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>

Joel Robinson

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.
</section>
</section>

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Local Little Bay residents, along with buyers from premium postcodes across Sydney’s affluent Eastern Suburbs, have dominated purchases in developer-builder Urban Property Group’s first Eastern Suburbs apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-little-bay-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE Little Bay</a>.

The $250 million coastal project, one of the first new developments in the area in several years, has proven particularly popular with downsizers, especially those from Coogee and Bondi. One Double Bay downsizer paid $4.7 million for a four-bedroom penthouse, setting a new local apartment price record in the process.

Buyers have been attracted to the combination of coastal tranquillity, premium design and amenity-rich neighbourhood living. The walkable village setting, along with proximity to three of Sydney’s leading golf courses, New South Wales Golf Club, St Michael’s Golf Club and The Coast Golf Club, has also been a key drawcard.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352689]

Built across two low-rise buildings designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hill-thalis-architecture-urban-projects-pty-ltd">Hill Thalis</a> and set along a lush, landscaped green spine, designed by leading landscape architect <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>, ESTE Little Bay offers a collection of one, two, three and four-bedroom residences with interiors by Richards Stanisich.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> Sales Director, Tom McIvor said the response to ESTE has been "nothing short of extraordinary."

“Buyers have been quick to recognise ESTE as a rare opportunity to invest in a coastal sanctuary that offers both seclusion and connectivity to the heart of Sydney,” McIvor said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352687]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/srm-residential">SRM Residential</a> Senior Director, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/srm-residential">Clayton Ross</a> said the local market has responded incredibly well, driven by ESTE’s exceptional location and the rarity it offers.

“We’ve seen strong interest from a variety of buyer groups, all of whom are drawn to the exclusivity and quality of the build and construction by the 4.5-star iCIRT-rated builder / developer, Urban Property Group. There’s truly nothing else like it along Sydney’s coastline.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352690]

The project also includes robust buyer protections, including Resilience Insurance’s Latent Defects Insurance, providing 10 years of structural cover, and an independent iCIRT-rating of the developer.

“The iCIRT-rating adds another layer of confidence,” Ross added. “Buyers see it as a safeguard for their investment and their lifestyle.” A highlight of ESTE’s offering is its exclusive wellness amenities, including a heated rooftop infinity pool and outdoor heated spa, a state-of-the-art Technogym fitness centre, and a sauna.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-little-bay-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE Little Bay</a> is topped out and is on track to complete towards the end of 2026, with residents moving in before Christmas.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112343]

Eastern Suburbs buyers snap up ESTE Little Bay apartments

Richmond

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An award winning architects Jackson Clements Burrows-designed home has sold in Richmond.
The early 2000s design maintained the traditional Victorian aesthetics and contrasted them with contemporary design.
The property sold for $4.32 million at auction after selling agents Andrew Macmillan and Jodie McCarthy of Jellis Craig Real Estate.
They had initial hopes of over $3 million. It last traded at $398,500 in 1998 when bought by the vendors whose son is the architect Jon Clements.
Four bidders took the weatherboard property onto the market at $3.5 million.
The modern four bedroom, three bathroom home at <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/38-richmond-terrace-richmond/Property-Details-sold-residential-9705048" target="_blank">38 Richmond Terrace</a> includes a service lift, a library and a home office.
The living and dining areas are surrounded by landscaped outdoor gardens with ample dining areas on the 547 sqm block.
The property features a rooftop terrace with 360 degree views of the streetscape and the entire city skyline.
One of Richmond’s largest residential properties, Araluen, at 207 Lennox Street, hold the suburb record having recently sold for $5.13 million.
Araluen last sold in 1958 when bought by the Ballerini family. <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/207-lennox-street-richmond/Property-Details-sold-residential-8634864" target="_blank">The five bedroom 1856 home</a> had been listed through Abercromby's agents Jock Langley and Hugh Hardy. 
It is one of Richmond’s earliest homes sitting on a substantial 1478 square metres on the corner of Goodwood Street, about a kilometre from the CBD.
Title Tattle gleans it has been bought by Scott and Julia McKay, descendants of the industrialist inventor of the Sunshine Harvester.
The comedic radio broadcaster Hamish Blake and wife Zoe Foster Blake, the author wife, had held the previous record $4.25 million in Richmond for a home (below) featured on <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.completehome.com.au/articles/grand-designs-australia-richmond-inner-city-house/36365" target="_blank">Grand Designs Australia in 2013</a>. 
The three-bedroom, four-bathroom Richmond house was designed by neilarchitecture for Darren and Ruth Rogers.
<img class="js-first-image" src="https://b.domainstatic.com.au/w800-h534-8733637_1_pi_150319_100547" alt="79a rowena parade richmond VIC 3121">
They built the home on a block bought in 2009 for $920,000 with the works cost estimated at $3.3 million.
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Richmond Jackson Clements Burrows-designed home $4.32 million sale

