City high lights

Probuild is constructing the $770 million-plus 92 level apartment tower, Aurora Melbourne Central in La Trobe Street, Melbourne, for Malaysian developer UEM Sunrise.

A unique feature of the Elenberg Fraser designed building is its direct access to Melbourne Central railway station and shopping precinct.

Probuild Group Managing Director Simon Gray said that the Aurora Melbourne Central tower will stand 286 metres above sea level, the maximum height allowed due to CBD airspace limits when it was designed. The tallest building currently under construction in the CBD, Aurora Melbourne Central will include 941 residential apartments, three levels of exclusive resident facilities, 252 serviced apartments, strata office suites and unique retail spaces when completed in late 2019.

At the time of writing in early June 2017, the tower had reached 75m high (core) with the floor structure at 29m high. Works were under way on level 28 (core) and Level 10 (floor slabs) preceding the milestone completion of the podium structure which tops out at level nine.

The current 200-plus workforce onsite will grow to 450-plus at peak periods in the project’s life.

There are five separable portion handovers adding a major complexity that while residents are living on levels 10 to 32, Probuild will still be pouring concrete on level 86.

Simon Gray said Aurora’s direct access to Melbourne Central railway station and shopping precinct was a unique feature.

“Residents will be able to go from their apartment, to the shops, to the train platform within minutes,” Mr Gray said.

He added that the direct connection with one of Melbourne’s busiest train stations presents unique construction challenges and the company will be working underneath La Trobe Street in order to create the retail and railway interface with as little disruption to retailers and commuters as possible.

For more information go to aurora-melbourne.com.au