Canberra's gateway: The changing face of Northbourne Avenue

Last month marked the start of Canberra’s light rail – heralded by chief minister Andrew Barr as “the day Canberra grows up”.

There’s no denying it was a milestone for the nation’s capital and Canberra’s main thoroughfare, Northbourne Avenue, will be forever changed.

Northbourne Avenue is arguably the most rapidly transforming area in Canberra.

In December, the ACT and the federal government launched a long-term planning vision to manage changes to the Northbourne Avenue and Federal Highway corridor.

The government plans to turn Northbourne Avenue into a “world-class boulevard”, focusing on its position as an entryway to the city.

Currently, Northbourne Avenue is a sea of cranes, demolition works and scaffolding from new developments.

But it’s not only new buildings that are transforming the look of the “boulevard” – developers have also refurbished existing buildings.

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South Haven Group has recently renovated 73 Northbourne Avenue and the building is hard to miss with a striking facade sitting on the corner of Northbourne Avenue and Barry Drive.

Originally built in 1987, the Melbourne-based property firm acquired the space in 2016.

Updates include an open-plan foyer, boardroom and meeting spaces on the ground floor.

A feature is the rotational art space in the foyer where they will rotate artworks every six months.

The building is currently looking for new tenants.

“It’s been a very exciting project as we transform this building to provide high-end amenities and beautiful communal space,” South Haven Group chief executive Ian Pratt said.

“Our experience and research tell us that quality spaces add value to a business and enhance their success, even improving staff recruitment and retention.”

One of the main changes to the corridor is the increase of building heights on some parts to 50 metres. In turn, this could allow for an additional 37,000 residential dwellings.

Mixed-use developments are big along the corridor. Art Group project director Brett Smith said this had helped bolster a visitor’s experience when they entered Canberra. 

“If you drove down Northbourne Avenue 12 months ago … the entry into Canberra, particularly from the north, wasn’t a great representation of what the territory is and wants to be,” he said.

“In the next few years, you will see one which shows a greater picture and one that does announce the city.”

Art Group is currently developing the 2.6-hectare Soho Estate in Dickson.

Development has increased rapidly in Dickson recently. Last year, the suburb had the greatest number of multi-dwelling development application approvals.

“Densification around Dickson has typically been underdone,” Mr Smith said.

“The group centre of Dickson will be a significant beneficiary in terms of business, migration to the area, and the opportunity for businesses to strengthen not just with a higher level of densification in a residential sense but also with a bit of commercial coming to the area.”

Mr Pratt said with the latest developments in Canberra, South Haven Group planned to broaden its scope in the nation’s capital.

“Canberra is firmly within our business plan and, as we go forward, we will be looking at similar opportunities within the city,” he said.