The NSW Government has rezoned the first parcel of land at Sydney’s Central Station for what it’s selling as Sydney’s future Silicon Valley and unveiled plans for its development,
Jobs and investment minister Stuart Ayres on Thursday unveiled the $2.5 billion Central Place development at Railway Square, which will form a centrepiece of the rezoned precinct.
The proposed development will include two office towers of up to 39 levels run on 100 per cent renewable energy and will be located alongside Atlassian’s planned 40-storey timber headquarters.
Mr Ayers said once complete, Central Place will provide more than 150,000 square metres of commercial floor space for technology and innovation companies and support more than 10,000 jobs.
“It will help cement innovation and technology as key drivers of growth, contributing to secure job creation across all industries,” Mr Ayers said.
He says the develop will also expand Sydney’s southern central business district by unlocking 24 hectares of government land around the nation’s busiest transport interchange.
Roads minister Andrew Constance said the precinct would include high-quality public spaces as well business opportunities.
“It will embrace design, sustainability and connectivity, while celebrating Central’s unique built form and social and cultural heritage as it becomes a centre for the jobs of the future and economic growth,” he said.
Dexus and Frasers Property Australia has unveiled an international consortium consisting of Australian firm Fender Katsalidis and US-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill as the architects of their Central Place development, following an online design competition attracting participants from around the world.
Dexus CEO Darren Steinberg says a range of healthy building tech initiatives including touchless entry points are also being tested, with the developer exploring the opportunity to implement the world’s first closed cavity facade system powered by artificial intelligence and solar glass.
“The future of work and workplaces will be defined by the technology and innovation businesses who will occupy this precinct, with Central Place Sydney set to become a leading innovative workplace and a global exemplar of city centre regeneration,” he said.
Central Place is currently in Stage 3 of the NSW Government’s Unsolicited Proposals process. More information is available here.
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