Assisi Apartments at Crowley

The Assisi Apartments at Crowley is a two-storey independent living and aged care development, comprising 26 self-contained apartments across two buildings. Designed to support independent living, it integrates internal parking, communal areas, and essential support services.

Constructed on piled foundations with raised earthworks and a concrete slab-on-ground, the structure features suspended concrete slabs and a lightweight steel-framed roof, finished with a blend of lightweight cladding and masonry for durability and visual appeal. This landmark regional project delivers purpose-designed housing in an accessible coastal setting, promoting long-term community living outcomes.

The Assisi Apartments exemplifies excellence in aged care delivery through thoughtful design, superior construction quality, and strong community focus. Delivered on a constrained site with complex ground conditions, the project integrated robust structural solutions with refined architectural detailing to create a safe, durable, and welcoming environment. A high level of local subcontractor engagement strengthened regional industry capability and ensured strong community investment. Completed with zero Lost Time Injuries (LTIs), the project reflects exceptional safety performance, quality workmanship, and outstanding teamwork, setting a new benchmark for regional aged care standards.

The Assisi Apartments project faced additional complexity due to significant environmental constraints. Beyond traditional difficulties such as constrained site access and complex structural requirements, the project contended with heavily asbestos-laden ground and buildings, Potential Acid Sulfate Soils (PASS), Aboriginal middens, poor ground conditions, and a tidal boundary with protected mangroves. Each of these issues required innovative, carefully managed solutions to ensure safety, regulatory compliance, and minimal impact on the surrounding environment while maintaining program and quality outcomes.

Contaminated Materials and Asbestos Remediation

The site contained heavily asbestos-laden structures and soil requiring licensed removal, strict environmental controls, air monitoring, negative pressure enclosures and carefully staged demolition. Early engagement of specialist contractors and detailed remediation planning ensured full regulatory compliance and zero Lost Time Injuries (LTIs), enabling safe transition into bulk works.

Potential Acid Sulfate Soils (PASS) Management

The presence of Potential Acid Sulfate Soils (PASS) required controlled excavation, treatment and validation to prevent environmental harm. A project-specific management plan incorporating lime stabilisation, controlled stockpiling, and compliant disposal protected surrounding land and waterways while maintaining programme certainty.

Aboriginal Middens and Cultural Heritage

The identification of Aboriginal middens necessitated immediate consultation with relevant authorities and stakeholders. Construction methodologies were adapted to protect culturally significant areas, including revised levels, ensuring respectful preservation without compromising delivery timelines.

Poor Ground Conditions

Challenging founding conditions were addressed through engineered ground improvement using screw piers to achieve suitable bearing capacity. This approach minimised excavation, reduced environmental disturbance, and provided long-term structural reliability.

Tidal Boundary and Protected Mangroves

The site’s rear tidal boundary and adjacent protected mangroves imposed strict environmental constraints. Erosion and sediment controls, exclusion zones, and carefully managed drainage design were implemented to safeguard the sensitive ecosystem, ensuring compliance while
maintaining construction efficiency.

All the above was taken into consideration and carefully managed. Subsequently there were no environmental and personal incidents across the entirety of the build. All of these challenges were meticulously planned for and expertly managed throughout the project. As a result, the entire build was completed seamlessly, with no environmental or safety incidents, reflecting the team’s rigorous attention to detail, disciplined execution, and unwavering commitment to excellence.

Break Tank Installation

To mitigate project delays and reduce client costs associated with dewatering works, the site team developed an innovative installation methodology for two in-ground 14,500-litre break tanks located below the water table.

Traditionally, installation below the water table would require extensive temporary dewatering systems, ongoing pump management, environmental controls, and associated compliance fees. Instead, the team proposed a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative. Using a GPS-guided excavator, the excavation was precisely trimmed to create a level and accurate base below the water table. Once the formation level was confirmed, the pre-cast concrete tanks were carefully lowered directly into position. The self-weight of the tanks acted to displace the groundwater naturally, eliminating the need for prolonged mechanical dewatering operations.

Key Outcomes:
• Eliminated extensive temporary dewatering systems
• Reduced environmental impact from continuous pumping
• Prevented programme delays
• Improved installation accuracy through GPS-controlled excavation

Surveying – Total Station

Due to the complex nature of the build, incorporating multiple angles, intricate cladding interfaces, and numerous structural junctions, it was identified early in the programme that traditional tape-and-string set-out methods would be inefficient, prone to inaccuracies, and potentially cause time delays. In addition, limited availability of external surveyors in the region posed a risk to programme continuity.

To improve precision and overall programme efficiency, the project team implemented the use of a Total Station for all critical setting-out works. The Total Station was utilised to accurately locate and set out:
• Concrete column positions
• Blockwork layouts
• Structural steel coordinates
• Wall lines and junctions
• Interface points for cladding and architectural features

By digitally transferring coordinates directly from design drawings into the Total Station, the team significantly reduced cumulative setting-out errors, minimised rework risk, and eliminated time spent manually verifying positions. The implementation of digital surveying technology ensured high levels of precision across complex interfaces, enhanced build quality, and contributed to smoother programme delivery.