Swaths of office space will be replaced with 190 apartments as part of a mixed-use development planned for the City Walk precinct.
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A development application lodged with the ACT Planning and Land Authority proposes to demolish the four-storey Boulevarde and replace it with an 18-storey building containing a mix of one, two and three-bedroom units situated above almost 1000 square metres of ground-level commercial space.
The overhaul of 20 Allara Street will see an extra 238 car spaces, the majority located above ground, if approved.
Meanwhile, a new pedestrian link would offer better access between City Walk and the existing podium plaza, which would not be demolished as part of the upgrade.
An existing 12-storey office building facing Allara Street at the southern end of the block will remain.
The two buildings would be linked by a lower-level podium which will become an outdoor entertainment area for residents.
The development application for the redevelopment, lodged by Allara Nominees Pty Ltd and Morris Property Group, reflects a broader push for higher-density living and more active streetscapes in the city.
The application's release comes less than a week after the release of Turn On. Transform. – a collective action agenda of ideas to breathe life into Canberra's CBD.
The Property Council of Australia, Canberra CBD Limited and the Canberra Business Chamber have joined forces to develop the string of proposals, including the installation of a big screen in Garema Place, overhauling drab laneways and developing population density targets.
Increased density and activation were key elements outlined in the report.
Similarly, the development application for 20 Allara Street outlines the need for "active frontages" that "generate activity" along City Walk and the corner of Akuna Street.
"The primary uses proposed are residential apartments on the upper floors and commercial shop front on the ground floor, these uses are appropriate for the area and will [sic] revitalize the southern city walk precinct."
Nineteen of the new residential dwellings will be adaptable units, which can be modified for people with a disability or mobility issues.
Meanwhile, carparking would be screened from public view and integrated into the building's facade.
There are also plans for a gymnasium, undercover barbecue areas, an external entrainment area, a swimming pool and a theatre on the 10th floor.
The existing building's theatre, which has been vacant since 2006, is earmarked for removal as part of the development.
The Boulevarde also contains ground floor commercial space and three levels of offices.
Existing tenants at 20 Allara Street include Shop Handmade, JP Shoe Repairs, Design A Bunch florist, VIP Pies, Capital Mini Mart and the Commonwealth government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
