CBD from the creek trail south of Meridian. April 6, 2015.

Regarding Dandenong

News Round Up

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Open letter to Mr Monopoly —
greaterdandenong.com (14 Nov 2015)

Congratulations on the release of your latest game Melbourne Monopoly, it is sure to be a hit with local families this Christmas, however we noticed that Melbourne’s south east has not even rated a mention. Read on greaterdandenong.com →
RD: A very cute letter. Perhaps the south east didn't make it on to the board because we're not wealthy enough. To be honest, I think there's some truth in that, but it has nothing to do with questionable deals. Read more...

Premier primed for showcase —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (13 Nov 2015)

PREMIER Daniel Andrews has put his support behind a manufacturing super showcase which is set to stop traffic in Dandenong next May. Read on dandenong.starcommunity.com.au →
RD: Not sure if the proposal to "close the main street" is serious or not, but I'd be very interested to see how things work if it does happen. Read more...

The Village Open For Business —
theurbandeveloper.com (13 Nov 2015)

A major retail hub at Cbus Property’s Estate One development in Dandenong South is open for business following a successful leasing campaign. Read on theurbandeveloper.com →
RD: It's a pretty nice retail area, still being fitted out. The superlatives in the article are over-the-top, but definitely a solid asset for the Estate One area. Read more...

Victoria's Top Planning Projects For 2015 —
theurbandeveloper.com (11 Nov 2015)

The 2015 Victorian Awards for Planning Excellence have been announced, shining the limelight on projects in regional Victoria. Read on theurbandeveloper.com →
RD: Wonderful, an award for Harmony Square (or the Civic Centre, if that's not merely the old name for it). Now, I always thought regional referred to non-capital areas of Melbourne, but it also includes not just Dandenong, but the city of Melbourne as well. Read more...

Old offices go for civic space plan —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (5 Nov 2015)

Demolition is now well underway at the former Greater Dandenong Council offices in Springvale.

Councillors have voted Cr Heang Tak as the new mayor —
facebook.com/greaterdandenong (5 Nov 2015)

Councillors have voted Cr Heang Tak as the new Mayor of Greater Dandenong.

Long arm of the law reaches 110 years —
mk.com.au (4 Nov 2015)

One of Dandenong's oldest businesses turns 110 this month. Read on mk.com.au →
RD: M+K Lawyers has been around for an impressively long time. (Image is of the Royal Hotel, where Jeffrey Macpherson would meet his clients back when the practice started in 1905.) Read more...

More lanes on the Monash? —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (29 Oct 2015)

Additional lanes on the Monash Freeway are being considered by the State Government and CityLink operator Transurban, but the details are still sketchy. Read on dandenong.starcommunity.com.au →
RD: I think 3 lanes each way would be a great help between the South Gippsland Freeway and Clyde Road, but I'm not at all sure about 5 lanes each way between that freeway and Eastlink. I figure if you're even contemplating 5 lanes each way, you've spectacularly messed up the urban design somewhere along the way, so it's a sign you need to have a rethink.

Incidentally, it looks like the capacity of a freeway lane is about 2300 cars per hour. (So, being very generous, maybe 4000 passengers per hour.) Not only do those cars have to come from and go to somewhere (thereby adding traffic at the sources and destinations, which of course won't get any capacity upgrades), the contrast with rail capacity is stark: improvements to the Dandenong Rail Line would allow for an extra 11,000 passengers per hour.

I seem to be a bit unusual in that I like roads (though clean and quiet cars need to happen ASAP), but as I said, once you're contemplating 5 lanes each way, it's time for a complete rethink. Read more...

Logis Eco Industrial Park, Dandenong —
gbla.com.au (27 Oct 2015)

Logis Eco Industrial Park is a 154-hectare award winning masterplanned industrial development at Dandenong. Read on gbla.com.au →
RD: Some info and pictures of the parks in the Logis North estate from the landscape designers. These parks are looking quite nice. What caught my eye in these pictures, though, is the plan for the artificial hill in the south-west corner of the estate. I've seen it many times driving past, but had no idea what it was. Great to know it will be possible to climb it at some point, as I imagine it will have some decent views, particularly of the growing city. Read more...

The changing face of Springvale —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (22 Oct 2015)

Springvale's streetscape is set for a shake-up.

Plan Melbourne refresh discussion paper —
refresh.planmelbourne.vic.gov.au (22 Oct 2015)

The discussion paper has been prepared to promote discussion of options with stakeholders, experts and the community. Read on refresh.planmelbourne.vic.gov.au →
RD: This is an update to the existing Plan Melbourne that was released last year. Not a lot that (uniquely) affects Dandenong has changed. The main proposed change is that the "South" be dropped from the "Dandenong South Employment Cluster", so as to include employment opportunities within the Dandenong CBD. In theory, this could have a major impact — however, it's not clear to me what effect the "employment cluster" designation has on how things unfold. Read more...

