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

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McGrath Estate Agents has opened a new franchise office in the Melbourne suburb of Northcote - the company’s fifth in Melbourne.
McGrath Northcote will focus on the key suburbs of Northcote, Thornbury, Fairfield, Fitzroy and Preston. 
McGrath Chief Executive John McGrath said Melbourne’s Inner North is one of the city’s most exciting and culturally rich areas with a strong ‘arts and culture’ community as well as a selection of award- winning restaurants and boutiques. 
“The Inner North has seen a rapid rise in young professionals and families attracted to the area for its eclectic and vibrant lifestyle that is in close proximity to the CBD. Such diversity in the way of eateries, bars and shopping is important to an area’s growing desirability in terms of the property market, as well as its accessibility through good public transport,” he said.
Gino De Iesi will operate the new McGrath franchise office in Northcote.
 
John McGrath said Mr De lesi is one of the Inner North’s leading real estate professionals, with more than 22 years of industry experience. In 2016 he secured a new suburb record for Northcote with the sale of a Victorian home for more than $3.5 million.
Mr De lesi said a combination of high buyer demand and low stock levels has resulted in healthy price growth across the region.
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“While the Inner North hit a high note in 2013, it has continued on a steady growth path since then with prices holding firm. However suburbs such as Preston and Reservoir have reported more robust growth over the past 12 months with buyers priced out of neighbouring Northcote and Thornbury moving further north seeking better value for money,” he said. 
 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

McGrath expands Melbourne reach with a new office in Northcote

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The executive chairman of the Sydney-based Caledonia Investments, Mark Nelson, and his wife, Louise have bought into Melbourne's most revered tower of power.
They have spent $2.41 million to buy into 99 Spring Street through Kay &amp; Burton.
It last sold at $755,000 in 1994 when the Frenkel family bought very well given the 24th floor apartment had fetched $1.22 million five years prior.
The Nelsons have owned on Seven Shillings Beach, Point Piper since 2010 when they bought from Nigel Butler, heir to the Butler and Norman bottle merchants fortune, for $17.3 million through McGrath.
They'd previously had a two-year lease over the nearby, as yet unsold, Fairfax family residence, Elaine. 
The Nelsons took over the Elaine lease from Cameron O'Reilly, the former mini-media industry player who has just listed his redundant Top of the Town, Darlinghurst, penthouse through Alison Coopes. 
Overlooking the Sydney CBD, the penthouse was last traded in 2007 when bought from the Sutton car dealership family.
O'Reilly, the son of media magnate Tony O'Reilly, faces likely competition from MONA founder, David Walsh's Horizon penthouse offering.
This article was first published in the Weekend Australian Mansion Australia property section.
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firstname1-iYD4UYzvBa

Mark Nelson buys into Spring Street, Melbourne tower of power

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GUEST OBSERVER
Suburbs such as Fitzroy and East Melbourne have historically strong capital gains. 
Conventional wisdom is that by investing in neighbouring suburbs that have lower median prices, an investor would achieve stronger growth than in the blue chip suburb. 
This is because they would benefit from the spillover effect of buyers being unable to afford the blue chip locations and the subsequent gentrification of the suburb. 
We have analysed the growth of 5 bride and bridesmaid suburb pairs in inner Melbourne. 
A bride suburb is a relatively expensive suburb with good capital gains. It may be out of reach for a large proportion of property investors due to the high entry point. 
A bridesmaid suburb is a neighbouring suburb that boasts a lot of the qualities that make the bride such a good investment, yet with properties selling for much lower prices. 
To compare, the median sale prices and annual growth rates since 2011 for all suburbs shown in Figure 1 were gathered. 
<a href="/images/2016/08/02/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-02%20at%209.44.23%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/08/02/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-02%20at%209.44.23%20AM.png" alt="">
These suburbs were divided into suitable pairs, based on locality and differences in median prices. The results are shown in Table 1 below.
This data tells us that while entry points for bridesmaid suburbs may be considerably lower, bride suburbs still offer better returns. This is most likely a reflection of these areas being more desirable and having a lower turnover rate, resulting in reduced supply, than their cheaper neighbours. While the average property in Brunswick East can be bought for $150,000 less than comparable properties in Carlton North, median growth over the past five years has been half as good. The best alternative in the list is Kensington, where properties grew in price on average only 0.2 percent less than properties in North Melbourne, while being on the market for about $115,000 less.
<a href="/images/2016/08/02/Screen%20Shot%202016-08-02%20at%209.42.03%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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To conclude, it is often not the suburb that determines your returns, but rather selecting the right property for the right price. Great returns are possible in almost all of inner Melbourne, provided that the property selected meets the right value criteria.
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For more information, <a href="https://secretagent.com.au/" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Melbourne's bride and bridesmaid suburbs: Secret Agent

