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1. Lack of research
Most investors fail to properly research the market and understand the relationship each sector (office, retail and industrial) has with the local economy, nearby competition and the marketplace itself.
2. Poor analysis
Many investors fail to thoroughly analyse and research their chosen properties as far as the overall economics, calibre of the tenant and any related risks that may be involved.
3. Lack of commitment
Investing in commercial property requires a reasonable degree of hands-on involvement. Some investors make the mistake of believing they can be absentee landlords. You at least need to be involved at a strategic level.
4. Over-borrowing
Negative gearing is fine. But you still need to start with sufficient equity to ensure that your investment is not over-leveraged. Always keep some funds aside for unforeseen issues that may arise.
5. Lack of understanding
The ownership of Commercial property needs a basic understanding of things like tenancy law, building construction, how to add value, recognising market trends and so on. All of these can be very easily addressed.
6. Price vs. value
Some beginners tend to believe a cheap price means good value and a sound investment. Instead, you need to look behind what is being presented to discover the true underlying value.
7. Over-estimating your skills
To be a really successful commercial investor, you need to build up a trusted team around you — to provide valuable input in the areas of
<ul>
<li>analysis and due-diligence,</li>
<li>negotiating the purchase,</li>
<li>vetting the documentation,</li>
<li>ongoing property management,</li>
<li>determining the time to sell</li>
</ul>
8. Lack of diversity
After you've purchased your first property, you need to widen your perspective — both geographically, and across the various sectors of commercial property. Never simply have all your eggs in one basket.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a href="https://his-best.biz/" title="Chris Lang's blog" target="_blank">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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Eight reasons investors can fail when investing in commercial property

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According to BlueScope Steel business, governments, industry associations and unions need to share responsibility for its recent decision to reduce (by 50%) Port Kembla's production capacity.
However, this attempt to distribute blame serves only to deflect attention from the more fundamental (and structural) changes occurring within the manufacturing sector as a whole.
Within his new book The Next Convergence, Nobel laureate economist Michael Spence makes some telling forecasts.
In his view, developing economies like China, India and Brazil (which house about 60% of the world's population) will reach “advanced status” by 2050-60.
And the current problems facing the West — excess debt, over-consumption and poor banking practices — are not merely a cyclical aberration.
Rather, they reflect permanent structural changes resulting from globalisation and technology — which are providing a shift in competitive advantage towards these developing countries.
However, as Alan Mitchell pointed out in a recent AFR article: "It is the resources sector that is allowing Australia to profit handsomely from the industrial revolution in Asia. And it is the services sector that employs 80% of the workforce and produces 80% of our gross domestic product."
Both these sectors employ a far greater proportion of uni graduates than does the manufacturing sector. And it is the resource and knowledge-based sectors that hold the key to Australia's competitive advantage going forward.
Clearly the growth of mining and the reluctance by consumers to spend are both adversely affecting manufacturers. And the Australian dollar is also likely to remain high for the foreseeable future.
Bottom line: It's not all bad news!
This shift in resources from the unprofitable manufacturing to mining allows us to capitalise on Asia's extraordinary growth. Plus, higher savings levels means that households will be better cope with any future global crises — as well as avoiding further rates rises, and an even stronger dollar.
Furthermore, the resultant growth in the service sector will also need to be accommodated — creating increased demand for office space within our capital cities.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a href="https://his-best.biz/" title="Chris Lang's blog" target="_blank">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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As manufacturing dwindles, office a better commercial investment

