Queen Victoria Village, generally known as QV Village or just QV, is a precinct in the central business district of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Covering the city block bounded by Lonsdale, Little Lonsdale, Swanston, and Russell Streets, and located directly opposite the State Library of Victoria and Melbourne Central, QV comprises a large shopping centre, a central plaza, an underground food court, Melbourne central city's first full-size supermarket, apartment buildings, and the global headquarters of BHP Billiton. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Melbournes CBD has grown to straddle the Yarra River in three major precincts. ... Capital Melbourne Government Constitutional monarchy Governor David de Kretser Premier Steve Bracks (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 37  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $222,022 (2nd)  - Product per capita  $44,443/person (5th) Population (End of September 2006)  - Population  5,110,500 (2nd)  - Density  22. ... City Blocks are a part of the fictional universe recounted in the Judge Dredd series that appears in the UK comic book 2000 AD. // Overview Also known as starscrapers or stratoscrapers (compare skyscraper), they are the most common form of mass-housing in Mega-City One, averaging a population of... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Swanston Street, looking north from the corner of Bourke Street Swanston Street is a major thoroughfare in the centre of Melbourne, Australia. ... Russell Street is a north-south street in the central business district of Melbourne, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid laid out in 1837. ... A panoramic view of the library facade, forecourt and lawns from Swanston Street The State Library lit up at night. ... Melbourne Central is a large shopping, office, and public transport hub in the city of Melbourne, Australia. ... McArthur Glen Designer Outlet, Swindon, England, a shopping mall built within a disused railway engine works. ... Plaza is a Spanish word related to field which describes an open urban public space, such as a city square. ... Food court at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City in Arlington, Virginia. ... Exterior of a typical British supermarket (a Tesco Extra) Exterior of typical North American supermarket (a Safeway) This Flagship Randalls store in Houston, Texas is an example of an upscale supermarket. ... A red brick apartment block in central London, England, on the north bank of the Thames An apartment building, block of flats or tenement is a multi-unit dwelling made up of several (generally four or more) apartments (US) or flats (UK). ... BHP Billiton is the worlds largest mining company. ...

History of the site

Main pavillion of the former Queen Vic Hospital, which is now used as a Women's Centre, wedged between the glass corporate boxes of the Sensis and BHP Billiton headquarters

QV takes its name from the Queen Victoria Hospital, Melbourne. Originally the Melbourne Hospital, built in the 1860s and designed in the gothic revival style, it was completed rebuilt between 1911 - 1912 by architect John James Clark to accommodate a larger number of patients. The hospital was comprised of several Edwardian pavillions or loggia, each of them with fanciful domed cupolas except for a corner building, which was based on a square plan and more of the Richardsonian Romanesque style. A women's hospital opened on the site in 1946. The hospital was closed in 1987, and the site was valued at AUD$63 million in 1987. It was eventually sold for merely $15 million to property developer David Mariner in 1992, all but three of the hospital pavillions were demolished in the following year. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... John James Clark, also known as J. J. Clark (1838–1915), was an Australian architect, notable for his grand public buildings and successful design competition entries. ... Villa Godi by Palladio. ... Richardsonian Romanesque has both French and Spanish Romanesque characteristics, like the First Presbyterian Church in Detroit, Michigan by architechs George D. Mason and Zachariah Rice in 1891 Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of American architecture named after architect Henry Hobson Richardson, whose masterpiece is Trinity Church, Boston in Massachusetts. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... ISO 4217 Code AUD User(s) Australia, Kiribati, Nauru, Tuvalu, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and Norfolk Island Inflation 3. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ...

Several options were proposed for the site, including a possible site for the new Melbourne Museum (which was also under consideration for Southbank and Carlton Gardens), and proposals were put forward to integrate the heritage buildings. One such design post modern architects Edmund & Corrigan included giant Egyptian inspired pyramids to tie the pavillions together into a single piece. Carlton Gardens was instead the chosen site for the museum. Exhibit space Museum hall The Melbourne Museum is located in the Carlton Gardens in Melbourne, Australia. ...

