Work on what will be Newcastle’s tallest tower has begun, with demolition work on the project’s Hunter Street site beginning the construction process.

Designed by Snell Architects, the project’s 18-storey, 57-metre central tower will stand as the tallest building in Newcastle following its completion.

The $100 million multi-use development dubbed ‘Icon Central’ received the go-ahead in May after a review by a Newcastle Joint Regional Planning Panel.

The plan also has a second eight storey tower that fronts King Street and will house apartments, commercial and retail facilities.

The smallest of the project’s three buildings, the ‘Hunter Street Lofts’, will have seven apartments.

A total of 2,166sqm of commercial and retail floor space will be available for tenancy—289sqm of retail space will front Hunter Street and 1,877sqm of commercial area will front King Street.

Hunter King Developments Pty Ltd will develop the site and their proposal—available on the Newcastle Government website—says that the following community facilities will be available to residents of the Icon:

Theatre/cinema/meeting room
25m heated pool
Gymnasium
Communal Lounge rooms
Library
Multi-purpose community room
Manager’s office
Billiards, indoor games and craft area, etc
Outdoor meeting areas
Airy and sunny communal meeting areas on each floor
Doctor’s room / hairdressers
Commercial kitchen

News outlets have reported the development would be an appropriate accommodation facility for Newcastle University students who are expected to receive a new CBD campus close by.

Central Icon forms part of a recent spate of developments for Newcastle’s CBD. Other projects include the new Newcastle Courthouse – a $94 million project designed by Cox Richardson Architects, the Lucky Country Hotel refurbishment and the former Newcastle Museum redevelopment.

Icon Central, is due to open in early 2016.

Nathan Johnson

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