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Colliers International is confident 2019 will be a strong year for office sales in Canberra, particularly for properties valued above $10 million.
Reflecting on the state of the market at an industry event this month, Colliers International DirectorCapital Markets and Investment Services, Michael Montelibano, pointed out the ACT’s strong macroeconomic conditions.
“Our positive population growth and low unemployment, combined with relatively affordable entry points and high yields, make Canberra an attractive place to invest,” Montelibano said.
“Canberra’s office market is displaying strong fundamentals which are expected to continue for the near-term.
“These market conditions are drawing international investors to the national capital.”
Montelibano also expects investor interest to continue for the remainder of 2019.
“Office properties above the $10 million price point in established precincts such as Civic and Barton that are well leased remain highly attractive to investors. We expect yields to tighten in these markets, particularly for new build product, given decreasing vacancy and the favourable interest rate outlook.
“Significant investment activity is forecast for properties in this market segment. With over $271 million of sales in this segment year to date, we expect total 2019 sales to exceed that of 2018 by around 50%.”
Montelibano also cited the continued strong performance of the strata market and the flight to quality trend from investors and owner occupiers.
“The performance of well-located and well-leased strata stock is steady, notwithstanding pressure from tightening financing conditions and rising rates and body corporate fees. However, units in secondary markets with vacancy are presently undergoing a re-rating.”
Colliers International has noted a shift towards off-market transactions in the past five years.
“Nearly 70% of sales managed by Colliers International in 2018 were off market and there has already been over $162 million in off-market sales so far this year,” Montelibano revealed.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Canberra office market tipped for strong end to year 

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The former home of one of Perth’s most recognised cake shops, Avanti Cakes, has been listed for sale.
It is almost 3,000 square metres of prime real estate on Beaufort Street, Inglewood.  
After 35 years of ownership, the Lembo family has appointed CBRE to market for sale the four adjoining properties.
They are 867 Beaufort Street (1,183 square metres); 871 Beaufort Street (604 square metres); 875 Beaufort Street (594 square metres) and 875 Beaufort Street (599 square metres). 
The combined 2,980 square metre site was home to Avanti Cakes – one of Perth’s top wedding cake suppliers – between 1983 to 2005.
It was also the former Inglewood Police Station buildings. 
The property has recently received development approval for a five-storey mixed use project comprising restaurant and retail shops, medical consulting rooms in the retained heritage police quarters, 57 residential apartments and 78 car parking bays.
It is located opposite the mooted Inglewood Woolworths. 
CBRE’s Michael Milne and Ben Younger have been appointed to market the site for sale via a public offers to purchase process closing July 4.  
Milne said the properties represented an attractive development opportunity in one of Perth’s most desirable inner metropolitan locations.  
“Many people will recognise this high-profile site by the Avanti Cakes mural, which has decorated its exterior since the ‘80s, together with the adjoining Inglewood Police Station buildings," he said. 
"Its favourable street profile and existing development approval will underpin strong buyer interest from retail groups and mixed-use developers."
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Former Avanti Cakes, Perth premises listed for sale

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Residents had repeatedly told Bayside Council and the building manager that their Mascot Tower apartments were shaking during excavation work at the neighbouring Peak Towers block.
Residents also told how the basement carpark was flooded during the Peak Towers excavation.
Engineers at Mascot Towers are investigating whether the groundwater level just 1.5m below the basement carpark may have added to the damage at the crack-ridden apartment complex.
Owners were told on the weekend that engineers would be assessing Mascot Towers for at least five to seven days.
Real estate agent John Higgins, who sold most of the Mascot Towers apartments on their 2006 off the plan listings, and has been since involved since, told the Sunday Telegraph he believes the 11-storey Peak Towers, still under construction, may be responsible.
There is also an issue around a faulty support beam potentially causing the cracks that forced hundreds of residents to evacuate the complex on Friday evening.
The eight storey, 122 apartment Bourke Street was completed in 2008 above the railway line.
Higgins said cracks had also been found in the industrial building two doors down.
The building is adjacent to the site where an 11-storey apartment block is being built.
Documents show the NSW Office of Water approved­ the development after being satisfied that works dealt with the groundwater issues across the site at depths from 1.4m-1.6m below natural ground level.
 
