Where the CBD is failing, Ipswich’s Top of Town is doing a lot right. But why is Top of Town succeeding while Ipswich City Square is on its last legs?

This is actually a really good test case in development patterns and the different between classic, “traditional” development patterns, and the “master planned precinct” pattern.

I guess the first question would be, is the Top of Town all that successful. To me the answer is self evident, but I will explain why I think it is successful.

Despite years of neglect from the Ipswich City Council, Top of Town is seeing a resurgence. With little to no public money we are seeing properties being redeveloped, old businesses expanding, (an additional business expanding since publishing) and new businesses opening. This goes to show how resilient, adaptive, and productive, older building stock can be. What was once a bike shop has now transformed into a law office; what was once a shoe shop transformed into a upholstery repair shop; what was once a TAFE transformed into multiple leaseholds. Against all odds, the old run down buildings in Top of Town are holding their value.

It is this adaptivity — its ability to change as the neighbourhood, and population within, changes — that makes the Top of Town a productive place. And while adaptation is happening in Top of Town, Ipswich City Council is sounding the death knell for the Ipswich City Square.

There was no plan for the CBD beyond it’s first life-cycle when it was originally built in 1987, and now that it is reaching the end of its useful life, we are seeing it’s destruction. But has ICC learned from its mistake? What happens when the useful life of the replacement monolith comes? Where is the life-cycle planning?

Important, basic, infrastructure supporting Top of Town is failing, yet we continue to cut ribbons on new projects with no thought for this area. Devoid of support from council, Top of Town is still managing to support Ipswich’s small business community.

What do you think, leave a comment letting me know what improvements you would like to see in Top of Town. Or send me an email; it’s available in the About Page.