<html><body>
The Riverlakes Shopping Village in Brisbane's Cornubia has been listed for sale.
Originally developed around 1992 and refurbished in 2011/2012, the centre occupies a site of 14,439 square metres on the Beenleigh-Redland Bay Road.
The complex is anchored by an IGA Supermarket, Chemist Warehouse and Medical Centre and supported by a mix of specialty tenants including Bottle Shop, Newsagency, TAB, Bakery, Seafood Takeaway, Hairdresser and a drive-through Zarraffas Coffee cafe. It also features a freestanding childcare and fitness centres, as well as grade-level parking for about 186 cars.
The marketing campaign is being handled by Peter Tyson and Michael Harcourt of Savills retail investment aales.
Mr Tyson said the property is expected to generate strong interest from a wide range of investors, including private buyers, self-managed super funds and consortiums. 
</body></html>

kjiminez-eaYKfU7qd2

Riverlakes Shopping Village in Cornubia, Brisbane listed

<html><body>
Positive signs are emerging for Brisbane's industrial property market, with prime rents kicking 2.5% in the 12 months to March, a new report has revealed.
The spike in rents was just one of the upbeat themes outlined in Savills latest Spotlight on Brisbane industrial research report, which also showed growing tenant demand for pre-leased quality industrial space across Brisbane.
A lot of this increased focus on the pre-lease market, said the report, could be attributed to the competitive nature of this market, "where new builds can be more competitive with the rental rate than existing properties".
“Leasing activity is particularly strong for prime grade quality warehousing, especially free-standing product,” noted Savills Queensland associate director of research, Helen Swanson.
“This has led to 2.5% rental growth for prime grade product over the 12 months to March 2014."
<img src="/images/2014/05/13/chart%20may%2013%20one.png" alt="">
Boding well for the market has also been the number of significant pre-commitments from major companies in the last quarter. Among them DB Schenker and Northline at Redbank and Kagan Logistics at Hemmant.
"There is also anecdotal evidence suggesting a number of other major pre-commitments may also be in the pipeline for the Brisbane market,” said the report.
The transport and logistics sectors were identified as the most active in the Brisbane industrial leasing market, accounting for 25% of all leasing activity in the 12 months to March. The wholesale and retail sectors were the next biggest movers, accounting for 19% of all leases.
"The resurgence of the residential market within south-east Queensland has also see a huge increase in demand from the building supplies industry with many of these companies taking advantage of the lower rental rates offered by secondary product", it said.
"There is still however a lack of urgency in the tenant market with the perception that supply outweighs demand."
Those two sectors are forecast to achieve strong growth over the next five years and should continue to be major takers of space in the Brisbane industrial market.
"These users are looking for efficiency gains and the option of brand new mega-style warehousing is appealing to some of the larger players,” added Ms Swanson.
</body></html>

Spike in Brisbane industrial prime rents

<html><body>
Name: Adam Barrett<img src="/images/2014/05/12/barrett-profile.png" alt="" style="float: right;">
Position: Director - office leasing
Company: JLL
Office location: Brisbane
How long have you been in the industry? 
17 years
What’s happening in the area you specialise in?
The Brisbane office leasing market is challenging at present with limited demand and record high vacancies. Though we have witnessed general activity and tenant interest in new accommodation increasing significantly in 2014 due to the attractive incentive levels now on offer from landlords. We see general sentiment in the office market improving over the next couple of years as business confidence grows and economy gets back on track.    
Describe the most interesting property you have sold?
I have only ever sold some Strata titles units for Honourable Con Sciacca which was very interesting in its self as my focus is on office leasing. The most interesting and most rewarding project that I have been involved in to date was pre-committing 145 Ann Street for Leighton Properties.
This was done at the height of the GFC when securing both the tenants and the funding package for a new office project was very difficult. We were successful in securing 19,000 square metres of pre-commitments to GHD, CUA and Grant Thornton, enabling the commencement of construction of the 27,000 square metre office tower.
What are the ingredients to being successful in your job? 
Office leasing is a game of highs and lows and you need to be able to stay focused through both cycles. Hard work and persistence is needed at all times. Building and maintaining relationships is the key to successful agent. 
What aspects of your role do you enjoy the most? 
I enjoy the day to day contact with a variety of different people and personalities. It really is people persons game and the job  continually throws up many different challenges which keeps it interesting. 
Where would you invest a spare $750,000
I've normally been a high risk high returns type of person but now I have two kids at school and costs are continually growing so I think I would invest more cautiously in blue chip stocks like the CBA or BHP seeing the year on year profits these companies are making.
Which football team do you support? 
Queensland Reds and Brisbane Broncos
What’s your favourite app or techno gadget? 
I love my iPad. I read the paper on this most days and search the weather forecasts for the weekend when I go boating etc. 
How do you use social media?
I'm not overly into social media from a personal perspective, however I do ensure the <a href="https://twitter.com/JLLAustralia" target="_blank">JLL twitter account</a> always carries details of deals, commentaries and trends. How do I use social media? I don’t really. I haven't caught on to whole twitter thing but I do have a Facebook account now.  
</body></html>