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A spacious Richmond warehouse conversion sold at weekend auction for $2,225,000.
The conversion reportedly sold by aerial skier and former politician Kirstie Marshall.
It attracted 15 bidders when <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-richmond-120292913" target="_blank">69 Wellington Street</a> sold through Biggin &amp; Scott.
The three-bedroom converted warehouse sold after being declared on the market at $1.9 million. 
Marshall was elected to represent the seat of Forest Hill in the 2002 state election. She lost her seat in 2010, with local residents citing her choice to live in Richmond rather than the electorate as one reason.
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Converted Richmond warehouse sale

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A two level Victorian property with ground floor retail access and a self-contained upstairs living space has been sold to a private investor for $1.55 million.
The property, on 468 Bridge Road Richmond was sold subject to a five year lease with a five year option, returning $5,000 per annum net.
The sale at the Burnley Street end was brokered by Teska Carson agents Matthew Field and Larry Takis.
It sold at $835,000 in 2008.
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mick.cee-iDmgDDAmu8

Investor buys Richmond retail on 3.8% yield

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Recently Apartments.com.au was invited to inspect the display suite for <a href="http://www.palmerstreetjaques.com.au">Palmer St</a>, the third and final stage of Riverside Group's Jaques development in Richmond. Located just three kilometres from the Melbourne CBD, the site was was once occupied by the renowned Jaques factory.

Founded in 1885 by Edward Jaques who along with his family fled Revolutionary France, his company produced rock crushers for quarries, a specialty in which Jaques would become world leaders with their Palmer Street Plant in Richmond. Jaques machines are still an integral part of the mining and quarry industries with Melbourne’s City Loop employing Jaques burrowing machines to dig its tunnels.

The Richmond plant was eventually sold in 1997 when the company relocated to Clayton South, and it's the site's rich industrial heritage that served as the context for the design of Jaques development.

Designed by Fender Katsalidis as per earlier stages, Palmer St features 56 boutique apartments across a 6-storey wedge-shaped building. A signature café/restaurant of approximately 200sqm will be located on the ground floor at the pointed edge of its wedge-shaped base, while a gym on level one for exclusive use by Palmer St residents will add further to the overall activity created by the development.

The building's exterior is contemporary in design, providing a contrasting counterpoint to the red brick built form of the former factory. It aims to achieve a "lightness of presence" primarily through its articulated glazed façade and tapered footprint.

Although contemporary in nature, Palmer St has been designed to partner with the more industrial referenced Stages 1 and 2, through the application of robust copper panels, white polished pre-cast frame, metal features and copper framing. These have been used in a restrained way to enrich the building and compliment the red brick of the remnants of the factory facades.

<blockquote>
We wanted to create beautiful architecture without alienating the neighbourhood. We’ve worked hard to make Palmer St something the community will love. We wanted to create architecture that while referencing the heritage of the site, is also primarily very contemporary.
<cite>Karl Fender, FKA</cite>
</blockquote>

<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/jacques_stage_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Stage 2 currently under construction. © Riverside Group"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="324" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/jacques_stage_2.jpg?itok=Be1xJo5s" title="Stage 2 currently under construction. © Riverside Group" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Stage 2 currently under construction. © Riverside Group</figcaption></figure>The currently under construction Stage 2 features a mix of 229 apartments spread across two buildings; the 10-storey 5 Tonne Apartments, and the 6-storey Iron Works Building. This followed hot off the heels of the success of Stage 1's 126 apartments and townhouses, completed in 2013.

