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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Melbourne CBD

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Mirvac Group has secured three new tenants at its A-grade office building at 90 Collins Street, Melbourne.
They take the building to 100 per cent leased. 
Click Energy has leased over 1,300 square metres for a five-year term.
An eight-year term has been secured with Merricks Capital for approximately 500 square metres.
A five-year term has been secured with McDonald Murholme for over 900 square metres. 
Mirvac’s Paul Bezzina said the building offers 21,000 square metres workspace over 21 levels along with luxury brand retailers on the ground floor and basement parking for 111 cars.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Mirvac's 90 Collins Street, Melbourne fully leased

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The Jackalope Group is eyeing its first inner city hotel at 175-181 Flinders Lane. 

Following on from Jackalope Mornington Peninsula which currently holds a swag domestic and international awards, the group is looking to rebirth the Maria George building on Flinders Lane. Headed by Melbourne-based entrepreneur Louis Li, "The Jackalope Group champions a conceptual approach to art, design, dining, and storytelling, delivering a delicate interplay between the ideal and the surreal."

It is this divergent approach which has facilitated a number of unique design features for the proposed mixed-use tower onsite; art, design, dining and storytelling will play a key role in the creation of Jackalope Flinders Lane.

Spanning a miserly 338 square metres, the site of the proposed hotel also maintains a frontage to Rutledge Lane to its rear. Dated 1911, the historically significant Maria George building is for now dedicated to retail, showroom and office accommodation.

<h2>Building programme</h2>

MARCH studio has taken on the challenge of creating a new purpose for the Maria George building.

A 'destination' restaurant sits below the main entry/lobby area, followed by further restaurants in the immediate floors above. Over the lower floors, a sculpture will be incorporated into the facade.

Key to the hotel's public benefit credentials is the 'rain room' which will be accessed via Rutledge Lane. 

The balance of the tower sees 32 luxury accommodation suites and a built form capped by a cloud-shaped rooftop bar. All in all the proposal spans 16 levels or 60 metres above street level.

<h2>All about the cloud</h2>

Taking centre stage from a design perspective is the Cloud Bar. 10mm electropolished stainless steel wire is fashioned into a cloud shape and has the ability to take on the colour of the sky during sunrise, sunset etc, effectively camouflaging itself into the sky.

In a section of Melbourne's skyline which is framed by St Paul's Cathedral from various angles, the bar would bring a completely new design aspect. According to MARCH studio's urban design brief, The Cloud Bar will serve hotel guests during the day and the general public in the evenings.

<h2>Small hotel, big impact</h2>

Although Jackalope Flinders Lane's 32 suites are inconsequential in Melbourne's grander hotel accommodation boom, they are relevant in the immediate context. Steps away from the Adelphi Hotel and Westin Melbourne, the addition of Jackalope Flinders Lane would reinforce the immediate area's hotel credentials. 

An expected build area of 4,242 square metres over the 338 square metre site yields a plot ratio of 11.6.

Flinders Lane's perpetually strong dining and entertainment scene stands to be strengthened by Jackalope Flinders Lane. A restaurant space of 88 seats has been incorporated into the development, in addition to Flaggerdoot which will have the capacity for another 65 patrons; Flaggerdoot is the incumbent bar within Jackalope Mornington Peninsula.

<h2>Jackalope Flinders Lane development team</h2>

<ul>
<li>Client: Jackalope Group</li>
	<li>Architect &amp; rendering: March Studio</li>
	<li>Development Management: Medley Property Group</li>
	<li>Town Planning: Urbis</li>
	<li>Heritage Consultant: Bryce Raworth</li>
	<li>Urban Design Consultant: Message Consultants</li>
	<li>Building Surveyor: Grimbos Building Surveyors</li>
	<li>Structural, Electrical &amp; Hydraulic Engineer: Wood and Grieve Engineers</li>
	<li>Waste Management: Irwin Consult</li>
	<li>Traffic Engineer: One Mile Grid</li>
	<li>Land Surveying: Calibre Consulting</li>
</ul>
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silvermb

Jackalope's ethereal entrance into the CBD hotel sector

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Little Lonsdale Street wouldn't immediately be considered Melbourne's most glamorous thoroughfare, but for the time being at least the street which spans the length of the CBD is attracting more than its fair share of high-end development and construction value.

