Historically, “The Charles” was Launceston’s general hospital. Abandoned as a medical centre, it became one of the town’s eyesores until, under the guiding hand of Josef Chromy, it was reinvented into its present majestic state.

Our surveying team formed an integral part of the consulting team and helped in the transformation of this site that eventually became the place we now call home.

Our involvement commenced in 2008. At that point in time, our survey teams wandered the corridors, the crunch of the hospital’s shattered windows resonating under our feet, constant radio contact for security and tasked with measuring the structure of an abandoned building. The resulting three dimensional drawings formed the fabric of the buildings architectural and structural rebirth.

In 2009 the construction was in full swing and our role centred on careful structural detail and heralded the construction of the new curved facade to the building. We constantly recorded old elements of the building as they were exposed and the new as it was constructed.

Paramount to the success of a redevelopment such as “The Charles” is the commercial element – 14 Residential apartments, 12 Commercial tenancies and a hotel completed and sold in stages.

The Charles incorporates one of the biggest Strata titled projects that the State has seen and required very flexible issue of titles with the potential to vary the lots that issued, with very short notice.

In a unique process, the strata plans were drawn from the architectural plans to enable the legal planning process to commence and were altered dynamically to accord with construction and demolition amendments. The first titles issued in July 2010 ensured that cash flow was generated, after barely 12 months of construction and with the sale of the last apartment in 2014 the staged scheme is now complete.

The Strata set up is very unique, and already plans are afoot for new commercial developments and 6ty° involvement continues, as does our commitment to creating iconic and literally ‘out standing’ projects.

This project brought together 6ty˚ services including Surveying & Engineering.