A landmark former orphanage site in Surrey Hills could be transformed into a new residential community under plans lodged by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/antipodean-land-developments">Antipodean Land Developments</a> that would deliver 76 apartments and townhouses while restoring some of the suburb's most significant heritage buildings.

The burgeoninng Melbourne-based developer has submitted plans for the 9,158 sqm site at 1 Kent Road and 24 Durham Road, home to the former St Joseph's Home for Destitute Children, a historic institutional complex dating back to the late 19th century. The proposal seeks to adaptively reuse several heritage buildings while introducing two new four-storey residential buildings set within extensive landscaped grounds.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> and Kerstin Thompson Architects, the project has been conceived as a contemporary residential village embedded within a restored heritage precinct. The development team describes the design approach as "The Village in the Garden," with new buildings positioned among mature landscaping by OCULUS and significant heritage structures.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="44ec8c1b-c0b6-44ae-859e-5811b3e6a023" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29.png?VersionId=p.p1_KFh4iQoV4nisdnPfQBAsWNi7m79" />

The proposal would deliver 76 dwellings comprising a mix of apartments and duplex-style residences, significantly increasing housing supply on one of the largest privately held residential landholdings in Surrey Hills. The development includes 127 car spaces, 24 bicycle spaces and more than 1,000 sqm of communal amenity, with the existing chapel building earmarked for conversion into resident facilities.

According to the planning submission, the project centres on the restoration and adaptive reuse of the site's most significant heritage assets, including the original c.1889 St Joseph's building, the chapel designed by architect Augustus Andrew Fritsch, and the historic brick perimeter walls and entry gates. The proposal also incorporates the retention of other contributory buildings including the former infirmary and school building.

Tract Consultants, in the planning report accompanying the application, said the scheme had been shaped through extensive heritage analysis and design development.

"The shared vision for the Site by the project team has culminated in a scheme which successfully breathes life back into a historic site while delivering upon the objectives of Victoria's Housing Statement in a carefully curated and contextually responsive manner."

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7263b7d8-95ea-400f-9531-6ca7d22c3c33" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29.png?VersionId=4cR1tiWOsDpgxEOwZi5vVFcyvvOsYkIE" />

The proposal is being assessed under Victoria's Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway. As part of the application, three per cent of the project's residential development cost would be contributed to the Social Housing Growth Fund. The development would also provide a diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom residences targeting a broader range of buyers than typically found in Surrey Hills' detached housing market.

Sustainability initiatives include an anticipated 66 per cent BESS score, natural cross-ventilation to 80 per cent of apartments, 28 per cent deep soil landscaping and a canopy cover outcome exceeding local planning requirements. The proposal also sets aside more than 1,083 sqm for communal indoor and outdoor resident amenity spaces.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="33fad46f-fe26-4d0a-acfd-6b776e1c6a3d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design.png?VersionId=D9F6WVSyYCtGvSUmith35LRp6R7PQkw_" />

Planning documents describe the property as one of the largest underutilised residential sites in Surrey Hills, arguing it presents a rare opportunity to introduce "missing middle" housing in an established inner-eastern suburb while preserving and revitalising a significant heritage precinct.

Antipodean Land Developments has built a reputation for design-focused residential projects across Melbourne, particularly in the medium-density sector. Previous developments include Neighbourhood in Brunswick East, delivered with Breathe Architecture, and Balfe Park Lane, designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects.

They've been very active in site acquisition as they build out their future development pipeline. They recently launched Thornubury House, 45 apartments above a mix of commercial, retail, and food and beverage tenancies, and have plans for a boutique project in Fitzroy and another <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/antipodean-plan-apartments-for-deepdenes-missing-middle-on-whitehorse-road">"missing middle" project</a> on Deepdene's Whitehorse Road.

Joel Robinson

First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills

Developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/auyin-property-development">Auyin</a> is the latest to turn to the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program in an effort to secure approval for its long-planned, mixed-use project in Elsternwick.

In 2018, Auyin lodged plans with Glen Eira City Council for a 14-storey building, however Council approved a reduced eight-storey scheme. A subsequent VCAT appeal in 2019 upheld the eight-storey height limit.

The project was later amended to nine storeys, but Auyin is now seeking to revive something closer to its original vision. The developer argues that the planning context has evolved significantly over the past decade, particularly within the Elsternwick Activity Centre, where higher-density development has increasingly been encouraged along Glen Huntly Road.