Billions of dollars in fact, as seven major projects at various stages of construction are gradually changing the feel and composition of Little Lonsdale Street. The majority of these builds gained approval under previous planning regulations, turning Little Lonsdale Street into somewhat of a showcase of previous planning attitudes. 

Nonetheless construction marches on, with two vastly different projects currently bookending Little Lonsdale Street, and both under the guidance of Probuild.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image22_12.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Progress across Australian Unity and West Side Place"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="234" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image22_12.jpg?itok=FbLDfwor" title="Progress across Australian Unity and West Side Place" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Progress across Australian Unity and West Side Place</figcaption></figure>Intersecting Spring Street and Little Lonsdale, ISPT and Probuild are delivering 271 Spring Street, a $150 million mixed-use tower on the edge of the CBD. The 16-storey building has been designed by John Wardle Architects and will become the new headquarters for Australian Unity, which has agreed to a 15-year term over the entire 15,600sqm build. 

Conversely Probuild are also moving on the first stage of West Side Place at the opposite end of the city. In time the builder will deliver the first stage of the project, involving thousands of apartments and a Ritz-Carlton hotel.

At 81 and 64 levels, both towers will comfortably surpass the 200m mark, with the first phase of West Side Place scheduled for completion in 2022.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image25_10.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Union Tower and 399 Little Lonsdale in view, along with the rear of 380 Lonsdale"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="326" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image25_10.jpg?itok=0SfWGDLF" title="Union Tower and 399 Little Lonsdale in view, along with the rear of 380 Lonsdale" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Union Tower and 399 Little Lonsdale in view, along with the rear of 380 Lonsdale</figcaption></figure>A trio of builds are most definitely changing the feel of Little Lonsdale Street west of Elizabeth Street.

Union Tower and 399 Little Lonsdale Street deliver sheer vertical facades from street level spanning the best part of 40 levels, whilst demolition is progressing rapidly on <a href="/buildings/380-melbourne-380-lonsdale-street-melbourne">380 Lonsdale Street</a>. The rear of Brady Group's massive tower will stretch the best part of 220 metres above Little Lonsdale Street whilst the adjoining Timothy Lane will be extended to provide a typical Melbourne laneway outcome.

Close to 1,000 apartments and hundreds of new hotel suites are being constructed across this tightly spaced trio. Crema Constructions is accounting for 399 Little Lonsdale, Watpac is handling the $47 million build that is Union Tower whilst Brady Group will handle 380 Lonsdale internally via Brady Constructions.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image29_12.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Union Tower and the Little Lonsdale Street frontage for Brady's 380 Lonsdale"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="431" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image29_12.jpg?itok=QO4jd7e0" title="Union Tower and the Little Lonsdale Street frontage for Brady's 380 Lonsdale" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Union Tower and the Little Lonsdale Street frontage for Brady's 380 Lonsdale</figcaption></figure>As <a href="/news/wesley-place-begins-construction-as-com-planners-endorse-stage-two-of-the-project">outlined last week</a>, Wesley Place has begun construction with the initial tower and future commercial building both fronting Little Lonsdale Street. A sizeable landscaped courtyard will also spill onto Little Lonsdale Street, providing further permeability to Lonsdale Street and surrounding areas.

Flying under the radar and adjoining Wesley Place is Brady Group's commencement of 109-111 Little Lonsdale Street. A Peddle Thorp-designed tower will soon rise onsite, with the likelihood that it will become the CBD's second Brady Hotel outlet.