In profile: JLL's director - office leasing, Adam Barrett

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
The substantial increase in electricity prices over the past decade has seen building owners becoming increasingly conscious of the impact that heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units are having on their bottom line.
These units account for around 40% of a building’s energy expenditure and 70% of a landlord’s total energy bills. Data also shows that at least 15% of this consumption is attributed to faults and inefficiencies – issues normally addressed at intervals decided by building maintenance teams, not at the point of malfunction.
These constant faults and inefficiencies are leading to high tenant dissatisfaction due to poor conditions, lower National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) star ratings, increased carbon emissions and of course, skyrocketing energy bills.
For this reason I’ve spent the past two years developing the ACE Platform, capable of identifying and correcting faults and inefficiencies in HVAC units in real time.
It works by digging into multiple data sources including building management systems, sensor and control data, occupancy figures and weather data, and feeding it into a cloud-based analytics engine.
It then recreates the structure of the plant and equipment virtually, determining optimal energy usage and generating reports at points where actual energy usage deviates from this norm. These reports are issued to building owners and maintenance teams in a simple, specific and actionable format – allowing issues to be addressed before they become a tenant complaint or begin to cost thousands of dollars. 
The ACE Platform was recently trialed at large commercial shopping centre Wollongong Central where it was shown to save the property owner $5,250 on energy every month – a forecasted saving of $63,000 per year.
Though the trial was on just one site, with many owners holding over 50 sites in their portfolios the savings the software platform could deliver to a business could amount to millions of dollars per year. Greater tenant retention rates and increased NABERS ratings could also deliver greater returns to shareholders through an increase in the value of the asset.
David Walsh is chief executive officer of CIM Environmental Group.
</body></html>

Could this be the future of building optimisation?

<html><body>
Westfield Group has succumbed to shareholder pressure and announced it will be improving the terms of its proposed merger for Westfield Trust unit holders by $300 million.
Under the adjusted proposal, Westfield will reduce the net debt contributed by the group's Scentre Group - made up of the Australian and New Zealand businesses- by $300 million to $6.8 billion.
As a result, Scentre Group’s pro forma net assets, at 31 December 2013, will increase from $14,980 million ($2.82 per security) to $15,280 million ($2.88 per security).
Pro forma gearing will reduce to 37.3%. Slightly above Scentre's targeted range of between 30-35%.
Last December, Westfield proposed splitting up its $70 billion empire to create an international entity to be known as Westfield Corporation.  The rest of the business would be known as Scentre Group - to be made up of its local and New Zealand operations, along with the Westfield Retail Trust (WRT).
A number of WRT unit holders had reportedly expressed concerns about the price of the merger deal and the consensus was that proposal would be voted down at the extraordinary meeting in late May.  
Westfield Group chairman Mr Frank Lowy AC said: “We have met with key investors in both WDC and WRT, the overwhelming majority of whom support WDC’s strategy of restructuring along geographic lines and merging the Australia/NZ business with WRT". " In response to some concerns raised and in consultation with the independent directors of WRT, WDC has decided to improve the merger terms for WRT security holders.”
“The change improves the terms on which WRT security holders are gaining their ownership interest in WDC’s industry leading operating platform." At the same time, he said, the adjusted terms improved the financial position of Scentre Group by reducing its gearing ratio and enhancing its Funds from Operations (FFO).
The transaction is now expected to deliver a 6.6% accretion to WRT’s forecast 2014 FFO. 
</body></html>