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Many investors just simply fall in love with retail property. This is probably because of familiarity — as it tends to influence so much of our daily lives.
Therefore, after investing in residential property for a while, you find people will gravitate naturally towards retail properly.
To them, it seems to be the next logical step. But is that actually the case?
Let's talk about the weather!
Surely, that only affects rural property — doesn't it? Well, just ask struggling retailers, and they'll tell you otherwise.
You see, in the run up to summer clothing retailers will be holding their breath. Any onset of wet weather will greatly affect the sale of thongs, board shorts and bikinis. And Coca-Cola blamed the fall in its soft-drink sales upon last summer's heavy rains.
Interestingly though, rain also tends to drive people indoors to regional shopping centres — but mostly to browse and eat, rather than buy specialty items.
Cinemas will also benefit from poor weather conditions, whereas, tourist and outdoor entertainment operators find the going tough.
What about interest rates?
The residential sector will always suffer first (and the most), whenever interest rates are on the rise. But as people need to spend more on their mortgage payments, they have less to spend on discretionary retail items. This is particularly when <a target="_blank" href="/news">they also decided to boost their savings to near-record levels</a>.
In this rising interest-rate sequence, industrial property will tend to follow retail — and begin to slow about six to nine months afterwards.
This is because Australia's industrial property is predominantly occupied by "distributors", rather than manufacturers. And these distributors are mainly supplying those struggling retailers.
So that only leaves offices!
According to an 80-year study by BIS Shrapnel, there appears to be little or no correlation between rising interest rates and the office sector.
Therefore, the rise and fall for offices is dictated by the prevailing supply and demand within the sector. And traditionally, that has tended to span a 16- to 18-year cycle.
Bottom Line: If you understand how to read the signs and can anticipate the cycles, you need not be caught out.
But clearly, the retail sector is delicately poised at the moment, whereas, offices are currently heading along a predictable upward path.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a href="https://his-best.biz/" title="Chris Lang's blog" target="_blank">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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Offices a more stable commercial investment than retail

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Exactly why have industrial companies around the world been slow to recover? And why did everything look so promising and then suddenly seem to grind to a halt?
Perhaps some insight into this question was provided by the IMF's recent World Economic Outlook.
According to Oliver Blanchard (IMF chief economist), there are the dual influences of a slowdown in advanced Western economies and the overall financial uncertainty.
During the GFC, companies allowed their inventories to run down. Then, with a hint of global recovery, those same companies began replacing their depleted inventory levels.
As you would expect, production climbed until those inventories had been restored. At which point, you saw production return to more normal levels – when wider business activity was expected to take over from the various government stimulus packages, as it usually did during previous downturns.
But this simply hasn't happen – especially in Europe, the UK and US. Therefore, the first part of the problem relates to there being virtually no transition from government stimulus to private demand.
Furthermore, China has chosen to turn its focus away from these weakened northern economies and towards building its own domestic demand. This has effectively closed the major export market for the large US manufacturing sector, simply making the global problem even harder to solve.
Bottom Line: Fortunately for Australia, China still requires our natural resources in abundance to underpin its massive domestic expansion plans over the next decade.
And as I've stated in various articles over the past month or so, it won't be too long before you'll see the influence of this begin to flow through the rest of the Australian economy, including commercial property.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a href="https://his-best.biz/" title="Chris Lang's blog" target="_blank">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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China's demand for natural resources will underpin Australia's commercial property recovery

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As we look to what's ahead for 2012, Property Observer is republishing some of our most noteworthy stories of 2011.
 
In September <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/commercial/what-green-ratings-mean-for-commercial-property/2011081651174">I briefly explained to you the NABERS "green rating" system</a>, as it relates to commercial property.
Recent research (undertaken by the universities of Western Sydney and Maastricht in the Netherlands) has been released by the Australian Property Institute and Property Funds Association of Australia, under the title of Building Better Returns.
The report reveals that a five-star NABERS Energy-rated building would provide a 9% value premium overall, compared with buildings without any ranking.
Interestingly, there was no value premium found for office buildings below a three-star NABERS rating. In fact, rentals within these lower-rated buildings appear to be discounted by between 6% and 9%, compared with 5-star alternatives.
But that's not all bad news for landlords — because when times get tough, tenants tend to gravitate towards cheaper space.
Plus, with very few new five-star offerings currently in the pipeline, these lesser-rated buildings will experience significant rental growth over the next three to four years.
Bottom Line: If you do your homework, seek good professional advice and "cut your cloth" to fit within your budget, you can still make some serious gains over the next five years.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a href="https://his-best.biz/" title="Chris Lang's blog" target="_blank">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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Green-star ratings can increase commercial rents