The success of the project is largely attributed to the building’s floor plans which have been designed to appeal to locals that expect and appreciate quality, with 80% of the 300 sales in the Jaques development to date being local buyers the majority of which hail from within a 5-7km radius. Further to this 75% of all purchases have been made by owner-occupiers.

<blockquote>
Richmond is emerging as a top market for empty nesters and downsizers who require luxurious, quality larger format apartments when they sell the family home and want to move closer to the city.

We have limited the number of apartments per floor in order to create larger residences that will meet the needs of owner occupiers. The premium level of finish aims to appeal to buyers who don’t want to compromise – whether they are upgrading their life and home, or downsizing from the family home.
<cite>Kristine Lee, Riverside Group sales and marketing director</cite>
</blockquote>

Apartment layouts feature bedrooms separated by living areas for improved privacy and to provide a lifestyle more akin to a home than an apartment. A linen press, coat cupboard, imported Italian double wardrobes and walk-in-robes provide extensive storage, which the design team has noted as being a valuable selling point.

Flexibility of use has also been provided for in some apartments, where a room accessed by a sliding door can be sectioned off for a bedroom or opened to further enlarge generous living areas. A number of studies have been designed as big enough to fit a single bed in, aimed at empty nesters as an extra option when the grandchildren come to stay.

<blockquote>
The inspiration came from thinking about how people really live in apartments. We wanted it to feel chic but casual, stylish yet understated. The application of colour blocking has been used in the kitchens and bathrooms and gives the interiors some edge. It is the fundamental blend of beauty and functionality, which makes for easy living.
<cite>Samantha Eades, interior designer</cite>
</blockquote>

<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/internal_living.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Apartment interior. © Riverside Group"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="292" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/internal_living.jpg?itok=gDy2WaFP" title="Apartment interior. © Riverside Group" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Apartment interior. © Riverside Group</figcaption></figure>Palmer St is expected to begin construction in July of this year with completion scheduled to coincide with Stage 2 in August 2016.

An assortment of photos of the completed first stage and the under construction Stage 2 can be viewed below.
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Laurence Dragomir

Palmer St - The final stage of Jaques Richmond

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The business travel management solutions company, 1000 Mile Travel has agreed terms on a new lease in Richmond.
Set within the SJB architects’ designed Cirque apartment development at 2-6 Lord Street, the property comprises a 105 square metre retail ground floor space.
The deal was done by Savills Australia Victorian retail director, Michael Di Carlo with CBD Fringe leasing executive, Tim Sugar.
1000 Mile has taken a three year lease at $460 a square metre net, relocating from its current premises in Queens Road, Melbourne.
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1000 Mile Travel off to Richmond 

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The struggles of Bridge Road have been well documented both on Apartments.com.au and via many other media outlets. For so long synonymous with 'warehouse fashion' shopping, many have said Bridge Road has suffered a sustained decline due to the rise of DFO's and the substantial investment pumped into the CBD's retail offerings in recent years.

Remedies such as <a href="/expert-insights/buying/will-free-parking-save-bridge-road">free parking</a> have been put forward, while others such as Fred Nucara of Beller Commercial suggested during 2014 that Bridge Road is due for a <a href="/news/bridge-roads-apartment-transformation-gathers-pace">fundamental shift</a> in how and who uses and peruses the precinct. As destination shoppers choosing Bridge Road diminish, the struggling retail segment is likely to drift toward catering for the burgeoning population now choosing to call the area home.

This reshaping of Bridge Road into an apartment hotspot has gathered a head of steam over the preceding six months in particular, with a raft of residential planning applications in progress. Now three more new residential projects seek to compound the trend, appearing on City of Yarra's Major Development page within the last fortnight. They are in no particular order:

<h2>195 Bridge Road</h2>

<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/image109.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The slight 195 Bridge Road. Image courtesy Archsign"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="388" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image109.jpg?itok=EoVW3Nxg" title="The slight 195 Bridge Road. Image courtesy Archsign" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The slight 195 Bridge Road. Image courtesy Archsign</figcaption></figure>This eight storey building designed by Archsign on behalf of a private developer seeks to fill a slender site with Bridge Road frontage. Located next to the at sales <a href="/new-apartments/richmond-vic-3121">Newbridge Apartments</a>, 195 Bridge Road would maintain a simple form behind a retained frontage holding a 130sqm retail space.