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Mascot Towers residents await causes of cracking 

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Landmark White's second suspension from the valuation panels of major lenders was having "a major impact on the business and its viability", acting chief executive Tim Rabbitt told staff last week in a leaked email.
The troubled valuation firm, hit by two unauthorised valuation data leaks on the web, told staff it is considering a sale of "the whole or parts" of the business.
It acknowledged reinstatement by its major lenders was not likely "immediately." Nor any quick reinstatement onto the ASX.
It added that having used up a significant portion of its cash reserve during its first suspension period in January, the current second suspension which began in early June was having "a major impact on the business and its viability."
The <a href="/news/landmark-white-see-westpac-return-after-dark-web-data-privacy-breach">initial breach</a> cost up to $7 million.
"Without an immediate reinstatement from our clients, the business is likely to be in trouble in the very near term," Mr Rabbitt said in the email seen and quoted by the Australian Financial Review Weekend issue.
"The company is still working on reinstatement, but the directors (as is their responsibility to do now) have to consider alternative options for the business including the potential sale of the whole or parts of the business."
Landmark White has been unable to convince its lenders, which include three of the country's largest banks (with the exception of Westpac) to turn work back on in the wake of a second theft of information.
The saboteur posted a range of documents posted to file-sharing site SCRIBD.
LMW warned lenders that the cutting off lines of work posed a threat to the viability of the valuation industry as a whole which earned a rebuke from its own industry body.
Landmark White chairman Keith Perrett on Friday said he was proud of his staff for the commitment they had shown the company in the wake of the second information theft.
"Our management team is working closely with staff to ensure they are informed and supported as we work through the challenges the business currently faces," he said.
"We're communicating with our employees on the state of the business every day, and will not apologise for being open and transparent about the incident and impact on our business."
"LMW has been a successful business for almost 40 years, one that employs more than 450 people across Australia including in regional and remote areas," he said.
I<a href="/news/landmark-white-reports-more-private-valuation-files-posted-online">t maintained the latest data breach</a> did not constitute a notifiable breach under law as only limited private information was contained in the documents posted onto document sharing site SCRIBD.
Earlier this month Landmark White had previously disclosed CBA and ANZ were among a "small number of clients" who had dropped LMW from their valuation panels.
 
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Landmark White's viability in doubt after second saboteur valuation leak

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The retired merchant banker Mark Burrows is set to offload some of his Southern Highlands farm holdings.
He's keeping the house, called Sugarloaf Farm and acclaimed garden, with its Wollemi pine, but selling some 380 acres of the 800 acres he holds at East Kangaloon. There's talks of $12 million plus prospects for the Widgee Waa offering.
The property is an aggregation built up over 31 years, when he was head of investment bank advisory Baring Brothers Burrows.
The property has cattle farming infrastructure, equestrian facilities and a manager's cottage.
"I don't need two farms in the Southern Highlands and certainly not two of the largest land holdings," Burrows said ahead of the official marketing. 
Burrows had a long career in investment banking, commencing with Baring Brothers in London. 
Burrows moved back to Australia when he became Lazard Australia's first chairman.
He has been a non-executive director of the Asian Board of The Nature Conservancy, the world’s largest environmental NGO.
It is reportedly being listed by Christies International in conjunction with Meares &amp; Co who have suggested it was likely to fetch between $30,000 and $40,000 an acre.
The last sale on Widgee Waa Lane was in 2012 when was paid $1.65 million for an 18 hectare farm (pictured). 
The 200-hectare property Comfort Hill at Sutton Forest sold in 2007 for a record of $15 million to the late international television show veteran Reg Grundy.
Last year, Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes bought Kangaloon's 45-hectare Rosehill Farm for $5.35 million.
This article was first published exclusively in the Saturday Telegraph.
 
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Mark Burrows lists Widgee Waa at East Kangaloon

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The mystery buyer of the Southern Highlands farm, Widgee Waa is reportedly Mike Cannon-Brookes, the tech billioniare.
The farm was recently sold by the retired merchant banker Mark Burrows.
Burrows is keeping the house, called Sugarloaf Farm, but sold some 380 acres of the 800 acres he holds at East Kangaloon.
There's talk of a $14.5 million sale price of the Widgee Waa offering.
The property is an aggregation built up over three decades, when he was head of investment bank advisory Baring Brothers Burrows.
The property has cattle farming infrastructure, equestrian facilities and a manager's cottage.
"I don't need two farms in the Southern Highlands and certainly not two of the largest land holdings," Burrows said ahead of the official marketing. 
Burrows had a long career in investment banking, commencing with Baring Brothers in London. 
The Nine Entertainment report did not have any confirmation on the buyer identify or sale price from Ken Jacobs and Christie's International or its conjunctional agent Meares &amp; Co who always suggested it was likely to fetch between $30,000 and $40,000 an acre.
The last sale on Widgee Waa Lane was in 2012 when was paid $1.65 million for an 18 hectare farm (pictured). 
The 200-hectare property Comfort Hill at Sutton Forest sold in 2007 for a record of $15 million to the late international television show veteran Reg Grundy.
Last year, the Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes bought <a href="/news/rosehill-farm-kangaloon-sold-by-rose-deo">Kangaloon's 45-hectare Rosehill Farm</a> for $5.35 million in March last year.
 
