Kilda Road in both directions to install new street lights. More information is available here on those works.

Here is a look at what is coming up next week. Monday 24 July is a rostered day off, with things kicking off from Tuesday.

1. Utility Works  – Bowen Lane to Bowen Crescent

Tonight is the last of the utility crossing works between Toorak Road and Bowen Lane, majority of the work is complete. Tonight we will be asphalting until midnight.

Works continue away on the utilities between the Bowens. Next week the sewer and the water will be connected to the main system. We’re expecting to wrap the sewer, water and gas all up by the end of August and then start on the surface legacy work like kerb and road way. Things are moving slower than we would like in this area as I mentioned last week. It is a spaghetti of services in Bowen Lane.

Fit out of the chiller structures will continue until the end of the August.

2. Albert Road Reserve Station entrance

Form work, steel tying, concrete pour.  Form work, steel tying, concrete pour. 

Form work, steel tying, concrete pour.  That is what you’ll see in the Albert Road station entrance for the next little while. Right now we are working on the lining walls. Works will continue until 10pm in this area. The fit out of this entrance will largely follow the same sequence as the Shrine entrance, so next up precast elements will be arriving.

3. Albert Road legacy construction

We’re still paving away the way from Albert Lake to the station entrance over on Albert road. Next week we will also investigating, moving and installing utilities. We are preparing to reopen the Kings way slow lane in early August, which will allow the partial two way arrangement on Albert Road to return.

4. St Kilda Road median works – South

This week we completed the service investigations on the northbound side. As I mentioned above, St Kilda Road may as well be called Lygon Street with the spaghetti of services underneath. So the more we can find out before we crack on with main works the better.

We will start the trenching for the drainage and gas next week. We also made a fair few changes to make the traffic arrangements better for vehicles and cyclists.

On the other side of the road, works progress as they have been for a while.

5. St Kilda Road median works – North

Most of this I mentioned in the opening intro. Next week will be finishing a few things off in this area and give it a good tidy up. We are hoping to be for the most part finished in this area in August. 

6. Station box construction

Biggest news from the station box this week is CARPET has started to be installed in some of the back of house rooms. Testing, commissioning and the various trades continue to do their thing underground.

7. Shrine Entrance

The raft slab is finished! This is the support slab for the stairs and escalators into the station entrance, as well as the canopy. We’ve got a few more internal walls to do here but you’ll start to see the escalator walls and stairs go in shortly.

8. Park Street to Albert Road

The pedestrian crossing across the top of Albert Road opened earlier in the week. Next week we will dig out tree pits and continue with the hard landscaping in this area.

Thanks for time, have a nice weekend
Remy and Rob

Yes it is VERY noisy after last night’s work.

Jan and I have discussed with CYP. They are going to try and flip the offending plate during the day. It will be removed this evening and the area asphalted.

If it is causing you great grief feel free to call them 1800 105105

General comments:

• Road saws are all done
• We have raised the issue of the ‘thunking’ plates – this will be examined and the team will look to improve the final plating each night
• We have raised the issue of light tower placement to shine north/south as much as possible, rather than directly across the road

Tuesday night:

• Non Destructive Digging (NDD/Sucker Truck) until around midnight
• Excavator
• 4/5am install steel plates and move barriers 

Note: If the team encounter crushed rock they may need to put on the hammer attachment on the excavator to loosen it up.

Wednesday night: 

• NDD should be complete – but possibility they may need it if we get any water into the excavation
• Excavator
• Install conduits – by hand and glue together
• Install storm water pipes – installed with excavator (large concrete sections)
• 4/5am install steel plates and move barriers

Thursday night:

• Install conduit
• Install Storm water pipes
• 4/5am install steep plates and move barriers

Friday night:

• Tidy up
• Back fill
• Asphalt 

Thanks, Rob