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.

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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.

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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.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152022]

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.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KPZ9j5FRdsQ?si=Qztc1dNP3ZvEIUhb" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

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>

First look: Inca eyes Mona Vale with State Significant DA for Dawn apartments

Macquarie Park

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Some 55 homeowners in Sydney’s Macquarie Park have become instant millionaires in one of the biggest amalgamations in the country, with a private developer paying $80 million.
The 5,130sqm site situated at <a href="https://www.savills.com.au/_news/article/109976/153819-0/6/2017/macquarie-park-home-owners-to-follow-successful-merger-trend" target="_blank">15-21 Cottonwood Crescent</a> has potential for a new mixed use landmark tower of 270 apartments plus ground floor commercial suites (STCA) extending up to 65 metres, circa 21 storeys.
Providing approximately 23,085sq m of Gross Floor Area, the site was sold in two stages, with the purchaser first securing 15-19 Cottonwood Crescent, and later 21 Cottonwood Crescent, resulting in the strongest sales rate per square metre of proposed GFA achieved to date for a collective sale.
Stuart Cox and Neil Cooke of Savills Australia conducted a five week campaign that resulted in over 220 enquiries being received.
There were over 50 requests for the due diligence material, resulting in 13 offers received at the close of the EOI.
According to Stuart Cox, Director of Residential Site Sales at Savills Australia, this site was considered one of the most premium sites offered to the market within Macquarie Park given its elevated nature perched high upon the intersection of Waterloo Road and Cottonwood Crescent, its close proximity to Macquarie Centre, Macquarie University Railway Station and Macquarie University.
“Given the strong demand for the site, we undertook a second round EOI that resulted in a record sale price being achieved for the site.
“Of the 13 EOI’s received, 12 were from offshore large scale Asian developers drawn to the area by the vast array of amenities on offer within this suburb, namely retail, education and excellent transport” he said.
The site benefits from an amazing northerly aspect overlooking Macquarie Centre as well as over Elouera Reserve to the north-western elevation.
All future redevelopment in this area will be constructed to the south of the site.
The lawyer acting for the owners, Mr Ian McKnight of ClarkeKann Lawyers, said that he was able to devise a legally innovative and effective means to enable the owners to collectively sell their properties which provided a lot of certainty for both sides during the sale campaign.
According to Neil Cooke, Director of Residential Site Sales at Savills Australia, 91 per cent of the neighbours agreed to combine their properties in a bid to further evolve the master planned community of Macquarie Park.
“The new Strata Law reform legislation, particularly in well located areas, gives owners whom join together in a collective sale offering of over 75 per cent, substantial uplift benefit at a time when their existing capital works programs are becoming cost prohibitive."
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55 millionaires in Macquarie Park site consolidation

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Design agency Frost*collective collaborated with Sydney property developer Romeciti on launching the first stage on its $450 million, two tower, 11,000sqm, 357 apartment Macquarie Park development Natura.
Ant Donovan, Group Creative Director, Frost*collective said Natura is all about unique connections with both nature and those amongst the community.
"Romeciti wanted the Natura brand to promote the kind of lifestyle that we all aspire to – one that offers elegance and style and that also provides a sense of belonging,” he said.
"Some of the development’s five star amenities are key points of difference designed into the Natura experience to heighten the sense of well-being.
Jeanne Ogilvie, Strategist, Frost*Design said they wanted the brand to convey an inspired and perfect balance of nature and urban living.
A team of environment specialists worked with architectural practice Elenberg Fraser to build Natura’s 700m2 display suite complete with branded activations on the journey to entry, signage and graphics.
Natura is expected to be completed in 2020.
For more information on Natura, <a href="https://www.naturaliving.com.au" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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The Natura $450 million development takes brand to natural highs

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Property developer JQZ has submitted a development application to build a bridge directly connecting the Prime apartment development to the neighbouring Macquarie Centre in Sydney's Macquarie Park.
The proposal is for an enclosed pedestrian bridge connecting Prime apartments to the Macquarie Centre fresh food market.
Jian Qiu Zhang, Founder and CEO of JQZ, said interest in this exciting project has been very high from day one, given the integrated lifestyle on offer. 
"Prime will be a place where residents can work, play, shop and dine out right where they live," he said.  
"As well as the extensive range of premium and convenience shopping on offer, residents will have ready access to medical centres, banks, chemists, government utilities, travel agents and many other essentials.
“As well as the dining options made available by the Macquarie Centre bridge connection, the ground floor of Prime will be recessed to create an additional 1,600sqm of food and beverage offerings in a plaza area to activate the street frontage. 
"This landscaped public domain area will include restaurants, cafes and alfresco dining, as well as a children’s water play area and public art."
Prime will feature 680 one, two, three and four-bedroom penthouse apartments across four 20-storey towers, which will each sit on four-storey podiums. 
The development will feature a viewing platform overlooking the central plaza, a landscaped reading and meditation space, a 25-metre heated undercover pool and an adjoining spa and gym. 
One-bedroom apartments are available from $650,000, while two-bedroom apartments start from $990,000, and three-bedrooms from $1,380,000.
Stage 2 sales will be released on Saturday 17 June 2017.
The Prime sales gallery is open from 11am to 4pm (except Fridays) at 101 Waterloo Road, Macquarie Park. 
For more information, visit <a href="https://www.primemacquarie.com.au/" target="_blank">www.primemacquarie.com.au</a>
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Prime bridge extension to Macquarie Centre

