There will be no access in and out of the lower car park tomorrow (Thursday) between 9am and 3pm.

Just a quick summary of things happening around Botanica.

Metro Rail prep

• The footpath will be ‘out of bounds’ from tomorrow while they start moving cables /services under the footpath.  They need to move these cables closer to our building to make room for the new train station!
• The driveway from the lower car park on to St Kilda Rd will be closed from 9am – 3pm on Thursday August 10
• Gas works will be occurring in Bowen Cres but should not restrict driveway access
• The Botanica will be getting a new gas meter.  The one in the lower car park will be replaced by one neatly(?) tucked in the garden on the right hand side of the upper car park.

“Normal” building works

• As you should know, the letterbox access upgrade is underway today.
• The intercom upgrade will happen later this month, currently planned for August 23-24.  More notice closer to that date

There has been a lot of discussion in the media and from various action groups about the fact that Domain Station is being done via ‘cut and cover’.  This means there will be a BIG hole outside Botanica for many months.  MMRA have consistently said that it is the most suitable and also the fastest.

I am NOT an engineer and I do not profess to be any sort of expert, but I have been reading information on the UK equivalent project (called Crossrail).  I found an article about Paddington Station particularly interesting as they did that station via ‘cut and cover’ or ‘top down’.  The full story is here, but this extract caught my eye.

“Two factors drove the decision to construct the main station box using top down methods. First, top down construction is stiffer, with smaller wall movements, minimising damage to the surrounding buildings and utility corridor. Second, the desire to reopen Eastbourne Terrace to traffic as early as possible required the roof slab to be constructed at the front end of the construction programme.”

Sounds a very  familiar story – we certainly want the project to minimise damage and there is a great desire to get St Kilda Rd running again ASAP.

Maybe they have got it right??

As part of the re-scheduled Comms work that John Holland are doing out the front, they need to cut a trench across the driveway to the lower car park.  This is currently scheduled for Thursday August 10, between 9am and 3pm.

That is Thursday NEXT week

You will need to get your car out before 9am if you need it.

As part of the Comms work that John Holland are doing out the front, they need to cut a trench across the driveway to the lower car park.  This is currently scheduled for Tuesday 25 July, between 9am and 3pm.

You will need to get your car out before 9am if you need it.

John Holland will be setting up the temporary fencing and undertaking preparation work for the communications relocation on St Kilda Road between Bowen Lane and Bowen Crescent this Friday 21 July instead of Wednesday 19 July, as planned. They will be continuing on with this communications relocation work next week, with the duration of the works to remain in line with the works notice and update flyer they issued to The Botanica last week.

The two main projects about to occur / happening right now are

1. They are moving comms lines from the middle of the footpath, right over next to our wall.
2. They are moving gas mains and gas meters along Bowen Crescent and St Kilda Rd.

The attached flyer has some more detail on the work that is happening, right on our doorstep.

These are the design images of the proposed Domain station

This press release  out lines the preferred consortium that Metro Rail have selected to build the train tunnel.

• Cross Yarra Partnership – comprising Lendlease Engineering, John Holland, Bouygues Construction and Capella Capital

A number of you have asked about whether our tram stop at Bowen Lane will be re-instated.  I have had confirmation today that it will be operational again tomorrow.  The new stop on our side of Toorak Rd will be accessible from near the old Police Building.  That stop is a new generation, safer and with better accessibility.

Our old stop will clearly have to go when they do the serious tunnel work next year.