CONSTRUCTION on a $180 million over-55s community in the Sydney suburb of Paddington has reached a major milestone.
The Terraces at Paddington, in the eastern suburbs, is the largest project ever undertaken by owner and operator Presbyterian Aged Care in NSW.
Global contractor Multiplex recently reached a major construction milestone on the development on the Scottish Hospital site on Brown Street, topping out on the eighth floor.
Designed by JPR Architects, The Terraces at Paddington replaces the existing 88 bed residential aged care facility with a new 100 bed facility including a 23-bed dementia unit.
A new retirement village includes 70 new seniors' independent living units across four new buildings. It will also involve the adaptive conversion of the Scottish Hospital heritage building to contain nine seniors' apartments, with heritage features such as the terraced gardens retained and restored.
Presbyterian Aged Care chief executive Paul Sadler said the organisation was "delighted" to have reached this milestone.
"This has been a complex project handled professionally by Multiplex," he said.
Complexities with the project included restricted access from tight surrounding residential streets and challenging landscape topography with steep sloping land. Six heritage trees are located on site and Multiplex worked in consultation with the project arborist to retain and protect these significant trees.
Brookfield Multiplex regional managing director David Ghannoum said: "It is exciting to collaborate with Presbyterian Aged Care to deliver innovative accommodation to the seniors living sector, so important with our ageing population".
Within the development space will also be created for future community care programs as well as a range of amenities such as a cafe, health and wellbeing centre and theatrette for residents and visitors.
As part of the project, Presbyterian Aged Care are dedicating 1300 square metres of land to the community for an expansion of the Dillon St reserve park at the north of the site.
The existing aged care building will remain open during Stage One pf the construction with existing residents and staff guaranteed transfer to the new aged care building. Completion of the entire project is expected early 2019.
Presbyterian Aged Care provides residential aged care, community care and seniors housing to over 1,800 older people.
PAC currently has residential care sites at Ashfield, Canberra, Drummoyne, Gosford, Haberfield, Paddington, Thornleigh, Stockton, Walcha and Wollongong; and seniors housing at Ashfield - Pitt Wood Village, Beecroft, Bowral, Burwood, Canberra, Chatswood, Corowa, Drummoyne, Eastwood, Gosford, Roseville, Stockton and West Wyalong.