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SPONSORED POST
It is no secret that Macquarie Park has been a favourite amongst Australia’s leading property developers and investors with AMP, Goodman, Stockland and the like all taking a substantial stake in the precinct.
Since the early days in the mid 1960’s when the bushland suburb of North Ryde was rezoned for employment land, developers and prospective investors have found solace in the safe havens of Macquarie Park which has transformed into the “Silicon Valley of Sydney” with global tech and software giants such as Microsoft, Oracle and Novartis calling it home.
Macquarie University was built in the early 1960’s as Sydney’s much needed third university, construction of residential dwellings then transpired around the fringes and soon after Macquarie Shopping Centre opened for business which proved to be a major draw card for international and domestic businesses. Since then, Macquarie Park has positioned itself as a power house in the commercial market with over 850,000 square meters of office space creating a work force of over 45,000 and with a competitive 7 percent vacancy rate.
Since 2015 when the Herring Road Precinct was rezoned, we have seen a new form of investment with local and international residential developers acquiring all the newly re zoned land with over $1 billion dollars being transacted since 2015. According to the NSW Government there is over $2.7 billion in Development Applications awaiting approval with a substantial amount also in the pipeline.
The newly created strata laws brought into effect on 1 December 2016 has proven to be the catalyst for site amalgamations in the Herring Road precinct.
Savills Residential Site Sales Directors Stuart Cox and Neil Cooke have been instrumental in amalgamating these sites and have recently taken <a href="https://commercialpropertysearch.savills.com.au/bc8f85aa-9be2-e611-80c7-005056813885/Sale/Macquarie-Park/Macquarie-Park" target="_blank">15-19 Cottonwood Crescent</a> to market with an outstanding response from international and local developers in the first couple of days.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/06/06/Screen%20Shot%202017-06-07%20at%209.36.43%20AM.png" alt="" width="570" height="359">
This site encapsulates three existing blocks of 15 two bedroom apartments, capable of being redeveloped into a landmark 21 storey 200 unit development under the current development controls.
According to Stuart Cox, “The re-gentrification of Macquarie Park will be home to over 10,000 new dwellings in the next 10 years with residents benefiting from the governments heavy involvement in upgrading public infrastructure through integrated transport connections and improving transport times to and from Sydney and Parramatta CBD’s.”
Strong demand for Macquarie Park has always stemmed from its education and retail backbone that has provided for over 40,000 students and 45,000 employees, new demand stems from the proximity to Sydney and Parramatta CBD’s through the new Metro Sydney Project which will provide trains every four minutes in peak hours.
Macquarie Park is also the second largest employment region in NSW and the fourth largest CBD in Australia with employment figures by BIS Shrapnel quoting a growth of over 40,000 new jobs by 2031. Residential developers have recently been acquiring sites at rates well in excess of $3,500 per square meter of Gross Floor Area for the privilege to own and develop in the extremely hot Herring Road Precinct.
This article was written by Johnathon Broome, Savills Residential Site Sales Executive.
For more information from Savills, <a href="https://www.savills.com.au" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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Billionaires play in the Park

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Tenant contraction in Macquarie Park is not expected to continue, according to Colliers International’s latest Metro Office report.
“While Macquarie Park has experienced tenant contraction over the last six months, we don’t expect this to continue as tenants continue to be priced out of North Sydney and Chatswood leading them to consider Macquarie Park as a viable alternative.
"After a decade of next to no net effective rental growth over the last six months, net effective rents have increased 9.8 per cent and 13.6 per cent for A and B Grade respectively.
"Underpinning current and future rental growth is the ongoing residential rezoning taking place in peripheral suburban markets such as Epping and Frenchs Forest, as displaced tenants seek alternative accommodation within Macquarie Park,” the report stated.
Colliers says that Macquarie Park is able to outcompete Chatswood for office tenants.
“Despite Chatswood being seen as a direct competitor for office tenants, the floor plates offered are restricted by size and Macquarie Park is able to accommodate tenants looking for larger, more efficient floor plates.
"The next two years should see 90,000sqm of office space supplied at 45 Waterloo Street (25,000sqm is precommitted to the NSW Government) and we expect this to satisfy demand for larger floor plate users that are unable to secure such space in denser metro markets,” the report advised.
Macquarie Park is expected to be the centre of office organisations Colliers says.
“Furthermore, Macquarie Park is expected to become a primarily residential and office centre as organisations begin to shift their industrial function to dedicated western and south western industrial markets.
"According to the PCA, vacancy increased from 7.1 per cent to 7.5 per cent in the six months to January 2017 with net absorption registering -7,475sqm for the period,” the report stated.
A 90 sqm office at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-nsw-macquarie+park-502164638">32 Dehli Road</a>, Macquarie Park (above) has been listed for $575,000.
Similarly a 214 sqm office at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-nsw-pymble-502349046">Suite 11 19 Bridge Street</a>, Pymble (below) has been listed for $800,000.
<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/2017/05/02/Suite%2011%2019%20Bridge%20Street.jpg" alt="">
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Tenant contraction in Macquarie Park expected to not continue: Colliers