Westfield Group improves trust merger terms

<html><body>
One of the country's biggest office landlords has said "positive indicators" were emerging from Australia's office market in 2014.
In a March quarter operational update, GPT chief executive Michael Cameron said GPT was experiencing "good momentum" with 37,000 square metres of office lease signed or at heads of agreement.
He made a point of saying that GPT had seen "positive indicators in 2014, with levels of enquiry continuing to improve and vacancy across its portfolio reducing to 8.9% at 31 March 2014".
Highlighting the point, GPT noted its announcement this week that top law firm King &amp; Wood Mallesons had signed a new 11,980 square metre lease at its Governor Phillip tower in the Sydney CBD.
His comments were part of a broader update on the trust's performance.
Comparable moving annual turnover (MAT) in the quarter grew 1.5%, while specialty sales growth rose 4.4%.
Mr Cameron said it was please with the positive momentum of nine consecutive months of specialty sales growth at its centres, "however we remain conservative on the broader retail market with our medium term outlook for shopping centre sales, and rents remaining unchanged."
It is anticipating moderate growth. 
Management also noted that its logistics development pipeline continued to expand and that its $7.2 billion funds management platform remained a solid performer, and was poised to "substantially grow throughout 2014".   
</body></html>

"Positive indicators" emerging in office market: GPT's Michael Cameron

<html><body>
A commercial building with a long-term tenant in Brisbane’s Strathpine has fetched $2 million.
A private investor picked up the 2,200 square metre property, at 3/104 Gympie Road, Strathpine.
The sale reflected a yield of 8.5%.
Handling the sale was Dillon Murphy and Trevor Nelson-Jones of Ray White Brisbane Northside.
The building is leased to Inside Sportz, with a returning rental income of more than $170,000 per annum. The lease is in place until 2017, with a five year option.
“The sports centre is situated on approximately 3,382 square metre of land and features indoor cricket, netball, soccer and beach volleyball facilities", said Mr Murphy. 
</body></html>

Sports centre in Strathpine, Brisbane sold for $2 million

<html><body>
A Camberwell shop and dwelling in Melbourne has sold under the hammer for $1.1 million.
The property was offered with vacant possession and purchased by a local investor, who has plans to refurbish and re-lease the property.
It sits on a land area of about 177 square metres at 931 Bourke Road, and features a two-level building of about 200 square metres with ground floor retail plus first floor residence.
Fitzroys agents Michael Ryan and David Bourke negotiated the sale. The vendor was  a local family, who had owned the property for more than 30 years.
</body></html>

Camberwell shop sells for $1.1 million under the hammer

<html><body>
The Caloundra Suncourt motel on the Sunshine Coast has been sold for $1.4 million. 
The prominent motel with redevelopment potential is located at 133 Bulcock Street and was sold to a local investor.
Len Greedy and Alan Gray of Ray White Commercial Caloundra handled the transaction.
Constructed on a 1,518 square metre block of land, the motel comprises 12 rooms split over two levels and includes a three bedroom manager’s accommodation.
Gray said redevelopment options for the property were varied and could include a mix of retail, office, medical and also residential units with water views.
He added that the purchaser had leased the motel operation to an experienced motelier for a limited period while he worked through the redevelopment potential for the site with an architect and town planner.
</body></html>

