Civic Component
Residential Component
The design brief for the new Civic Centre seeks to rationalise and rethink the range of local community services into a configuration of new buildings and open spaces that define a Civic & Cultural Precinct.
These Council functions and activities could include: a new library, art gallery, flexible civic & performance space, administrative offices, community services, community spaces and commercial development.
The new Mosman Civic Centre aims to become
- The ‘Civic Heart’ of the community
- A boutique hub of community activity and cultural life
- A contemporary design that responds to contemporary needs
- A key driver of growth, change and development of the Mosman community
In framing a project of this scale it is important to begin with the bigger picture. The following extracts from the ‘Return Brief’ prepared by consultants for Council will establish the cultural, social and spatial aspirations for the buildings and Public Space in the new Mosman Civic Centre. This brief does not attempt to dictate strict spatial requirements, but will stay as an active document to incorporate feedback from key stakeholders. The assumptions in the Brief are drawn from independent observation, research generated through community feedback and MOSPLAN, existing reports by private consultants and meetings with staff and council facilities planners and managers.
Explore the Dynamic Centre
Therese Burnett
June 21, 2012 at 6:40 pmdisappointing not dynamic
hodgepodge
parking access unclear
TRY AGAIN
Greg Carmichael
June 23, 2012 at 11:05 pmI don’t think this works well either.
- redevelop the grand hall site for apartments. It resolves existing civic / residential amenity conflicts.
- large parking station opposite the oval underground.
- supermarket on existing council site
- shop top apartments above Supermarket
- large square between supermarket and library
- library overlooking the oval
- existing library site developed for retail / apartments
- Council chambers, art gallery and meeting hall offices go in a taller office type building on site opposite known as landmark site
Bob Gowing
July 12, 2012 at 9:43 pmHaving recently arrived in Mosman I am deeply disappointed at such a drab and old looking place as Spit Junction as it is now. It is not at all well kept. It has none of the excitement or vibrancy of other centres such as Chatswood, Hornsby or Parramatta. Even driving through Neutral Bay one has a sense of vibrancy as it is far better kept and maintained.
I know someone who has lived in Mosman/Spit Junction for forty years and will not shop there as it is so dreary and always goes to Warringah Mall or Chatswood.
The plans I have seen for Spit Junction will help alleviate the drabness in those areas shown on the plan. However, they do nothing to make the existing strip shops more vibrant.
Something that screams out to an out
sider is the lack of linking the three sides of Spit Junction together. It must be a difficult task for a planner. The proposed plan goes a part way to link two sides – the current Mosman Square with the eastern side of Spit Road down to the picture theatre. It does not link the western side of Spit Road and Bridgepoint Centre. The present bridge across the road is of limited use as it is nowhere near the point where the three roads meet and where everone wants to cross over.
Given the geography of the area perhaps a sensible link is a series of underground tunnels lined by shops where the three streets meet to be served by escalators or alternatively a podium above that point served by escalators with a recreation area or a shopping mall on top. It could be like the Goldring Centre in Toronto or the Danish University Centre in Beijing as shown on the Council brochure.
Perhaps the Bridgepoint shops could be transferred there and more of Bridgepoint turned into car parking.
Such a grandiose scheme should be financially feasible by Council co-ordinating with a developer who would provide the finance. Once the current recession is over this should be an attractive development for a near city area.
I confess to have not adressing the problems of car parking. However, if there are to be changes, a bold vision needs to be targeted with the infrastructure to be arranged to fit it.
I am more than happy to discuss anything further and will be disappointed if the plan does not involve the strategic linking of the three roads of Spit Junction.
David
July 22, 2012 at 11:02 pmHere we go again Mosman council selling off open space to build more apartments, just like they did with the ugly eyesores in Vista Street which have for the last twelve months been under repair. The streets here can’t cope with the extra traffic that the residential apartments and the Civic Centre will bring. There are already many near misses every day with kids running across the road where Myahgah Rd & The Crescent meet. The road looks like part of the footpath and cars and trucks constantly speed around here. It has been mentioned that to adequately address the parking in the area they need to make provision for 500 car spaces, this will only increase the traffic/pedestrian problems in this area.
The proposed increased height and number of buildings will create a wind tunnel devoid of sunlight, it will ruin the village atmosphere of the area.
If we wanted a Chatswood style Mall we would go and live in Chatswood, please don’t ruin the Mosman Village atmosphere.