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You know, I'm always intrigued how many investors place little or no importance upon the skills required to put together a top property deal.
They will spend plenty of time researching the market and arranging finance but will often get emotionally involved and want to conclude the negotiating phase as soon as possible.
1. Remember, it's just a deal
Therefore, never allow yourself to become emotionally attached to whatever you're negotiating for. You need to care — not that much!
Otherwise, you'll end up over-paying for that property.
2. Information is the key
The more you know about the other party's needs, wants and aspirations, the greater your strategic advantage becomes. And the secret is to discover all of this before the formal negotiation actually begins.
3. You always have some degree of power
Power is very much based on perception. And simply creating the illusion of having other options will always make whatever you're proposing seem far more appealing. But there are several other aspects of power you can easily master as well.
4. Gain from their investment
The more you can have the other party make as an investment of their time, money or effort into the deal, the more unlikely they are to walk away from your final proposal when the time comes for you to make it.
5. Time can change everything
Most beginners tend to treat negotiating as an "event". However, the pros realise that it is very much a "process".
And the closer you can move the other party towards their deadline, the larger will be the concessions you start receiving from them.
Bottom Line: You need to be able to treat negotiating is a game — a very serious game! But a game nonetheless, with its own set of rules, which you can very quickly learn.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a href="https://his-best.biz/" title="Chris Lang's blog" target="_blank">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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Six tips to negotiating a commercial property deal

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The best-looking property could actually represent the worst real estate investment you've ever made.
Remember that commercial real estate investing is all about the deal, the terms and the return on investment. Here are some tips for successful commercial real estate investing.
TIP #1: Be an investor and not merely of an accumulator of commercial properties.
The reason you make investments is to produce an income or a profit. So if you buy a property that produces little or no profit, you basically just acquired a property (instead of making an investment).
TIP #2: Understand that every commercial property has a lifetime.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make as an investor is to ignore the fact that over time, you will need to spend money on the upkeep of the building. The building may need a new roof or the electrical system may need to be updated.
Every building goes through these phases, some more so than others. Therefore, make sure you have a long-term plan to handle such repairs.
TIP #3: Focus on one commercial investment type at a time.
Especially when you're first starting out, you should focus on one type of investment: offices, shops, warehouses, or whatever.
Each deal needs and deserves your undivided attention. It's better to be master of one than average over many. And who wants average-performing properties anyway?
TIP #4: Get a mentor so you can learn from his or her mistakes.
Mentors can save you from making costly mistakes; identify when you've missed due diligence items; and connect you with resources that you otherwise wouldn't have immediate access to.
TIP #5: Determine whether you and your assets are adequately protected.
Unfortunately, lawsuits can occur, therefore, you need to do everything you can to protect yourself. So ask yourself the following questions:
How is your property protected?
What do you have at stake, if you lose a lawsuit?
Is your personal property (for example, your home) protected?
Are your other investments totally separate from each other so that one lawsuit doesn't affect the other investments?
Don't try to guess, when it comes to the answers to these questions. Talk to a lawyer to ensure that you're protected if you were ever to be sued.
BONUS TIP: In a partnership or syndicate, finance the deal using a non-recourse loan.
Non-recourse means that you aren't personally guaranteeing the loan. This gives you two distinct advantages: it allows you to be taken off the loan if the partnership goes sour. And, if the property were to fail, it won't be tied to you personally.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a href="https://his-best.biz/" title="Chris Lang's blog" target="_blank">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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Six tips for smart commercial investing

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Investing in commercial property is not rocket science.
Nonetheless, there are certain key steps you do need to follow. And those involve you in making a number of simple (yet vital) decisions.
DECISION #1: Your goals for the long and short term? 
In other words, are you seeking income or capital growth – or both? Maybe you are after some good tax savings – through negative gearing or depreciation?
DECISION #2: The sleep test
You need to establish your comfort level as far as the amount you will borrow. For some people 80% is fine; for others, 50% is all they can live with. So you need to determine your "threshold of insomnia".
DECISION #3: Your overall portfolio mix
Do you intend to focus on just one sector in the commercial property market – like retail? Or do you prefer a spread across the office and industrial sectors as well? Having some diversity will help you smooth out any ups and downs that may occur along the way.
DECISION #4 Go it alone, or join with others
Not many people starting out are able to jump straight into the market and buy a commercial property for more than $1 million. Therefore, you can step above the competition by joining with another 12 to 15 like-minded investors in a private syndicate to buy something in the $2 million to $5 million range, where you obtain better value for your money.
DECISION #5: Choosing your team of consultants
As you'll appreciate, simply being able to move quickly can snare you some of the best deals. Therefore, you need to have a trusted team of consultants ready to help you with assessing value; putting the deal together; reviewing the contracts; arranging finance; undertaking the due diligence and so on.
Bottom Line: All you need to do is quickly grasp the various ins and outs of commercial property so that you, too, can start reaping the enormous rewards available.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a target="_blank" title="Chris Lang's blog" href="https://his-best.biz/">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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Five key decisions to help your commercial property success