Caloundra Suncourt motel sells to local investor

<html><body>
A Chinese developer has snapped up an open plan office in the Melbourne CBD for $1.26 million.
The 420 square metre office suite is located at 20 Queen Street and features a boardroom and executive offices.
Tom Tuxworth, Chris Pharr and Ed Wright of CBRE Strata Projects negotiated the sale.
The agents said the property attracted an unprecedented level of buyer enquiry, with five expressions of interest to purchase.
The sale price equated to a rate of $3,000 per square metre.
Tuxworth said the new owner planned to use the property as its new Melbourne headquarters.
“Offshore developers who have been highly active in purchasing large development sites in the Melbourne CBD are now looking for commercial office space for their headquarters,” Mr Tuxworth said.
“Offshore groups are now competing with local owner occupiers and investors, resulting in competitive buyer demand and strong prices consistently achieved.” 
</body></html>

Chinese developer buys Melbourne CBD office

A collection of just 25 large-format apartments and penthouses overlooking Goodwin Park is entering the Coolangatta market, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marea-residences-coolangatta-27-27a-dixon-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Maréa Residences</a> combining a low-density, residential-only approach with uninterrupted park and Pacific Ocean outlooks.

Located at 27 Dixon Street, Maréa comprises three and four-bedroom residences alongside a limited number of dual-level penthouses, with the project positioned between Goodwin Park and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/coolangatta-qld-4225">Coolangatta</a>’s coastal precinct.

Construction has commenced, with completion currently estimated for late 2027. Three-bedroom residences are priced from $1.8 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374005]

The project has been designed around its northern outlook across the park, with the building’s architecture, landscaping and material palette intended to establish a connection with the neighbouring green space. The residences have been configured to maximise natural light and views across Goodwin Park towards the ocean.

Inside, the material palette incorporates timber, stone and brushed brass, complemented by curved detailing and ambient lighting. Kitchens and bathrooms carry the same natural material approach, while residences also include basement parking, storage and lift access.

Maréa’s penthouses are arranged over two levels and include private pools, adding another layer to the project’s focus on larger-format apartment living. Across the development, residences are configured with three or four bedrooms rather than the broader mix of smaller apartment types commonly found in larger projects.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374010]

Resident amenity is concentrated at rooftop level, where landscaped entertaining terraces and pools take advantage of elevated views across Coolangatta and the Pacific Ocean.

The project has so far been particularly well received by local owner-occupiers and downsizers, according to Urban Activation Property Sales and Marketing Director Matt George, with the residential-only format, construction quality and northern park outlook among the features resonating with purchasers.

“The uninterrupted northern aspect overlooking Goodwin Park has been a key point of difference, with buyers attracted to the sense of serenity and open space the park provides, while still enjoying easy access to the ocean and being within walking distance of the lifestyle and amenities Coolangatta has to offer,” George said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374002]

“The combination of high-quality construction, a residential-only building, park outlook and proximity to the beach has resonated strongly with the local downsizer market.”

The Dixon Street address is within walking distance of Coolangatta Beach and the broader southern Gold Coast coastline, including the surf breaks at Snapper Rocks and Kirra. Coolangatta’s cafés, restaurants and retail are nearby, while Gold Coast Airport is also within close proximity.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150999]

Joel Robinson

Maréa Residences brings parkside apartments to Coolangatta

Melbourne developer PDG has secured Victorian Government approval for its $1.5 billion Southbank development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-one-1-queens-bridge-street-southbank-vic-3006">The One</a>, clearing the way for the long-dormant riverfront site opposite Crown to finally be developed.

The Minister for Planning has approved the project at 1-29 Queens Bridge Street, with the Department of Transport and Planning issuing the planning permit following its assessment.

The approval will allow PDG to develop the prominent 5,059 sqm site with a major mixed-use tower comprising premium apartments, including branded residences, a luxury hotel and boutique office space.

PDG acquired the site in late 2024, with its position directly opposite Crown's main entrance and near Melbourne's Arts Precinct making it one of Southbank's most significant remaining development opportunities.

