Construction has begun on new a hotel and residential development, community facilities and interconnecting laneways adjacent to the Queen Victoria Market, delivered by PDG Corporation and builder Hamilton Marino.
The City of Melbourne will provide $70 million in community facilities in the Munro development including 56 affordable housing units, a city gallery a community centre and kitchen and a 120-place childcare facility.
It will also include 500 basement car parks for market customers to make the area more accessible for shoppers while freeing up surface car parking for a new Market Square.
Melbourne Lord Mayor, Sally Capp, said the City of Melbourne is expecting 24,000 new residents in the area by 2040, so it is essential community facilities and pedestrian friendly spaces are provided to meet the needs of a growing population.
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“We’re delivering a new network of interconnecting laneways featuring retail stores, cafes and restaurants. The popular street art precinct in Blender Lane will remain and the new community facilities will better connect the market precinct to the city,” Capp said.
“We purchased this site from the Munro family five years ago to protect the market from inappropriate development and prevent a supermarket or large chain stores being built in direct competition to fresh food offerings of the Queen Vic Market.”
PDG Corporation Managing Director, Vince Giuliano, said the development is an important step forward in realising City of Melbourne’s ambitious plans for the Queen Victoria Market precinct.
“PDG is delighted to achieve a significant milestone on this highly anticipated and vital project. The end result will be an exemplary mixed-use development that provides tremendous benefits to the community,” Giuliano said.
“In collaboration with the City of Melbourne, we are now able to continue advancing Melbourne’s premier mixed-use project – a development that will be leading-edge for sustainability and liveability next door to Victoria’s most beloved and visited icon, Queen Victoria Market.”
The community facilities and basement carpark is expected to be completed within two years.