Keilor Road's last car dealership goes to apartments and goes super green
The mass migration of car dealerships from Essendon's Keilor Road is all but complete with the last super site at planning.
Holden's former dealership at 203-211 Keilor Road is now subject to a Peddle Thorp-designed scheme that would turn the sizeable 5,300 square metre site into a showcase of contemporary green design. The pending rebirth of the Holden dealership follows in the footsteps of similar sized lots along Keilor Road which have been developed or hold planning approval.
At Keilor road's expense, the bulk of car dealerships have chosen the expanses of the AutoCentro precinct within Essendon Fields.
Holden's departure is Panorama Investments Pty Ltd gain, the entity snared the site during a 2017 sales campaign. The proposal was lodged with City of Moonee Valley during March this year.
203-211 Keilor Road application summary
- Site area: 5303.52 sqm with a primary 110m frontage to Keilor Road
- Proposed 7 levels at 23.7m in height
- 121 apartments: 17 x 1BR, 85 x 2BR, 19 x 3BR
- Ground floor retail/commercial space: 2,130sqm
- 2 basement levels for 247 vehicles and 131 bicycles
- Internal green space/courtyard and rooftop terrace
Retail tenancies will front the primary Keilor Road frontage, along with the secondary Cooper Street and Roberts Street frontages. The design's southern aspect has chosen a particularly green method of addressing the neighbouring detached properties.
Vertical and horizontal green plantings boards serve to bolster privacy whilst also providing a softer, more aesthetically pleasing outlook form the perspective of existing adjoining properties.
Between the green facade and Peddle Thorp's inclusion of design features such as elevated bridges and an angular build form expression to Keilor Road, 203-211 Keilor Road has been billed as capable of "setting a benchmark in urban design and architectural resolution for the area".
In the wider Keilor Road context, 203-211 Keilor Road is the latest project which adds to an already robust pipeline of projects. At construction is Parkside Apartments at 64 Keilor Road, whilst Curve Apartments at 294-296 Keilor Road is awaiting the arrival of a builder onsite.
These projects combined will add approximately 125 apartments.
113 Keilor Road and 261 Keilor Road are more modest apartment projects in waiting, although two relative brutes stand to add 350 apartments between them. 144-160 Keilor Road and 165-169 Keilor Road are both substantial approved apartment projects, with the latter also accounting for a former car dealership.