The Section 49 site is already home to heritage buildings and arts organisations. Photo: ACT Government.
The ACT Government is hoping to complete the construction of the arts component of the long-awaited Kingston Arts Precinct (KAP) by the end of 2028, according to a new tender seeking a contractor for the project.
Infrastructure Canberra is in charge of the arts project and is using the Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) procurement model adopted for other major projects such as the Northside Hospital and Lyric Theatre.
The ECI contractor will lead the detailed design development and construction planning, and contribute to obtaining planning and development approvals, then make an offer to do the actual build.
The arts precinct will include new buildings and the adaptive reuse of existing heritage buildings on Section 49 Kingston, including the Kingston Powerhouse, Former Transport Depot, and Fitters Workshop.
This tender follows the Suburban Land Agency’s October development application to subdivide the site.
Zoned for mixed-use development, the KAP will consist of the arts precinct — a home for the ACT artistic community; residential and commercial space; a multi-storey carpark; and a substation.
An ACT Government spokesperson said the site comprised two separate projects: the arts precinct, managed by Infrastructure Canberra, and the land release for the mixed-use area, managed by the Suburban Land Agency (SLA).
“These projects will be coordinated and staged, conscious of the impacts on surrounding residents and businesses,” the spokesperson said.
“The timing of works on each site is still to be determined.”
The timing of the land release and approach to market for the mixed-use area was dependent on subdivision application approval, expected early next year, the spokesperson said.
The completion of the entire site depended on this timing.
How the Kingston Arts Precinct may take shape. Image: NH Architecture.
The site will be divided into four separate land parcels.
The arts precinct will occupy the eastern and central portions of the site, with frontages to Wentworth Avenue and Eastlake Parade, and is focused on pedestrian use.
The western end near the foreshore will be home to multi-unit residences and shops, while the multi-storey carpark is located to the south, next to the Former Transport Depot, and the substation is at the far east of the site on Eastlake Parade.
The tender says Infrastructure Canberra is working closely with artsACT, which will manage the arts precinct and tenancies when the project is completed.
The KAP will deliver modern spaces for artists to work in and show their work through events and galleries, and provide greater opportunities for collaboration between arts organisations and cultural connection for the Ngunnawal people.
It will also be a destination attracting new audiences, including Canberrans and visitors to the ACT.
The project works will be staged so already resident arts organisations can continue operating.
The arts precinct will be the main visual entry point to the greater Kingston Foreshore area and be connected to the broader precinct and public and active transport network.
It will achieve at least a 5-Star Green Star Building rating, and the new buildings will be completely electric.
The tender closes on 10 February. An ECI contract is expected to be awarded by the middle of next year and the construction phase contract by the end of 2026, with work to start in 2027.
