People of Wesley Place - Cara Clemente

Meet Cara Clemente, our Assistant Development Manager at Charter Hall. We asked Cara to share her thoughts on the heritage restoration works at 130 Lonsdale St and her favourite features of the public realm. Read on to find out more.

1.      First off, coffee or tea to fuel your mornings? 
Typically, an oat milk cappuccino as soon I arrive at work. However, tea has been my go-to whilst working from home!

2.   What have you found most exciting about working in property, and for an industry leader like Charter Hall?  
Being able to contribute to beautiful and innovative projects that change the city’s skyline is a great feeling. At Charter Hall we’re always looking for ways to make the places we create better and truly enjoyable for the people that use them so it’s exciting to be part of that process.

3.   The Wesley Place precinct is home to some of Melbourne’s most significant heritage buildings which are being revitalised and restored. What have you found interesting about the restoration process?
The Wesley Church and Central Mission are the oldest intact church complex in the state, comprising of a church, manse, school house and caretakers cottage. To respect their historical significance and perfectly match the original heritage fabric, we’ve sourced materials such as the slate roof tiles from as far as Wales and the sandstone from Germany. Learning the stories behind those buildings along the way has made that conservation process that much more special.

4.   Wesley Place will be home to one of four green spaces in the Melbourne CBD, offering a place for people to relax and recharge in nature. What are your favourite features of the future public realm?  
Besides of course the abundance of green, one of my favourite features of the public realm at Wesley Place is that it will be technology-enabled, with public Wi-Fi and charging stations to make it an easy and enjoyable option as a third place to work or relax. My other favourite aspect is the thoughtfully curated heritage trail which will allow you to learn about the site’s history by following the markers throughout the precinct.

5.   There are some very exciting milestones coming up for Wesley Place. What are you most looking forward to? I can’t wait for people to start using and enjoying the public spaces, the 130 Lonsdale Street lobby and the variety of world-class amenities within the precinct.