<img alt="PDG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3933013e-6332-4386-b9be-089df05caf17" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%209.29.22%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sITIgBqDL0N3VNSMwWEmF5UA.uvcsRyu" />

Designed by COX in collaboration with ODO and PDG, the tower's architecture draws on the movement of the Yarra River, with six vertical pleats running the height of the sculpted facade.

The project will also see the heritage-listed Queens Bridge Hotel restored and incorporated into the development&nbsp;with new hospitality and public uses, including a rooftop venue.

A significant component of The One will be its residential amenity.

More than 5,000 sqm of resident facilities will be delivered across a single level, making it one of the largest consolidated residential amenity offerings proposed in an Australian apartment development.

The planning approval also incorporates a major upgrade of Queensbridge Square, which PDG will deliver in partnership with the City of Melbourne.

<img alt="PDG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="73167fcd-1031-4b6f-a408-a064cfe45ed1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%209.29.17%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Pf1AEWxw6SNmBqR0zQW5lyEze.MtxgFp" />

The existing square will be revitalised as a new civic and pedestrian space along the Yarra River, strengthening the connection between the project, Southbank and the riverfront.

PDG Founder and Managing Director Vince Giuliano said the approval represented a major milestone for a site which has remained largely underutilised for more than 15 years.

“This is the most significant Planning Permit approval Melbourne has seen in recent years,” Giuliano said.

“For more than 15 years, this site has remained underutilised. This approval enables us to deliver a project that will contribute meaningfully to the revitalisation of Southbank, restore and reactivate an important heritage building, and create a new civic and hospitality destination for Melbourne.”

The latest approval follows an earlier planning permit issued by the City of Melbourne covering demolition works across part of the site at 9-29 Queens Bridge Street. Those demolition and early works are already underway.

PDG has also started generating early interest in the residential component from owner-occupiers ahead of a planned public launch in early 2027.

PDG secures approval for $1.5bn Southbank apartment development, The One

Local developer Harridan is seeking to turn its Woolloongabba apartment project into the first stage of a broader transformation of Burke Street, using a new 16-storey mixed-use building to establish a greener pedestrian connection toward the rapidly evolving Boggo Road transport and knowledge precinct.

The South East Queensland developer has filed plans for 154 apartments on the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/4-burke-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">southern side of Burke Street</a>, where its proposal has been designed alongside a wider vision by LatStudios for the street.

That vision positions the southern side of Burke Street for buildings of 15 storeys and above, while envisaging lower-rise development of up to five storeys on the northern side to transition into Woolloongabba's existing character housing. It also proposes wider pedestrian verges, deep planting, new street trees and upgrades to the pedestrian approach to Boggo Road Station.

The Harridan development itself has been designed by Brisbane-based Arqus Design and will comprise 154 apartments across 16 storeys. The mix is weighted heavily toward two-bedroom apartments, with 121 proposed alongside 10 one-bedroom and 23 three-bedroom residences. There will typically be around 14 units per floor.

A lower-ground car park and three podium levels will accommodate 156 resident parking spaces, along with visitor and commercial parking. There will also be 154 resident bicycle spaces and 40 visitor bicycle parks.

&nbsp;

Harridan is a family-owned developer and part of the Holmwood Highgate Group, with more than three decades of development activity across South East Queensland. Its portfolio spans residential, commercial and industrial property, with current residential projects including Riverbank on Byron in Bulimba, Esperance Residences in Carina and The Precinct at Kinross Road in Thornlands.

Wooloongabba has been popular for apartment developers, particularly since the announcement of the 2032 Summer Olympics games in Brisbane.

While there have been a lot of development applications, it has failed to materialize into real supply.&nbsp;

Sarazin has been the major player in the area. They are under construction at Murcia Residences, on the fringe of East Brisbane and Woolloongabba. They have just launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-stanley-residences-woolloongabba-8-trafalgar-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">The Stanley Residences</a>, in Woolloongabba on Trafalagar Street. They also have Nuage coming soon on the nearby <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nuage-woolloongabba-14-wellington-road-woolloongabba-qld-4102">Wellington Road</a>.