The proposal would transform the 1,239 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/7-12-horne-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">7-15 Horne Street</a>, opposite Elsternwick Railway Station, into a 13-storey residential and retail development designed by CBG Architects, with 40 apartments

The site currently comprises three commercial properties.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5f465dd4-509b-4082-a669-0253b313914b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20podium.png?VersionId=72frWi0SmQ5AVJ3ARRhX5ILUYObhTm7x" />

The proposed apartment mix comprises 25 two-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom residences above 200 sqm of retail space at ground level. Residents would have access to a 90 sqm wellness facility, a 351 sqm communal indoor and outdoor terrace on the third level, and extensive landscaped areas throughout the development. A publicly accessible 135 sqm plaza would be created on the north-east corner of the site, providing seating, landscaping, and a new gathering space adjoining Horne Street.

The design adopts a four-storey podium that references the finer-grain character of the surrounding streetscape, with the upper tower recessed behind generous setbacks on all boundaries.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e637e763-2abc-4c34-a0aa-5c7ad36fae18" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20open.png?VersionId=J1AoOpZgTyaF.KeeFSX6lMjEScX8KKRi" />

A key element of the proposal is the reconfiguration and widening of the surrounding laneways. Vehicle access would be retained from Lois Lane, with upgraded pedestrian connections linking Ross Street and Horne Street. The development would provide 58 residential car spaces, two retail car spaces, and 52 bicycle spaces across two basement levels and ground-floor facilities.

Architecturally, the building draws inspiration from the established character of Elsternwick Village. The façade combines dark charcoal brickwork, textured concrete, bronze-toned metal detailing, and extensive planting integrated into podium and tower levels. The design also incorporates a chamfered corner treatment and publicly accessible plaza intended to strengthen pedestrian activity around the station precinct.

Elsternwick's last new development completion was&nbsp;EVA Elsternwick by Pitard late last year. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/milieu-property">Milieu</a> is working away on its nature-led neighbourhood, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/elsternwick-gardens-by-milieu-8-gordon-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">Elsternwick Gardens</a>, on Gordon Street, with its first stage expected to complete next year.

First look: Auyin seeks mixed-use apartment project in growing Elsternwick Activity Centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/otium-parkdale-123-125-como-parade-east-parkdale-vic-3195">Otium Parkdale</a>, the 13-residence boutique development by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/huxtable-property">Huxtable Property</a>, has entered its final stages of delivery, with completion expected within the coming month and more than half of the residences sold.

The Como Parade East project is nearing the finish line at a time when opportunities to purchase new apartments in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parkdale-vic-3195">Parkdale</a> remain exceptionally limited. Fewer than 10 per cent of dwellings in the bayside suburb are apartments, making developments like Otium a relatively rare addition to a market traditionally dominated by detached housing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5427]

The three-level development comprises 13 residences, including ten two-bedroom apartments and three larger three-bedroom homes, all positioned above a secure basement car park.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/almeida-architects">Almeida Architects</a> with a strong connection to its coastal surroundings, Otium combines red brick, exposed concrete and dark metal detailing with integrated landscaping and greenery. Expansive glazing, generous balconies and terraces have been incorporated throughout the design to maximise natural light and reinforce indoor-outdoor living.

Inside, the residences feature engineered European oak flooring, natural and reconstituted stone benchtops, Bosch kitchen appliances, ducted heating and cooling, lift access and secure entry systems. The larger three-bedroom residences on the upper level have been designed with house-like proportions, while the two-bedroom apartments prioritise functionality, flexibility and low-maintenance living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5421]

The project is now in its final stages, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/labco">Labco</a> completing the remaining landscaping and external finishing works following the completion of the residences' interiors.

Otium's location within the heart of Parkdale continues to underpin its appeal. Residents will be just steps from local cafés, restaurants, shops and the newly elevated Parkdale Station, while the beach is less than a kilometre away.

With the project tracking ahead of schedule, buyers can currently secure a residence with a five per cent deposit and benefit from settlement terms of up to eight months. The advanced stage of construction also provides buyers with the opportunity to walk through the near-complete residences and experience the quality and finishes firsthand ahead of completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134974]

Otium Parkdale enters final month before completion as rare apartment opportunity nears sellout

A new boutique apartment development is entering the market in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/chermside-qld-4032">Chermside</a>, with Brisbane-based developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ausdev">Ausdev</a> bringing 33 residences to a well-connected pocket of Brisbane's north.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/parkdrive-apartments-chermside-25-sammells-drive-chermside-qld-4032">Parkdrive Apartments</a>, at 25 Sammells Drive, will comprise a mix of one- and two-bedroom residences positioned within walking distance of Westfield Chermside, The Prince Charles Hospital, and Bradbury Park.

Established in 1989, Ausdev has a long-standing presence across both development and construction, with Parkdrive Apartments representing its latest residential project in Brisbane's northern suburbs.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363778]

The development has been designed around open-plan living and natural light, with residences featuring stone benchtops, timber cabinetry, BOSCH appliances, and private balconies that extend the living areas outdoors.

Kitchens are positioned as the centrepiece of the homes, incorporating natural material palettes and integrated appliances, while bathrooms have been designed with a focus on functionality and understated finishes.

