By CASEY NEILL
PRIVATE investors and developers now need to get involved in the Revitalising Central Dandenong (RCD) project, according to the Committee for Dandenong.
Places Victoria CEO Peter Seamer said plans for the seven hectares of land it owns, known as the Revitalisation Precinct, are progressing and the project is on track.
It has seen $330 million invested in central Dandenong over the past seven years, including the award-winning Government Services Office (GSO) which opened for business last year and the City of Greater Dandenong’s Municipal Building Project, which is under construction and due to open next year.
“Places Victoria currently has two RCD sites out in the market place,” Mr Seamer said.
“These market processes are both live and their outcomes will be known late in 2013.”
He said Places Victoria’s vision for the space was for medium to high density residential and commercial developments.
“The rate of development and investment attraction in the RCD project is on track for what will be a 15 to 20-year urban renewal,” Mr Seamer said.
“The remaining sites in the RCD initiative will be brought to the market in line with market demand over that period of time.”
Committee for Dandenong chairman Gary Castricum welcomed the pedestrian and bike-friendly Halpin Way’s opening, which provides a link from the train station through the Revitalisation Precinct to the civic square.
He said the Municipal Building Project, at the corner of Walker and Lonsdale streets, would provide another major injection of services and people into the city centre.
“The GSO building, the rejuvenated Dandenong Market and events at the Drum Theatre have all supported increasing foot traffic in central Dandenong,” he said.
But Mr Castricum said it would be encouraging to see a new wave of private investors and developers getting involved.
“While full development of the Revitalisation Precinct will take many years, the structure for car and pedestrian traffic is already in place,” he said.
