388 elizabeth st, melbourne

2 level development - 1,600sqm. Practical completion, 2016

Delivered by David Castro - Director/Lead Project Manager, Volo Projects.

The site, in a key emerging precinct on Elizabeth St, was bounded by new developments and the historic Literature Lane. The owners envisaged a development that provided community benefit, adding to the neighbourhood instead of following the norm of a high-rise building.

David and his team briefed the architects to think differently, embracing the existing corner brick building and create a ‘fine grain’ development that was welcoming and inclusive.

The site’s history was an interesting and storied one: at times a hotel, petrol station and most recently a car hire garage. With this history, legacies of the past use were uncovered during the construction such as a 30,000 litre petrol tank, still with ‘standard’, hydraulic car lifters and contaminated spoil. All of this was dealt with and a very successful development was delivered on budget with Woolworths and BWS key tenants on a long term lease.

Monto Projects has continued with the site, delivering the Damiao Sichuan restaurant to level 1.

“Our project was complicated by the need to preserve and underpin a substantial brick structure as well as communicating with the adjoining building site of a 60 story multi-residential development.

We are emphatically satisfied with the services provided to bring our project to a successful conclusion”

The owners of 388 Elizabeth

Photography by Harris HMC