Inner-city pads boast bike appeal

Collingwood’s industrial past has been transformed into industrial chic by a slew of developers creating residences for the creative types who flock to the edgy inner-city suburb.

The suburb isonly three kilometres from the CBD and boasts a plethora of quirky eateries, shops, pubs and art galleries in Smith and Gertrude streets and their surrounds.

Inner-city boutique developer Milieu has launched its largest project to date of 36 apartments on the corner of Peel and Wellington Streets, only a short stroll from both Smith and Gertrude streets and boasting a cyclists’ entry directly on to the new Copenhagen bike lanes, under construction.

The development, Peel By Milieu, will have further appeal to cyclists with its abundant bike storage and even a bike workshop for residents stocked with tools and pumps.

The building overlooks a pocket park with playground equipment on Cambridge Street.

A cafe and wine bar on the ground floor of the nine-level building will be operated by Milieu to ensure it retains the design aesthetic of the project.

DKO Architecture, the design team behind the building’s innovative design with an angled roof line, has previously collaborated with the same developer at Collingwood for a series of Amsterdam-inspired townhouses at 1 Bedford Street.

The interiors at Peel By Milieu veer away from the common Nordic-inspired minimalism with an Australian palette featuring materials such as bluestone, terrazzo and natural timber floors.

“It’s not a Scandinavian look and is definitely a uniquely Australian look,” says Milieu director Michael McCormack.

Window seats designed by Jardan, appliance areas that conceal cables and kitchens with pull-down elements and condiment shelves are practical design features that get the most out of the space.

“Even though there is so much in it because of the way it has been designed, it still feels really clean, crafted and simple,” McCormack says. “It doesn’t feel cluttered as there are so many different elements that are hidden.”

The 15 one-bedroom apartments have internal space of 45 to 50 square metres and are selling for $435,000 to $565,000.

Most of the 19 two-bedroom apartments have second bathrooms and are sized internally from 60 to 72 square metres with prices from $595,000 to $775,000.

Two three-bedroom penthouses with 97 and 105 square metres in internal space are selling for $990,000 and $1.3 million.

The majority of the apartments have recessed balconies sized between six and nine square metres with larger open balconies on the upper levels. For those who still need four wheels along with their bikes, there are 21 carparks on a stacker system.

Peel By Milieu is being marketed by Nelson Alexander, phone 9417 1956. A display suite with a gallery showcasing the work of local photographers is open at 47 Peel Street from Tues-Fri 2pm-5pm and Sat-Sun noon-5pm.

Tristian Koenig earned his Collingwood cred when he moved to the suburb as a student in the ’90s, playing in a band and later working as a barman at the Tote Hotel.

Now the owner of a Collingwood art gallery on Glasshouse Road that bears his name and supports emerging Australian artists, he thinks there has been  more change in the suburb in the past two years than the previous two decades.

“Obviously it is changing with all the development but it still has that alternative edge and there’s something still a bit gritty about Collingwood which I think people find interesting and attractive,” Koenig says. “I hope Smith Street always retains its kind of charm because I think it is one of the truly unique streets in Melbourne.

“The arts scene is exceedingly vibrant and in this area you’ve got artists’ studios, galleries, non-profits – the whole kind of ecosystem of the arts,” he says.