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CUB & Social housing
Kate Shaw, in a recent Age, advances a case that just perhaps RMIT's CUB site should be developed in the way that QV was meant to be - you remember - social and student housing, creches etc. The things that might stop the city from becoming wall to wall shops, banks and Gloria Jeans.
THE AGE 23.09.07
THE AGE 26.09.07: New look and new role for old CUB site
Apart from the 5 per cent of households in public and community housing, the City of Melbourne is fast becoming a place where only the rich can live. To be really great, Melbourne needs more affordable housing....
Central Melbourne has one large undetermined site about to have its future decided. The CUB site on the corner of Swanston and Victoria streets is in the heart of student territory. The developer Grocon has bought a large part of the site, RMIT retains the south-eastern corner, and design proposals are now being considered. The fate of this site will give a clear indication of Melbourne's capacity for greatness. Grocon oversaw the redevelopment of QV, and is taking a similar approach with the CUB site. Will we see yet another mix of cafes, bars, shops and up-market apartments? Or will it include cheap living and working spaces, mysterious spaces, places to explore and inspire?
THE AGE 23.09.07
THE AGE 26.09.07: New look and new role for old CUB site
Comments
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I'm sorry but I have to give my opinion. ...........the way QV was 'meant' to be?! Oh really!
Meant to be is about the legislators desire not supply and demand. Was it laid out what it was not 'meant' to be? Is the current state of the site against supply and demand?
Would making QV as was 'meant' to be, create an even greater monoculture than the CBD is now?
Would it not be better to produce a plan for the CUB site which includes a degree of adaptability? I've read Dr Shaw's article and I would not dare to call her naive if she is trying to compare Melbourne with Boston or Berlin.
Build in adaptability and the succeses described may come to fruition. -
Ouch, just spent a long time writing on CUB and QV and lost the lot in a power cut. I'd forgotten about power cuts...
No time at all now, so just the briefest gist.
When I said "meant to be" I was referring to the conditions the council put on the site when it sold it in 1999, having already lost a bundle of money on it. Refer to this old post:
http://www.butterpaper.com/talk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=124 -
and what is wrong with gloria jeans?
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