Construction commences with a ground-breaking ceremony

After a 10-year journey to bring our vision to life, 2022 began with the appointment of Icon Construction as the builders for Seafarers. Construction officially commenced in February, this significant milestone marked by a ground-breaking ceremony on site, attended by Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sally Capp, and our project partners.

Sheet piling retention wall complete

Throughout the months of February to June, extensive groundworks took place as a sheet piling retention wall system was installed around the sites perimeter, used to mitigate water ingress from the Yarra River, and protect the heritage-listed Goods Shed No. 5. The sheet pile wall system was identified as the best methodology to navigate the sites conditions. In particular, this approach considered the sites proximity to the waterline and the ground conditions of Coode Island silt to ensure the integrity of the foundation and basements works to come. The excavation of the sites pre-existing concrete slab and removal of structural piles followed in July in preparation for the rebuild of Seafarers’ foundation.

1 Hotel visits Melbourne – May

For the first time in two years, we welcomed to Melbourne in May the SH Hotels & Resorts design team to sign off on guest room prototypes. An intensive 3 days of workshops, meetings and site visits, purchasers and the Seafarers community were invited to hear directly from the 1 Hotel & ODO on their vision for 1 Hotel Melbourne.

Foundation piling works commence

With the sites retention wall complete, the focus shifted towards foundation piling, making way for structural works of the Fender Katsalidis-designed building to begin.
In August, two piling rigs arrived on site to support the provision of structural columns into the site’s foundation. In a method known as CFA, 421 piles were constructed by rotating an auger approximately 30 meters down into the silt.

Goods Shed No.5 remediation works

Since the careful dismantling of components from the heritage-listed Goods Shed No.5, remediation works of the trusses, windows and doors began off-site in a facility in Sale, Victoria. Trusses have been stripped of corrosion, doors salvaged and reinforced, while windows continue to be re-glazed for future use at Seafarers.  Bluestone pavers were also catalogued and will be returned to their former location on site.

The first tower crane arrives on site 

Following the completion the sheet piling retention wall, two piling rigs arrived on site to support the provision of 421 structural columns into the site’s foundation. With the Seafarers site now adequately prepared for structural works, the first tower crane was assembled on site and basement excavation & construction began.

Excavation of the lift core begins

Following the completion of foundation works in October,  the team shifted focus to the basement, completing the first pour in mid-December which marked another exciting milestone for the team. Excavation of the lift core also commenced in preparation for the set up of the main core in January 2023. The lift core will service the hotel and residential lifts within Seafarers.