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Mark Burrows sells Widgee Waa at East Kangaloon to tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes

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<div class="x_mcntcolumn">
A heritage Flemington shopfront residence, most recently known as Macca’s Milk Bar, fetched $936,000 at weekend auction.
The offering at <a id="x_mcntLPlnk786746" class="x_mcntOWAAutoLink" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.jelliscraig.com.au/property-details-31-Dover-Street-Flemington/797226" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">31 Dover Street</a> (above), in Melbourne's north west, went to auction with an $800,000 to $880,000 price guide through Jellis Craig.
The property retains the original 1890s grocery store facade.
The three bedroom, two bathroom residence that last sold for $107,000 in 1988 operated as a business, with popular lolly counter, until 1999. 
Its sale came as momentum returned to the improving national housing market on the first big auction weekend since the Reserve Bank's sugar hit, a cut in the cash rate to a record low of 1.25 percent.
"The post election and rate cut bounce is continuing," Dr Shane Oliver, AMP Capital chief economist said, adding he estimated Sydney's final tally would see the best clearance rate in two years and Melbourne's best in 15 months.
Melbourne was host to 725 auctions with preliminary results returning a 67.9 percent clearance rate. 
Volumes are still well down as this time last year, 992 Melbourne homes were taken to auction and a final clearance rate of 56.2 percent was recorded. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/6/18/cap-june17.jpg" alt="">
"Melbourne’s final clearance rate has held above 60 per cent for three of the last four weeks and this week will be no different," said CoreLogic auction analyst Kevin Brogan.
Melbourne's top sale was $2.56 million in St Kilda West. The seven bedroom terrace at <a id="x_mcntLPlnk686385" class="x_mcntOWAAutoLink" href="https://www.wilsonagents.com.au/4887125/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">18 Park Street</a> has been tipped by Wilson Real Estate to fetched between $2 million to $2.2 million. There were six bidders.
Sydney was the leading market with a 74.7 percent preliminary rate.
</div>
<div class="x_mcntcolumn">
In Sydney, 522 homes were taken to auction this week, up from 313 last week. 
The preliminary clearance rate came in up from the prior weekend's 56.2 percent. 
"Even after we see the usual downwards revision over the week it’s looking like this week will be the most successful result the city has seen since at least April last year, or possibly longer," Brogan said. 
One year ago, a clearance rate of just 49.4 per cent was recorded across 708 auctions.
Sydney's top sale was near a harbour front at Lavender Bay when a three-bedroom, two-bathroom property at <a id="x_mcntLPlnk585085" class="x_mcntOWAAutoLink" href="https://www.belleproperty.com/listings/796421/20-bay-view-street-lavender-bay-nsw-2060/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">20 Bay View Street</a> (below)<a id="x_mcntLPlnk331196" class="x_mcntOWAAutoLink" href="https://www.domain.com.au/20-bay-view-street-lavender-bay-nsw-2060-2015282620" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable"> </a>fetched $6.71 million.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/6/18/Lavender.jpg" alt="">
It was for sale the first time in more than four decades having last sold in 1977 for $80,000. 
There were 14 registered bidders, eight of whom participated in the auction which saw the reserve exceeded by $1.2 million.
It sold with architectural plans by Allen Jack+Cottier to local downsizers who plan to rebuild on the 373 sqm block.
There was a $5.9 million sale in Pymble, on Sydney's upper north shore. The five bedroom, three bathroom home at <a id="x_mcntLPlnk171181" class="x_mcntOWAAutoLink" href="https://www.dijones.com.au/property/house-nsw-pymble-1p25036/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">62 Pymble Avenue</a> (below) was sold by Di Jones agent Tim Fraser at $100,000 over reserve.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/6/18/Pymble1.jpg" alt="">
The 2500sqm property with a tennis court and pool saw six local buyers register to bid.
CoreLogic advised 13 out of the 15 Sydney sub-regions returned preliminary clearance rates over 60 percent, 10 of which returned over 70 percent. There were three Sydney sub-regions with a preliminary clearance rate over 80 percent, Ryde, the Inner West and the Hills district.
Across the smaller capital city auction markets, Adelaide and Canberra saw an increase in the number of homes taken to auction, while Brisbane and Perth saw lower volumes week-on-week.
Deception Bay, a 40 minute drive from Brisbane, secured the nation's cheapest auction outcome when $250,000 was paid pre-auction for <a id="x_mcntLPlnk437722" class="x_mcntOWAAutoLink" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://raywhitedeceptionbay.com.au/properties/sold-residential/qld/deception-bay-4508/house/2104127" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">5 Hughes Street, Deception Bay</a>.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/6/18/Deception.jpg" alt="">
The sale of the three bedroom home through Ray White agent Tiffany Franklin was at $27,000 higher than its last sale in 2004.
There were no auctions held in Tasmania this week.
After the long weekend slowdown, national auction volumes increased week-on-week with 1,487 auctions held across the combined capital cities, returning a preliminary auction clearance rate of 66.4 percent.
Over the previous week, the final clearance rate dipped to 48.3 percent across 805 auctions.
"It’s likely that as the remaining results are collected, the final result will still hold above 60 per cent for the first time in over a year," Kevin Brogan suggested.
Over the same week last year, auction volumes were higher at 2,002, with the clearance rate a weaker 52.4 percent.
Domain recorded similar numbers to CoreLogic with a 65 per cent preliminary national clearance rate, 70.6 percent in Sydney and 65 percent in Melbourne.
The Domain economist Trent Wiltshire said the market had picked up, but market conditions were still soft, he warned, with the clearance rate still below the decade average and auction volumes also down 20 percent year on year.
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Macca's Milk Bar sells as sugar hit puts auction success rate at year highs