Residents will have access to a communal barbecue and entertaining area on Level 3, providing shared outdoor space within the development. Secure parking and lift access are also incorporated into the building.

The project will deliver a limited collection of 33 apartments, with one-bedroom residences priced from $749,000.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363782]

Beyond the building itself, the location places residents within easy reach of several of Chermside's key amenities. Bradbury Park is around 350 metres away, while Westfield Chermside is approximately 1.3 kilometres from the site. The Prince Charles Hospital is located within 750 metres, and the Chermside Bus Interchange is around 1.5 kilometres away, providing connections across Brisbane.

Parkdrive Apartments adds to the growing residential pipeline in Chermside, a suburb that continues to evolve as a major retail, healthcare, and transport hub for Brisbane's north.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152125]

Ausdev introduces boutique Parkdrive Apartments to Chermside's growing centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/skymark-group">Skymark</a>'s boutique Cronulla development Solis has secured a 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy through Resilience Insurance, providing buyers of the 16-residence building on Ewos Parade with structural and waterproofing protection that extends a decade beyond the building's completion.

Currently under construction and due for completion in late 2027, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/solis-cronulla-8-ewos-parade-cronulla-nsw-2230">Solis</a> is one of a small number of new developments in the Sutherland Shire to carry Resilience LDI coverage, a distinction that carries increasing weight as buyer confidence in the off-the-plan sector continues to be shaped by how developers stand behind their product.

Latent Defects Insurance, which entered the Australian market in 2022 when Resilience Insurance was approved to offer the cover, protects buyers against major structural or waterproofing defects for ten years post-completion. Unlike traditional statutory warranties, it operates as a first-resort policy, if a covered defect arises, the insurer responds directly, without the buyer needing to pursue the builder or developer through a lengthy claims process.

Resilience Insurance CEO Corey Nugent has noted that the product addresses something fundamental to the new apartment market.

"The overarching feedback from prospective buyers in the new development space is that they want more confidence and assurances around the quality of the build," Nugent says.

"Resilience Insurance Latent Defects Insurance not only gives them complete peace of mind for 10 years, but it shows the developer they are buying from is standing by their product."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370898]

For Solis, the Resilience LDI policy adds a meaningful layer of accountability to an already considered project. The development comprises nine two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom residences, including one dual-level three-bedroom apartment, across a five-storey building on Ewos Parade, positioned between Shelly Beach and South Cronulla.

Garden apartments connect directly to private landscaped courtyards, while upper-level homes capture beach views to the east from level four and above.&nbsp;

All 16 residences include at least one balcony or courtyard, and select apartments on the upper floors feature bar areas and secondary flexible living spaces.

Hiba Sander, Managing Director of Skymark, says Solis offers a rare balance, nestled between the quiet beauty of secluded beaches and the lively charm of South Cronulla's esplanade.

"It's a place to choose your pace and live gracefully, seaside'," Sander says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370900]

The architecture, designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ida-design-group">IDA Design Group</a>'s Michael Trinh, draws from the natural erosion patterns of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/cronulla-nsw-2230">Cronulla</a>'s sandstone headlands, translating the organic forms of the coastline into soft curves, pavilion-style massing, and a material palette chosen for longevity in a salt-tinged environment.&nbsp;

Textured natural stone, soft renders, and timber-look battens reference the tones of the surrounding cliffs, while the building has been oriented to maximise natural light and passive ventilation, with primary living spaces facing north and east to capture morning sun and sea breezes.

"At Solis, our aim was to create architecture that feels quietly confident, grounded in natural materials like stone and timber, and elevated by light and landscape," Trinh says.&nbsp;

"The buildings are designed to sit gently within their coastal surrounds, with expansive glazing and abundant greenery creating a seamless dialogue between inside and out."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370897]

Interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hot-black">Hot Black</a> carry the same material language through to every room. Kitchens feature integrated Gaggenau appliances, sculpted stone benchtops, and Lo &amp; Co joinery, while bathrooms feature natural stone, timber, and brushed metal finishes.&nbsp;

Hot Black Founder and Design Director Sophie Safrin describes the intent as one of considered restraint: "At Solis, every detail has been thoughtfully considered to create a timeless coastal retreat, calm, refined, and effortlessly liveable. From natural finishes to seamless indoor-outdoor flow, Solis offers a quiet elegance that's deeply connected to its surroundings.

The landscape, designed by Julian Brady of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/sitedesignstudios">Site Design Studios</a>, treats green space as an integral part of the resident experience rather than an afterthought.&nbsp;

"Gentle curves and layered native plantings mirror the ebb and flow of the ocean," Julian Brady says, "creating a serene connection between architecture and place."&nbsp;

Coco Republic has provided bespoke furniture packages tailored to the project's coastal palette.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370899]

Skymark has an established track record in the Sutherland Shire, with a portfolio spanning Cronulla, Woolooware and Burraneer that includes Isla, Sylva, Bask, Shells, Sula and Mist. Securing LDI on Solis reflects a broader shift in how the developer is positioning its buildings to buyers, at a time when Resilience Insurance expects the policy to become mandatory in New South Wales by 2028.