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A vacant office building with development potential in inner city Melbourne will go under the hammer with price expectations of $5-$6 million on August 12.
Located at 168 Peel Street, Windsor, the two-level, 1,387 sqm property is expected to spark much interest from owner-occupiers and developers.
The listing agents are Colliers International’s Peter Bremner, Jeremy Gruzewski and Louise Dana, along with CBRE’s Josh Rutman, Tom Tuxworth and David Minty.
“It features an attractive red brick façade, high ceilings, great natural light from dual street frontages and the benefit of being positioned within one of Melbourne’s most thriving inner city suburban hubs," said Gruzewski.
The property was offered with two feasibility schemes by Plus Architecture, each based upon the potential for a nine-storey development in line with advice from town planners Hansen Partnership.
The first scheme has been prepared on the basis of delivering 17 large-scale apartments whilst the second scheme yields 61 two-bedroom apartments.
The property is close to the CBD and public transport.
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prateek24-ezbwHMbNAk

Vacant office building in Melbourne's Windsor set for auction

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Childcare chain Guardian Early Learning Group has recently leased two properties in inner-city Melbourne on long-term contracts in deals brokered by Colliers International.
In the latest leasing deal, Guardian has secured a major 2,950 sqm site on Hoddle Street in Richmond. The 15-year deal was brokered by Colliers’ Matt Cosgrave and Ash Dean.
“This property, which had been vacant for six years, will now be turned into state-of-the-art childcare centre,” Cosgrave said. 
“It is a sizeable, prominent site which has been approved for use as a childcare facility to help address the growing demand in the area.” 
This deal follows on from Guardian’s commitment at 101 Collins Street in the CBD for a property on 2,186 sqm.
Cosgrave said Colliers International was seeing strong demand for childcare services closer to inner city workplaces. 
“End-of-trip facilities such as showers and bike storage were once rare in an office building – now they are seen as standard inclusions,” he said. “Now lifestyle factors such as childcare and co-working space are becoming an increasingly viable option to attract quality tenants to a building.”
“Businesses are increasingly trying to make it easier for parents who work in the CBD and city fringe locations to drop off and pick up their children on their way to or from work. Not only does this help employees maximise their work day and increase efficiency, it makes their daily lives easier at the same time,” he added.
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Childcare provider leases vacant Melbourne building for modern facility

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The REIV have released figures of Melbourne most affordable suburbs.
Melton West offers the lowest median of all Melbourne's suburbs, whilst Rosebud West has seen an annual change of 16.2 percent.
 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Melbourne's top 20 lowest quartile suburbs below $500,000