Quality care wins award —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (19 Oct 2015)

Dandenong Hospital Emergency Department has been named Australasia’s best.

Spectra Apartments Tender —
estimateone.com (19 Oct 2015)

Spectra Apartments is a construction tender in the field listed within EstimateOne. Read on estimateone.com →
RD: Don't expect to find any information at the link (these tender sites are all very protective of their data). Anyway, Spectra has gone to tender! An important step on the way to it actually becoming a thing. Read more...

Follow me to Oppenheim Way —
egopharm.com (17 Oct 2015)

We’re so proud to share with you the future of Ego with the development of our new global headquarters at 6 Oppenheim Way. Read on egopharm.com →
RD: It's a video of the offices. They seem quite large. Read more...

Dandenong Park Demolition Project —
greaterdandenong.com (14 Oct 2015)

(See Section 2. 6.5) This report seeks approval to proceed with the demolition of the Stan Prior Sound Shell, the Bowls Club and the Kindergarten located at Dandenong Park. Read on greaterdandenong.com →
RD: It's going to be very sad to see these go, particularly the sound shell, since my family had a connection with Stan Prior. I do think it's the right thing for the park, though. I really hope the new bridge, new performance area and creek remediation is done very soon (i.e. in the next budget cycle). Read more...

New Global Headquarters Delivers 200 Jobs For Victoria —
premier.vic.gov.au (14 Oct 2015)

Industry Minister Lily D’Ambrosio has turned the first sod for construction of a $135 million dollar global headquarters for Australia’s largest locally-owned pharmaceutical company in Dandenong south. Read on premier.vic.gov.au →
RD: Photo from this tweet. Logis North is being filled in very quickly. Read more...

Carols home in on Harmony —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (12 Oct 2015)

Dandenong Carols by Candlelight is moving to Harmony Square. Read on dandenong.starcommunity.com.au →
RD: They'll be trialling it this year, and will see how it goes. More events in the square are welcome, though the Carols also worked quite nicely at the park. Read more...

Dandenong CEO John Bennie to become council’s longest serving boss —
heraldsun.com.au (12 Oct 2015)

This may be John Bennie’s 40th year in local government, but it is the next four-and-a-half years which really excites the City of Greater Dandenong chief executive. Read on heraldsun.com.au →
RD: The article mentions that John Bennie believes the focus of revitalisation efforts needs to shift to the Springvale activity centre for the next four years. I worry that the revitalisation of Dandenong has yet to prove itself self-sustaining, evidenced by the lack of even a single major private project being completed within the city centre. As such, I believe it's a bit premature to be shifting focus. Read more...

Glen Waverley tower Galleria sells 100 apartments in 90 minutes —
domain.com.au (11 Oct 2015)

Developers pocketed more than $70 million in just 90 minutes in Glen Waverley on Saturday morning, as hundreds of buyers jostled inside a display suite for the chance to secure an off-the-plan apartment. Read on domain.com.au →
RD: Apartment developments take minutes to sell in Glen Waverley and forever to sell in Dandenong. Both make little sense. Read more...

Victoria's largest fire station opens —
news.cfa.vic.gov.au (11 Oct 2015)

CFA’s busiest fire station is officially opening its new home in Dandenong which is now the biggest fire station in Victoria.

Schooled in building design —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (6 Oct 2015)

Dandenong's Mosaic apartment complex is being used as a benchmark for future developers. Read on dandenong.starcommunity.com.au →
RD: Curious. There's plenty of good candidate developments closer to RMIT, so why head out this way? Read more...

GPT places valuable Dandenong Centre on market —
afr.com (29 Sep 2015)

GPT Group has placed its $200 million Dandenong Centre in Victoria for sale, in what could be the third-largest mall transaction in 2015. Read on afr.com →
RD: A little bit more info available this time. Read more...

GPT places valuable Dandenong Centre on market —
afr.com (25 Sep 2015)

GPT Group is selling its $200 million Dandenong Centre in Victoria, in what could be the third-largest mall transaction in 2015. Read on afr.com →
RD: The details of the sale are behind a ransom-wall, so I don't know any more than this sentence. However, this has been on the cards for a while. Read more...

Cabcharge acquires Dandenong Taxis —
couriermail.com.au (25 Sep 2015)

Taxi payments company Cabcharge has taken over Dandenong Taxis in south-east Melbourne, after the consumer watchdog decided not to stand in the way of the acquisition. Read on couriermail.com.au →
RD: Aw, that's a bit boring. Read more...

