Apple store gets go-ahead for Federation Square location

Apple’s first new flagship store in Australia will open in 2020 at Melbourne’s Federation Square after the Green’s party bid to block the proposal in the Victorian Upper House was defeated 34-4.

This was no quick motion, reports from Parliament say Victorian Minister for Trade & Investment, Innovation & the Digital Economy and Small Business Philip Dalidakis spoke for almost an hour, including reading a detailed blog post from one of the original architects of Federation Square.

In the lengthy post, Donald Bates wrote about the use of space, commercialisation and that the building Apple is set to replace was actually not part of the original brief for Fed Square.

The Greens argued the whole thing went through a secretive process, bypassing normal planning approvals, but it seems the Upper House members in the Victorian Parliament were overwhelmingly unconvinced by that.

Yes, this is a controversial development in what was itself a controversial location.  However, once complete the Apple Store in Melbourne will be a huge boost for the area.

Apple’s “Today at Apple” sessions will involve local Melbourne artists, photographers, entrepreneurs and there will be a local program manager employed to build these wonderful free programs.

It’s a huge change to the site – no doubt – but I’m guessing in 2022 and beyond after the dust has settled people will look back on it as a positive for the area, and for the city.

Demolition, then Construction commences in 2019, with the store due to open in 2020.