Gurner™ Group Reveals New Plans for $3.75B Ultra Luxury Mixed Use Jam Factory Masterpiece

Visionary lifestyle developer GURNER™ Group, in partnership with Qualitas, has officially submitted plans for the third and final stage of its landmark $3.75 billion Jam Factory transformation – set to deliver a reimagined, world-class precinct anchored by a landmark new Village Cinemas flagship and a 1,600sqm+, north-facing, sun-drenched public piazza.

The latest submission marks a bold evolution of the site’s masterplan, replacing the previously approved “box-style” commercial tower fronting Chapel Street with a striking new architectural vision – sculptural ‘fluted’ towers that rise elegantly from the heritage façade.

Designed by global architecture powerhouse Skidmore, Owings & Merril (SOM), in collaboration with Buchan and the GURNER™ Design House, the updated plans will redefine the project to deliver an entirely new benchmark of global luxury, blending 800 ultra-premium residences with circa 20,000 sqm of luxury retail, commercial and world-class hospitality experiences, alongside two soon-to-be-announced world-renowned hotel brands.

The final Stage of The Jam Factory will seek to bring to life a vibrant, multi-sensory destination with the Stage Three amendments proposing:

• ‘Lovers Walk’, a curated retail and dining laneway pulsing through the precinct, lined with luxury brands and curated hospitality offerings of Melbourne’s best eateries, venues and bars

• A fully reimagined Village Cinemas experience that will help restore the Jam Factory’s legacy as the heartbeat of Chapel Street’s golden era – where movie premieres, fashion, and culture collided.

• Major upgrades to the public realm, with increased building setbacks and 10% more sunlight across the precinct’s open-air spaces, enhancing its role as a central gathering point for the community

• The revitalisation of Garden Street, transforming a forgotten laneway into a key arrival point through new architectural treatments and improved site flow to create an engaging new façade for the precinct

• previous building with a series of sophisticated ‘fluted’ forms, conceptualised by Skidmore, Owings & Merril (SOM)

• Restoration of the heritage façade along Chapel Street and reconstruction of the heritage chimney acting as a centrepiece of the central piazza

Once complete the elevated precinct will feature:

• 800 ultra-luxury residences across five landmark buildings
• A world-class cinema experience by Village Cinemas
• A vibrant, expanded public piazza surrounded by food, fashion, and lifestyle
• A curated retail precinct with both established and new – local and international brands – filling the missing link between Collins Street and Chadstone Shopping Centre.
• A commercial tower offering state-of-the-art workspaces enabling businesses to take full advantage of being located adjacent to the new world-class precinct.

Originally built in 1858, the Jam Factory has seen over 160 years of evolution – from brewery, to jam production hub, to retail icon.

Demolition is already underway led by Mann Group. Once complete the entire Jam Factory site will be 20,000sqm or equivalent to the size of the MCG and will re-establish the site as a globally significant lifestyle and cultural destination.

Tim Gurner, Founder and Executive Chairman of GURNER™ Group, said:

“ This incredible creation marks the most important period of our brand’s evolution as we take an Australian icon and recreate it into a new standard in global luxury.

“ Our vision is to restore Chapel Street and South Yarra to its former glory as a hub of culture, fashion, and luxury, and bring global relevance back to one of Melbourne’s most important suburbs.

“ It’s been a privilege to work closely with Village Cinemas on their new landmark complex; the Village Roadshow team is so genuinely passionate about the Jam Factory and restoring it’s status as Melbourne’s most iconic entertainment precinct.”

Robert Kirby AO Village Roadshow Executive Chairman, added:

“ Village, the creator of Gold Class and V-max, has a long history of innovative cinemas throughout the world. This extraordinary reimagined $3b Jam Factory development is a unique opportunity to introduce a whole new generation of luxury cinema going.

“ Our mission and commitment will be to create the best cinemas in the entire world.”