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An historic 1860s Kensington trophy home has been listed.
Flagmount at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property/50-52-bellair-st-kensington-vic-3031" target="_blank">50-52 Bellair Street </a>was originally transported to Australia as a kit, carried over by a ship captain who used it as ballast on the trip.
The freestanding home is made from Scottish Pine and was renovated in the 1920s to become a four bedroom residence.
Following further more recent renovation, the home has walk in robes, private balcony, two ensuites, lounge, and a 1000-bottle wine storage room.
It also has a backyard, pool and carport.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/6/29/kens%202.jpg" alt="">
“To say it has been a joy to be the Trustees of 50-52 Bellair Street is an understatement and we are sure that this friendly community will welcome the new owners,” the current owners said to Williams Media.
“We have made many lifelong friends along the street and many wonderful memories from our 34 and half years in our home that we will cherish.”
The home is walking distance to Kensington Village.
The home is being marketed by Liz Brettell and Jayson Watts of Nelson Alexander Flemington.
<div class="media-youtube-video media-image media-youtube-1"><iframe title="50-52 Bellair Street, Kensington For Sale by Jayson Watts of Nelson Alexander" name="50-52 Bellair Street, Kensington For Sale by Jayson Watts of Nelson Alexander" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mgIBwa8YQxw?wmode=opaque&amp;controls=&amp;rel=0" frameborder="0" width="640" height="390"></iframe></div>
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1860s Kensington kit home Flagmount listed

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A ‘get tough’ approach to crime and anti-social behavior is leading to considerable impact on families relying on social housing, a new report says.
The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) report found that women affected by domestic violence are generally strongly supported by social housing landlords.
However, this commitment may falter during a social housing tenancy.
The <a href="http://icm-tracking.meltwater.com/link.php?DynEngagement=true&amp;H=I%2BqMhXDuIS2RujNbavWSOKShOr7Ezi73JeGvxlkJ09Qb0kDpZZQFeCTzmgUtUg1%2BzQeAWO80e2F3J%2F4q2HWFLF4FXbnSC1lXyjLygVwAtvkM0e27vOJOWpKowpV1KI6EYUpJH4RSSjI%3D&amp;G=0&amp;R=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ahuri.edu.au%2Fresearch%2Ffinal-reports%2F314&amp;I=20190612200354.000004df3d18%40mail6-46-ussnn1&amp;X=MHwxMDQ2NzU4OjVkMDA1MmIyYjA1ZjM5NTQ1MjYyMTNiYTs%3D&amp;S=WZsJZYyE7ljme70grOAcnPQELSIwGmgRHugo_o9zLag" target="_blank">Social housing legal responses to crime and anti-social behaviour: impacts on vulnerable families </a>report was conducted by researchers from UNSW Sydney and University of Tasmania.
It looked at social housing tenancies law, policies and 95 cases of eviction proceedings in five jurisdictions— New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
It also analyzed national policy principles relating to four groups of vulnerable people: women affected by domestic violence; children; Indigenous families; and people who problematically use alcohol and other drugs.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/6/13/social%20housing.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/6/13/social%20housing.jpg" alt="">
“Tenancy obligations and extended liability impose hard expectations that women will control the misconduct of male partners and children,” said lead researcher Dr Chris Martin from UNSW Sydney.
“In tenancy legal proceedings violence against women becomes framed as a ‘nuisance’ and some women are evicted because of violence against them.
“The cases involving drug offences in particular show a punitive approach, with very minor offences, or offences involving visitors or family members often resulting in termination proceedings.
“In some cases, tenants are evicted even though the criminal justice system outcome is to allow rehabilitation at home.”
The report suggested several policy changes that could be made to help social landlords, including:
<ul>
<li>reviewing the gender impacts of social housing policies and practice and sponsoring the cultivation of respectful relationships</li>
<li>adopting ‘the best interests of the child’ as the paramount factor in decisions about termination affecting children</li>
<li>establishing specific Indigenous housing organisations, officers and advocates</li>
<li>adopting harm minimisation as the guiding principle for responses to alcohol and other drug use, including where there is criminal offending.</li>
</ul>
“Responding to anti-social behaviour and misconduct in social housing is plainly a very challenging area of practice,” said Dr Martin.
“Many of the cases we reviewed involved highly conflictual, destructive and distressing behaviour.
“It appears that in most cases a single substantial contact between the social housing landlord and the tenant was sufficient to address any problems.
“However, where problematic behaviour continues, the usual course of escalating threats to the tenancy and pushing the tenant to ‘engage’ with the landlord and support services does not work for many.
“In those cases, people who are vulnerable may be evicted from their social housing, often into homelessness.
“We need to bring support out of the shadow of termination.”
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Social housing terminations are hurting vulnerable families: AHURI

