Metro Equity enters the Doncaster limelight with Casablanca
Apartment buyers may soon have another option atop Doncaster Hill on the back of developer Metro Equity gaining approval for a substantial apartment development across 90-96 Tram Road.
Council voted in favour of the Fender Katsalidis-designed apartment building earlier last week, with a permit granted on Friday for the high density project. Documents which were first lodged for the development at the tail end of 2016 show the project has a build value of $45.4 million.
By far and away Metro Equity's largest project in Melbourne, the developer may well pull the trigger on a sales campaign shortly, already labelling the project Casablanca on its website.
90-96 Tram Road approval details
- Submitted: 12/2016
- Site area: 4097sqm
- Floor count & height: 8 / 21.5m
- Number of Dwellings: 158 - 4 x 1BR / 133 x 2BR / 21 x 3BR
- Total NSA: 13,602sqm
- Car Spaces: 203
- NLA commercial: 672sqm
- Amenities: Communal courtyard, Pool, Gym, Cinema
- Cost of construction: $45.4 million
- Approved: 04/2018 by Manningham City Council
Council was suitable impressed by the design aesthetics and functionality of the proposal during their sitting last week, easily carrying the motion of approval. Indeed 90-96 Tram Road does look to be quite progressive relative to the first wave of apartment projects that 'graced' Doncaster Hill; these earlier projects can be summarised as 'cookie cutter' precast developments.
The large size of the site has seen Fender Katsalidis place the development's communal facilities in the centre of the development, creating a sizeable void in the built form. This allows for a primary source of natural light for certain apartments, with others receiving natural light on two fronts.
The communal zone sees a pool, gym, library, lounge, dining room and exercise/yoga room arranged around a central landscaped area.
Here’s looking at you, Doncaster Hill
The prospect of Metro Equity launching Casablanca to the market in the not too distant future does give cause to look at the current state of Doncaster Hill and surrounds.
Urban.com.au has 24 separate current apartment developments within our Project Database in Doncaster. It is a generally soft time in the market for 3108 in terms of apartment projects at registrations and sales; only a handful of developments are at registrations and sales with Delta Property Group's The Point and WinEx Property's Manning Doncaster the standout projects.
A further five developments are well down the path of construction and are poised to add a further 550 apartments to Doncaster's supply in coming months.
For Metro Equity, Casablanca is a sizeable step up is scale of project. To date the developer has worked on a number of small-scale luxury townhouse and apartment projects in and around Doncaster Hill.