When travelling in regional Australia, people do not expect to see an ultra-modern, multi-storey hotel, retail and apartment complex in the heart of a country town such as Warragul in Victoria.
That a facility offering a cosmopolitan, urban lifestyle has been successfully created in the town is a credit to the developer, municipal council and the local community for accepting a contemporary design when redeveloping a large, vacant CBD site.
Built by Gippsland-based construction company, BFN Developments (BFN), the Newmason project in Warragul is an innovative commercial/residential mixed-use development consisting of private apartments, 48-room hotel, fitness studio, 300-seat restaurant and office accommodation. In addition, the development features a large medical facility that provides a range of medical, health support and diagnostic imaging services to the Warragul and district community.
“Initially it was hard to get support from the financial sector for projects like Newmason in regional Victoria,” said Brett Neilson, Director of BFN. To secure financial backing from the large banks and financial institutions, BFN had to prove what the end value was going to be and what level of occupancy could be achieved on completion.
Prior to commencement, BFN had pre-commitments for the whole development which included sale of all the residential apartments and securing the leases for the hotel chain, health facility, restaurant, fitness centre and other commercial tenants. The project was scheduled over 16 months but the company managed to complete Newmason one month ahead of the plan and on budget. “The lead financier was surprised by this and the State manager came down to see the project when it was finished,” Neilson said. “I was very proud to show him that by using local tradespeople a regional builder could deliver such a complex and innovative project on time.”
Designed by architect Peter McDonald, the project has been a major boost for the city and will be the spearhead for additional regeneration. At its peak, Newmason had more than 200 tradespeople working on the site every day and the new commercial tenants continue to offer employment opportunities to the area’s residents.
BFN is one of the leading commercial building companies in south-eastern Victoria, boasting a project portfolio that includes high-rise and multi-level apartments, motels, retirement living complexes, prestige car yards, cinemas, restaurants, education and childcare centres, health and medical facilities, industrial parks, sporting and fitness centres and retail outlets.
According to Neilson, his company has become a preferred builder and developer through its commitment to building high quality projects on time, on budget and to the complete satisfaction of its customers. “Over 25 years we have become known for our efficiency, precision, problem solving and outstanding client service,” he added.
Careful consideration during the design phase and choice of building materials allowed Newmason to achieve an 8-star energy rating, meaning it uses 30 per cent less heating and cooling energy than a 6-star development. The orientation of the building was selected to take advantage of northern sun in winter and features a pergola-style roof designed to limit western sun during the summer months.
Newmason uses high thermal-load building materials with insulation in the walls, ceilings and floors. Effective ventilation to control internal temperatures means the development is as innovative and eco-friendly as it is stylish.
As part of the State government’s vision for regional development, BFN obtained a grant that enabled all the preparatory civil engineering works to be carried out. These included the rerouting of all services—power, water, gas, telephone—that crossed the site. One major engineering feat was diverting the main sewer line servicing the CBD of Warragul which passed under the middle of the site. The trench for the new pipe was dug five metres down to accommodate the earthworks for the basement carpark and laid along the perimeter of the development. A new stormwater drain was also installed that will cope with water volumes associated with 1 in a 100-year storm or flood. The design includes a flow control mechanism that adjusts the volume of water released into the main stormwater drain after a downpour in order to negate any impact on neighbouring properties.
In preparation for the project, BFN removed more than 50,000 cubic metres of soil from the centre of Warragul on three street frontages. The hole formed the 130-space basement carpark and the commercial and residential components rose above this. Hundreds of trucks delivered concrete panels and other supplies that were craned into position during the course of the construction.
BFN is currently working on a similar sized project building a large aged care facility that will service the needs of Warragul and the surrounding areas.