The pocket-sized tower will abut Regency Towers and is expected to rise 21 levels.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_2260.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="109-111 Little Lonsdale Street will become reality"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="365" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_2260.jpg?itok=L1w4v7xX" title="109-111 Little Lonsdale Street will become reality" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>109-111 Little Lonsdale Street will become reality</figcaption></figure>Whilst the current crop of projects settling upon Little Lonsdale Street number seven, a similar number of projects are in the pipeline.

<a href="/buildings/aspire-melbourne-301-king-st-melbourne">299 King Street</a>, a future tower at Upper West Side and <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">Victoria University's vertical campus</a> will all have frontage to Little Lonsdale Street, with VU Tower likely to reach construction first. The much hyped <a href="/new-apartments/crystal-gardens-276-russell-street-melbourne">Crystal Gardens</a> tower though remains somewhat of an enigma, whilst Brady Group continues to plot future towers along Little Lonsdale Street.

272-282 Queen Street and 278 Little Lonsdale Street are on the developer's books, with the latter gaining approval via VCAT for a 32 level tower spanning 105 metres earlier this year.

On its curent construction trajectory awathes of Little Lonsdale Street will be barely recognisable in a short few years time.
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Little Lonsdale big on construction

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Feuding Singaporean investors have joined forces to sell their neighbouring Melbourne development sites, just days after one of them pulled the plug on its proposed 71-storey Tower Melbourne skyscraper.
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Chip Eng Seng owns 150 Queen Street where legal action by his neighbour brought demolition of the existing building to a halt in 2013.
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CEL has ended its long-running dispute with neighbour, Colonial Range, a company controlled by the wealthy Singapore-based Chow family.
Now the two developers have joined forces to quietly offer their combined Queen Street sites for sale.
Their are reported $150 million to $200 million hopes for their combined blocks at 140 and 150 Queen Street and 27 McKillop Street that cover more than 2500 square metres
The Age reported there had been six legal cases played out in two Supreme Court appearances, a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal case, several Building Appeal Board sittings and a formal complaint to Victoria's ombudsman.
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Backroom negotiations in Singapore between Chip Eng Seng and the Chows cleared the way for the site offering.
The landholdings are being marketed off market through Colliers International.
CEL Australia is rescinding the contracts on the Tower Melbourne (pictured above) with some 556 plus buyers.
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CEL Australia had previously advised its first priority "has always been to deliver Tower Melbourne in line with its vision for the project, and as such, has done everything within its legal power to try to reach a resolution."
Regrettably, it has become increasingly apparent that there is still no resolution in sight, and with further proceedings still pending, Tower Melbourne in its current form is no longer viable for CEL Australia to develop, it advised last week.
CEL Australia retains projects, Williamsons Estate Townhouses and Willow Apartments in Doncaster, which are well under construction with settlements to occur in late 2017/early 2018. 
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Feuding Singaporean developers combine in surprise Melbourne site offering