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A Queensland Government scheme to install solar and battery storage units in houses and small businesses seems set to be under-subscribed when it closes on June 30.
Energy Minister Anthony Lynham is urging Queenslanders to join the scheme.
It provides interest-free loans and grants for solar and battery storage.
“Installing a solar battery can save you up to $600 a year, even after taking into account loan repayments,” he said. 
“This is a great opportunity to cut your power bill and your emissions.
“The clock is ticking on the scheme: check your eligibility, get a quote from an approved supplier and apply before it’s too late.”
More than 3000 home and small business owners have already applied for funding under the $21 million scheme.
It was designed to help about 4000 families and small businesses. 
Property owners can get grants of $3000 for batteries and interest-free loans of up to $10,000 for rooftop solar panels and batteries.
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Queensland government solar scheme for houses ends June 30

One of North Sydney's best-known commercial buildings could become hundreds of new homes, with insurance giant Zurich Australia lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to transform 5 Blue Street into a mixed-use residential development above North Sydney Station.

Rather than demolishing the existing building and starting again, Zurich is proposing an adaptive reuse project that would convert the landmark office building into a 15-level residential development delivering 62 apartments, 86 affordable co-living dwellings, activated retail and significant upgrades to the Blue Street Plaza.

The proposal reflects a growing trend of commercial property owners repositioning ageing office assets into residential housing as Sydney grapples with housing supply shortages and changing workplace demand.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0bba7d12-06dc-4375-aad7-238c94b21ac5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.42.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=NJl5oLAEBDGuPmY3RnyliKODjMc8lvRh" />

Located directly above North Sydney Metro and train station, the 3,051 sqm site occupies one of the most strategically positioned parcels of land on Sydney's Lower North Shore.

Designed by fjcstudio, the proposal seeks to retain and adapt much of the existing structure while creating a contemporary residential address that better connects with the public domain surrounding North Sydney Station.

The application proposes two basement levels, ground floor retail, affordable co-living accommodation across the podium levels, and apartments above, while preserving and enhancing the publicly accessible Blue Street Plaza.

Rather than pursuing maximum apartment numbers, Zurich has opted for a housing mix heavily weighted towards larger owner-occupier residences.

The proposal includes 62 build-to-sell apartments comprising 12 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom, 29 three-bedroom apartments and two premium penthouses. It also incorporates 86 affordable co-living dwellings, which would be managed in perpetuity by a Community Housing Provider.

That balance between traditional apartments and affordable housing reflects the NSW Government's push to increase housing diversity around major transport infrastructure.

The proposal has been lodged concurrently with a rezoning application, with Zurich arguing the site is ideally positioned to support additional housing given its immediate proximity to public transport, employment and services.

"The proposal aims to respond to the housing challenges facing Sydney through the delivery of diverse housing types in a highly accessible location," the design report by fjcstudio states. It also seeks to improve pedestrian amenity through upgrades to Blue Street Plaza while creating a high-performing residential building that responds to the surrounding context.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36082e15-c636-4481-bb68-5a5f6443fe39" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.41.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=5P6VD.fvmqjQfIG3TWWMRXxQWiQBjeFB" />

Rather than replacing the commercial building, fjcstudio has developed a design that works with the existing structural framework above the rail corridor, an approach that significantly reduces demolition while allowing the site to be repositioned as a mixed-use residential precinct.

The existing structural constraints have informed much of the building's design, including its relationship with Blue Street and surrounding public spaces.

The building has been designed as a slender tower rising above a clearly defined podium, with vertically expressed façades intended to reduce the perceived bulk while reinforcing North Sydney's emerging skyline.

According to fjcstudio, the architectural language responds directly to the surrounding commercial towers while maintaining a finer grain expression more closely aligned with the neighbouring Lavender Bay streetscape.

The tower incorporates articulated façade elements, landscaped podium edges and recessed upper levels to soften its appearance and improve pedestrian amenity below.

A significant component of the proposal is the revitalisation of Blue Street Plaza.

The existing public space has long served as one of the primary pedestrian connections between North Sydney Station, Greenwood Plaza and Blue Street, yet its role is expected to become even more important following the opening of Sydney Metro.

