GEOCON have today announced their newest Braddon development Midnight onsite at 92 Northbourne Avenue. The development will be a mixed-use precinct adding an extra 200 public car parks to the Braddon area, 2500m2 of commercial space, a 160-room hotel, 250 apartments, car spaces for residents, a public courtyard, and intriguing landscaping, lapped with still and falling water.
GEOCON has once again teamed up with world-renowned designers Fender Katsalidis Architects and OCULUS to deliver a landmark inner-city project adjacent to the Eloura Street Canberra Metro stop.
“Midnight will be the first of the high-density developments along the light rail route that will link the tram to the Braddon precinct and deliver vibrancy, amenities and services for the whole community,” GEOCON Managing Director Nick Georgalis says.
“As we grow and move from a big town to a city, we need to accommodate people away from the traditional Canberra mode of transport – the car. Light rail will do that, as it has in other cities around the world. The City-Gungahlin route makes sense because of the population growth in the north, the potential for development along the route and creating links with commercial and community hubs like Dickson and Braddon.”
FKA Architect David Sutherland believes that the light rail will help transform Northbourne Avenue from a car dominated road into a pedestrian inhabited boulevard.
“Midnight will be one of the first developments to actively reinforce those urban possibilities. Its incorporation of activities and facilities will support and encourage public use and pedestrian amenity,” he says.
“Those amenities form part of the active ground floor of Midnight. Set below street level to create a sense of enclosure and focus, the main entry into this building of different uses contains a café, dining, retail and hotel activities. In response to both its inherent qualities, and as a place to commence a light rail journey, this will become a great meeting space, a place of interchange and discourse, of relaxation and contemplation. A precinct for living, working, staying and visiting.”
The inclusion of an Abode Hotel will sustain an internal dynamic through all hours of the day and amenities will include a pool, gym, private cabanas and outdoor kitchen facilities. Three full levels of basement parking including 200 public car spaces will also facilitate customer access to local businesses in Braddon.
Mr Georgalis said the calibre of development along Northbourne Avenue needed to be exceptional.
“Northbourne Avenue is the entry point to Canberra. It’s the first thing people see and we are judged on that – the environment in which people work and live. New development needs to be cutting edge, progressive and something we can be proud of in 50 years’ time.
“Canberra’s inner-city buyers are looking for a unique and differentiated product that has X factor and represents good value for money.
“With apartments starting at $350,000, Midnight offers an affordable option for people seeking a more sustainable, inner-city lifestyle.”
Construction of the $185 million development will commence mid-2017 and take around two years to complete. 1500 jobs will be created during construction. Marketing will start towards the end of February.
Apartments will be a mix of 1 bedroom, 1 + study, compact 2’s, standard 2’s, large 2’s and 3 bedroom units, with a limited number of exclusive top floor 3 bedroom penthouses from 128 – 208m2.