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Delayed demolition works in the Melbourne CBD after an objection by the owner, have triggered the sales of 556 off the plan apartment buyers being cancelled by its Singapore-based developer.
Developer Chip Eng Seng bought a commercial tower at 150 Queen Street in 2011 with plans for a 71 storey project, known as Tower Melbourne.
It has become one of the first cancelled buildings in Melbourne, with the group now considering its options for the thwarted site.
The decision, announced to the stock exchange in Singapore, comes amid the broader local concerns about the mooted outlook for apartment market oversupply.
Demolition works on the original building have stalled since 2013 after an objection by the owner of an adjoining property at 140 Queen Street worried the demolition might damage its property.
Chip Eng Seng said the legal cases “may still take a considerable period of time” and it was “not possible for the company to ascertain when they can be resolved” nor when demolition could restart.
The group could not meet its deadline to register the plan of subdivision due to the delay, so advised the appropriate course was to terminate all sales contracts.
Some 579 units had been sold, but some buyers had already cancelled their contracts due to the delay.
Some 556 contracts remained with full buyers’ deposits set to be repaid in full with any interest accrued.
Construction of Melbourne’s envisaged highest residential tower was due to start in 2013 with an expected completion date of late 2016.
The CEL development was to come with a 25-metre pool, spa, sauna, steam room and a gym.
One-bedroom apartments in Tower Melbourne had a starting price of $381,000.
Two-bedroom apartments start from $492,000 and three-bedroom apartments start from $763,000.
The skyscraper had been designed by local architects Elenberg Fraser.
“Tower Melbourne is a city defining project,” says Callum Fraser, principal of Elenberg Fraser said at the time of its launch.
“If you take a high-rise tower and add a twist, we have a continuously evolving form and the result is a luxurious living sculpture,” he said.
Property Observer first <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/developments/singapore-developer-cheeky-for-selling-unapproved-melbourne-cbd-high-rise-project-off-the-plan-lord-mayor/2012101657194">reported on the problematic development in October </a>2012 when the Singapore developer was selling apartments, despite not yet receiving planning approval from then Victoria Planning Minister Matthew Guy.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Tower Melbourne stuck in demolition dispute, so 556 off the plan contracts cancelled

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An office building with ground floor retail in Melbourne’s Dockland has been listed.
The <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-retail-vic-docklands-501131087" target="_blank">800 Collins Street</a> asset is a modern A-Grade building which is fully occupied and includes tenants such as retail giant Myer and Latitude Financial Services (formerly GE Money) who have entered into a 10-year lease. 
Savills Investment Management (on behalf of one of their global mandates) and Australian Prime Property Fund Commercial, managed by Lendlease Investment Management, are collectively selling their 100% interest in the asset.
The property could fetch around $270 million, according to The Australian.
The building incorporates ground floor retail shops and 10 upper levels of office space with two levels of parking. 
The marketing is being done by Savills Australia’s Ian Hetherington, Simon Fenn and Ben Azar along with JLL’s Langton McHarg and Paul Kempton. The building is for sale via an expressions of interest campaign ending November 1.
Built in 2010, the building comprises 28,619 sqm of office space, 873.4 sqm of retail space and total capacity equalling 29,492.6 sqm with expansive floorplates of circa 2,900sqm.
The complex serves as the ­National Support Office for Myers.
The A-Grade building has a 5 star NABERS rating.
It is connected directly to the Melbourne CBD, Southern Cross and Flinders Street rail stations.  
“The Melbourne office market is rated by JLL in the top two best performing office destinations in the world making Melbourne office assets very attractive in comparison to other office markets,” said JLL’s Langton McHarg.
“Over the last two years Melbourne has continued to increase its relevance on the global investment stage and is forecast to become Australia’s largest city by 2030. It is experiencing a phase of extraordinary positivity due to its strong economy, infrastructure and culture that is extending across all of its property markets.” 
<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/2017/10/04/800Collins1.jpg" alt="">
According to Ian Hetherington of Savills, the Docklands precinct has emerged as an important commercial location. 
“800 Collins Street will attract the focus of investors globally and we are anticipating very strong interest in this asset, particularly because of its prominent Collins Street location and desirable building features” he said.  
Vacancy rates are about 1 per cent at present and the area is popular with tenants in the banking, finance and insurance sectors due to the larger floor plates and ‘campus style’ buildings, he added.
An upgrade of the lobby and end of trip facilities is currently underway. 
According to the Property Council of Australia (PCA) as at July, 2017, the total amount of office stock recorded in the Melbourne CBD was circa 4.5 million square metres. The Docklands precinct has some 19.8 per cent of the total CBD stock. Since its inception in 2004, about 900,000 square metres of office space has been developed in the precinct, which is now home to several of Australia’s leading corporates. 
 