Zurich's proposal seeks to strengthen that role by improving landscaping, introducing new retail frontages, enhancing pedestrian permeability and creating more active edges throughout the day and evening.

Ground floor retail would wrap the plaza, while separate residential and co-living entries have been designed to improve wayfinding without reducing street activation.

Landscape design has been integrated throughout the podium and public realm, softening what is currently one of the most heavily urbanised parts of North Sydney.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

fjcstudio has carefully oriented apartments towards Sydney Harbour and the CBD while using privacy blades and articulated façades to minimise overlooking between neighbouring buildings.

Large framed openings along the western elevation maximise harbour outlooks, while the eastern apartments have been angled towards the south-east to improve privacy from neighbouring development.

The project forms part of the continuing transformation of North Sydney from a predominantly commercial CBD into a genuine mixed-use city centre.

Since the completion of Victoria Cross Metro Station, developers have increasingly shifted their attention towards residential projects capable of leveraging the area's unparalleled transport connectivity.

&nbsp;

FiveX recently lodged plans for a 61-storey, 490-apartment tower that would become one of the tallest residential buildings in North Sydney if approved.

Aqualand continues to expand its Lower North Shore presence following the completion of AURA on Walker Street and its recent St Leonards and Roseville proposals.

Developers are also progressing projects throughout Walker Street, Miller Street and the Victoria Cross precinct as demand for well-located owner-occupier apartments continues to strengthen.

Joel Robinson

First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station

Busy developer Aqualand Prestige has formally taken the next step in its expansion across Sydney's Lower North Shore, lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for its long-held Archer Street site in Chatswood.

The application covers <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/51-55-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">51-55 Archer Street</a>, a 1,767 sqm amalgamated site on the eastern edge of the Chatswood CBD, where the developer is seeking approval for a 45-level mixed-use tower delivering 114 apartments, including a significant affordable housing component, alongside retail, commercial space and six basement levels of parking.

The SSDA marks the latest milestone for a project Aqualand has been quietly progressing over the past two years. The developer first secured the site for its Aqualand Prestige platform before undertaking an alternative design excellence process with PTW Architects, ultimately avoiding a formal design competition through the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The proposal has evolved considerably from Aqualand's original concept. The revised scheme has been designed around larger owner-occupier product, with an unusually high proportion of three and four-bedroom apartments, targeting the more affluent buyer profile, and downsizer, emerging across the North Shore.

<img alt="Archer St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0171204c-5811-41b5-9b09-2335d1b7c3d0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%208.52.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=6YTuxfq.puZo7k2wbfgemcO5K3QfXYGQ" />

The 114-apartment mix comprises six studios, 27 one-bedroom apartments, 18 two-bedroom apartments, 50 three-bedroom residences and 13 four-bedroom homes. A quarter of the building will be dedicated to affordable housing, well above the mandated 15 per cent&nbsp;

PTW has structured the building vertically, with affordable housing across levels one to six, premium apartments through levels seven to 31, duplex skyhomes on klevels 32 to 43, a penthouse on level 44, and a rooftop plant level above. Six basement levels will provide resident parking and servicing.

The tower is proposed to reach approximately 154 metres, placing it among a growing collection of residential high-rises transforming Chatswood's skyline.

Rather than competing purely on height, PTW says the design has been driven by creating a slimmer tower capable of delivering significantly larger apartments.

"The primary objective of this project was to create a distinctive building that stands out from the recently approved or built structures in the Chatswood area," the design report states, noting the structural efficiency allows greater investment into apartment quality and resident amenity.

Residents would have access to more than 450 sqm of communal open space including landscaped gardens, swimming pool, rooftop entertaining areas, fitness spaces, community gardens, children's play areas and barbecue facilities.

A major focus of the design has been the public domain.

The ground plane has been opened up through landscaped terraces inspired by Willoughby's sandstone ridges, with native planting, public seating, artwork, retail activation and a series of gathering spaces intended to soften what has traditionally been a hard commercial streetscape.

The landscape strategy references Blue Gum forests once common throughout the area, while incorporating Indigenous storytelling, public art and lighting installations to strengthen the connection to Country.

Chatswood has been one of Sydney's busiest apartment markets over the past 12 months, with a steady pipeline of both new project launches and fresh development applications.

Hyecorp recently launched Celine, a 122-apartment development just along Archer Street, while Changfa and Huirong Group are progressing The Anderson, an 84-apartment project on Anderson Street.

Develotek recently secured approval for a 101-apartment tower on Pacific Highway, while Tian An LFD received the green light for Hammond Greens, its apartment development on the edge of the Chatswood Bowling Club.

