The covers have come off plans for a “bold” new building to replace a dilapidated car park that has become once of the West End’s most prominent eyesores.
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In June, the Herald reported that Lake Macquarie businessman Darren Nicholson was planning a major overhaul of the Gibson Street car park, after buying it and the Bolton Street carpark from Newcastle City Council for about $10 million in 2012.
Mr Nicholson has now unveiled the design for the car park – next door to the Newcastle Permanent’s office on King Street – saying he hoped it would become one of the city’s ‘iconic’ buildings.
It will feature aluminium panels that change colour depending on the side of approach, with a ‘sunset’ theme looking west and a ‘sunrise’ theme looking east.
“We’re spending a lot more money and effort than is required because we don’t want it to just look like the average grey jungle car park. We want something that people can admire,” Mr Nicholson said.
The bottom floor will be devoted to a 115 place childcare centre and a cafe, while the $14 million overhaul will see the car park nearly double in size to accommodate about 860 spaces over nine or ten storeys.
It will feature solar panels on the roof and number-plate recognition, so that regular users can pay for their parking online.
Mr Nicholson said he expected the opening of the new university campus nearby and the removal of hundreds of spaces at Honeysuckle to drive demand.
“Most of the people at Honeysuckle have’t realised they are no more than a three minute walk from where we are. That prime waterfront land should be car parking doesn’t sit right, in my opinion,” he said.
Zouk Architects came up with the original idea for the building but it was developed into the finished product by local firm SDA.
Principal Ed Highton said the triangular facade not only allowed for the colour change but was a “subtle reference” to the Newcastle Permanent building.
The building has also been designed in a way that will allow for future conversion.
“My view is that with anything you do, 50 per cent of people will love it and 50 per cent will hate it,” he said.
“But it’s better than designing things that are beige and boring and nobody notices. You have to take risks.”
Mr Highton also argued that Newcastle needed to embrace concentrated parking in multi-level developments, rather than in spaces spread across the city.
The plans came off exhibition with council this week and Mr Nicholson expects to award the tender before Christmas, with construction to commence early 2017.
A second childcare centre is planned for the base of the Bolton Street car park.
