An exciting new video has been released to preview what will be Ipswich’s thriving civic heart when the mall redevelopment is completed in 2021.
The animation is the most detailed look to date at what the revitalised precinct will be like on completion.
It was unveiled at a council-run meeting with CBD stakeholders on Tuesday night.
The video begins at the river end of a reinstated Nicholas Street – complete with pick up and drop off points – and takes viewers toward Brisbane Street, highlighting revamped food and shopping areas along the way.
The new Ipswich Central Library, with its modern and eye-catching design, is a standout feature before the clip switches to life in the precinct after dark.
At 6pm each day, automatic bollards will be activated, transforming the one-way road into a pedestrian-only entertainment zone.
Here, the future council administration building and plaza are shown as well as people enjoying alfresco dining along Bell Street, opposite Murphy’s Pub, and a cutting edge digital projection above street level.
Ipswich City Council Interim Administrator Greg Chemello said the video brought the vision for the CBD redevelopment to life.
“Projects of this scale can be hard to visualise but this video allows residents and business owners to see before their very eyes what the project is going to deliver for Ipswich,” he said.
Fresh branding for the area, which will now be known as Nicholas Street, and an updated timeline of works were also released alongside the video.
This includes three distinctive offers with new branding to showcase the shopping, dining and entertainment buildings. These include:
- Metro Ipswich Central – a retail, fashion, health and convenience shopping hub located directly across the street from the Bell Street transport hub;
- Eats Ipswich Central – an on-street dining and cafe precinct next to Ipswich Central Library, overlooking Nicholas Street;
- Venue Ipswich Central – an immersive and family-friendly entertainment area.
Nicholas Street roadworks are set for completion by the end of this year, the new library should open in the first half of 2020 and the council administration centre in the second half of 2021.
“An important part of the redevelopment project is attracting the right mix of businesses that complement the existing offering and enhance the area,” Mr Chemello said.
The various components of the redevelopment project.
“The fresh branding will help us to better tell the Ipswich CBD redevelopment story, particularly to businesses looking to join the new precinct.”
Negotiations with potential future tenants are underway, with the reinstatement of Nicholas Street also continuing.
In the coming months tenders are expected to be awarded for the Ipswich City Council administration building, new library and civic space.
The creation of an enduring and thriving civic heart is a major focus for Ipswich City Council.
This stretches beyond the former mall area and encompasses the broader Ipswich Central precinct, Riverlink, Top of Town and the rest of the CBD.
What a whole lot of wasted empty space !!!!! A riverside swimming pool or beach would have been a much better use of such a prime position, incorporated with the new buildings,office space, and library, specialty retail, etc. Nothing to encourage families or young people to utilise the area or entertain them.
The current car park houses commuters, leaving little room for all of these happy revellers and shoppers shown in the mock-ups , not to mention parking spaces for Library staff and patrons (including parents and children who enjoy play and story time there). Or are residents expected to (as is the current case), battle for on-street parking miles from the action?
Absolutely disgraceful misuse of tax dollars!
The restaurants and venues are empty. It doesn’t cost $150 million to get families & the community back into town.
If only they would fund Ipswich Regions disabilities or mental health programs with such abundance but no Ipswich mall beautification…. THAT will save families, change lives and enrich our community & most vulnerable people.
It’s beyond shameful….which council did they throw out??