PUBLIC ROOFTOP PARK
12 Apr 2018
A new development in Box Hill will receive a public rooftop park, providing the high-rise neighbourhood with amenities that include a cafe, sky deck, greenspace, amphitheatre, playground and more.
Box Hill residents and visitors alike may soon have the chance to access a publicly accessible space atop a new mixed-use tower on Station Street.
No stranger to residential development, with a string of recent residential builds completed, Station Street may soon sport a new design highlight with the prospective public space rolled into the development championed by Austone International Pty Ltd and Australia Dingjiu Group Pty Ltd.
Designed by Elenberg Fraser, the proposal accounts for a trio of low-rise buildings across 702-706 Station Street. As part of the intended development, a dedicated and separate public elevator will shuttle visitors from the landscaped ground level foyer to the dual level rooftop 'lookout park'. 
The incorporation of the communal sky garden is one of a number of design changes and enhancements since the application for development first landed with Whitehorse City Council during 2016. Initially seeking a higher outcome, the tower has been scaled back to 15 levels, which is itself taller than surrounding buildings.
702-706 Station Street was sold during mid-2015 for $5.7 million, and now forms part of the wider development footprint. The amalgamated site spans 1350sqm and has a frontage of 29m.
A cafe, sky deck, dining area, greenspace, amphitheatre and playground feature at the tower's peak. All told the stepped terrace design spans 586sqm and will be accessed via a dedicated lift fronting Paynes Lane, which itself will be overhauled as part of the development.
Paynes Lane's transformation is expected to include new paving, art installations, a green wall, planters and additional bicycle parking.
Elevated public park aside, a handful of additional design features have been rolled into the development. Future residents can expect to see a gym, karaoke lounge and massage parlour across level 2, with dual retail spaces accounting for the Station Street ground level frontage.
Leasable office space is also included within the 56m tower, which sits above a 5 level basement accommodating 98 vehicle bays and 74 bicycle racks. 
In terms of apartments, 702-706 Station Street looks to add another 99 dwellings to Box Hill's already hefty apartment pipeline. These 99 dwellings are split between 53 single bedroom and 46 dual bedroom apartments.
The application is currently at advertising, with a planning result likely in the second half of this year.
Via Urban Melbourne