Journal's story hits the big screen —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (18 Sep 2015)

The Dandenong Journal’s 150th anniversary celebrations continue this week with the screening of a video commissioned to mark the historic occasion.

Labor puts brakes on port rail project that would take 3500 trucks off road —
thecourier.com.au (18 Sep 2015)

A project that would replace 3500 container trucks a day with just 28 freight trains, potentially halving port-based truck traffic and slashing pollution levels from heavy vehicles, has been shelved by the Andrews government until it leases Melbourne's port. Read on thecourier.com.au →
RD: Not liking much of the Andrews government's approach to things that affect us so far. Read more...

Opposition backs Little India —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (10 Sep 2015)

Opposition leader Matthew Guy has slammed the State Government for looking outside of Little India in Dandenong to establish the state’s premier Indian precinct. Read on dandenong.starcommunity.com.au →
RD: No disagreement here. Little India is woven tightly into Dandenong's identity. I can only hope the government doesn't decide to strip our identity apart. Read more...

Bus route would be just the ticket —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (4 Sep 2015)

Waiting for a bus isn’t usually a years-long task. Read on dandenong.starcommunity.com.au →
RD: I'm always puzzled by these kinds of planning failures. I imagine it's either due to an area falling through the gaps, or more cynically, a more deliberate consequence of an inappropriate prioritisation of funding. Read more...

Down memory lanes —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (4 Sep 2015)

The stories behind Dandenong’s laneway names are now on display for their visitors to see. Read on dandenong.starcommunity.com.au →
RD: I'm hoping this can be rolled out everywhere in the CBD, with each street being branded more strongly. I'd particularly like to see Lonsdale Street being branded more strongly than it currently is. Read more...

Dandy Pig celebrated in Australia Post stamp —
greaterdandenong.com (4 Sep 2015)

Australia Post is celebrating three heritage-listed iconic signs from the golden age of neon advertising in Australia with the release of a new stamp issue, which features Dandenong's iconic Dandy Pig.

A Safe and Harmonious Greater Dandenong 2015-22 —
greaterdandenong.com (22 Aug 2015)

(See Section 2. 6.1) The aims of the [Community Safety Plan] are to improve actual safety, community perceptions of safety and reduce the risks of crime and anti-social behaviour. Read on greaterdandenong.com →
RD: It's very important to get this right, because I suspect that this more than anything else at the moment is impeding the city's ability to make progress. Read more...

Rate Capping and Variation Framework —
greaterdandenong.com (22 Aug 2015)

(See Section 2. 6.5) As part of the process to implement a rate capping and variation framework, the Essential Services Commission (ESC) committed to a two stage consultation process. Read on greaterdandenong.com →
RD: Thankfully, the proposed cap is not entirely based on CPI (60/40 CPI/wage index), but it's still awfully silly. Read more...

Comment: The Dandenong line and quadruplication —
urban.melbourne (21 Aug 2015)

There are a few outstanding metropolitan strategic planning issues that need to be sorted before any Government commits to expanding the Dandenong rail corridor over and beyond already announced projects. Read on urban.melbourne →
RD: I don't expect quadruplication any time soon, regardless of which form it takes, or which government is in power. At best I think we can hope that the level crossings removal program makes it easy to lay the extra tracks when needed. Read more...

150 Years of the Journal —
Dandenong Journal (18 Aug 2015)

Read on Dandenong Journal →
RD: I was remiss last week in not pointing to The Journal's 150th anniversary special edition. It was fantastic — it provides a really great historical context for both the paper and the city. I highly recommend checking it out. Read more...

Spectra (219 Thomas Street) —
realestate.com.au (18 Aug 2015)

Introducing the Spectra Residences, 108 architecturally designed apartments over 14 levels & rising 20 storeys above street level will make Spectra the tallest residential building in Dandenong. Read on realestate.com.au →
RD: Apparently, Spectra just got a little bit more ambitious. It's now 108 apartments (up from 96) and 20 storeys (up from 17). I assume the basic external design will remain the same, but perhaps tellingly, there's no pic of it here. Read more...

Regional plan joint effort —
mpnews.com.au (18 Aug 2015)

Councils have decided there is strength in numbers with the launch of a South East Melbourne Group of Councils regional plan to push the region’s case for business investment, jobs and more education opportunities. Read on mpnews.com.au →
RD: It's good to see some coordination amongst the councils in the south east. Read more...