Sales at Solis are launching soon through Ray White Projects, with an official event scheduled for 11 June. Enquire for more information.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150499]

Skymark takes out 10-year Resilience Insurance LDI at Solis Cronulla

<html><body>
A commercial freehold building in the heart of Sydney CBD has been brought to the market by CBRE.
Located at 296 George Street, the building is opposite Wynyard Station with its corner position well suited to a retail business.
The ground and first two levels are for lease while the basement level is occupied by Lee's Malaysian Restaurant (includes adjoining 300 George Street strata lot).
The building’s land area is about 82 sqm. 
Julian Choo and Tim Grosmann of CBRE are looking after the sales campaign.
The property last exchanged hands in 2013 for $5.8 million though it was listed for $6 million, according to RP Data. It spent 169 days on the market then. The vendor was Advance Bank of Australia.
<img src="/images/2016/10/17/SydCBD2.jpg" alt="">
</body></html>

prateek24-ezbwHMbNAk

Commercial building suited to retail in Sydney CBD comes to the market

<html><body>
Australia’s cities may witness a retail renaissance as governments invest in public transport infrastructure like the light rail which is likely to support the expansion of retail outside of the core CBD areas, says new research by real estate firm Colliers International.
Seasonally adjusted national retail sales data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics grew at 3.6 percent year on year, just below the rolling 10-year average rate. 
Given the rotation toward the services-orientated sectors, it’s unsurprising that retail sales are strongest within the south eastern states, according to the research.
New South Wales and Victoria, now boast annualised growth rates of (4.95 per ent year on year) and (4.30 percent year on year) respectively, well above the national average. Retail sales growth in resource orientated economies of Queensland and Western Australia are less impressive at just (1.2 percent year on year) and (2.04 percent year on year) respectively.
Retail market conditions have been mixed across states, reflecting in part the ABS sales data trends, according to Michael Bate, head of Retail and national director at Colliers International.
“Within the CBD markets, our proprietary Colliers Edge data from Quarter 1 in 2016 (1Q16) suggests that rental growth has been the strongest in Sydney while incentive levels across almost all cities has remained broadly unchanged. 
“CBD sales activity confirms this trend, with cap rates remaining the sharpest in Sydney and Melbourne. However, we note that all CBD’s have experienced cap rate compression on an annualised basis.
“Going forward we expect apparel /department stores to maintain momentum and we should see some growth in cafes /restaurants as the impacts of the lower dollar and increased tourism take hold.
“The Light Rail really is a game-changer, especially for Sydney CBD retailers and harks back to the city’s glory days when trams connected shoppers with a network of department stores.
“Department store retailers like Marcus Clark &amp; Co., Waltons, Anthony Hordern &amp; Sons and Mark Foy’s ruled Sydney’s CBD up until mid-last century. In the CBD core alone there were around 18 department stores connected by Sydney’s network of trams.
“Fast forward to today and with retail vacancy at negligible levels, the requirement for larger floor space in excess of 2,000 sqm and significant growth in white collar employment retailers will now be forced to look outside the core of the CBD to the north at Circular Quay and south towards Central Station. The backbone of this retail renaissance is light rail, increasing connectivity between outlets and facilitating the necessary foot traffic to support new retailers” he continued.
Sydney’s transformation has already begun with construction of the light rail currently underway on George Street and other areas adjacent to the CBD. The light rail is being supplemented by the Sydney Metro project that will extend from Sydney’s North West, through the CBD and then out to the South Western corridor. Both projects are expected to open for initial operation in 2019.
Melbourne’s well-integrated tram system is already in operation but there is further development afoot. Currently the City Loop rail network is running at capacity, so to optimise the efficiency of CBD rail transport, the Metro Tunnel will traverse the City Loop, allowing more trains to run into, and out of the city. The project will incorporate five new underground stations, with two of these located in the CBD. Construction will take place between 2018 and 2026. 