During the early 1990s, the site was home to a series of failed ventures, including a craft market, mini golf course, and skateboard rink, before becoming a simple carpark. For the band, see 1990s (band). ... Miniature golf, also known as mini-golf, crazy golf or Putt-Putt, is a game modelled after the sport of golf. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Parking lot showing diagonal parking pattern designed for one-way traffic. ...

Two of the three buildings which remained standing in 1994 were demolished after requests for heritage protection were rejected by then Planning Minister Rob Maclellan. The final remaining building later became the Queen Victoria Women's Centre, and the rest of the site was sold to the country of Nauru, which owned several other sites in the city, notably Nauru House, for $50.3 million. 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... Nauru House is a 52 storey building in Melbourne, Australia. ...

As the site continued to remain relatively unused and abandoned in the centre of Melbourne's business district, it was called a "bloody disgrace" by then Premier Jeff Kennett. After Nauru struggled to pay for the empty block, it was returned to the Melbourne City Council in 1999, which announced plans to develop the site. Grocon was awarded the tender to develop a $600 million "urban village" on the site. List of Premiers of Victoria Before the 1890s there was no formal party system in Victoria. ... Jeffrey Gibb Kennett AC (born 25 July 1948), Australian politician, was one of the most influential and controversial men to hold the office of Premier of Victoria (6th October, 1992 to 20th October, 1999). ... The arms of the City of Melbourne The flag of the City of Melbourne The City of Melbourne is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Grocon Pty Ltd is a major Australian construction company in Melbourne started and owned by the Grollo family. ... Tender may mean: In finance: A process by which one can seek prices and terms for a particular project (such as a construction job) to be carried out under a contract. ...

The development

The "urban village" of QV is a high-density, mixed use precinct containing retail, business, and living spaces. Its different components were designed by several architects: Denton Corker Marshall, Lyons, John Wardle, and Robert McBride. An architect at his drawing board, 1893 An architect is a person who is involved in the planning, designing and oversight of a buildings construction. ... Denton Corker Marshall (DCM) are a major Australian architecture practice established in Melbourne in 1972. ... John Wardle is a Melbourne-based architect. ... Robert McBride (born on July 6, 1963 in Durban, South Africa) was the man behind the bombing of Magoos Bar in Durban in 1984. ...

The site is split into four main structures, named QV1 through QV4, two of which are skyscrapers, the remainder being low-rise structures along Swanston Street (owing to strict height limits along the Swanston Street axis). The spaces between buildings were specifically designed as shop-filled laneways, pointing to Melbourne's historic lanes and arcades, many of which no longer exist due to the amalgamation of plots to build office buildings. These new laneways are named for figures in medicine: Jane Bell Lane, Albert Coates Lane, Artemis Lane, and Red Cape Lane. At the centre of the site is an open-air public square, behind the historic Women's Centre. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... An Alley in Melbourne A gate to an alley in Annapolis, Maryland An alley or alleyway is a narrow, pedestrian lane found in urban areas which usually run between or behind buildings. ... Florence Jane Bell (June 2, 1910 – July 1, 1998) was a Canadian track and field athlete who competed mainly in the 100 metres. ... Sir Albert Coates (1895-1977) was an Australian surgeon and soldier. ... The Diana of Versailles, a Roman copy of a sculpture by Leochares (Louvre Museum) Artemis (Greek: nominative , genitive ) in Greek mythology the daughter of Zeus and of Leto and the twin sister of Apollo was one of the most widely venerated of the gods and manifestly one of the oldest... In the United States, a town square is an area in the middle of a traditional town consisting of a park or plaza and surrounded by small shops. ...

QV began to open progressively from late 2003, and is now complete. 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Offices

BHP Billiton has its world headquarters located in the skyscraper located on the corner of Lonsdale and Russell Streets. This building also houses the offices of GHD and Deloitte. BHP Billiton is the worlds largest mining company. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Russell Street is a north-south street in the central business district of Melbourne, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid laid out in 1837. ... Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (branded as Deloitte) is one of the largest professional services firms in the world, and one of the Big Four auditors, along with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young and KPMG. In addition to its accounting practice, Deloitte is one of the largest business advisory firms in the world, providing...

