Media Release - Chadstone comparisons misleading

Read the latest Triangle Site media release in which CEO David Spokes explains how comparisons between the Chadstone Shopping Centre and the Triangle Site Development are misleading. 

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Much has been said and written in the media about the council vote at which the triangle development was approved. Much of that coverage is misleading, particularly the assertion that the mayor's vote alone tipped the balance in favour of the development.

It is important to note that there were two distinct parts to the voting process on the night of 7 February. The first involved each of the six councillors present delivering a brief speech on how they intended to vote and why. In keeping with council tradition, the mayor spoke last. Part two of the process was the vote. The mayor, who was chair of the meeting, called for a show of hands for and against. The motion was carried 4:2. As this was a majority vote, there was no need for the mayor to exercise a deciding vote. 

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Ruin or renewal, love or hate, anger or indifference - any way you look at it,  the St Kilda triangle is a hot topic in our community.

Council is asking you to look again at the plans and question what you've heard.

Read on to discover the facts about this project.

The triangle creates new public open spaces Click to open larger version	A refurbished Palais is the heart of the new triangle Click to open larger version	The Catani Steps create a link between the Esplanade and the beach Click to open larger version

I've heard the triangle will be a shopping centre

Over 80% of the proposed St Kilda triangle is not shops. The triangle is mostly entertainment, restaurants and public open spaces. There is also underground car parking, a small campus of William Angliss TAFE College, a new Linden contemporary art gallery and an 'art house' cinema.

I've heard the triangle will be full of chain shops

Most of the shops will be small and independent. No more than 20% of the tenancies can be national chain stores.

I've heard that the open space is rooftops painted green

The triangle will have four impressive open areas for public use. Each of these areas has a unique character that the public will enjoy.

• Catani steps - wide flowing steps down from the Esplanade that double as an open air amphitheatre
• Palais Theatre forecourt - great for outdoor events
• St Kilda triangle square - piazza style open air square overlooking the bay
• Grassy slopes on the Upper Esplanade - ideal for picnics, watching the sunset, meeting friends
• The landscape design of the public areas was done by Taylor Cullity Lethlean.

I've heard that the bay views are being blocked

There are no high buildings blocking bay views from the Upper Esplanade. The Pearl building that was located adjacent to the Upper Esplanade opposite Mandalay Apartments, has been removed totally. The highest building is the Palais Theatre.

I've heard it was designed by a Sydney company

The principal architect is Ian McDougall from Ashton Raggatt McDougall a Melbourne firm whose award winning work includes RMIT's Storey Hall, Canberra's National Museum of Australia and the new recital hall - the new home for the Melbourne Theatre Company.

Ian is as St Kilda as you can get. He lived in the area for many years, his children attended both primary and secondary school in St Kilda/Elwood and his first architecture project was in St Kilda.

I've heard it will have too many nightclubs

With four new live music venues, the triangle will be a fitting successor to the Palais de Danse (and the Palace nightclub for that matter). The new venues reflect a diversity of musical tastes - there's a band room, jazz lounge, small club and dance venue. At full capacity, these venues will hold 3,000 patrons in total, that's about 1,000 more people than used to pack into the Palace on a good night.

I've heard it will be like the St Kilda festival every week

The St Kilda festival is a great live music event, but it attracts 380,000 plus people, the new triangle live music venues will hold 3,000 maximum. That's one hundred times less than the St Kilda festival.

The triangle will have CCTV and its own security - a first for St Kilda.

I've heard that council didn't listen to the community

Many, many improvements have been made since the development plans went on display in November. The improvements include:

• Much less retail space
• Much more public open space
• Big cuts to the capacity of music venues
•  Scrapping of the northern restaurant pavilion (that was located on the Upper Esplanade)
• Addition of space for a centre of national cultural significance

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