This is the worst kind of facadism. What a shabby result for the heritage building on site, and Southbank's remaining heritage in general - a larger setback with the front roof element and front 'room' of internals retained would have been the bare minimum in order to demonstrate any design 'respect' for this building, I would have thought. It's pleasing to hear that the developer and architect will be making so much money from the site, though.

Its a pity the historic building was not utilized better.

For the historic building I believe that the government should be the one we blame. If the government wants to protect the historic building, then it should not allow the developers to demolish even part of it.

What's "historic" about this warehouse?

I agree - the warehouse fabric of Southbank was eroded years ago when Southbank and the Casino transformed the area. Saving little bits here to me hardly seems worth it in this area especially when there are no actual requirements to put retail and commercial space down in those old frontages which would help give southbank some of the street level life it so desperately needs

I honestly think this is token facadism at it's worst - it's the only thing that detracts from the building which deserves to use that space for a more impressive and engaging street level podium. In other words I'd rather have all brand new modern street level podiums but with mandatory requirements for street or multi level commercial & retail areas - much like they want to do in Chapel St as reported in The Age today.

Central Equity was allowed to destroy the streets of Southbank years ago - so saving this building ain't gonna make much difference. But since they are I hope they do something useful with it.

The historic building on the site was already only a facade with the interior gutted and replaced with modern office space in the early 1990's.

It does have streetscape value as part of an intact row of historic warehouse facades along City Road between Power Street and Southbank Boulevard. Also there will be retail uses behind the facades and it will be a nice strip of shops one day when the COM and VicRoads finally get around the fixing up City Road.

^^ and that's the key - City Rd is the whole issue with Southbank right now it dissects it like a sewer inviting noboody to cross the roand and enjoy the historic street frontages.

Not sure how they are going to fix it though we already have a tunnel yet traffic continues to flood the streets - maybe divert it all under the arts centre to Stuart St which had plenty of room ?

Either way be nice if it was all done in time for A108's opening.

Also be nice if we saw some piling rigs onsite here soon though last reports were BM aren't going to start till Spring .. ?

Six more weeks at the minimum ?

Apparently a builder still hasn't actually been appointed officially so I doubt we will see a start this year now ..

Can confirm BM are finalising contracts, October start.

Thanks for that Ryan.

Thanks so much Ryan let's hope it stays on schedule - don't suppose you have any updates on Aurora starting date as well ?

No worries. Sorry, no info on Aurora at this point.

BM formally appointed, piling starts in October and 5 major milestones: https://urban.melbourne/development/2015/09/16/brookfield-multiplex-appointed-builder-australia-108-piling-commence-october

YES

In your face Wynne!

Meh. It's in a wasteland of main roads, noise, ugly big box retail frontages and boring, inhospitable streets.

Who wants to live in this neighbourhood? ... and why?

You are beyond help Bilby ..

Aussie 108 isn't the cause of Southbank's problems at street level so go air your grievances elsewhere and welcome this stunning addition that will again re-define Melbourne's skyline to the world - thankfully we just got the F1GP extension till 2023 to give the international audience at least 3 years of close up exposure to this stunner.

Meanwhile City Rd is getting a makeover so perhaps there is hope for Southbank as a whole so again go lament in that thread. A108 might help lead that redevelopment with retail behind the heritage facade that *IS* being retained as you of all people should appreciate.

As for why people would want to live there - err you are in the geographical center of every major urban precinct and attraction across the city from St.Kilda to Toorak/Prahran to Richmond to Collingwood/Brunswick to CBD/Docklands to Port Melbourne and back again - that's why.

Thank goodness this one has scraped over the line ..

I don't mind the building, but really, it is nowhere near the attractions you mention - unless you're a suburbanite who drives everywhere anyway. Then it's as close as anywhere else, I suppose. If there is no action, interesting streets or other elements worthy of the name "neighbourhood" within a couple of hundred metres of my front door, then personally, I'm not interested in living there. Others may be - which is fine for them.

Oh, re: "... you people". So, I'm just one person - are you part of a group of some kind, Adrian?

Ever heard of a tram ?

As for "... you people" - WTF are you on about ?

I said "you OF ALL people ...." as in you are the one who pines over the loss of old buildings at all costs. Though yes I see you've already slammed what they are going to do with this facade based on a few distance renders and not the outcome just as you did with Swanston Central.

Nowhere near? Are you for real?

People living out in Pakenham are nowhere near those suburbs, not Southbank...

I don't pine over old buildings - it's unfortunate that the qualities of the new places we are building fail in all of the ways that our heritage areas and buildings excel. Heritage places exhibit fine grain, textural, human scaled qualities that 21st century cities need. We can plan and build that way, but we so often don't. Australia 108 and it's "neighbourhood" is a classic example of this - it fails in so many ways as to be laughable as an "icon" of Melbourne. Icon of what? It may be an ok looking contemporary tower from a distance, but it is part of the problem at a neighbourhood level. It addresses few of the things that most residents would actually want in an inner city neighbourhood, and is reliant on areas outside of it's immediate precinct for lifestyle amenity.

And yes, Riddlz, I'm inner city terms, it is a fair hike from the places mentioned, which is why it would have been so valuable for Southbank to have retained some of their qualities, rather than the situation residents now face, which is having to jump on a tram or drive to areas that are actually pleasant to pass the time in.