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The number of start-ups, freelancers and entrepreneurs are driving the co-working industry with a 750 percent increase in Melbourne over the past three years, according to a new report by Knight Frank.
Knight Frank researcher Kimberley Paterson found 152 co-working spaces across Melbourne totalling 58,880 sqm with 16 new spaces totaling 13,000 sqm opening in 2016 to date.
She said co-working spaces account for 0.8 percent of total office stock across Melbourne with nearly 90 percent occupying secondary grade space with secondary grade and under-utilized stock well suited for this industry from both a cost and fit-out perspective.  
 “The majority of coworking operators across Melbourne, notably in the City Fringe, are located in converted warehouses or factories including decommissioned knitting mills, framing factories, woolsheds and heritage listed buildings,” she said.  
"The City Fringe has the largest volume of space occupied totaling 20,205 sqm, combined with the highest number of operators at 64. with the CBD having the second largest volume of coworking space totaling 16,935 sqm with 32 operators. 
"Co-working spaces account for 0.4 percent of total CBD office stock of which 62% of spaces are located in B-grade and C-grade stock, with 12.5 percent occupying space in prime grade assets.
"The North/West precinct has the second highest number of coworking sites at 36, accounting for 24% of total spaces across Melbourne while there are 12 coworking spaces totaling 3,630 sqm in the Inner East."
The average rental cost for a permanent desk space with 24/7 access in the CBD is $535 per month while in the City Fringe it is $460 per month.   
The report noted the substantial growth in co-working has been underpinned by advancements in technology, generational and structural economic changes combined with an increase of freelancers and small businesses growing by 1,842 companies since 2014, accounting for 87 percent of all Melbourne businesses.  
"The average occupancy size of coworking space across Melbourne is 385 sqm with 84 operators occupying between the 100-500 sqm size cohort," she said.
"There are 15 spaces occupying more than 1,000 sqm, with the largest operator - Hub Melbourne, set to occupy 3,900 sqm in October 2016 at the Mail Exchange Building, 693 Bourke Street in the Melbourne CBD."
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Freelancers and the Melbourne work space future

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The lazy half-a-million offers a range of property options in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, with a three-bedroom house in the outer east to four-bedroom houses on 500 sqm of land a little further on the south-eastern side. 
This is the inference from valuation firm Herron Todd White’s July 2016 residential market report, which discusses properties in the sub-$500,000 range.
Outer Eastern Suburbs 
Within the outer eastern suburbs, $500,000 can in general enable investors to purchase either a two- or three-bedroom house with a rental yield between 3.5% and 4%. In Bayswater for example, a two-bedroom house can be purchased for on average $456,000 (www.realestate.com.au) and achieve a weekly rental of $310 per week. Similarly, Boronia and Moorolbark still have two-bedroom houses with an average selling price of $482,500 and $462,500 respectively. In comparison, in the newly established Harcrest Estate, located in Wantirna South, sub-400 square metre lots are selling for just below the $500,000 mark or $1,300 per square metre. 
For investors looking to benefit from higher returns, Monbulk which has an average purchase price of $500,000 is perhaps one of the more profitable options, with average rental yield of 4% and demand for properties remaining high. The reason for this is the generally lower supply of properties available in the suburb as well as its reputation as a leafy family- friendly suburb, also popular with retirees. 
Units are perhaps another area to consider for investors wanting to strong arm their way into suburbs which have arguably a better location and are closer to amenities and access to public transport. For example, in Croydon, unit and townhouse prices are on average $465,500 and rents achieved approximately $350 per week, resulting in a gross yield of 3.9%. However, once service charges and other costs are taken into consideration, this figure is likely to be somewhat reduced. 
Units in Ringwood are also on average selling for $500,500 and rent for $343 per week. Given the extent of development that has taken place within the suburb in recent years, most notably the redevelopment of Eastland Shopping Centre and the train station, investors may regard this as a good investment for future capital growth, especially with annual growth for units for the period 2014-2015 being 10.6%. 
Property Observer found a three-bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-vic-croydon-122900742" target="_blank">24 Broughton Avenue, Croydon, Vic 3136</a> which sold recently for $485,000.
<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/2016/07/26/Melb%20east%201.jpg" alt="">
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South Eastern Suburbs 
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If you are willing to sacrifice proximity to the city then head to the outer south east, where $500,000 will get you quite far. Suburbs such as Cranbourne, Officer, Pakenham, and Clyde North provide many options for buyers with a $500,000 budget. 
In these suburbs this budget will cover a newly built four-bedroom home on roughly 500 square metres of land in one of the newly released estates. 
“A new wave of double-story townhouses on smaller blocks in Cranbourne is just starting to hit the market. One of these will set you back around $350,000,” say HTW in the report.
“Original double-brick dwellings in Frankston North have seen growth over the past six months and $500,000 will buy you plenty of house on a decent sized block, with close proximity to the beach.”
Between Hampton Park and Langwarrin there are plenty of opportunities to purchase either a house, townhouse or parcel of land in this price bracket.
Property Observer found a three-bedroom townhouse on www.realestate.com.au at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-townhouse-vic-cranbourne-120898661" target="_blank">75/1030 Cranbourne-Frankston Road, Cranbourne</a> for $360,000.
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$500,000 can buy you a townhouse in Melbourne's outer east, south-east: HTW 