First look: Harridan plans Burke Street transformation beside Boggo Road transport hub

IN BRIEF

<ul>
	<li>
	Just three double-storey Sky Homes sit at the top of The Waterline, each with its own private marina berth and rooftop terrace.
	</li>
	<li>
	Construction on The Waterline is complete, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.
	</li>
	<li>
	Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and are priced from $3.65 million.
	</li>
</ul>

<hr />
Lewis Land has opened the first completed sky home for inspection at Harbour Shores, giving buyers their first opportunity to step inside one of just three double-storey residences crowning The Waterline.

Each sky home comes with its own private marina berth, rooftop terrace and Broadwater views, combining the scale of a larger home with direct access to the boating lifestyle that underpins the wider <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/harbour-shores-biggera-waters-564-oxley-drive-biggera-waters-qld-4216">Harbour Shores</a> masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366708]

Lewis Land Head of Development Michael Long said the inclusion of a berth with every Sky Home had become increasingly valuable as marina access across the Gold Coast tightened.

“Marina berths are becoming increasingly difficult to secure across the Gold Coast, so including one with every Sky Home makes this a genuinely rare offering,” Long said.

“The private 70-berth marina will accommodate boats up to 12 metres in length and is positioned just 2.5 kilometres from the Broadwater, placing the open ocean only 15 minutes away.

“Being able to step out of your home onto your boat is a rare luxury, and it’s something residents here can look forward to when it opens later this year.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366709]

The display opening comes as construction completes on The Waterline, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.

The three Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and each feature three bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive kitchens with butler's pantries and large balconies taking in the Broadwater outlook.

Each residence also has three secure basement car spaces and additional storage.

“This is the first opportunity the Gold Coast has had to step into Harbour Shores and see, touch and feel what we’re bringing to life here,” Long said.

“There are only three Sky Homes within The Waterline, ranging in size from 282sqm to 367sqm, with each residence featuring three large bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive custom-built kitchens with butler’s pantry, and large balconies capturing Broadwater views.”

<img alt="Harbour Shores" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bab65e10-4fab-45e1-92d8-fc56e2ab98ff" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-25%20at%202.00.16%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=XT8q76LsPkw3cYTsvN3JfFDaPLud90PN" />

Residents of The Waterline will have access to a private pool, along with Harbour Shores' wider collection of amenity including a lagoon pool, social clubhouse, tennis court, gym, yoga facilities and sauna.

Lewis Land partnered with Studio Collective to furnish the completed display, with the interiors designed to demonstrate how the residences could function as permanent homes rather than simply as show apartments.

Studio Collective Director Melissa Park said the surrounding waterways informed the interiors, but in a more restrained way than a traditional coastal scheme.

“We drew inspiration from the canals and coastal surrounds, but our approach was to interpret that subtly through layered materials and a grounded palette of earthy tones, rather than literal coastal references,” Park said.

“We introduced hero moments of green and teal to reference the surrounding waterways, while mirrored elements help reflect natural light.

“The result is a residence that feels elevated yet comfortable, somewhere buyers can genuinely imagine themselves living, entertaining and unwinding.”

Sky Homes are priced from $3.65 million.

Lewis Land is also offering private marina berths with The Residences, its limited collection of three and four-bedroom villas positioned directly along the Harbour Shores waterfront boardwalk.

Three-bedroom villas are priced from $2.99 million, while four-bedroom residences start from $3.19 million.

Harbour Shores is being marketed by Colliers International.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=113271]

Lewis Land opens sky home display as The Waterline completes at Harbour Shores

St Vincent de Paul Society Housing Australia has filed plans for a major mixed-use housing precinct on the southern edge of the North Sydney CBD, adding another significant proposal to a pocket around North Sydn​ey Station that is quickly becoming one of the LGA's busiest development zones.

The State Significant Development Application covers a 5,990 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/1-19-mackenzie-street-lavender-bay-nsw-2060">1-19 MacKenzie Street and 211 Blues Point Road in Lavender Bay</a>, immediately south of Nor​th Sydney Station and between the commercial core and the lower-rise Lavender Bay Heritage Conservation Area.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal would deliver a new residential tower comprising 88 build-to-sell apartments and 19 affordable apartments, alongside a separate co-living building with 57 rooms and a building manager's studio.