Commercial property developer FiveX is also making its move into the residential market. Last month it lodged plans for a 61-storey tower with 490 apartments, which, if approved, would become one of the tallest residential buildings in Chatswood.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-fivex-targets-chatswood-skyline-with-61-storey-tower-after-north-sydney-plans">First look: FiveX targets Chatswood skyline with 61-storey tower after North Sydney plans</a>

Aqualand is also expanding its development pipeline following the launch of its luxury residential brand, Aqualand Prestige. The developer has delivered a string of high-end apartment projects across Sydney's affluent suburbs over the past decade, most recently AURA by Aqualand on Walker Street in North Sydney.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292863]

It has since quietly assembled its next wave of projects.

Earlier this year Aqualand launched Boronia in Roseville, a boutique 111-apartment development on Larkin Street. The project is one of the first significant apartment developments to launch in the suburb ahead of what is expected to become one of Sydney's most active new housing precincts under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms, which allow greater density around train stations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152095 project_image_fid=373685]

The developer has also lodged plans for a two-tower, 413-apartment development on Herbert Street in nearby St Leonards, further strengthening its presence across the Lower North Shore.

Beyond that, Aqualand remains behind the final stage of Barangaroo, where plans will deliver a five-hectare mixed-use precinct comprising new homes, retail, hospitality and community facilities, alongside a new Metro entrance and more than two hectares of public open space, completing the Barangaroo precinct.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/central-barangaroo-development-takes-big-step-with-concept-proposal-approval">Central Barangaroo development takes big step with concept proposal approval</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-aqualand-joins-st-leonards-apartment-party">First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party</a> 
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First look: Aqualand pushes ahead with Chatswood apartment tower as SSDA lodged for Archer Street

Mass timber is becoming an increasingly popular construction material in apartment developments, but Adelaide developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> is taking the approach a step further.

At its new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flowe-bowden-18-gibson-street-bowden-sa-5007">Flowe Bowden</a> development, the exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure isn't just about reducing the building's environmental footprint. It also forms the foundation of a broader wellness strategy, influencing everything from indoor air quality and natural materials to the way residents move through and experience the building.

The 115-apartment mixed-use development, designed by Melbourne-based architecture practice Fieldwork, will occupy a prominent island site opposite Bowden Village Reserve, combining one, two and three-bedroom apartments with retail and a dedicated wellness destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375528]

Wellness isn't confined to a gym or shared resident facility at Flowe. Instead, Fieldwork embedded the concept into the building itself.

The development has been split into two residential wings connected by a naturally ventilated central breezeway, replacing traditional enclosed corridors with open-air walkways that improve natural light, encourage cross ventilation and create more opportunities for neighbourly interaction.

"Rather than treating wellness as something that only happens on the ground floor, our response integrates it throughout the building, which led us to ask what it really means to design a healthy building," Fieldwork Director Quino Holland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375531]

The building's architecture also reflects Bowden's industrial heritage. The lower podium references the area's historic brick and sandstone buildings, while the upper levels transition to exposed CLT, allowing the timber structure to become a defining feature throughout the apartments and shared spaces.

The use of mass timber sits alongside a range of sustainability initiatives, including a fully electric, gas-free design, rooftop solar and a targeted 5 Star Green Star rating.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375524]

Inside the residences, the focus remains on natural, durable materials. Blackbutt engineered timber flooring, exposed CLT ceilings, porcelain surfaces and warm timber joinery create a calming interior palette, while low-VOC finishes and responsibly sourced materials have been selected to improve indoor air quality.

Kitchens have been designed as the centrepiece of each apartment, featuring porcelain island benchtops, timber-look cabinetry and brushed steel tapware, with layouts that maximise natural light and ventilation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375530]

The more traditional interpretation of wellness comes in the form of Level Eleven, a two-storey wellness club spanning the ground floor, mezzanine and first floor.

The facility will include a gym, yoga and reformer Pilates studios, Finnish and infrared saunas, magnesium hot and cold plunge pools, and dedicated recovery spaces. Unlike many residential wellness facilities, Level Eleven will also operate commercially, allowing the broader Bowden community to access the venue while giving residents exclusive membership benefits.

The ground floor has also been designed around everyday living. A café overlooking Bowden Village Reserve will activate the street frontage, while a bike workshop with tool storage, co-working space and dog wash has been incorporated to support daily routines and encourage interaction between residents.

"Flowe brings together my two biggest passions, creating places and creating healthier lives," Otello founder Daniel Harris said.

"We wanted to create something Adelaide hasn't seen before, a genuinely healthy building, where the way you live is lifted without even trying."

Flowe is positioned directly opposite Bowden Village Reserve and within walking distance of Bowden Railway Station and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, placing future residents just minutes from the Adelaide CBD while remaining connected to one of the city's most established urban renewal precincts.

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Otello launches wellness-focused Flowe Bowden with Adelaide-first mass timber apartment design

Not all apartment amenities are immediately visible.

