Probuild wins $200m apartments job

National construction contractor Probuild has added another big-ticket contract to its growing portfolio in Western Australia, having been appointed to build the $200 million NV Apartments development on Murray Street.

The proposal, put forward by Singapore’s Fragrance Group and designed by local firm Lawrence J Scanlan & Associates, is located at 374-396 Murray Street, and is flagged to comprise a 28-level, 488-room hotel and a 33-storey tower containing 401 apartments.

Probuild WA managing director Sam Delmenico said the deal would be a great addition to the builder’s order book.

The company is already busy in WA completing a range of high-profile jobs, including the $300 million Ritz-Carlton and The Towers at Elizabeth Quay, and the Oracle apartments on Stirling Street for Blackburne.

Mr Delmenico said Probuild looked forward to partnering with Fragrance Group, under a design and construct contract.

Work is expected to start in July, and be finished by late 2019.

The contract award follows market speculation that the project could have been delayed from its original timeframe, after Fragrance Group applied for an extension to its planning approval late last month.

Fragrance Group’s original approval for the NV Apartments site was issued in June 2015, and would have lapsed in June if the project wasn’t substantially commenced.

Sales agents previously told buyers the project was likely to begin in early 2017.

The development is also one of three large projects being planned by Fragrance Group in Perth.

Around the corner from the Murray Street site on Milligan Street, Fragrance Group is planning a 52-storey tower, in another $200 million hotel and apartments development.

Fragrance Group received planning approval to build the 52-level, 359-apartment tower and a 37-level, 406-room hotel on the corner of Milligan and Murray streets midway through last year.

The developer also stunned the market late last year when it applied for planning approval to build a 62-level, 485-room hotel at St Andrew’s Church on St Georges Terrace.

Both of those projects have significant heritage renewal aspects, with the historic Pearl Villa hostel to be redeveloped at Milligan Square, and the St Andrew’s Church to be reimagined as a restaurant under the $100 million proposed skyscraper.