Southern Cross Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Southern Cross Tower |
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East Tower (SX1) in June 2009
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| General information | |
| Type | Office |
| Location | 121 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Coordinates | 37°48′46″S 144°58′13″E / 37.81278°S 144.97028°E |
| Completed | 2004 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 161 m (528 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 39 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Woods Bagot |
The Southern Cross Tower, also known as 121 Exhibition Street, is a very tall building, called a skyscraper, located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. This impressive tower stands 161 metres (530 ft) high. It was finished in 2004 and has 39 levels of offices.
The Southern Cross complex actually has two towers. The SX1 (or East Tower) is the larger one, with 39 floors and a huge amount of office space. The SX2 (or West Tower) is a bit smaller, with 22 levels. Before these towers were built, this spot was home to Melbourne's famous Southern Cross Hotel.
Contents
Building History: Why It Was Built
Before the Southern Cross Tower was built, the Victorian Government had a problem. Its different departments, which are like different parts of the government, were spread out in more than 15 office buildings all over Melbourne's city centre. This made it hard for them to work together.
The government decided it would be better to bring these departments closer. This would help them save money and make it easier for government workers to get to important places like the Parliament and the Treasury.
A group of private companies, including Multiplex, suggested building a new skyscraper where the old Southern Cross Hotel used to be. A key rule from the Victorian government was that the new building had to be very modern and also good for the environment. This meant it had to be built in a way that used less energy and resources.
Who Owns Southern Cross Tower?
The Southern Cross Tower is mostly owned by a company called Multiplex Property Trust, which owns 75 percent of it. The other 25 percent is owned by Multiplex Acumen Prime Property Fund.
As of March 2019, experts valued the building at A$130 million. The main renter in the building is the Victorian State Government.
Who Works Here? (Tenants)
Many different groups and government departments have offices in the Southern Cross Tower.
The SX1 (East Tower) is home to several parts of the Victorian Government. This includes the Department of Justice and Community Safety, which helps keep people safe and deals with legal matters. Some parts of the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, which helps with jobs, transport, and natural resources, are also here. The State Revenue Office, which collects taxes, is another important tenant.
The SX2 (West Tower) has different groups. It is where Australia Post has offices, which is the national postal service. Also in this tower is the Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria) (EWOV), which is a group that helps people solve problems with their energy and water companies.
Gallery
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Southern Cross East Tower (SX1) from the corner of Little Bourke Street and Exhibition Street
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Southern Cross West Tower (SX2)
