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

Office

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The Bank of Queensland (BOQ), expects this month’s relocation of its national headquarters to 100 Skyring at Newstead’s Gasworks precinct will further support the organisation’s operational and cultural transformation.
BOQ has taken five floors at the $175 million, A-Grade, 12-storey building, which will be home to around 960 employees.
The bank has also secured the naming rights for100 Skyring.
The new headquarters at 100 Skyring has a five-floor atrium stair space.
Located within the new Gasworks precinct at Newstead which is home to Energex, Leighton Contractors, Bechtel, Virgin, AECOM, Macquarie Bank and Australian Agricultural Company, and will soon be home to the national headquarters of Tatts Group.
Charter Hall Regional Asset Manager, Belinda Kalinin said 100 Skyring offers improved amenity and campus-style opportunities on the Brisbane fringe which has major appeal for organisations looking to renew themselves in a contemporary and innovative business environment. 
“With easy access to the City Cat, City Glider, ferries, train stations and bike paths as well as retail, cafes, bars and shopping, the precinct offers a variety of quality choice in a vibrant location, only 1.7km from the CBD,” she added.
The building, which reached practical completion three months ahead of schedule in August  this year, has received a 5 Star Green Star – Office Design v3 rating, and is targeting a 4.5 Star NABERS Energy rating.
BOQ will be joined by fellow tenants including Redchip Lawyers and Konica Minolta, leaving over 35% or 8,000 square metres of contiguous office space available for lease on the top four levels of the building. 
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Five floor atrium stair space at BOQs new headquarters

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Legal services firm CBP Lawyers has signed a new lease to occupy the entire 35th floor of Waterfront Place at 1 Eagle Street, Brisbane.
The firm will be relocating to the 1,867 square metres of riverfront property on an eight and a half year lease.
CBP Lawyers, a law firm with a 110 year history and well established offices in Melbourne and Sydney, recently merged with Brisbane firm Hemming + Hart. 
The deal was negotiated by Amanda Foggo and Mark McCann of office leasing at Colliers International, in conjunction with colleague Chris Orr, director of tenant representation.
CBP'S lease for the entire 35th floor was on a deal struck between $825 per square metre and $850 per square metre with market incentives.
The landmark 40 storey office tower Waterfront Place has also attracted St. George Bank which will relocate to an 1,800 square metre office in 2015. 
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Brisbane's Waterfront Place attracts CBP Lawyers tenancy

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Melbourne based private developer the Keo Group has sold a seven level office and retail building in Melbourne’s CBD to a local investor for around $13.7 million on a 6.76% yield in a sale brokered by Savills Australia.
It was one of 20 CBD buildings Savills have sold since March 2014, for a total of more than $250 million
The developer, Mark Keo undertook a refurbishment of the building in 2010 and added an additional level on the rooftop of the 1912 building, known as the Melbourne Steamship Company building.
It is one of a few remaining examples of the  Edwardian Baroque commercial style.
The building comprises 564 square metres of retail space over three - basement, ground and mezzanine levels plus five floors of office totalling 1,224 square metres.
The 1788 square metre building was sold 98% leased to 11 tenants, with a fully leased net income of $926,117 per annum.
The building occupies a 361 square metre site zoned Capital City 1.
Savills’ Divisional Director, Nick Peden, who brokered the deal with head of city sales and investments, Clinton Baxter, said the marketing campaign for the 27-31 King Street property generated more than 100 recorded enquiries.
Baxter said the rate per square metre of building area of $7,656 was a very strong result.
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Keo Group net $13.7 million in Savills Melbourne sale

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A 350 square metre office in Hawthorn will be leased to information technology company WhiteGold Solutions.
The office space at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-vic-hawthorn-501029535" target="_blank">443 Auburn Road</a> is owned by a private investor, with the lease negotiated by JLL director of Office Leasing Michael Simonds and Leasing Executive Shane Keogh.
The fully fitted out office has a five year lease term. JLL also negotiated the lease for vacating BluePrint Group, who moved to larger premises at 192 Burwood Road, Hawthorn.
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WhiteGold Solutions finds home in Hawthorn

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Commercial warehousing spaces in the Melbourne city fringe is a competitive market, according to Melbourne commercial agency Gray Johnson.
Leasing agent Rory White has just leased three older style warehouse spaces in Abbotsford, Richmond and adjacent Cremorne. 
At 18 Clarke Street in Richmond (pictured above) the ground floor of 200 square metres has been leased by UK-based Hawkeye Innovations, the sports replay and line call system company that was recently purchased by Sony for in excess of $200 million.
The lease at a commencing annual rental of $39,000.
"The proximity to Melbourne’s major sporting facilities was an important factor in the choice of this location," Rory White said. 
At 31 Cremorne Street, Cremorne some 410 square metres of warehouse space has been leased by European product retailer House of Orange Pty Ltd at a commencing annual rental of $42,000.
The warehouse space will support the tenant’s high quality retail furniture, design and giftware outlets in Armadale and Prahran.
At 1 Grosvenor Street in Abbotsford a sole building occupancy over 515 sqm has been leased by ArtCubed Pty Ltd. 
The new tenant will pay an annual rental of $57,000 on a four year plus four year option lease with 4% annual rental increases. 
The company is a leader in art curating and hanging systems.
"A city fringe location is of critical attraction to many small businesses including those seeking stockholding or warehousing space in support of inner suburban retail outlets," he noted.
Gray Johnson currently holds listings for similar city fringe space at 138 Stawell Street in Richmond with an indicative rental of $28,000 for 121 sqm, at 35 Dover Street Cremorne for 255 sqm at a rental of $52,000 which will be available in January and at 121 Dover Street Cremorne with 265 sqm currently vacant at a $66,500 annual rental.
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Momentum builds in inner Melbourne warehouse leasing market