With only 10 apartments split between 7 one-bedroom, 2 two-bedroom and 1 three-bedroom options, 195 Bridge Road's apartments will range between 52sqm for a single bedroom apartment through to a dual level 228sqm penthouse of sorts. Two car parking spaces have been included with general access via Leggo Place.

<h2>19-21 Judd Street</h2>

<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/image112.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="19-21 Judd Street. Image courtesy Hayball"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="382" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image112.jpg?itok=126Kjm3e" title="19-21 Judd Street. Image courtesy Hayball" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>19-21 Judd Street. Image courtesy Hayball</figcaption></figure>50 dwellings are included within this Hayball-designed planning application. Holding 5 one-bedroom, 44 two-bedroom and 1 three-bedroom apartments, the distinctly precast design is initially valued at $12 million and is on behalf of Bridge Road-based G3 Projects.

Included at ground level is a 33sqm cafe while 33 car parking and 59 bicycle spaces have been catered for. 19-21 Judd Street finds itself in close proximity to Charlie Richmond; the 96-apartment development on of the area's early large-scale residential developments.

<h2>239-245 Church Street</h2>

<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/image111_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Armsby Architects' 239-245 Church Street."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="643" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image111_0.jpg?itok=gY4u8sBJ" title="Armsby Architects' 239-245 Church Street." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Armsby Architects' 239-245 Church Street.</figcaption></figure>Consultancy Planned FX has lodged documents on behalf of Katama Pty Ltd and Bider Pty Ltd for a redevelopment of a low-rise string of retail tenancies metres from Bridge Road. A structure dated 1925 is amongst the buildings slated to go in favour of an eight level apartment block with an initial development value of $8.5 million.

With basement car parking, the Armsby Architects-designed building will hold 53 apartments, split between 16 one-bedroom, 29 two-bedroom and 8 three-bedroom options. Retail tenancies line Church Street while basement access is via Tullo Place to the rear.

<h2>A bridge from here to there</h2>

The fresh planning applications above join the list of eleven projects either on or in the immediate vicinity of Bridge Road as seen below. At varying stages of the planning process, only Isola is at construction with Collingwood-based construction firm Lexicon at the reigns of the build which is in its infancy.

Estelle by Milbex and Newbridge Apartments on behalf of Longriver Group are at sales, with the remainder at lower rungs of the development process.

If the projects shown above and below are realised, the Apartments.com.au Project Database indicates that in excess of 1,130 new apartments will be pumped into the Bridge Road Precinct in the medium term. Add large-scale peripheral projects such as Lend Lease's Studio 9 and Riverlee's multi-staged Jaques site redevelopment, and the transformation of Bridge Road from retail destination to a strip serving the needs of a burgeoning and immediate population looks to be in full swing.
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silvermb

Bridge Road's apartment transformation gathers pace

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If you look back at the history of Richmond Station's proposed redevelopment, it begins to sound altogether very familiar - much like the proposed deck over the Jolimont Railyards which it abuts - and altogether very average. The sustained inability of successive governments to achieve anything more than chatter about the project is a poor reflection on the State's inability to deliver on this particular project.

Talk of the redevelopment has intermittently surfaced over the last decade, with seemingly no concrete process in place to advance the cause. Multi-disciplinary firm GHD produced the ZERO concept (seen below) for the site during 2007/2008, it was placed <a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/all-change-at-richmond-station/story-e6frf7kx-1226007837931">on the agenda</a> by then minister Matthew Guy during 2011, and <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/richmond-station-lined-up-for-major-revamp-20140526-38zdb">once again</a> during 2014.

<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/855253-richmond-station-revamp_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Zero by GHD"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/855253-richmond-station-revamp_0.jpg?itok=ok41psUP" title="Zero by GHD" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Zero by GHD</figcaption></figure>The Property Council of Australia consider it as one of their 20 best and most crucial development sites in Victoria, yet a sweep of the Major Projects Victoria, VicTrack or Places Victoria websites has it absent from all three. Granted the project is not the highest priority on the State to-do list, but nor is it a project worth disregarding by Spring Street; at least that's the impression garnered from the distinct lack of public activity surrounding the project.