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ASX-listed Spirit Telecom Limited said it has launched its superfast Internet product Spirit 400 in Melbourne apartment development Freshwater Place, a first in Australia.
With 240 of the 530 apartments already Spirit customers with access to plans of up to 100/100Mbps, the Internet service provider has now upgraded the speed to include both the 200/200Mbps and the superfast 400/400Mbps plans.
Situated on the banks of the Yarra River, opposite the Melbourne CBD, Freshwater Place includes both residential and short-stay accommodation.
Managing director of Spirit Telecom, Geoff Neate, said, “Freshwater Place was one of our first residential buildings to have our Ultra-Fast ‘UFI’ product, back in 2013. They were at the forefront then and they have now been upgraded to enable us to launch a 400/400 product, leapfrogging the market yet again."
Spirit specialises in fibre-based broadband services.
“Since we first enabled Freshwater we have seen the market's appetite for superfast Internet surge, with the growth of phones and tablets streaming music video and catch-up TV to multiple devices at any given time.
“Trends around the world tell us that people want more from their Internet. For example, countries like Japan offer speeds up to 2Gbps," he said.
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Melbourne apartment complex upgrades to superfast Spirit Internet

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A 'small footprint' residential development in Melbourne's inner city suburb of Clifton Hill has notched up brisk sales at registration day, with 53 of 65 available apartments and townhouses sold.
Developed by Wulff Projects, Icon Co. and Assemble, 122 Roseneath St. took a different approach to building in that it sought feedback from prospective buyers at various stages of design prior to construction.
The developers wanted a chance to communicate the social and environmental values that underpin the project, according to a media release.
A high proportion, 96 percent, of buyers at 122 Roseneath St. are owner-occupiers. The developers estimate that 40 percent of all purchasers were first-home buyers, and that 38 percent came from Clifton Hill or surrounding suburbs.
The proportion of first home buyers reflects the affordability of the project, where the median house price is $1.161 million (Domain), claims the media release.
Selling agent Roland Paterson of Nelson Alexander said it was unprecedented for an off-the-plan project.
“Selling almost all the available dwellings is an unprecedented result for an off-the-plan development that has attracted 96 per cent local owner-occupiers,” he said.
All three directors of project architect Assemble – Quino Holland, Ben Keck and Pino Demaio – purchased a home at 122 Roseneath St.
“The participation and feedback throughout the design presentations allowed us to tailor the design and give buyers the confidence to commit to the project,” says Adam Wulff, director of Wulff Projects.
The consultations and feedback led to a communal room, a communal laundry and the provision of an embedded energy network.
Melina Chan, who works in community development, says she has invested in 122 Roseneath St because she couldn’t find anything else in Melbourne quite like it.
Chan says she was looking for a development that prioritised “the wellbeing of the planet” and medium-density housing that minimises travel to places of employment and cultural amenities.
For Marion Arnott, who has three school-going sons, it was a townhouse with a rooftop deck and outdoor area. Arnott says 122 Roseneath St. was an affordable option.
Downsizers Pam and Ray Walford said they were attracted to the aspects of small-footprint living at 122 Roseneath St.
“The location is closer to where our two sons live than where we presently live, and close to major bicycle trails,” Ray Walford says. The Walfords have purchased a two-bedroom apartment.
There are still 10 homes available at 122 Roseneath St, including two one-bedroom apartments and eight townhouses.
In fact, seven of the development partners have bought homes at 122 Roseneath St.
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