Why Lonsdale Street is a Role Model for Urban Projects Around the World —
landarchs.com (14 Aug 2015)

Modern cities with interesting architecture and good infrastructure still have problems with green spaces. Read on landarchs.com →
RD: Nice article, though a little odd. The author seems overly ebullient about what's been achieved. Read more...

Shisha plan doused —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (12 Aug 2015)

Greater Dandenong councillors have rejected a proposed shisha lounge in Lonsdale Street declaring it could be illegal under the Tobacco Act. Read on dandenong.starcommunity.com.au →
RD: Interesting move, though this kind of decision was flagged a little while back. In some sense, this is an example of shooting ourselves in the foot — the extra activity in that area would be fantastic. But, if the health implications of Shisha are as indicated (I'm not at all familiar with it), then it's the right decision. Read more...

Bunjil Place a boon for Melbourne's south east —
urban.melbourne (11 Aug 2015)

A construction tender is now open for Bunjil Place, City of Casey's initiative to create "A unique cultural, community and civic facility that will be a centerpiece for Melbourne’s south eastern suburbs". Read on urban.melbourne →
RD: Still undecided if this is good or bad for Dandenong. What I do know is that it's been done without considering the context of the region. Read more...

All together for service —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (3 Aug 2015)

The new Ermha headquarters is more than an office space — it’s a community. Read on dandenong.starcommunity.com.au →
RD: It's also a community that's moved to Estate One from the Dandenong CBD. In the short term, Estate One seems to be competition for the town centre, but hopefully over the (not too much) longer term it will be an asset. Read more...

69-71 McCrae Street —
realestate.com.au (28 Jul 2015)

Be quick! And pick either a single or double bedroom from this three-storey luxury apartment complex in Central Dandenong! Read on realestate.com.au →
RD: This looks 4 storey from the picture. Can't find anything about it in the planning register. 70% sold. Nice design, but let's hope the final version looks as nice. Read more...

Revitalising Central Dandenong Thread —
urban.melbourne (25 Jul 2015)

Read on urban.melbourne →
RD: Picture of initial works at Quest, as well as ATO. I love how the ATO building is looking. Read more...

Lobby to stop levy —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (24 Jul 2015)

The State Government is being called to scrap a developers' levy which is designed to recoup the cost of the Revitalising Central Dandenong project. Read on dandenong.starcommunity.com.au →
RD: Well, about time! (I think I'm justified in saying that after 8 years.) The levy was an interesting and risky idea when the Revitalising project kicked off. Interesting because it showed a lot of faith in the whole project. Risky because you put taxes (levies) on things you want to discourage (you know, things like emitting carbon). And you make people pay it up front when you really want to discourage something. That's the complete opposite of what (you would think) was desired here.

Economics 101 tells you that since the market was already setting the price of development, and development wasn't happening at that price (that was the whole point of revitalisation), adding a tax on top of things was only going to work if people thought the State Government's initiatives were so spectacularly brilliant that they would compensate for the tax and then some. Turns out nobody thought that. Developers did buy in initially, but underlying demand was weak — perhaps because most people who lived here viewed the revitalisation as intangible and unrealistic, and people who didn't live here didn't believe anything of interesting was going on here. All of which turned out to be self-fulfilling!

We learnt this information really early on, so the tax should have disappeared really early on. According to the article, it did disappear — for specific, government-linked clients. For everyone else, it didn't. Who knows how that cost us? Hopefully business manager Paul Kearsley, and hopefully he can communicate that well enough to the State Government to get this clearly perverse disincentive removed. Read more...

5 Wilma Avenue —
gpengineers.com.au (24 Jul 2015)

This is a residential apartment development of 17 apartments over 3 levels. Read on gpengineers.com.au →
RD: I don't mind the design on this one. Read more...

Call to can ’tin tax’ parking meters —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (22 Jul 2015)

Greater Dandenong councillor Peter Brown has called for parking meters ordered for installation in Springvale to be put in storage. Read on dandenong.starcommunity.com.au →
RD: Don't these arguments apply in exactly the same way to every place that has parking meters? Read more...

Research into rail launch —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (22 Jul 2015)

The rail industry’s best and brightest are on track to achieve global growth. Read on dandenong.starcommunity.com.au →
RD: It's located at Bombadier. Lots of good info at The Journal. Read more...

Keeping Our Rail Manufacturing On Track —
premier.vic.gov.au (22 Jul 2015)

The Andrews Labor Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the rail manufacturing industry, with the Rail Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) officially opening its doors in Dandenong today. Read on premier.vic.gov.au →
RD: I can't say I know much about how the research centre will work, or in particular what role the physical office has (or even where it is — CBD or Dandenong South? ), but interesting nonetheless. Read more...