<h2>Enter another concept</h2>

In what seems to be a creative exercise Fraser Paxton Architects have recently added a design for a renewed Richmond Station to their website. While nothing more than a concept, the design does explore the possibilities of adding any potential development bulk west of the station in what would be the likely positioning of any high-rise towers, should any development occur down the track… so to speak.

<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/image1fpx.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Richmond Station redevelopment concept. Image courtesy Fraser Paxton"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="170" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image1fpx.jpg?itok=oScCHLi8" title="Richmond Station redevelopment concept. Image courtesy Fraser Paxton" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Richmond Station redevelopment concept. Image courtesy Fraser Paxton</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
Long will this site be argued about by the bureaucrats. One of the most underused and under developed sites in Melbourne, we thought it would be a good idea to give it a kick start and have a crack at designing what it needs.

450 residential units soar toward the city in a horizontal skyscraper filled wih amenity and retail through it's belly that scrapes the rail below.

Homage to the MCG by not blocking any view to it, this building would be magnificent, stretching, trying to reach the city and in it's finest moment, accessing 12 train lines to different part of metropolitan Melbourne right at it's door step.
<cite>Fraser Paxton Architects</cite>
</blockquote>

As is the case with the many times spoken of deck and civic space over the Jolimont Railyards, any revamp of Richmond Station looks like little more than a pipe dream at this stage. Maybe it's time Major Projects Victoria look a leaf out of the <a href="/news/jewell-stations-redevelopment-a-step-closer">Jewell Station redevelopment</a> book which sees a State-owned enterprise partner with a private developer to create a viable redevelopment plan for a key infrastructure asset; after all managing complex public private partnership construction projects under the Partnerships Victoria framework is part of Major Projects Victoria's charter.

Under a public private partnership Richmond Station's proposed redevelopment could be pushed through at a much quicker pace whilst in theory still maintaining key public design features such as amenity and public permeability etc. that are often neglected by purely private developments.
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Has Richmond Station's revamp disappeared into the ether?

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I once again delve into the Laurence Dragomir RMIT School of Architecture and Design archive today, this time focusing on a Punt Road oval rebirth from way back in 2008. Part of a design studio titled "Football, Meatpies and Holden Cars" it was run by RRR's The Architects very own Christine Phillips and centred around the redevelopment of Punt Road alongside the point where Suters Architects were developing their scheme which has since been built.

The schemes developed were to house the Richmond Football Club's administration, training, membership and merchandise facilities in addition to some provision of community shared space.

<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/punt_rd_montage_02.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Punt Road oval montage framing the Jack Dyer Stand."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="112" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/punt_rd_montage_02.jpg?itok=VI66Xb9V" title="Punt Road oval montage framing the Jack Dyer Stand." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Punt Road oval montage framing the Jack Dyer Stand.</figcaption></figure>Now this isn't a real scheme so certain liberties have obviously been taken - personally if I had my time again I'd likely reconsider the visual expression of the Punt Road elevations. More than anything I'm hoping this might encourage architecture students out there that read the site to get in touch and publish their projects on Urbam Melbourne.

Note this was during my McBride Charles Ryan-inspired origami phase which also appeared in <a href="/expert-insights/buying/fed-square-east-some-food-for-thought-part-one">last week's Fed Square East two part-icle</a>.

<h2>Project Synopsis</h2>

<blockquote>
The basis for our final design is the origami tiger as a means of generating form. The rationale behind this approach is origami which started as the Chinese art of paper folding. In Chinese there is a phrase, ‘zhi laohu’ which translates to ‘paper tiger’ in English.

The term refers to something which appears ferocious but in reality is as harmless as paper. We are of the belief that this is the view held by oppostion supporters and the Football world in general, with regard to the Richmond Football Club's premiership aspirations.

In recent times the Tigers have teased with glimpses, that time and time again have resulted in nothing more than a ninth placed finish. A gutsy, hard fought win is often followed by a battering from a top 8 side the following week and/or vice versa.

