Home Property Australia 2014 ACT Property Development of the Year Awarded to Crace

2014 ACT Property Development of the Year Awarded to Crace

  • August 05, 2014

2014 ACT Property Development of the Year: Awarded to Crace

2014 ACT Property Development of the Year: Awarded to Crace

Sponsored by Rider Levett Bucknall

How do you reinvent the Great Australian Dream?

When outlining its vision for the new suburb of Crace, CIC Australia went back to the drawing board, looking to create a community that had an ‘urban buzz’ as well as spacious suburban homes and tranquil, tree-lined streets.

CIC Australia’s vision has paid off, with Crace taking out the 2014 ACT Development of the Year.

Crace is the result of the collaborative efforts of the Crace Joint Venture, consisting of the ACT Government’s Land Development Agency and Crace Developments – a consortium of which CIC Australia is the lead partner and project manager.

“Crace sets a new benchmark for industry innovation, and CIC Australia has been rewarded for delivering the highest levels of community, sustainability and amenity,” Property Council ACT Executive Director, Catherine Carter, said.

“CIC Australia has demonstrated how the development industry’s commitment to innovation, creativity and design excellence can create a community that enjoys the best of both urban and suburban worlds,” Ms Carter added.

“The judges applauded CIC Australia’s efforts to retain the best elements of suburbia – such as space, safety and serenity – and aligning them with most desirable elements of inner-city living – short walks to cafes and culture, and easy access to public transport and services.”

This award is not the first for the team behind Crace, having won the RPS Award for Best Master Planned Community at the Property Council of Australia’s national awards in May.

The Crace master plan features 35 hectares of green space, including the 7.5 hectare Hilltop Reserve. The suburb was the first in Australia to achieve GreenSmart accreditation in recognition of its sustainability initiatives, including leading-edge water-sensitive urban design.

Affordability was a key driver at Crace, with 15 per cent of homes sold under the ACT Government’s affordability threshold. A mix of housing types, including terrace and semi-detached houses, deliver housing choice.

The ACT Development of the Year Award, sponsored by Rider Levett Bucknall, was presented to CIC Australia at the Property Council of Australia ACT Awards Night and Gala Ball 2014 at Parliament House on Friday 1 August.