Dandenong central’s overhaul to add affordable apartments
A render shows plans for the Revitalising Central Dandenong project.
At least 500 new apartments are on their way to central Dandenong as part of a major overhaul of the suburb’s 2ha CBD precinct.
A $600m investment from developer Capital Alliance announced late last year is expected to add $1.5bn to the area’s value, as well as updated commercial and retail offerings to transform it into a Box Hill or Glen Waverley-style employment hub.
An outdoor cinema, green space, community museum, medical spaces potentially including a hospital, sporting facilities and even an urban brewery are among the concepts being explored with planners and the government.
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The area’s diverse culture will also be celebrated with a variety of spaces including a Little India.
But the first step is boosting the area’s population, according to Capital Alliance founder and chief executive Mohan Du.
Capital Alliance are looking to avoid the Dandenong CBD becoming a “concrete jungle”.
“We need to get enough people to the area to gentrify it,” Mr Du said.
The early focus will be on first-home buyers and affordability, and he hoped to have one-bedroom apartments available for as close to $300,000 as possible.
“You won’t get Miele or Gaggenau appliances initially, this isn’t that market,” Mr Du said. “Though that’s not to say by the end we won’t be there.”
Timber aspects and ground-level interaction with the public will also be a part of reshaping the area.
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Mr Du said they were planning to start construction on early stages in 2023, and that it would be a 15-year project from there.
Development will be spread over 5-7 stages, and not all will be high-rises. Architectural design will also be highly considered, with the firm opposed to the idea of a “concrete jungle”.
A Little India is one of the design concepts currently being considered for the precinct.
Exposed timber and tiered buildings are among the ideas currently being considered.
Capital Alliance will work with Development Victoria on the project, which is expected to generate 2600 jobs during construction.
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