It would also see the significant restoration and upgrade of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, the adaptive reuse of the former school building, new parish facilities, retail, a new public square and around 1,000 sqm of publicly accessible open space.

<img alt="Vinnies North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d5dd7f87-a617-463e-b577-17541e01f0e9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.13%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4R8TsFN3P_LrrXO2HswTOIrx2blil8lh" />

The project is seeking a concurrent rezoning of the site to R4 High Density Residential and an increase in the maximum building height to allow a tower reaching RL120, or up to 20 storeys. The proposal was progressed through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The build-to-sell component will be weighted toward larger apartments, with just six one-bedroom apartments compared with 31 two-beds, 43 three-beds and eight four-bedroom residences.

The 19 affordable apartments will comprise two studios, 15 one-bedroom apartments and two two-bedroom apartments, taking the total apartment component to 107 residences before the 58 co-living rooms are included.

<img alt="Vnnies" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7d568ca5-cb90-4e18-96c6-d9795dba0c56" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=GY2R5M9VtQh0EKy1vajaea19PSLOPuRD" />

Wardle's design for the Vinnies site has sought to negotiate that emerging high-rise context while retaining the lower-scale character of MacKenzie Street and the adjoining heritage conservation area.

The main building adopts a three-storey podium and tower arrangement, with the podium aligned to the ridgeline and front setback of St Francis Xavier Church.&nbsp;Wardle has designed the podium with colonnades, seating, recessed entries and active ground-floor frontages, with sandstone-toned precast concrete and face brick referencing the materiality of the existing church.

The tower then steps back eight metres to the south and six metres to the north before rising in a sculpted form comprising four interlocking quadrants. Wardle has also introduced rounded forms and chamfered corners to reduce the tower's perceived bulk and improve view sharing with neighbouring development sites.

Resident facilities and outdoor areas are planned at the separation between the podium and tower at Level 3, oriented toward Sydney Harbour and the CBD skyline.

The tower itself will feature a glass reinforced concrete facade, with recessed balconies and deep reveals used both to provide shading and privacy and frame views toward the harbour and city. The lower levels take a different architectural approach, using brick and sandstone-toned finishes intended to establish a stronger relationship with St Francis Xavier Church. The Church itself will be conserved and upgraded for its continued use, while the former school building will be adaptively reused as part of the co-living component.

<img alt="Lavendar Bay" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2d4418ad-90aa-4d49-af93-c80b140aea80" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.09.47%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Kv4gzbsACaGvZSRuaqcfGC54jEJRXIDJ" />

&nbsp;

The proposal adds to an increasingly concentrated pipeline of residential development around Blue Street, MacKenzie Street and Lavender Bay.

Just west of the site, Central Element lodged plans earlier this year for one of the most significant residential developments proposed in Lavender Bay in recent years.

Central Element's SJB-designed scheme at 64-66 Lavender Street and 3-7 Middlemiss Street would deliver 163 apartments across two towers rising 23 and 32 storeys, replacing five existing apartment buildings containing 32 homes. The project also forms part of the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-central-element-reveals-lavender-bay-apartment-plans?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">First look: Central Element reveals Lavender Bay apartment plans</a>

Immediately around North Sy​dney Station, another two significant proposals have emerged at 5 and 15 Blue Street.

Zurich Australian Insurance Properties is seeking to adaptively reuse its longstanding commercial building at 5 Blue Street, directly above North Sydney Station, rather than demolishing the structure.

Its SSDA proposes converting the building into a 14-storey mixed-use development with 62 apartments and 86 co-living rooms, together with ground-floor retail and a major refurbishment of Blue Street Plaza. The application is currently at the Response to Submissions stage.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-zurich-targets-north-sydney-office-conversion-with-148-unit-proposal-above-metro-station">First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station</a>

&nbsp;

Katherine Jimenez

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News