In Queensland, a plan for a proposed $1.54 billion Brisbane Metro was revealed in January this year, while the Queensland government has labelled the Cross River Rail as its highest priority infrastructure project. Both rail projects are aimed at increasing overall CBD transport efficiencies, however, funding for both projects has not yet been finalised. 
In the Gold Coast, stage 1 of the light rail project has been completed, with stage 2 currently under construction. Stage 2 will connect the existing light rail network in the south to Helensvale station. 
In Perth, the Metro Area Express (MAX) is a proposed high capacity service running from the CBD to Mirrabooka in the north with the objective of reducing traffic congestion. Construction will commence in 2019 with completion estimated to occur in late 2022.
The reintroduction of light rail systems in Australia’s CBDs will not only alleviate congestion, it will facilitate the growth of retail precincts as the demand for amenity and retail sites increases.
“Over the past 5 years, we have witnessed the introduction of many offshore brands to our CBDs as the tastes of domestic consumers evolves. Brands such as Uniqlo, H&amp;M, Zara and Topshop are not asking for 150m of space, they’re asking for 1,500sqm or more, often over multiple floors” said Bate.
Nationally, investment volumes have risen swiftly in the 2016 calendar year to date and now sit at just under A$3.3 billion. Although this is still a long way off the volumes of 2015, investor demand for retail assets remains strong.
“The decision by institutions like Vicinity Centres and Blackstone to recycle capital has lifted overall transaction volumes,” said Lachlan MacGillivray, head of Retail Investment Services at Colliers International.
Shopping centre dynamics are more diverse, although it appears that across centre categories, rental growth was weakest in Perth.
Data through to 1Q16 suggests that shopping centre incentive levels have moved a little higher, particularly within the sub-regional category although the quantum of movement remains in the low single digits. 
Shopping centre cap rates compressed across all cities and categories on an annualised basis with the only exception being Perth’s regional centres where there was no movement over the year to 1Q16. Across centre categories cap rates are generally sharpest in Sydney in Melbourne while remaining higher in Perth and Adelaide.
“Market conditions also augur well for the retail sector more generally. Consumers will continue to benefit from record low interest rates as the RBA strives to support our economic transition from mining towards services. Additionally, discretionary spending will be supported by oil prices that are well below 2014 highs, even with the recent rally back towards the US$50 mark” he continued.
According to Andrew Johnston, national director of Retail Valuations at Colliers International, the national supply of retail floor area would increase from 429,000 sqm in2016 to a peak of just over 580,000 sqm in 2017. 
“This supply is concentrated to shopping centres and large format assets acrossNSW and Victoria. Overall retail supply levels taperfrom 2017 onward with 500,000 sqm, 153,000 sqm and 74,000 sqm being delivered in 2018, 2019 and 2020 respectively. Supplyis weighted toward shopping centres, with Queensland and NSW being the main recipients in 2018”.
Johnston went on to say that large format retail experienced some rental growth with the strongest annualised gains taking place in Sydney and Adelaide.
“Incentives over the year have remained broadly stable although there have been slight increases in Melbourne (+3%y/y) and Perth (+4%y/y). Large format cap rates have compressed further with the strongest activity taking place in Sydney” he said.
OUTLOOK
Despite some high profile corporate missteps occurring over the year, and some sluggish economic data releases, we caution from adopting a gloomy outlook for retail. Lower for longer interest rates and subdued fuel prices relative to 2014 will continue to support discretionary spending. 
Additionally the economic rotation toward services and a lower Australian dollar should support retail sales in the south eastern states and those areas exposed to the tourism sector. 
The spatial demand from international retailers together with CBD transport infrastructure development should lead to rental growth over time. On the investment side, the demand for assets remains high as evident in recent transactional activity. The key challenge looking forward is simply the lack of stock availability coming to market.
</body></html>