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The market for industrial property in Melbourne has remained strong over the past 12 months – enjoying a solid demand from tenants, owner occupiers and potential investors alike.
According to Savills Australia, leasing activity for the twelve months to June 30 this year was up by more than 7% on the five-year average for Melbourne.
The dominant tenants clearly came from the retail and logistics sectors — with more than 740,000 square metres being leased. And of that amount, just over 200,000 square metres was by way of pre-commitment.
And according to recent research by Colliers International, the current level of rentals and capital values showed increases of between 5% and 18% across the metropolitan area during the last financial year.
Each of the suburban markets is poised to firm further by the end of the year due to a shortage in supply of quality stock and very little development activity currently occurring.
As such, this will only serve to put more upward pressure upon rentals and also cause a marked decrease in any incentives being offered.
Bottom Line: Generally, industrial property will offer you a better return than you'll receive from either retail or offices. But you need to remember that, unlike offices, industrial property’s ongoing fortunes are tied more to the retail sector than the general economy.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a href="https://his-best.biz/" title="Chris Lang's blog" target="_blank">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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Industrial property generally a stable investment

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As we look back on 2011, Property Observer is republishing some of our most noteworthy observations of the year.
 
Baby boomers are facing an enormous challenge. And the sad fact is that they are probably not even aware of the problem.
You see, if they haven’t sold their traditional inner-suburban homes before 2012 they need to be prepared to hold onto them until 2025, because there simply won’t be a market for that type of property before then.
Unlike their parents, boomers will not wait until they are about to be carried out of their present homes before deciding to move. No, they see the next 20 to 30 years as a new chapter in their lives – where they'll want to downsize and start living for themselves.
Sure, they may need to crowbar the kids out first. Or maybe just move to an apartment or a townhouse with a couple of spare bedrooms.
Either way, they are about to start their decision process and will be doing it en masse. And therein lies the problem, when it comes to selling the traditional family home.
The problem is not that there will be any fewer buyers. Rather, that there will be about five times as many of these types of properties on the market over the next 12 to 15 years.
What exactly does this mean?
Despite residential property being currently on the doldrums, statistics tell us that about 60% of the average household wealth is tied up in your family home.
As such, the baby boomers’ equity is now at risk. And, potentially, this will affect them in one (or more) of three ways:
1. Those who have used their equity to finance pre-retirement property investments could well discover they actually have a negative equity in the family home.
2. They suddenly discover that the funding for their retirement plans could come up rather short.
3. The inheritance their children are expecting could be significantly reduced.
As you can appreciate, there could well be a number of people who might not be aware they have a problem, and may, quite unwittingly, are leaving themselves exposed.
Please understand that you're certainly not talking about "trophy" homes here. It is principally those three- to five-bedroom homes in the inner-middle suburbs of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne within the $1 million to $4 million price bracket.
These homes in some cases may have been last renovated 30 years ago, and now they represent mainly land value.
For Brisbane, this would involve suburbs like <a target="_blank" title="Bardon" href="/news">Bardon</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Mount Coot-tha" href="/news">Mount Coot-tha</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Stafford" href="/news">Stafford</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Ascot" href="/news">Ascot</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Mount Gravatt" href="/news">Mount Gravatt</a> and <a target="_blank" title="Woolloongabba" href="/news">Woolloongabba</a>.
For Sydney, it would include <a target="_blank" title="Mosman" href="/news">Mosman</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Chatswood" href="/news">Chatswood</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Roseville" href="/news">Roseville</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Killara" href="/news">Killara</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Gordon" href="/news">Gordon</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Warawee" href="/news">Warrawee </a>and Turramurra.
And for Melbourne, suburbs like <a target="_blank" title="Kew" href="/news">Kew</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Camberwell" href="/news">Camberwell</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Hawthorn" href="/news">Hawthorn</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Armadale" href="/news">Armadale</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Malvern" href="/news">Malvern</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Malvern East" href="/news">East Malvern</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Brighton" href="/news">Brighton</a>, <a target="_blank" title="Elwood" href="/news">Elwood</a> and <a target="_blank" title="Sandringham" href="/news">Sandringham</a>.
Historically, your family home has been considered to be a de facto part of your superannuation. However, as a Baby Boomer that could well prove to be a myth — unless you make the move to downsize early, and beat the rush.
All the financial crisis has done is delay the start of this process a year or two, due to the general uncertainty.
As a general comment, during this period, the baby boomers will tend to live where they now holiday, and holiday where they now live. So in the city they will seek a scaled-down version of the level of comfort they now enjoy – preferably in the same neighbourhood.
The concept of a retirement village is not on their agenda, but the boomers haven’t really thought through their ongoing needs. Likewise, developers are not seriously addressing the key issues involved.
Unlike their parents, who generally left their downsizing until their frailest years, Baby Boomers will make their move while they are still fit. And they will probably not plan to move again.
The baby boomers’ relative fitness (or perhaps being in denial about growing old) that will cause them to choose their new home, while paying scant regard to becoming less mobile or becoming suddenly lonely when one partner dies.
Therefore, in order for their new downsized home to have enduring value, baby boomers need to pay close attention to both their physical and community needs.
While this may represent quite a challenge it also provides a fruitful niche market for the astute developer.
Chris Lang is an advisor to commercial property investors and gives keynote speeches and regular seminars on the best way to invest in commercial property. He maintains a blog, <a target="_blank" title="Chris Lang's blog" href="https://his-best.biz/">his-best.biz</a>, which he updates regularly about the best way to get the most out of your commercial property investment.
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Baby boomers: Sell now or forever hold your family home