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AstraZeneca Australia, an arm of global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, has ‘zoned in’ its employees, literally, at its new Macquarie Park offices.
The firm’s adoption of agile-based working is founded on specialised work ‘zones’, four at the moment, with each catering to different styles of working and collaborating with other people.
The concept was by design firm Futurespace, whose managing director Angela Ferguson said, “We designed the four zones to liberate workers from the desk bound experience.”
The new 3,000 sqm office gives AstraZeneca Australia’s 200 office-based employees the option to work in four ‘zones’:
The Unplugged Zone – this area is characterised by highly interactive management activities.
The Connected Zone – this is a stimulating environment, where employees engage with colleagues and visitors and includes formal meeting spaces, conference rooms with video conferencing and audio-visual systems, as well as collaborative spaces.
The Base Zone – is at the heart of the office and includes open plan work areas, private work areas, project areas and informal meeting areas.
It acts as the primary space for individuals and teams to carry out their core activities throughout the working day.
The Virtual Zone – this zone isn’t a physical zone, but is the integrated technology overlaid in and out of the workplace for employees. It is designed to allow employees greater mobility, both in and out of the office.
<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/2017/03/20/image003.jpg" alt="">
“Sitting at the same desk all day does not promote productivity, health and wellbeing, or collaboration,” said Ferguson.
“However, it is just as troublesome to have employees work wherever they want without having the correct design infrastructure in place. That is why the ‘zones’ are effective.”
She said that “each zone was designed to facilitate different styles of working, whether it’s informal chats over coffee, structured team meetings or focused individual work”. 
Another standout feature being rolled out includes wi-fi technology that will allow staff with no assigned seating to locate each other within the large building at any time, enhancing collaboration.
The planning also involved features such as use of timber to create warmth, plenty of natural lighting, indoor greenery, and a multi-purpose open area where employees can have lunch and meetings.
<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/2017/03/20/image005.jpg" alt="">
The ‘zones’ are consistent with AstraZeneca’s global workplace strategy, called “iwork”, which outlines a more agile way of working.
“iWORK, agile- based working environments, is the future of AstraZeneca’s workplaces,” said Paul Spittle, country president AstraZeneca Australia and New Zealand.
“The amount of impromptu conversations in passing I now have with people from all across the business, how I can walk past an open meeting space and stumble across a cool piece of work one of the teams is doing, which I otherwise would never have seen. It’s changed the dynamic of the business totally.”
The ‘energy’ of the new office will also help the company attract and retain talent, concludes Kimberly Elliott, director of People, Capabilities and Sales Operations. 
 
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AstraZeneca Australia's new, agile office uses ‘zones’ to keep staff engaged 