Game changer light rail to breathe new life into CBD retail: Colliers

<html><body>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/57114/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Back in the 1960s, the influential urban planner and journalist Jane Jacobs put American cities under the microscope. Jacobs was aiming to explain, and suggest ways of remedying, the hollowing out, or “doughnut effect”, which left previously well-functioning city centres rundown and devoid of new blood.
The effect was less dramatic in Australian cities, which had few, if any, residential populations in their central business districts until comparatively recently. And many of the innermost suburbs that surrounded the CBDs were industrialised and yet to feel the decline of manufacturing.
Of course, today the situation is completely reversed across Western cities. The emergence of the service economy and explosive growth of professional classes are promoting gentrification and squillion-dollar property values.
Jacobs’ conditions for a vibrant city life were that districts must serve at least two functions to attract persons of different purposes around the clock. Further, blocks must be small, with many opportunities for pedestrians to interact and a diverse range of buildings. Finally, there needed to be reasonable density. The idea was that “vitality” had a lot to do with chance encounters.
<h2>Digital entanglement</h2>
Jacobs’ encounters have now been supplemented if not entirely supplanted by social media. Enter some Italian researchers who hit upon the idea of mining “big data”. In this case, they used mobile phone calls cross-referenced to satellite-derived records such as Open Street Map to gauge where precisely this feverish activity was happening across six of Italy’s large cities. (In corroboration of Jacobs’ thesis, the best places were found to be “day end points” with concentrations of office workers at large, as well as small streets and blocks with historic buildings.)
There’s a sense that this “interconnectivity” is becoming a signal of city vitality/vibrancy. The two elements are becoming entangled like subatomic particles.
Moreover, it’s a natural fit with the vogue for blending IT with strategic planning. The new ministerial portfolio, cities and digital transformation, exemplifies this.
<h2>Smart city buzz</h2>
You don’t have to venture far into urban policy space before coming across the idea of the “smart city”. There’s a near-continuous run of conferences on the topic and even a Turnbull government plan. The plan features, among other measures, a blend of big-data thinking, with “better benchmarking of city performance”, and the prescriptions set out in Edward Glaeser’s 2013 book, Triumph of the City.
Glaeser views cities as places where human ingenuity can flourish and skills are developed and refined – a combination driving economic and technological advance. He believes increased densification, including a “vertical city” with yet higher stacks of buildings, is integral to achieving these objectives.
Glaeser, however, illustrates complexities in this debate. Jacobs opposed the view that high-rise cities create beneficial interactions. And concern is growing that increased reliance on digital communication will radically reduce urban human interaction.
<h2>Reckoning with a cantankerous planet</h2>
Smart cities need to be “resilient” if they’re to counter, for example, Paul Gilding’s “great disruption”. This includes life-threatening heat, desiccation and killer peri-urban fires. High-rise cities may prove to be the least adaptable human constructions in an era of fundamental change and add considerably to the urban heat island effect.
Should an economic perspective – like this, for instance – remain the main if not the sole focus for cities? This in a year when atmospheric carbon reached an irreversible 400ppm; the Great Barrier Reef’s coral is bleaching; wildfires have destroyed towns and cities in Canada; India has recorded its hottest day on record 51°C;  Paris has been heavily flooded; and sea-level rise threatens to inundate Silicon Valley, the spiritual home of start-ups – not to mention our home-grown variety of storm surge, erosion and flooding.
Is there something we’re missing? In the rhetoric surrounding smart cities it’s difficult to unearth specific reference to the natural world and its current plight. And when there is, it’s often a few throwaway lines about the value of green space in protecting biological diversity and threatened species.
Contrast this with the growing awareness of the benefits to our psyche of exposure to the natural world (even acting as a boost to productivity in the workplace).
Set these observations against the revelation that today’s children – the inheritors of the smart city – are spending less time outdoors than prisoners. This has occurred in a generation for whom the environment is unlikely to be mainstream given that their reality is ultimately what appears on a screen. Digital connectivity in low-amenity vertical communities is likely to prove a poor substitute for the kind of city Jacobs advocated.
Reconnecting kids and others requires rejigging our perspective, as well as starting to look out for vestiges of wildlife that has sought refuge in our cities. And providing for local food production is as big as big data itself, but that’s something for another day.
Peter Fisher is adjunct professor, Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-fisher-20629" target="_blank">here</a>.
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Taking the city’s pulse: we need to link urban vitality back to the planet

<html><body>
A 194.9 sqm office on Sydney's Pitt St, in the iconic Royal Exchange building has been leased of four years at $975 per sqm.
MaxCap Group leased the property at Level 23, 56 Pitt Street from DEXUS in a deal negotiated by Seann Cash, Knight Frank and Emma Cacciotti, Cushman &amp; Wakefield. 
The Royal Exchange building is a 26-story building developed in 1967 and refurbished in 1998.
</body></html>

po-LsXgBTHBmX

MaxCap Group leases Pitt Street office

<html><body>
An iconic Melbourne CBD building which was first traded in 1965 for $57,000 is back on the market with an enviable, fully-leased, tenancy profile boasting two tenants who have been on site for an average 30 years.
The 185-187 Lonsdale Street property is for private sale with an asking price of $9.9 million
The property is at the corner of Waratah Place, directly opposite QV and within both Melbourne’s Chinatown and Greek precincts -- the key to the longevity of the tenants, according to Nick Peden and Clinton Baxter of Savills, who are marketing the property with Burgess Rawson’s Jamie Perlinger and Nick Breheny,
One of the tenants, Greek cake house International Cakes, has been a tenant at the building for 46 years – one of the longest running retail-strip tenancies in the city.
"This is a really interesting building not just because of the beautiful architecture but because its standing in two of the CBD’s most iconic cross-cultural precincts – Chinatown and the Greek precinct – and of course the two tenants whose exceptionally long leases are testament to the value of the right location," said Peden.
"Chinatown is one of Melbourne's most vibrant and popular 24-hour precincts, while the Greek precinct serves a Greek population which is the largest in the world outside of Greece.’’ 
Perlinger said the three level, 550 square metre, building remained in excellent condition and stands on a 188 square metre site with a combined 30 metres frontage to Lonsdale Street and Waratah Place.
International Cakes is on a current five-year lease with two further extensions at a net rental of $240,000 per annum, while WahWah Lounge, which has been in occupation for 15 years, has a three-year lease with two three-year options at a net rental of $114,545 per annum.
International Cakes has an Australia wide reputation for producing a wide range of Greek style cakes, pastries and tarts including pasteli, nougat, halva, and loukimi.
</body></html>

