Highett, Melbourne development wins Mainstreet Award

A mixed-used development on the main shopping strip in Highett, was awarded the Mainstreet Australia Mainstreet Activation award at a gala event last month.

Launched in mid-2013, the development, on the corner of Highett and Graham Roads in Melbourne, includes a retail hub, a socially activated mall and streetscape, and aimed to reinvigorate local commercial opportunities.

ClarkeHopkinsClarke architect Toby Lauchlan said that their Highett creation is the first of its kind.

“For ClarkeHopkinsClarke rejuvenating streetscapes which are often seen in disrepair in suburban Melbourne, is about creating vibrant communities and injecting much needed life through design,” Lauchlan said.

“We set the bar high on all of our work and liaise closely with the community to deliver a shared vision and we’re glad the UDIA and Mainstreet Australia judges both recognize our collaborative efforts have helped transform another community.”

The project has generated 140 full time, part time and casual jobs since the opening of the centre, and has contributed to the safety of the area for those accessing the train station.

“The site once had old warehouses where planes were built in the war and we now see a strip of award winning urban design,” Lauchlan said.

Retail tenancies are current achieving higher rents that estimated initially.

The property also includes residential apartments, with 120 of the 130 selling off the plan prior to completion, explained Accord Property Group managing director Scott McVilly.