Current Situation

The Glen Waverley activity area is today made up of 11 distinct areas, listed below in order of north to south (The list helps us to appreciate the subtle differences of each area within the entire Glen Waverley central activity area.):

1. Centro The Glen Shopping Centre
2. The Village Arcade
3. Glen Waverley Secondary College
4. Railway Parade North side-street shopping strip, including the 2012-developed multi-storey carpark.
5. Glen Waverley Railway Station & the 2012–14 construction of the 10-storey IKON complex (residential & retail)
6. Kingsway side-street shopping strip
7. Springvale Rd-facing shops
8. Century Walk complex with Novotel Hotel
9. Monash City Council area with Glen Waverley branch library
10. Centrelink & multi-storey car park along Bogong Ave
11. Ibis Hotel complex

Futuristic Retailing

The #1 difference of my futuristic version of Glen Waverley is that the 11 distinct areas are consolidated and interlinked.

[2013 update: Ideally, my futuristic version would minimise redesign of the current 10-storey residential IKON complex. Unfortunately, based on my research, the basement and foundations laid for IKON Glen Waverley would pose a big barrier to my designs. For the purposes of harmonising my alternate designs (which predate the concept and current effort that is now IKON Glen Waverley), let’s assume they commenced building IKON after the train tunnelling work was undertaken … win-win. Further, the multi-storey car park would be redundant given the plans outlined below.]

Centro The Glen Shopping Centre, as the dominant shopping destination, including the supporting car park, will become the basis for my future version of Glen Waverley. Picture a doubling in size of the complex, stretching beyond the current Safeway and fresh food southern end, replacing the Village Arcade (2), the central car park square and linking not just the Century Walk complex (8), but even further south to include the council and library facilities (9) and the Ibis Hotel complex (11). [2013 update: this series of continuous linkages would include an overpass to IKON Glen Waverley (5).]

This new complex would integrate with the food retailers from the existing side-street shopping strips — (6) and (7). The existing multi-level car park structure would be extended further south to the current location of (7). While there would be maximum preservation of Century Walk, the council and hotel buildings, and the library would likely be completely rebuilt. The new shopping centre complex would retain the Kingsway-facing retail shop fronts (6) and simply ‘fit in behind them’, as a long complex stretching from the current Safeway right up to the present Century Walk/Strike bowling complex.

A number of overpass bridges would be constructed over Kingsway to link Glen Waverley Secondary College and IKON Glen Waverley, thus reducing pedestrian traffic along Kingsway.

Futuristic Public Transport Hub

The BIG change for public transportation is the replacement of the current above-ground railway station with an underground metro station located under the current central car park square. The railway station would also no longer be the final stop for the Glen Waverley line; instead the railway line would be extended underground to a future Gallaghers Metro Station (High Street Rd & Gallaghers Rd intersection) en route to Knox City/Ozone.

The central bus station area would similarly be relocated underground. In keeping with the ideal nature of my redevelopment, Springvale Rd would have dedicated bus lanes — a fourth lane would have been squeezed in for the dual carriageway — most likely at the expense of the existing side and median nature strips. The two traffic light intersections of Railway Parade North and Coleman Parade would be retained, but the bus lanes would descend underground before reaching either of the intersections. Directly below the two intersections would be the new bus station. This bus station would extend westward and divide the underground levels of the Springvale Rd-side car park.

Floors & Levels

The ground floor is level with Springvale Rd. This is the only floor that extends the entire north-south length of the complex; the northern section constituting the current upper floor of Centro The Glen.

From the northernmost section, starting at the current position of the Safeway supermarket, and extending all the way south to the council building and hotels, would be an upper retail floor. A minor reconfiguration of the Century Walk complex is likely to accommodate the public retail floor and keeping it separate from the existing private cinema ticketed area. Similarly, the Kingsway-facing retail precinct will be kept intact between Coleman Parade at the northern boundary, and Bogong Ave at the southern end. Entrances with covered walkway bridges will link this floor to the west Kingsway-side car park. The likely positioning of these bridges/entrances for the floor are:

1. Glen Waverley Secondary College — north of the O’Sullivan Rd intersection with Kingsway; covered with open stairwell into small entry area in corner of school.
2. Midway between O’Sullivan Rd and Railway Parade North (linking a new multi-storey car park complex adjacent to Dan Murphy’s.
3. Where the current station/IKON entrance is planned — a similar ground entrance like the current Century Walk one, with overpass walkway linking IKON with the future complex.
4. The current entrance to Century Walk.

A dedicated level below the ground floor at the middle section between Railway Parade North and Coleman Parade will provide access to the same floor, adjacent bus station, with escalators and lifts leading to the railway station immediately below. This floor shall split ticketed passengers from the general public via metro ticket gantries and provide railway ticket machines with customer service office facilities. This underground area will also link to the basement of IKON.

Road Realignments & Car Parks

Myrtle St will extend across the current railway station complex to a new roundabout that will connect Glendale St with Railway Parade North and Euneva St.

All single ground-floor car parking spaces would be converted into multi-storey parking, capped to a height of 3 levels above ground. All residential property on Montclair Ave bounded by Kingsway and Bogong Ave would be merged into a single block to allow for a redevelopment of the Glen Waverley Church of Christ. The Centrelink building and adjoining commercial property would remain intact.

Both Coleman Parade and Railway Parade North will remain as access routes between Springvale Rd and their existing alignments west of the new complex with the following changes:

Railway Parade North

1. Heading eastward, traffic will intersect with Kingsway as a traffic light intersection (slight realignment of existing) and then descend under the retail complex. A left-turn lane will lead to the (north) blue car park level. Approaching the Springvale Rd intersection, ramps shall provide access to Springvale Road North. To access Springvale Rd South, single-lane traffic will merge with the dedicated bus lane exit ramp. A single lane will connect with Glen Rd. One restriction will prevent traffic from turning right into Kingsway (access from Coleman Parade) while access to Kingsway North/Snedden Drive will remain unrestricted.
2. Approaching from Springvale Rd North, the right-turn lane will head westward across the northbound lanes and immediately descend down to the blue car park level. Traffic will split between continuing westward or entering the blue car park level. Turning left onto Kingsway will not be allowed; Coleman Parade access will enable this. A turn-right lane shall allow access to Kingsway North.
3. Approaching from Springvale Rd South, the left-turn lane will join the entry lane from Spingvale Rd North.

Coleman Parade

1. Heading eastward, traffic will intersect with Kingsway as a traffic light intersection (slight realignment of existing) and then descend under the retail complex and will lead only to the south car park blue level. The traffic light intersection will include a right-turn lane for access to the current Kingsway ground-level retail precinct with side-street parking. Traffic will be restricted from turning left into Kingsway (access from Railway Parade North).
2. Approaching from Springvale Rd South, the left-turn lane will immediately descend down to the blue car park level. Traffic will split between continuing westward or entering the south car park blue level. Traffic will be prevented from turning right onto Kingsway North (access from the Railway Parade North left-turn entry lane) while access to Kingsway South shall remains unrestricted.
3. Approaching from Springvale Rd North, the right-turn lane will head westward across the northbound lanes and immediately descend down to the blue car park level, joining the entry lane from Springvale Rd South.

Bogong Avenue

1. Heading eastward, traffic will intersect with Kingsway as a roundabout intersection and then descend under the retail complex as an entrance to the south car park blue level.
2. Traffic exiting the south car park blue level shall connect to the roundabout and have unrestricted access to all traffic destination directions.

Kingsway

1. No change to Montclair Avenue intersection as is.
2. The intersection with O’Sullivan Rd will be converted into a roundabout intersection with entry to the extended north car park blue level.