Historic Melbourne CBD building, first traded for $57,000, back on market

<html><body>
Travel Agency, Classic Mooloolaba, has agreed terms on a new lease in Melbourne’s CBD in a deal negotiated by Savills Australia.
Located next to Coles Central, the Shop 5, 2-26 Elizabeth Street property comprises a 19square metre tenancy leased on a three year term with options at a rental in excess of $8600 per annum gross.  
According to Savills Australia Retail Executive, Jock Thomson, who brokered the deal with colleague Michael Di Carlo, the tenant, required a modern CBD premises with excellent exposure.
Mr Thomson said the deal represented great value for both the owner, Fivex Pty Ltd, and the tenant, which will have the opportunity to increase its trade through the enormous foot traffic and exceptional exposure to Elizabeth Street.  
"The location, on the eastern side of Elizabeth Street, between Flinders Street and Flinders Lane is one of the busiest sections of any street in Melbourne, catching both commuters and tourists through its proximity to Flinders Street Station.
"This is an ideal location for this type of business,’’ Mr Thomson said.   
</body></html>

Savills lease Classic Mooloolaba retail space in Melbourne

<html><body>
<h4> </h4>
GUEST OBSERVER
The federal environment and acting cities minister, Greg Hunt, on Tuesday pledged to increase the number of trees in Australian cities. In a bid to fight higher urban temperatures, the plan will set targets for tree cover.
This is part of a green revolution spreading through the world’s cities. From New York to Singapore, urban areas are undertaking bold “greenspace” initiatives – removing concrete and allowing trees and vegetation back in.
Some of the benefits include replacing the ugly infrastructural trappings of vehicles and motorways as well as cooling cities, absorbing air pollution and minimising runoff. These greenings further have mental health benefits, by bringing residents and visitors alike back into contact with the land.
But what about wildlife? Trees alone aren’t enough to bring back nature. In the rush to create greenspace, we have to make sure we build it in a way to help wildlife thrive. That will take careful thought and planning.
<h2>Nature paved over</h2>
Many of the world’s cities don’t have anything special to offer in terms of nature – either because they never had all that much in the first place, or they’ve long since been lost to urban development.
Melbourne is a case of the latter. James Boyce (in his book 1835) records:
By the time Anthony Trollope visited, then a city of 206,000 “souls” in the early 1870s, the city had already largely turned its back on the Yarra [River], drained the swamps, filled in the lakes and flattened the hills, so that Trollope knew “of no great town in the neighbourhood of which there is less to see in the way of landscape beauty”.
That sounds like many a world city.
London, New York, Hamburg, Madrid, Detroit, Chicago, Seoul and Singapore are among cities that have undertaken bold greenspace initiatives. These cities have recognised the distinct benefits that flow from connecting people back to the natural world.
Detroit and Singapore have strong biodiversity themes and that’s needed too given the global decline in wildlife. Such initiatives help us to view cities from a non-human-centric perspective.
<h2>i-Tree world</h2>
Back in Australia “green infrastructure” has similarly taken hold with councils, property owners and private companies signing up to a national 202020 vision to create 20% more greenspace by 2020. The main underpinning of that “greenspace” is the “urban forest".
While urban forest has a broad definition, cities usually take it to mean tree cover. This has been revolutionised and driven by satellite mapping (known as i-Tree) from the US Department of Agriculture.
This mapping has recently been used to shed light on the performance of Australia’s municipalities. Ranking them according to their percentage of tree cover, parts of Melbourne and Sydney scored badly, with many suburbs having less than 20% tree cover overall. Brisbane scored well, with most areas having more than 50% tree cover.
As cities attempt to increase canopies, it’s worth noting that these trees will have to deal with increasing extreme weather as the world warms.
<h2>Rewilding the city</h2>
However, trees on their own won’t bring wildlife back into our cities. In fact, canopies tend to create spaces for dominant native birds such as the Noisy Miner and Red Wattlebird, which by their behaviour exclude smaller birds.
Birdlife Australia suggests that a dense understory of shrubs up to two metres high is required for small ground birds like thornbills, robins, scrubwrens and fairy-wrens to roost in and make brief forays into grassed areas. Thickets also provide protection from eagles and hawks and other predators.
The Victorian naturalist Alan Reid suggested:
a mixture of fine-leaf and broad-leaf plants with a high percentage of native species, especially at intermediate and ground levels, will provide the greatest opportunities for attracting and holding wildlife.
Private gardens have inadvertently edged towards this prescription, along the way forming “nuclei” for wildlife. To create these on public land, areas will need to be set aside in parklands and other community spaces where small birds and small animals can congregate, breed and flourish.
This may require fencing to counter fox and cat predation, and possibly incorporate bird hides, interpretative apps and surveillance to ensure personal security. We need to give attention to the subtle connections between species.
Wildlife corridors are another construct – in effect they’re flyways for larger birds. Some of these already take advantage of the routes provided by revegetated creek and river banks.
Reid suggests that “corridors as narrow as 5 metres will allow passage of lorikeets and wattlebirds even when gaps exceed 30 metres”.
But if the gaps in 20-metre-wide corridors grow to more than 30 metres they will block many upper-level feeders including butterflies, pygmy possums and marsupial mice.
As the take-up of greening in places like New York, Hamburg and Seoul shows, it’s becoming mainstream in city halls around the world. And we now know that it helps settle the brains of those otherwise enmeshed in asphalt, glass and concrete.
There are some encouraging signs that developers “get it”: witness Singapore building an entire forest in a high-rise apartment atrium. A connection-to-nature element also forms part of the revamped Green Building Council of Australia’s Innovation Challenge Program. Let’s hope it won’t be long before that awareness spills over into popular planning thought.
As the world continues to change under human pressure, we need to make sure our cities can be homes for wildlife too.
Peter Fisher is adjunct professor, Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-fisher-20629" target="_blank">here</a>.
</body></html>