Painting the bigger picture —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (20 Jul 2015)

Greater Dandenong needs to lock in and share a strong vision for the years ahead, according to Mayor Sean O’Reilly.

Soccer5s opens ‘best football centre in the world’ in Melbourne —
ausleisure.com.au (13 Jul 2015)

Claiming to be the “best football centre in the world” five-a-side football centre operator Soccer5s has opened its second Australian centre in the Melbourne suburb of Dandenong. Read on ausleisure.com.au →
RD: Of particular interest because it's in Logis North. Read more...

Residents called together to consider plans for India hub —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (6 Jul 2015)

Public meetings will help decide whether Dandenong’s Little India will retain its title as Melbourne’s eminent Indian cultural precinct.

Square of disharmony —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (6 Jul 2015)

Councillor blasts art works for turning beautiful space into 'Bogan Central'… Read on dandenong.starcommunity.com.au →
RD: Ha! Cr Brown doesn't appreciate the lettering at Harmony Square. I can't say I like it either — obviously nobody considered subtlety important! But now that I know it's temporary, I'm fine with it. Read more...

Market sets out its stall —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (6 Jul 2015)

Iconic as it is to locals, the Dandenong Market is not as well-known as some. Read on dandenong.starcommunity.com.au →
RD: Ah, this explains the genesis of Work. Shop.Play. It's an excellent idea to encourage the people who come here every work day to explore the city more. Read more...

Victorian Government discussion paper Better Apartments —
greaterdandenong.com (2 Jul 2015)

The Victorian Government has released a discussion paper, Better Apartments, to kick-start a citywide conversation with the community and industry to shape apartment design guidelines.

Public Meetings Announced For Indian Cultural Precinct —
premier.vic.gov.au (24 Jun 2015)

The Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Robin Scott, is inviting interested organisations and individuals to attend public meetings to discuss the possible location and ideas for the precinct. Read on premier.vic.gov.au →
RD: Well, I'm sure it's obvious what my suggestion for a location is. If we're talking within Dandenong, I see nothing wrong with Foster Street being the centre of the precinct, but I think the precinct should be extended towards the rail line, and north as well. I don't really understand what the government can do to 'build' the precinct, but reshaping the open spaces (like for the Afghan Bazaar) I think would be key. Read more...

Savills : Off-shore Developer Plans $20 Million Dandenong Project —
4-traders.com (24 Jun 2015)

An off-shore developer has paid $4. 6 million for a prime development site in Melbourne's key south-eastern commercial centre of Dandenong with plans for a circa $20 million residential project. Read on 4-traders.com →
RD: This is the site near Eastlink. Not sure if the whole site has been sold, or just the half for townhouses. Read more...

High-rise home cap —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (22 Jun 2015)

Large swathes of residential streets in Dandenong and Noble Park will be quarantined from high-rise apartment developments under a proposal from Greater Dandenong Council. Read on dandenong.starcommunity.com.au →
RD: The new zoning is pretty close to what was originally put to the public, from memory. Cr Kirwan says his support of the new zoning doesn't mean he is anti-development. Many areas have become more restricted, but I think it's wrong to characterise the zoning as anti-development. In fact, I think it's mainly a way of focusing development better for the time-being, which I think the revitalization experience so far has suggested will be beneficial. Read more...

Atura, Metro and Art Series hotels bring cool class to the regions —
theaustralian.com.au (19 Jun 2015)

Latest to be unveiled is the 128-room Atura Dandenong on the southeast edge of Melbourne. Read on theaustralian.com.au →
RD: This is a brief but illuminating insight into Atura. It's particularly interesting that they have an arrangement with the Drum Theatre. Read more...

Market should be magnet —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (15 Jun 2015)

Dandenong Market could add destination dining to its attractions to bring in more shoppers. Read on dandenong.starcommunity.com.au →
RD: It probably should. The market has a similar problem to the Plaza — it doesn't integrate very well with the rest of the city. It's much more forgiveable in the case of the market, because it's not just yet-another-shopping-centre. Read more...

Car park to be size of MCG —
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au (15 Jun 2015)

A $1. 2 MILLION car park could ease parking woes in central Dandenong. Read on dandenong.starcommunity.com.au →
RD: Oh wonderful, maybe we can try and build the world's biggest car park. Seriously though, council is just storing the land until it becomes viable to develop properly, which is a good idea. Read more...

Central Dandenong Blog —
sustainableeveryday.com (14 Jun 2015)

This blog page covers stories and information on the Central Dandenong project Work. Shop.Play. Read on sustainableeveryday.com →
RD: First time I've seen this blog. Looks very good. Read more...
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