371 Newcastle Street

Project Description

Lot 371 Newcastle Street is an affordable housing development comprising 16 key worker residential apartments, 44 hostel units, nine commercial and retail tenancies, a caretakers unit and a restored heritage-listed building currently tenanted by the inspirational Café 1905. The project comprises a large seven-storey tower to the rear of the site with a three-storey mixed use development bound by Newcastle Street and Zempilas Street – allowing for an internal private courtyard to be accessible by all residents.

Our Role

Foundation Housing appointed NS Projects in 2008 to the role of project manager, overseeing the remaining design and construction phases of this key inner-city housing project. Working alongside Foundation Housing, Department of Housing and the architect CODA Studios, NS Projects played a key role in successfully obtaining development approval and in negotiating the tender and contract sum to sit comfortably inside the original project budget. Construction works were completed in January 2012 with occupation achieved April 2012.

Challenges Overcome

• Obtaining agreement with the State Heritage Office on the retention and required scope of work to the existing Schruth’s building. The outcome was to retain the façade only given the remaining structure was unsafe and integrate this into the proposed commercial building element. Retention of this façade allows the development to permanently retain its links with Northbridge’s historic past.
• Construction on this tight, inner-city site necessitated a creative approach to planning and sequencing of the construction works. NS Projects have worked closely with the contractors throughout the project, re-sequencing where necessary to achieve the required outcomes.
• Effective management and communications with multiple stakeholders has been a critical factor in the success of this project. NS Projects have successfully balanced this activity against the backdrop of occasionally conflicting stakeholder objectives and requirements.