Swimming pools, gyms, rooftop terraces and residents' lounges have long featured on buyers' wishlists, but as the way Australians live has changed, so too have the features that make apartment living more convenient.

Increasingly, buyers are placing value on the practical aspects of day-to-day life. Fast internet, EV charging, secure bike storage, flexible workspaces and parcel management are becoming just as relevant as lifestyle amenities, reflecting changing habits and expectations.

Online shopping has been one of the biggest drivers of that shift.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally, making parcel deliveries a routine part of everyday life rather than an occasional convenience.

For apartment residents, however, receiving those deliveries isn't always straightforward.

Without someone home to accept a parcel, deliveries can be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in building foyers or common areas, or require building management to temporarily store packages. As apartment living continues to grow across Australia's cities, parcel management has become an increasingly important consideration for both residents and developers.

Australia Post's Parcel Locker network is one response to that shift.

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Rather than relying on home delivery, eligible parcels can be directed to a nominated Parcel Locker, where they're securely stored until collected. Once a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can retrieve it using a one-time code or QR code at a time that suits them.

The network has expanded to more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with Parcel Lockers positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and, increasingly, within or alongside residential developments.

That growing presence reflects a broader change in how apartment buildings are being planned.

Developers are increasingly considering the operational side of apartment living alongside traditional lifestyle amenities. Just as secure mailrooms, bicycle storage and EV charging have become more common inclusions, parcel management is emerging as another feature that supports everyday convenience.

It also helps preserve the arrival experience within a building. Carefully designed lobbies and communal spaces can quickly become cluttered when deliveries accumulate, while secure parcel solutions reduce the likelihood of missed deliveries or parcels being left unattended.

For buyers comparing apartments, these everyday details are becoming part of the decision-making process.

Location, floorplans and finishes remain fundamental, but the features that simplify daily life are carrying greater weight than they once did. As online shopping continues to shape consumer behaviour, secure parcel delivery is increasingly becoming another amenity worth looking for.

Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

Inca Property Group has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Dawn, a 53-apartment oceanfront development overlooking Mona Vale Beach.

The proposal, at 35-39 Darley Street East, would replace an existing 18-apartment strata building with a new owner-occupier-focused development comprising 53 two and three-bedroom apartments, including nine affordable built-to-rent residences delivered under the State's infill affordable housing scheme.

Positioned on a 2,679 sqm elevated site around 280 metres from Mona Vale Beach, the development has been designed to maximise panoramic ocean views while responding to the site's sloping topography.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/inca-property-group">Inca Property Group</a> Managing Director Josh Thompson said the State Significant pathway provided greater certainty for projects of this scale.

"This State Significant pathway gives the team real certainty to progress <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/dawn-35-39-darley-street-east-mona-vale-nsw-2103">Dawn</a> through to completion," Thompson said.

"It allows us to acquire a one-off site, design it carefully and deliver the right offering for the suburb, assessed by the NSW Government's planning department."

The project is one of the first developments in the area to be assessed under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, with the site sitting on the edge of the policy's designated inner area.

The proposal includes three basement levels providing 124 car spaces, alongside a range of resident amenities including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, wellness facilities and private plunge pools for selected ground-floor and penthouse apartments.

<img alt="Dawn" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc1a1daf-0ce4-4f12-9076-b1fa553c7a91" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-21%20at%208.42.11%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4GZ9h.gpNkTljbxyAET8Jfhv51XUamDm" />

Thompson said Dawn had been designed specifically for owner-occupiers and downsizers, a buyer profile that has driven demand across Inca's recent Upper North Shore developments.

"The majority of buyers in our recent North Shore projects have been downsizers, and we are learning exactly what this market is looking for. Beyond the location itself, we have included resort-style amenities to deliver a genuine lifestyle offering," Thompson said.

Located within walking distance of Mona Vale Beach, the town centre, Mona Vale Golf Club and the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Dawn represents Inca's first Northern Beaches project following the sell-out of Tara on Park in Waitara and Ellis Residences, currently under construction in St Ives.

Construction will be undertaken by Inca's in-house construction arm, GOP Constructions.

Dawn is the latest major apartment proposal for Mona Vale, with the suburb emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of the NSW Government's new Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy.

New developer One Living, led by industry veteran Joseph Scuderi, recently secured a site on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, where it is planning around 140 apartments.

IPM is also planning its third project in Mona Vale, significantly increasing the scale of its previous developments with an 82-apartment proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/159-167-darley-street-west-mona-vale-nsw-2103">159-167 Darley Street West</a>, opposite Bayview Golf Course and less than 800 metres from Mona Vale town centre.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/one-living-enters-sydneys-new-apartment-market-with-northern-beaches-site-acquisition">One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-ipm-plans-third-mona-vale-project">First look: IPM plans third Mona Vale project</a>

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