By scaling up the origami tiger and applying the wallpaper of the 5 Richmond ‘Immortals’ (Jack Dyer, Francis Bourke, Kevin Bartlett, Royce Hart &amp; Tom Hafey) in the form of brickwork, we are providing this ‘paper tiger’ with strength and an intimidating aura, as it dominates its site along Punt Rd like a fortified base. Its siting allows for the framing of the Jack Dyer Stand between the two larger volumes as Building 02’s roof cantilevers overhead.

This exposure of the Jack Dyer Stand from Punt Rd can be interpreted as being the heart and soul of the Richmond Football Club, a relic of the past, but also inspiration for future success. It is hoped this ‘vista’ will remind passersby of the Tigers of old... strong and bold. Oh we're from Tiger... YELLOW &amp; BLACK!!! - with Michael Topic
</blockquote>

<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/jack_dyer_stand_montage.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Jack Dyer Stand montage."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="144" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/jack_dyer_stand_montage.jpg?itok=rvT3qAHO" title="Jack Dyer Stand montage." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Jack Dyer Stand montage.</figcaption></figure>From an site perspective the origami tiger has been employed as a large scale urban gesture that provides infill development to the awkward wedges that are the subsequent result of placing an oval on a largely rectangular site. The grassy knolls which become occupied are transferred to the roofs of the buildings providing another elevated viewing vantage point.

In doing this it also provides a visual connection to the Jack Dyer Stand from Punt Road oval while also creating a pedestrian link to Richmond Station by way of the tiger's tail which becomes a bridge over Brunton Avenue. The form of the tiger isn't immediately understood particularly at street level - this only really becomes apparent once the observer is elevated.

Please enjoy the slideshow below which illustrated the design development process via a series of diagrams. If nothing else I hope at the very least you come away from this with the knowledge and ability to make an origami tiger. Until next time.

If you're an aspiring student with a design to share, <a href="mailto:laurence@urbanmelbourne.info">send an email my way</a> and more likely than not you'll find yourself on Apartments.com.au.
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Taking a Punt at Tigerland

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Working at Tract Consultants near Bridge Road in Richmond gives me a front-row seat on the city's sad trend of high-street decline. Every day, I watch one of the city's key retail strips slowly lose tenants. Walking to get my lunch, I often pass three or four empty shops in a row - and the ones that are still open are having closing-down sales. My guess is that 30% of the shops are vacant.

This decline has been going on for a while, but yesterday I noticed a new sign of desperation: a number of shops on the street are displaying this poster in their windows.

<img alt="" height="429" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/pictures/article-images/free-parking-sign-bridge-road.jpg" width="286">

This campaign felt misguided to me, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why.

That evening I walked past the new H&amp;M and UNIQLO - where there are still queues out the door on some nights. Next, I got home and unwrapped a parcel, containing a new pair of shoes I'd bought online, cheaply, from Asos in England.

It dawned on me - rather guiltily - that if our inner-urban shopping strips die, parking won't be the reason.

High-street retailers face two brutal competitors, in the form of big-box retail and online shopfronts. Both are vastly better at marketing, and have the advantage of advanced supply chains and economies of scale. This enables them to easily undercut small operators, even displacing the outlet stores of Bridge Road. They're simply more competitive - if you're only looking at prices.

The thing is, nobody dreams of living on a quaint little street with a friendly local lKEA, Zara and DFO. Large retailers, while cheap, are just as anonymous as eBay; they add no identity to the places they set up in, nor do their owners truly belong to the community in the way a small business owner does.

Small retailers are essential to the fine-grained, individual appeal of our Main Streets. These active, diverse frontages create the walkable, interesting environments that Australians from other cities marvel at. In short, small retail is an essential part of Melbourne's livability.

Despite this vital contribution to our city, the vacancies I see on Bridge Road suggest that we're collectively putting low prices first - or that at times we're content to act as 'free riders' by enjoying these beautiful streets while shopping in cheaper, less distinctive places. Maybe this is because we're subject to a constant economic narrative of 'belt-tightening'; maybe we just like having more stuff. Maybe shopping on the couch with iPad in hand is just easier.

Either way, the fact that residential development in these areas is moving at a crawl certainly isn't helping local retailers keep up. Sure, there are some apartment towers popping up behind the shops, buts this growth is too slow to offset the loss of regional customers. The local customer base isn't growing very fast, but the overheads - and competitors - are. Meanwhile, residential growth at the fringe (and in the CBD) continues apace, where regulations are more conducive.