Bringing wildlife back to our cities

<html><body>
Interior designer Thomas Hamel's $2.8 million lavish flat in the Sydney CBD block, Broughton House wasn't ever going to be enough for the boutique finance advisor Simon Mordant and his wife Catriona.
The arts philanthropists added the adjoining apartment for $1.3 million last month. Their initial space was 240 square metres, Hamel's one-bedroom apartment with three formal living rooms.
The latest 118 sqm addition means they own a third of the top floor on the seventh of the 19th century converted wool store.
The Mordant's downsized from their $13.35 million 938 sqm beachfront Point Piper apartment.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
</body></html>

Simon Mordant continues to splash out on Broughton House property

<html><body>
Sydney residents are set to welcome a new H&amp;M store to the middle of the CBD. The well-flagged homeware store opening has been the talk of the city in recent weeks.
The Swedish fashion giants, whose previous closest store to Sydney was located 21km north of the city's centre, is now set to open their doors to the masses in The Strand Arcade located on Pitt Street from October 31.
Following other European fashion chains such as Zara and Topshop into Australia, H&amp;M launched it's first store in Melbourne, finding home in the heritage-listed Melbourne GPO building in October 2014.
H&amp;M have included the H&amp;M Home section in the new store, until now it had only been available at Melbourne’s GPO. The store spans 5,000 square metres and is H&amp;M's seventh property in Australia. The store will also stock mens and womenswear, children's clothing and sporting attire.
The business is already eyeing further locations in Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane, Fairfax Media reports.
</body></html>

jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Swedish fashion giants H&M open in Sydney CBD with homewares

<html><body>
Demand for CBD office space nationally grew slightly in the third quarter of 2015, with Melbourne and Adelaide leading the way, according to Colliers International’s Q3 Office Demand Index.
It showed a small increase of one percent in national office enquiry to 534,226 square metres in the third quarter from 527,226 square metres in the previous quarter.
Enquiries for 3,000 square metre-plus office space, however, rose 20% over the previous quarter. 
Melbourne saw its largest demand in one quarter since the beginning of 2009, with a total of 239,594 square metres, 59% more than the same period last year. 
“We are seeing the evolution of the modern workplace, including the growing trend towards flexible and activity-based working, acting as a key driver for tenant demand in Melbourne,” said Simon Hunt, Colliers International managing director of Office Leasing.
He said business confidence was also on the rise. 
Adelaide saw an increase of 25% to 50,704 square metre in the third quarter compared with the second and a 2% rise year-on-year. 
“We expect Q4 this year to bring a significant amount of tenant decision in Adelaide, with the likes of NEC (3,000 square metres), the Department of Social Services (3,500 square metres) and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (1700 square metres) all in the market to relocate."
One of the most active components of the market was the sub-500 square metres sector, he added, with most businesses trying to increase workplace efficiency. The majority of tenants in the current market are working on an employment density of between 10-12 square metre per person.
Enquiries in Sydney, however, fell a sharp 15% in the third quarter to 173,150 square metres from the second. This figure was still well above the average demand for Sydney since 2009.
Simon Crouch, Colliers International national director of Tenant Representation, said IT companies continued to lead the demand for office space.
“We have seen a shift by these companies, in focussing on Sydney CBD A Grade and CBD Fringe assets, driven by the need to attract the best talent, superior public transport and amenity,” Crouch said. 
</body></html>

CBD

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

CBD