Construction of Melbourne Square’s new tower is under way

Developer OSK Property has broken ground on BLVD – the latest tower as part of its $3 billion Melbourne Square precinct in Southbank.

The 74-storey residential tower is expected to be completed in early 2028 at the site’s eastern corner between Power St and Hoff Boulevard and will be built by Multiplex, which delivered the project’s first two towers as part of Stage 1 of Melbourne Square in 2021.

The developer has already sold 50 per cent of the 602 apartments offered in its latest tower, which will provide much-needed residential stock to Southbank, as well as a range of amenities.

The project comprises private dining rooms, state-of-the-art gyms, a 25-metre indoor swimming pool, spa, sauna, golf simulator, entertainment and lounge spaces, and a double-storey co-working area on levels 55 and 56.

City of Melbourne Deputy Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece appeared alongside representatives from OSK Property and Multiplex for an official sod turning at the site on June 13.

Cr Reece said the latest milestone for the Melbourne Square project signified “a monumental moment for the city.”

“Melbourne Square homes give residents access to all that we love about Southbank,” he said.

“Arts institutions that are second to none. Proximity to the central city and to the beach – to the Botanic Gardens and, importantly, to community facilities already enjoyed by those who live in Southbank.”

BLVD will be a transformational development for Melbourne’s CBD, adding critical housing stock to the market as well as important residential and local amenities.

The Melbourne Square precinct is already home to two residential towers, the 3745sqm Kennedy Park, Southbank’s first full-line Woolworths supermarket, an early learning centre and a growing range of retail destinations.

A temporary basketball court has also been established at the site near the corner of Kavanagh and Balston streets for the community to enjoy while the council finalises plans for a permanent court at the Kings Way northern undercroft.

Elsewhere in Melbourne Square, OSK Property recently unveiled Guardian Lion by Troy Emery – the development’s newest “captivating public art installation set to grace the skies of Melbourne later this year”.

OSK group executive chairman Tan Sri Ong Leong Huat said BLVD represented a major milestone for Melbourne Square, which would also feature a build-to-rent tower as part of its final stages.

The entire project will comprise six towers upon completion, with a hotel and commercial office tower also mooted.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated staff, esteemed project partners, and diligent sales agents for their incredible work across BLVD to date and are looking forward to seeing this tower come to life,” Tan Sri Ong Leong Huat said.

Regional managing director of Multiplex in Victoria and South Australia Ross Snowball said, “After delivering the first two towers, we are excited to deliver the third tower, BLVD – continuing the same community legacy we started back in 2017.”

The new tower will also include carbon-neutral operation-enabled residences, gas-free design, EV charging stations and a zen garden.

BLVD is in pre-registration to pursue WELL Certification – a rating system that certifies a building’s impact on health and wellbeing, and that demonstrates industry excellence in meeting stringent sustainability goals. •