Federal Mills Mackey Street Redevelopment
About this project
The Federal Mills Mackey Street Redevelopment represented a significant regeneration initiative for North Geelong, transforming a rundown industrial precinct into a thriving commercial hub. The site included several disused buildings from the original Federal Textile Mills and Pilkington Glass Manufacturing plants, many of which were heritage-listed.
Our Involvement
BSA Building Surveyors were appointed as the Relevant Building Surveyor for the redevelopment, providing a full suite of building surveying services. Our scope included early-stage regulatory advice, staged building permit issuance, mandatory inspections throughout construction, and final occupancy certification for completed tenancies.
We also collaborated closely with fire safety engineers and project stakeholders to develop and assess performance solutions that addressed complex compliance challenges—particularly those associated with adapting heritage structures for contemporary use.
Our Approach
This project required a highly responsive and collaborative approach. Our team worked to:
- Integrate modern compliance requirements with the constraints of heritage architecture
- Resolve fire safety and life safety challenges across multiple tenancy types
- Engage with the fire brigade and other authorities to ensure operational safety and regulatory alignment
Our deep understanding of the Building Code of Australia (BCA) and experience with performance-based design enabled us to support innovative solutions that preserved the site’s character while meeting all statutory obligations.
The redevelopment has successfully reactivated a historically significant site, attracting a diverse mix of tenants and contributing to the economic and cultural revitalisation of North Geelong. The project stands as a strong example of how adaptive reuse, supported by expert building surveying and compliance advice, can unlock the potential of legacy infrastructure and deliver lasting community benefit.