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Macquarie Park property sales for the three months to February 2017 have increased substantially from the preceding quarter, according to research from CoreLogic’s Cityscope.
Sales recorded in the quarter ending February 2017 totalled $704.7 million, an increase from the $135.5 million recorded in the three months to November 2016, but a decrease from the $769.9 million recorded to August 2016.
For the year ending February 2017, there were 74 sales at a total value of $1.64 billion, compared to 121 sales at a total value of $1.203 billion for the previous year.
The table below shows sales recorded for the past eight updates of Macquarie Park Cityscope.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/3/Corelogic-1.jpeg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/03/3/Corelogic-1.jpeg" alt="">
According to the report, notable sales in the February 2017 update of Macquarie Park Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>Everglade Campus, 82 Waterloo Road, Macquarie Park, a four-storey building with parking for 220 cars over two basement levels on a site area of 10,590 square metres, which was bought for $120 million;</li>
<li>Avaya House, 123 Epping Road, Macquarie Park, an A-grade, 10-storey commercial and industrial building with three levels of basement parking for 534 cars and a net lettable area of 16,161 square metres, which was bought for $118 million through CI Australia North Sydney and Savills and</li>
<li>Valad Corporate Place, 2 Richardson Place, North Ryde, an A-grade, four-storey office building with two additional levels of basement parking for 454 cars and outdoor parking for 63 cars on a site area of 14,325 square metres, which was bought for $85 million through CBRE Sydney and JLL Sydney.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/3/Corelogic-2.jpeg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/03/3/Corelogic-2.jpeg" alt="">
Properties for sale in Macquarie Park Cityscope in February 2017 include:
<ul>
<li>43 – 61 Waterloo Road, Macquarie Park, a large development site of 39,824 square metres with several older single storey buildings and a paved car park, available through Colliers International;</li>
<li>27 Sirius Road, Lane Cove West, a three-storey office building featuring a paved forecourt and high-clearance warehouse and a net lettable area of 8,100 square metres, available through CBRE North Sydney and</li>
<li>8 Australia Avenue, Sydney Olympic Park, a five-storey commercial building of 6,610 square metres with retail spaces on the ground floor and two levels of basement car parking providing 119 spaces available through JLL Sydney.</li>
</ul>
Leasing opportunities in the February 2017 of Macquarie Park Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>18 – 20 Orion Road, Lane Cove West, a nine-storey building comprising ground floor foyer and eight floors of office space and parking for 378 cars, which has office space of 120 to 1,000 square metres for lease through Glass Property Consultants;</li>
<li>Riverview Park Estate at 166 Epping Road, Lane Cove West, comprising two 3-storey office buildings joined by a central 2-storey atrium plus two levels of basement parking for 236 cars, which has office space of 700 to 4,300 square metres for lease through Savills Parramatta and Knight Frank North Sydney;</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-nsw-macquarie+park-501704185" target="_blank">3 Thomas Holt Drive, Macquarie Park</a> (pictured above), a nine-storey office building with high-clearance warehouses and parking, which has office space up to 4,200 square metres on the top floors for lease through JLL North Sydney and GJS Property.</li>
</ul>
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Spike in Macquarie Park commercial property sales: Cityscope

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Greenland Australia have begun early works for 'nbh' development at Lachlan's Line, Macquarie Park.
Site hoarding, construction compounds and benching earthworks have begun at the largest of two sites.
Sherwood Luo, Greenland Australia managing director, said upwards of 4,000 cubic metres of dirt is being removed from the site each day to make way for underground parking levels.
"With each truckload removed, we get that much closer to building the 879 new residences, all-new retail precinct and entertainment quarter, Lachlan’s Square, that will form Macquarie Park’s newest and best neighbourhood,” he said.
For more information <a href="https://nbhsydney.com/" target="_blank">click here</a>. 
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Early works begin at nbh at Lachan’s Line, Macquarie Park

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Sydney based developer Romeciti has purchased a 1-hectare site in Macquarie Park.
The development is located at 82 Waterloo Road, a 2-minute walk from Macquarie Centre and Macquarie University station.
It is also adjacent to a green open space.
“Because of population growth, high paying jobs and quality education, Macquarie Park has become Sydney’s most sought after address, strongly supported by the government,” a representative from Romeciti says.
Romeciti has developed other projects across Sydney, including Manly, Rosebery, Top Ryde, Epping and Eastwood at the Eastwood Central development where $100 million worth of real estate was sold following its launch in December 2015.
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Romeciti secure Macquarie Park development site

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A prime development site at Macquarie Park has been listed for sale by Property NSW.
It has the potential to deliver up to 8,000 public and private sector jobs in the area.
The 32,000 square metre property at <a href="https://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/haveyoursay/Have-your-Say/Planning-Proposal-45-61-Waterloo-Road-Macquarie-Park" target="_blank">45-61 Waterloo Road</a>, is zoned B3 Commercial core and will be sold with a NSW government lease pre-commitment.
The site has development potential for approximately 117,000 square metres of gross floor area, subject to council approval.
The sale and leaseback will result in the delivery of 25,000 square metres of new office accommodation for the NSW government, which equates to around 2,000 jobs.
CEO of Property NSW, Brett Newman, said the property should attract strong interest given its proximity to major transport links and the strength of Macquarie Park’s office market.
“By selling this vacant, underutilised site the government can facilitate significant economic growth through the provision of more than 8,000 public and private sector jobs in the precinct," Newman said.
“Macquarie Park is already an economic and commercial powerhouse, and that reputation will be enhanced in the coming years as thousands of new jobs complement new housing and improved transport links in the precinct."
The commercial development site will be positioned around a large landscaped park after the NSW government lodged a planning proposal earlier this year to facilitate development of a 7,000 square metre park on the site, delivering more green space for the community.
Once the planning proposal is gazetted for the park, the government will lodge a development application to subdivide the site, with the City of Ryde Council to acquire and landscape the park using the government’s previously announced $6 million grant.
Expressions of interest will close on 14 December 2016, with development expected to be completed by mid-2019.
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