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-5" data-turn="user" data-turn-id="e65dbe94-e3b6-47f7-b62a-9cbb30c9bf79" data-turn-id-container="e65dbe94-e3b6-47f7-b62a-9cbb30c9bf79" dir="auto">Time &amp; Place’s plans to transform the former David Jones factory building in Surry Hills into a mixed-use residential precinct have gone on exhibition through the NSW Government’s In-fill Affordable Housing pathway.</section>

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-6" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:f4d533b7-64a5-413d-86fd-5c99649c2b73-2" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:f4d533b7-64a5-413d-86fd-5c99649c2b73-2" dir="auto">
The Marlborough House proposal, lodged for the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marlborough-house-47-97-marlborough-street-surry-hills-nsw-2010">47-97 Marlborough Street</a> site, would see the adaptive reuse of the heritage-listed warehouse building alongside the construction of new residential additions and a separate apartment building on the northern portion of the site.

The proposal seeks approval for 172 apartments across three buildings, including 15 per cent affordable housing managed by a community housing provider for at least 15 years from occupation.

<img alt="Marlborough" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5d1d3c2a-bf13-47d6-a335-7c01102cdee1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=cjMYrbR.BLUlWH4dar0RVDDo0bG.u2YT" />

Interior view from the Northern Building Penthouse overlooking the park

&nbsp;

The redevelopment is planned for the prominent 3,413 sqm site bounded by Marlborough Street, Goodlet Street and Lansdowne Street, directly opposite Eddie Ward Park and around 200 metres from the Surry Hills light rail stop.

Time &amp; Place acquired the former David Jones building in 2024, marking the first time the property had changed hands in around 50 years.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal centres around the adaptive reuse of the former David Jones factory, originally constructed between 1913 and 1935 in the Inter-War Chicagoesque architectural style.

Wardle noted in its Architectural Design Report that the building “occupies a significant place in the industrial and cultural history of Surry Hills” and at its peak was “the largest department store manufacturing facility in Australia, employing over 800 people and fuelling the growth of Sydney’s fashion and retail industries.”

