Chews Lane is open, today, at last. The development, under wraps (of sorts) for the last couple of years, has been opened back up to public view, at least on the ground floor. The historic Lane itself has been re-opened, and businesses are poised to open their doors. Some are open already – witness this photo of a gang of supremely fit joggers poised to purchase more water bottles, and the sight of a clear link to the old boating sheds should be a good lure through the link to the other side.

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  The buildings above, of course, have still a long way to go, and so we’re not going to critique them here, not just yet. The apartment block, designed by Athfields to straddle both smaller buildings below, still just a steel frame at this point, will be exposing its dark underbelly to the pedestrians below. There’s an interesting playing off of the “old” (a new brick building) and the “new” (a more obvious new build, with overhanging glass walls). Judgement is reserved on that one, till we’ve really had a chance to check it out. Wellurban noted back in September 2007 that the developers were drawing off the  Melbourne Lanes as a development model, and I reproduce the photo concerned here just to remind you of the one missing thing (sure to come soon): people. But with a shop front intriguingly labeled “Gotham” its sure to draw some crowds along to Chews Lane. I’m thinking Bat capes and Utility belts. I hope I’m not going to be disappointed…. 

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Fish