A heritage-listed building in Denison Street would be redeveloped as part of a proposed 17-storey complex.
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A development application for the site at 41-47 Denison Street - next to Level 33's Midtown apartment block - has been lodged with Wollongong City Council.
The site was once the Berlei bra factory, established in the post-war years, which had been set up as part of a government program to decentralise industry and create jobs for migrant women who came to the region when their husbands found work in the steelworks.
It was recently given heritage listing by the city council in the Wollongong Local Environment Plan.
The application looks to build a 17-storey mixed-use development made up of 75 apartments, a commercial tenancy, a medical centre over two levels and three levels of basement car parking.
It plans to incorporate the western facade - which fronts Denison Street - of the factory and much of the southern facade into the development, much like what occurred at Lang's Corner on the lower end of the mall.
However a "major demolition" is planned, removing the roof, the northern and eastern facades, and the rear portions of the southern facade.
A heritage impact statement lodged as part of the development noted that some features of the building - such as awnings and verandahs - had been added after the original construction.
"The current form of the building has retained legibility of the original scale and character of the 1945 Post War, Functionalist-style factory building," the study said.
"However, the alterations and additions to the building has compromised the integrity of the original internal layout and fabric.
"The original car dock and unloading bay was expanded and a new brick wall separating the loading bay and the main hall is noted at present.
"The flooring in this area has also been altered from timber to concrete. The original café, kitchen and amenities have also been altered, and these areas are currently used as office spaces and storage rooms."
A heritage interpretation strategy recommended that bricks are salvaged from the partial demolition and "used in the creation of landscape elements such as retaining walls and built-in seating" at the development.
In terms of the new development and its impact on traffic, a study acknowledged the mixed-use development would be "a high trip generator".
A combination of the apartments, medical centre and commercial premises would create 140 trips in the morning peak and 127 in the evening.
However, it claims these extra trips will have "minimum impact" on the nearby Crown Street-Denison Street and Victoria and Denison streets intersection.
"According to the intersection assessment, the additional trips can be accommodated in the nearby intersections without significantly affecting the performance of any turn movement, approach arm or the overall intersection," the study found.
"The traffic impacts of the proposed mixed-use development are therefore considered acceptable."
The development application is on public exhibition until May 2.
Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