I spoke to The University of Melbourne's Kim Dovey, Professor of Architecture and Urban Design, and he agrees that parking isn't the problem - but he isn't convinced that retail is in serious trouble.

<blockquote>
Bridge Road might be losing some retail space to online competitors, but high street retail will generally be fine. I'm hopeful that the less successful strips will become mixed spaces, with small-scale production workshops and studios filling the gaps between surviving stores.
<cite>Kim Dovey, Professor of Architecture and Urban Design, University of Melbourne</cite>
</blockquote>

I like the vision of Bridge Road as a place where things get made. Watching a 3D printer do its thing might be just as good as window shopping. I'm also hopeful that a rise in shop-top residential could effectively cross-subsidise street retailers, providing landlords with a new income stream and enabling them to ease off on retail rental rates, which are often blamed for high vacancy rates. Perhaps Bridge Road will simply shift from its regional factory outlet role into one focused on day-to­day local needs; this is working very well for Swan Street nearby.

Tract will be conducting a corporate forum on revitalizing Main Streets later this year, focusing on our doorstep - Bridge Road. Hosted from some vacant Bridge Road shops, our range of local and interstate experts will shed some light on why some streets thrive and why others dwindle.

From what I've seen, the successful Main Streets display authenticity, localism, and retail diversity. They need amenity from high quality streetscapes, an active trader association, and a growing residential catchment. Parking does matter, but it's only one factor among many and it doesn't solely explain the decline of Bridge Road. I look forward to a broader discussion later this year to bring out some really inspired ideas for the future of this iconic street.

Thami Croeser is an Assistant Town Planner at Tract Consultants and studies at the University of Melbourne. This article first appeared in Planning Institute of Australia, Victoria Division's "Planning News" June 2014 issue.
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Tract TC

Will free parking save Bridge Road?

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Tony Macvean, managing partner at law firm Hall &amp; Wilcox and a Committee of Melbourne board member, didn't sell his three-bedroom warehouse conversion on Richmond Hill under the hammer at weekend auction.
It was passed in at $1.1 million. But elsewhere Richmond agents secured under the hammer sales sales in 12 of their 14 weekend offerings, while the suburb's star AFL forward Jack Riewoldt was in Sydney kicking his bag of 11 goals against the GWS team.
Macvean and Amy Carroll bought the then newly converted property at 6/10 Waltham Place (pictured above) as a family home in 2004 for $780,000. And after it was passed in at a reserve of $1,215,000, post auction negotiations actually took the selling price to $265,000 above the reserve, according to the buyers' agent Frank Valentic.
They have rented it out more recently, initially in 2008 at around $780 a week. They are selling it to purchase a beach shack at Wye River.
The three-level property comes with two living areas. The second terrace has city views taking in the famous Pelaco sign. There is basement parking for two cars.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.bigginscott.com.au/property/details/17129" target="_blank">Julie Taylor of Biggin &amp; Scott</a> expected $1.2 million-plus.
<a href="/news">Richmond</a>'s weekend sales ranged between $285,000 to $1.19 million. The cheapest had been tipped to fetched $270,000 plus.
The top sale was another warehouse apartment, this one sold by Marek Olech, of Nelson Alexander, who was quoting $980,000 to $1.05 million for <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-richmond-116833807" target="_blank">3 Stewart Place</a> (pictured below) which was bought as a shell about 12 years ago. It has three bedrooms and top-floor open-plan living-dining with a terrace featuring MCG and city views. It came with a home office, dumb waiter and tandem garage.
<img src="/images/2014/05/26/richmond%20may%2026%20two.jpg" alt="">
The most popular suburb for auction listings at the weekend in metro Melbourne was <a href="/news">Glen Iris</a> in the inner east with 25.
There were 19 auctions including <a href="/news">South Yarra</a>, <a href="/news">Brighton</a> and <a href="/news">Northcote</a> in the north east.
<a href="/news">Preston</a> in the north east had 17 auctions listed followed by <a href="/news">Bentleigh East</a> in the inner south with 16.
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