 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

800 Collins Street listed for sale

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A standalone building in Melbourne’s CBD has changed hands for circa $5.5 million. 
The <a href="https://www.onthehouse.com.au/10090904/422-428_queen_st_melbourne_vic_3000" target="_blank">422-428 Queen Street</a> property is on a 236 sqm peninsula site and comprises a ground floor café and level one office space. It has an area of 550 sqm.
The price tag reflected a building rate of around $10,000 per sqm. 
The deal was brokered by Fitzroys’ Rob Harrington and Louis Christou of Christou &amp; Co.
The agents said the site offered long-term investment and development potential, owing to its position opposite the iconic Queen Victoria Market and three street frontages, including to Franklin Street. 
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Melbourne CBD building sold for $5.5 million: Fitzroys

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The Victorian government’s Department of Justice &amp; Regulation (DOJR) and Carlton Justice Service Centre are moving into Melbourne CBD’s 50 Franklin Street office building, the former headquarters of Qantas.
The government entities have committed to lease the entire office building in a move that will strategically position them closer to the heart of the city’s legal precinct.
While not giving out the exact leasing figure, Colliers International’s Edward Knowles, who negotiated the 10-year lease, said it was in the low-mid $500 gross per sqm range.
The new tenancy will see Carlton Justice Service Centre relocate from 444 Swanston Street.
The deal follows Colliers International’s sale of the building to listed Singapore-based property company, Lian Beng Group, late last year for more than $51 million.
Earlier this year, Lian Beng sold the historic Newspaper House on Collins Street for $35 million to Malaysian conglomerate Oriental Holdings Berhad.
About the recent government tenancy, Knowles said <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-vic-melbourne-502372342" target="_blank">50 Franklin Street</a> was vacated by call centre operator Salmat in February.
“To then re-lease the whole building in this timeframe attests to the current strength of the Melbourne office leasing market,” he said.
Knowles said the DOJR had committed to a long-term lease of the entire asset, which is approximately 11,500 sqm of net lettable area.
“The proximity to Melbourne’s legal precinct was another appealing factor,” he said.
“It is understood the new tenant will increase the base building’s NABERS energy rating from 1.5 stars to three-plus stars throughout the tenancy term.
 
 
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Victoria's justice department moves into former Qantas building 

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Danish jewellery retailer Pandora has leased an entire building on Melbourne's Bourke Street Mall in probably the biggest retail leasing deal in the Melbourne CBD so far this year.
The deal for <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/property-360/property/280-282-bourke-street-melbourne-vic-3000/" target="_blank">280-282 Bourke Street Mall</a> was worth nearly $1 million in annual rent. The Pandora deal highlighted the trend of retailers looking to build a strong retail network in the CBD with the company already having a shop nearby on Little Collins Street and a third store within a three block radius.
Pandora will replace US retailer Nine West at the building. The fashion retailer Zara is the neighbour.
Pandora has leased the building in a seven-year deal. However, the retailer will use only the 90 square metre ground floor space for retail, implying that the effective retail rent rate is more than $11,000 per sqm, according to The Australian Financial Review.
The remaining floors of the five-level building will be utilised for storage or other non-retail uses. The building has been owned by the Snowden family since 2004.
The deal was brokered by CBRE who advised there were no vacancies on Bourke Street Mall, which is home to flagship department stores for Myer, David Jones and H&amp;M.
 
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Pandora leases on Bourke Street Mall with $1 million deal

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The Blue Lady Tattoo Parlour will be carving tattoos from its new leased space in the Melbourne CBD.
The leased space is on the first level of <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-retail-vic-melbourne-501367339" target="_blank">67-73 Hardware Lane</a>. It spans 102 sqm.
The three-year lease with options for two further three-year options commenced at an annual rental of $55,000 plus GST.
The shop is operating with seven artists working on a seven-day a week opening basis from 11.30 until 8 pm.
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The deal was negotiated by Gray Johnson agent Rory White.
The tenancy offer was inclusive of an introductory two months rent-free period.
“Hardware Lane is noted for its restaurant and bar outlets close to major city legal and business offices so this tenancy adds a new service dimension to an activity precinct,” White said.
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