The practice said the project positions itself “not as an isolated intervention, but as a contributor to the civic, social, and architectural grain of the precinct.”

The proposal would deliver 75 apartments within the retained southern heritage building, 59 apartments within the central addition, and a further 38 apartments within the new northern building fronting Lansdowne Street.

Planning documents show the scheme would comprise a mix of heritage apartments, new-build apartments, townhouses and penthouses.

<img alt="Marlborough" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="57758518-40a3-4b83-958c-d06e96a2cffa" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.42%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=VerlX9ST5xgBi8.1_YRsqdWTJeT6ygjs" />Interior View of the Heritage Building Apartment

The development would also include a ground-floor retail tenancy on the corner of Marlborough and Lansdowne streets, rooftop communal open space, a landscaped pedestrian link along the western edge of the site, and basement parking accessed from Lansdowne Street via a car stacker system.

&nbsp;

The scheme emerged from a competitive design process run by Urbis, with Wardle ultimately selected as the winning architect ahead of FJC Studio, TZG, Architectus and Wilkinson Eyre.

The Design Integrity Panel later described several aspects of the Wardle scheme as fundamental to the project, including “the stepped character of the new addition to the north of the site”, the landscaped western pedestrian link, and the “garden arrival” experience separating the original Marlborough House from the heritage addition.

Wardle’s design heavily references the site’s industrial and heritage history, while also responding to the surrounding Surry Hills streetscape.

The Architectural Design Report describes Surry Hills as “a finely grained neighbourhood with beautiful and expressive brickworks throughout the suburb,” with the proposal introducing a material palette intended to sit comfortably alongside the existing warehouse fabric and neighbouring terraces.

The report also outlines the project’s relationship with Eddie Ward Park and the broader landscape context of the area.

“Marlborough House occupies a site of deep cultural memory and the neighbouring Eddie Ward Park is of local ecological significance, where natural systems, topography, and stories have long shaped human experience,” Wardle noted in the report.

The architects said the proposal sought to “rebind built form to Country” through landscape, materiality and the adaptive reuse of the heritage structure.

<img alt="Marlborough House" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9ae3f2f9-c85f-477a-a6f8-b43f6cb97c41" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.53%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=B.qUCLqRvJOR.n9CvYcTpaknIX9LuqKZ" />

The project is also being progressed under the NSW Government’s in-fill affordable housing provisions, allowing developments that include affordable housing to access additional height and floor space incentives.

Under the plans, 2,593 sqm of the project’s floor space would be dedicated to affordable housing, slightly exceeding the required 15 per cent threshold.

In its Design Excellence Strategy, Urbis said the project aimed to “sensitively adapt and enhance the heritage-listed building on site through alterations and additions that preserve its historical significance” while delivering “high-quality market and infill affordable housing development in Surry Hills.”

Time &amp; Place has been one of the most active developers nationally in the last 12 to 24 months. Late last year they completed&nbsp;The Queensbridge in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank</a>, a mixed-use tower with 353 apartments and a hotel. They are currently selling Park Modern, 246 apartments near the famous Botanic Gardens in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/south-melbourne-vic-3205">South Melbourne</a>, and have future projects, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-wilmot-173-burke-road-28-hope-street-glen-iris-vic-3146">The Wilmot</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/glen-iris-vic-3146">Glen Iris</a>, the redevelopment of the Northcote Plaza, and another tower in South Melbourne.

The developer broke into Sydney just a few years ago with Two Tides in Manly. They have another project nearby, which is at the ultra-luxury end of the market on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/shoreline-manly-beach-89-90-north-steyne-manly">North Steyne</a>, fronting the beach.

It is also continuing to work through the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-time-place-settles-on-design-for-the-chimes-potts-point-redevelopment">redevelopment of The Chimes building</a> on Macleay Street in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/potts-point-nsw-2011">Potts Point</a>, as well as a project on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/time-place-to-take-on-mosman-apartment-market">Mosman's Redan Street</a>.
</section>

Joel Robinson

First look: Time & Place unveils Marlborough House redevelopment designs for former David Jones warehouse in Surry Hills

The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Chris Lang

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