Sensis also has its offices at QV, in the building at the corner of Lonsdale and Swanston Streets, and the building immediately north of this. These two buildings are linked by two bridges spanning Albert Coates Lane. Telstra Corporation (ASX: TLS) is an Australian telecommunications company under joint public/private ownership, holding a superdominant position in landline telephone services, large share of mobile phone services, domestic consumer (including dial-up access and broadband cable modem, satellite and ADSL services under the BigPond and Hypermax brands) and business... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Swanston Street, looking north from the corner of Bourke Street Swanston Street is a major thoroughfare in the centre of Melbourne, Australia. ...

Retail and entertainment

There is a very diverse mix of retailers at QV. Some of the major retailers at QV include:

• Safeway - full line supermarket
• Big W - discount department store
• Harvey Norman/Domayne - furniture and electronics retailer
• Officeworks - office products

As well as retail outlets, there are many options for entertainment at QV. There are many restaurants at QV, as well as bars and a bowling venue. In addition, the AFL Hall of Fame and Sensation is located at QV, although it has struggled financially since it opened. Woolworths Logo. ... Exterior of a typical British supermarket (a Tesco Extra) Exterior of typical North American supermarket (a Safeway) This Flagship Randalls store in Houston, Texas is an example of an upscale supermarket. ... Big W is the second largest discount department store in Australia, with over 120 stores located nationwide. ... The interior of a typical Macys department store. ... A Harvey Norman superstore in Australia. ... Officeworks is an Australian office supplies store, which was established in the early 1990s by Coles Myer. ... The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, the Centenary year of the Australian Football League, to help recognise the contributions made to the sport of Australian rules football by players, umpires, media personalities, coaches and administrators. ...

Apartments

Apartments are located in two buildings at QV, both of which are located along Little Lonsdale Street. One of the apartment buildings is the slender skyscraper located at the Russell Street corner, whilst the other is a lower-rise structure on the Swanston Street corner. Russell Street is a north-south street in the central business district of Melbourne, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid laid out in 1837. ... Swanston Street, looking north from the corner of Bourke Street Swanston Street is a major thoroughfare in the centre of Melbourne, Australia. ...

Access

By car

There is a four-level car park in the basement of QV, as well as an above ground car park in the north east corner of the site. Only the basement car park is available to the general public, and this car park is operated by Kings Parking. This car park may be entered from Lonsdale Street, Little Lonsdale Street or Russell Street. Parking lot is the American English term that refers to a cleared area that is more or less level and is intended for parking vehicles. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Russell Street is a north-south street in the central business district of Melbourne, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid laid out in 1837. ...

Parking costs $3 per half-hour. A flat rate of $10 is applicable on weeknights (entries after 5pm) and weekends. Parking discounts are available for those shopping at Big W, Safeway or Harvey Norman. If a customer spends $30 or more at one of these outlets, then the first hour of parking is free. Similarly, if a customer spends $60 or more at one of these outlets, then the first two hours of parking is free. It should be noted that to take advantage of these offers, the customer must validate their parking ticket by showing their proof of purchase at the Kings Parking office on level B1. Big W is the second largest discount department store in Australia, with over 120 stores located nationwide. ... Woolworths Logo. ... A Harvey Norman superstore in Australia. ...

By public transport

Being in the central business district of Melbourne, QV is easily accessible by public transport:

• Tram - routes along Swanston Street
• Bus - routes to the eastern suburbs along Lonsdale Street
• Train - Melbourne Central station

Swanston Street, looking north from the corner of Bourke Street Swanston Street is a major thoroughfare in the centre of Melbourne, Australia. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Comeng train at Melbourne Central Melbourne Central is an underground railway station in the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Australia. ...

Deliveries

There is a street level loading dock accessed from Little Lonsdale Street, as well as one underground loading dock accessed from Lonsdale Street. A loading dock is an architectural fixture where trucks may be loaded and unloaded. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

External links

• Official website
• Melway map showing the location of QV