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Colliers International is selling a 285 square metre floor space on the corner of Exhibition Street and Flinders Lane and expects prices upward of $2.2 million.
The property is on level 11, 41 Exhibition Street in one of the cities newly designed buildings, located in the Paris end of Melbourne’s CBD.
It is within walking distance of Parliament Station and Flinders Street Station and also has several public car parks within a close distance.
Colliers International says that it is a 5 Star Green Star building and the first carbon neutral commercial building in Melbourne.   
The floor is being sold by International Colliers’ Jeremy Gruzewski, National Director Metro Sales, Daniel Wolman, Senior Executive Melbourne City Sales and Oliver Hay, Executive Melbourne City Sales.
They are currently offering the sale via expressions of interest closing 3 December.
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Melbourne CBD office floor tipped to fetch $2.2 million plus

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Joseph Safra, Brazil’s second-wealthiest man, is buying London’s Gherkin skyscraper.
The conical office tower has been bought by Safra Group, a company he ­controls, for about £726 million (A$1.33 billion).
The Gherkin tower, at 30 St Mary Axe, has become one of ­London’s best-known landmarks since it opened a decade ago. 
The building was one of the first skyscrapers in the city to earn a nickname. Its tenants include reinsurer Swiss Re.
Safra has an estimated net worth of $US12.2 billion (A$14 billion), coming from a family with roots in mid-19th-century Aleppo, Syria.
A fund managed by IVG Im­mobilien, once Germany’s biggest real estate company, and London-based Evans Randall bought the Gherkin from Swiss Re for £600 million (A$1.08 billion) in 2007. Deloitte took control of the building in April after the Swiss franc’s appreciation caused some of the debt payments to balloon.
The price is equivalent to a yield of about 3.8%, said the source, who asked not to be identified because the information is private.
Photo: Creative Commons
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London's Gherkin office skyscraper sold to Brazilian billionaire

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The Victorian Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) has sold its East Melbourne headquarters to the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne.
The Archdiocese will look to house its central administration and various departments currently operating from multiple sites across Melbourne in the 11-level office building at 488 Albert Street property.
Industry House's heritage façade dates back to the first Baptist Chapel in the 1860s. The Catholic's new headquarters are next door to the Melbourne City Synagogue, the city’s oldest, which was consecrated in 1877.
No price has been revealed, but it was suggested during its marketing that it would fetch about $35 million if acquired as a pure office investment.
It also had the potential for alternative uses such as residential or as a hotel.
VECCI listed the property for sale after 12 years of ownership to facilitate plans to expand its operations in a CBD location.
“Of special appeal to the Archdiocese is the central location of the building so close to St. Patrick’s Cathedral and other nearby Catholic services including the Australian Catholic University, the Catholic Education Office, Catholic Theological College and St. Vincent’s Private and Public Hospitals,” Francis Moore, executive director administration of the Archdiocese of Melbourne said.
The building which has a lettable area of 6,822 square metre was sold by CBRE agents Kiran Pillai, Mark Wizel, Josh Rutman and Mark Coster.
The building is currently occupied by VECCI together with the Australian Catholic University and Medhealth.
After 12 years of ownership, VECCI chief executive Mark Stone said the proceeds from the sale will go toward the future acquisition of other property.
<img src="/images/2014/11/17/east%20melbourne%20nov%2017%20two.jpg" alt="">
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Catholic Church buys VECCI Industry House, East Melbourne offices

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The Rose Bay property that was once headquarters of Jodhi Meares fashion label has been sold at Cooley auction.
It was originally a barn for the Rose Bay dairy­.
The four-bedroom, four-bathroom residence and office space at <a href="https://www.theagencyco.com/1807401/" target="_blank">5 Roberts Street</a> been listed with Daniel Baran and Reece Coleman at The Agency.
The first-floor features a large open plan living and dining area, kitchen with 5 metre-long stainless steel benchtop, indoor fish pond and ornate Balinese timber doors.
In 2006 its ground floor was transformed from a 16-car garage to modern offices with boardroom.
It was bought by the Otton family in 2006 for $2.35 million.
It had price expectations around $3.5 million.
No price has been revealed for the registered bidder only auction.
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Rose Bay warehouse style offering snapped up

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Nintex will set up its Australian headquarters in the heart of the Melbourne CBD, following agreement on terms of a new Collins Street lease.
The deal by the global leader in workflow software was brokered by Savills Australia.
The 595 Collins Street space is co-owned by Investa Property Group and an offshore fund.
The 1894 square metre whole floor was let on a five-year term at a commencing rental of circa $400 a square metre net.
The Savills’ Divisional Director, Office Leasing, Phil Cullity suggested the Level 15 office will provide Nintex with the standard of facility appropriate to a leading global tenant.
It was once known as Transport House, on the south side of Collins Street, between King and Spencer streets.
Built in 1984, the building underwent a refurbishment by Investa in 2007.
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