Affordable Fitzroy units unveiled

Apartments in Fitzroy were opened last Wednesday (November 21) by Brendan O'Connor, the federal minister for housing and homelessness.

Built from the Gillard government's Housing Affordability Fund, the $43.3 million 152-unit piece of real estate is part of a major development of the Melbourne suburb.

He commented: "They are modern and high quality, designed by multi award winning architects McCabe and Bird dela Coeur, with private balconies, laundry facilities and a rooftop garden.

"They also have water-efficient fittings, rainwater collection and reuse facilities, thermal glazed windows, hydronic heating, solar hot water units and storm water retention to help keep household bills down."

These units consist of one and two-bedrooms dwellings, in the heart of Melbourne which boasts easy access to shops and transport. They also take disabled people into consideration as all apartments have disability access,while one in five are specifically designed for the physically challenged.

A community centre on the ground floor will be the showcase of the apartment block, which will encompass family support, child health services and an early learning facility. The $5.5 million needed to fund the centre came from a mixture of non-government sources and government financing at all levels from local to federal.