Geocon’s massive WOVA development in Woden is due to start construction in the middle of this year, and the first apartments have been released for sale.
The WOVA development on the old Woden Tradies and Woden Hotel sites on Launceston Street and Melrose Drive has gone through several iterations as it has progressed through the planning system, but it is now ready to launch.
The $400 million project will inject a further 797 one-to-three bedroom apartments into Woden Town Centre across four towers designed by architects Fender Katsalidis.
WOVA will include a signature 24-storey tower on Launceston Street (Building 2), a 16-storey building behind it fronting Furzer Street (Building 1), a 12-storey building next to Building 2 (Building 3), and the now 12-storey building on the corner of Launceston Street and Melrose Drive (Building 4).
The first release will be Building 2, which will offer 271 apartments, 701 square metres of retail space and five floors of amenity for residents, including a resort-style lap pool, a movie theatre, and Resident’s Lounge, complete with cocktail bar and places to celebrate.
There will also be a fitness studio, including a fully equipped gym, stretch and cooldown space, as well as flexible working spaces – complete with workstations, meeting rooms and quiet spaces.
On the roof will be a garden terrace for picnics, evening drinks or taking in the view.
One-bedroom apartments will start from $299,900, decorated in three modern, contemporary colour schemes.
Geocon has added a 63-room hotel to the project, and Abode Woden will move from its current site on Bowes Street to WOVA, occupying the first and second floors of Building 1 on Furzer Street.
Geocon managing director Nick Georgalis said Woden is coming alive again thanks largely to developments such as WOVA.
“For many years, this was a space where no-one wanted to visit, much less live,” he said. “We began to turn that on its head with the development of Grand Central Towers, and we will complete the area’s transformation with WOVA.
“The master planned precinct will create a new destination and fuel a much-needed refresh to the Woden region.”
Mr Georgalis said prices in the development would remain competitive from launch, through the construction phase and through to the proposed settlement date in mid-2023.
WOVA is just one of a number of high-rise mixed-use developments in the works in Woden Town Centre, including Doma’s four-building project on Melrose Drive; Zapari’s proposal opposite Westfield on Corinna Street; the W2 project on the edge of the Town Square; Hindmarsh’s three-building project near the police station; and the residential refurbishment of Lovett Tower.
They will join the already completed Alexander and Albemarle buildings, and Grand Central Towers.