The Newcastle West building boom has surged back to life with a forest of cranes piercing the skyline and a sale confirmed for the Spotlight development site.
Development and construction firm Bloc told the Newcastle Herald that it had bought the Spotlight site in National Park Street as part of a joint venture.
Previous owners St Hilliers and Spotlight Property Group put the site up for sale last year after winning development approval for a 257-unit twin-towers development marketed as West Village.
The new owners will almost certainly lodge a fresh development application for the site.
Bloc has two large construction projects under way in Newcastle West but could start work on the Spotlight site in 2026 subject to development approval.
COVID-19 and rising construction costs have stalled a host of major construction projects in the burgeoning West End central business district for several years, but the main players in the precinct's rebuild are now busy at work.
Thirdi Group has installed a pile-driver at its Dairy Farmers Corner construction site, where a 30-storey twin-towers complex will rise above Hunter Street.
The company won development approval last week to add another three levels to the project's 25-storey southern tower.
Bloc has set up a huge crane to assemble DOMA Group's 100-metre Store unit complex and has started ground works on its own 20-storey Watervue development on the former Empire Hotel site on the corner of Hunter and Steel streets.
GWH has two cranes up at its One Apartments project on the former Musos Corner site in National Park Street and office developer Spartohori is demolishing the West End Hotel in Stewart Avenue.
Altim Property has topped out construction of its six-storey Swift office building next door to the Watervue site in Hunter Street and plans to start work late next year on an 11-storey commercial development, Arbour, at 810 Hunter Street.
One developer told the Herald that the industry appeared to be entering a new phase of building activity in Newcastle after a period of uncertainty.
Work still has not resumed on the 17-storey Bowline office and apartment project next to Newcastle Interchange after construction contractor Eastern Pacific went into administration early this year.
The Herald understands the developer, Multipart Property, has engaged Basebuild to take over the construction contract and is working on restructuring its finance arrangements.
These West End apartment projects total 1294 units, which would go a long way towards meeting the NSW government's 15-year housing plan for the Newcastle Interchange Transport Oriented Development (TOD) program precinct.
Government figures published this week show the state believes land within a 400-metre radius of the interchange has capacity for 2808 new dwellings over the next 15 years.
In the works
Watervue $50m, 106 apartments, 20 storeys, under construction
Store $117m, 352 apartments, 30 storeys, under construction
Dairy Farmers $100m, 191 apartments, 30 storeys, under construction
One Apartments $71m, 197 apartments, 23 storeys, under construction
Bowline $60m, 118 apartments, 17 storeys, under construction
805 Hunter Street $30m, 72 apartments, 20 storeys, DA approved
West Village $115m, 258 apartments, 25 storeys, site sold
Total apartments: 1294
