<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/far-east-consortium">Far East Consortium</a> is preparing to commence construction on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/640-bourke-street-melbourne-640-bourke-street-melbourne-vic-3000">640 Bourke Street</a> this October, marking the next milestone for the Melbourne CBD development and its higher-end Eliza Collection.

Spanning levels 44 to 68 of the 68-storey <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>-designed tower, the Eliza Collection has been conceived as a lower-density offering within the broader development, with only five apartments on each floor, dedicated lift access and a collection of resident spaces reserved exclusively for Eliza Collection residents.

The Eliza Collection forms part of Far East Consortium's broader move toward larger-format residences at 640 Bourke Street, where the number of apartments was reduced from earlier plans as apartment sizes increased.

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"What it's meant for 640 Bourke is we've actually reduced the number of apartments. We've increased the overall size of the apartments. We don't have any studios in here, and what that does for a project is it elevates it," Far East Consortium Director of Sales and Marketing Lauren Sheldon said.

Rothelowman Associate Jun Chang said the design process provided an opportunity to create more generous floorplans.

"We were given the opportunity to be more generous. The apartments became bigger and squarer than any other apartments which had been designed in the CBD before that."

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That thinking carries through to the Eliza Collection, where the residences have been designed around the space and functionality associated with a larger home, but positioned high above the centre of Melbourne.

Kitchens are equipped with Gaggenau appliances, a butler's pantry, temperature-controlled wine cabinet and sculptural pendant lighting, while engineered timber flooring, stone and porcelain finishes and custom cabinetry feature throughout the broader interiors.

Privacy and security are another point of distinction. Eliza Collection residents have dedicated lift access, while 640 Bourke Street will provide concierge services and secure resident parking. Short-stay accommodation, including Airbnb, will not be permitted within the development.

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Eliza Collection residents will also have exclusive access to selected amenity spaces across levels one and three of the restored Eliza Tinsley building. These include the Salon with grand piano, an art therapy room, private dining rooms and treatment rooms.

They sit within more than 3,000 sqm of amenity planned across 640 Bourke Street, alongside facilities including a pool, gym, whisky lounge and further social and wellness spaces.

The Eliza Tinsley building itself is central to the wider project's identity. Rather than treating the existing Eliza Tinsley façade as a separate element, Rothelowman used it as a starting point for the architecture of the new tower, with the historic building to accommodate the project's gallery and lobby.

"It's a significant asset and wants to be celebrated and experienced by all residents every single time they go in and out of the building," Rothelowman Principal Stuart Marsland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=368872]

The tower will rise behind the retained heritage building at 640 Bourke Street, placing residents within walking distance of Southern Cross Station, Flagstaff Gardens, Queen Victoria Market and the Docklands waterfront.

With construction scheduled to begin in October, Far East Consortium has established an onsite display gallery at 640 Bourke Street, including fully built apartments that allow the project's layouts, materials and finishes to be inspected at full scale.

A fully built Eliza Collection apartment is also available to view at the display suite by appointment ahead of the planned October construction commencement.

Eligible purchasers who buy before construction commences can secure the full available off-the-plan stamp duty savings, subject to eligibility and applicable conditions.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=509]

Joel Robinson

Far East Consortium brings Eliza Collection to 640 Bourke Street ahead of October construction start

By the time S&amp;S Projects began planning <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/radia-rainbow-bay-271-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Radia</a>, the developer already had three Rainbow Bay projects from which to draw.

Flow, Awaken and Esprit had given <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ss-projects">S&amp;S Projects</a> experience developing in the southern Gold Coast enclave, as well as buyer feedback that could be carried into its fourth project, a boutique collection of 38 residences at 271 Boundary Street.

“We have experienced a lot of success in this location and as this was our fourth building we had taken all of the learnings and buyer feedback from previous projects to arrive at a design and apartment mix that we believe had captured all of that experience and remained a true S&amp;S Project in its design and amenity,” the developer said.

That experience has translated into a collection of two, three, four and five-bedroom residences including two penthouses positioned on an elevated corner in Rainbow Bay, where the site opens to multiple coastal view corridors and the area's distinctive north-facing bay.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140491 project_image_fid=284542]

S&amp;S Projects says the Boundary Street site took years to assemble, having previously comprised six units, a house and a duplex. The developer worked individually with the existing owners to bring the properties together after an earlier attempt to sell the site had been complicated by the number of parties involved.

“We are constantly looking for properties that meet our brand standards of location, views, and sites that are rare with unique aspects that we can develop to maximise the lifestyle of residents who live in our buildings,” S&amp;S Projects said.

The Boundary Street site gave <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cottee-parker-architects">Cottee Parker</a> a different set of conditions to work with.&nbsp;

“Our design brief was to design a building that took advantage of its unique elevated corner siting offering a range of spectacular view corridor opportunities,” Cottee Parker said.

“The design had to reinforce the strong brand pillars of S&amp;S which are quality, luxury and superior resident amenity.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140491 project_image_fid=284543]

Cottee Parker responded with a sculptural floorplate and strong horizontal banding, with continuous balconies and landscaped planters wrapping the building. Operable screens along the balcony edges allow residents to manage light and shade while creating an additional layer of pattern across the facade.

The tower rises above a heavily landscaped podium incorporating the entry lobby and recreational level, while the broader architectural expression takes cues from Rainbow Bay's coastal environment through its organic forms and light material palette.

Cottee Parker says the design has also been developed to complement S&amp;S Projects’ three previous Rainbow Bay developments while retaining its own architectural identity.

Inside, the residences continue that coastal response through two interior schemes centred on warm timbers and neutral tones, alongside patterned natural stone and fluted detailing.

Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors connect open-plan living areas to wraparound balconies, while natural stone is used across benchtops, splashbacks and bathroom walls. Specifications also include light-washed timber flooring, gas fireplaces, integrated bar and wine fridges, freestanding stone baths and 100 per cent wool carpet.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140491 project_image_fid=284559]

Cottee Parker Director Sandra Brown said the intention was to create an architectural response closely connected to its surroundings.

“Imagine architecture that breathes with the rhythm of nature, where every curve and line flows seamlessly – creating spaces that dance with the elements, where sunlight kisses every surface and the gentle sea breeze fills every space,” Brown said.

The lessons S&amp;S Projects carried into Radia also extend to its resident amenity, with a substantial collection of shared facilities planned for just 38 residences.

A dedicated Residents Club will include a lap pool and spa, gymnasium, ice bath, sauna, steam room and hot rocks sauna. A residents' lounge, private dining room, outdoor dining and barbecue area and business centre are also planned, along with storage and dedicated surfboard and beach lockers.

S&amp;S Projects Founding Director Paul Gedoun said the facilities were also designed around the project's Rainbow Bay setting.

“Each amenity is designed to capitalise on the lifestyle of Rainbow Bay, ensuring residents can enjoy the relaxed coastal experience the enclave is famous for,” Gedoun said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140491 project_image_fid=284555]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/pezet-matheson">Pezet Matheson</a> says purchasers to date have predominantly included local downsizers, interstate lifestyle investors and families, alongside a strong contingent of repeat S&amp;S purchasers.&nbsp;

According to the project sales team, feedback has centred on the natural stone and joinery, generous floorplans, natural light and the ability for residences to capture views in multiple directions. The completed Flow, Awaken and Esprit developments have also provided prospective purchasers with an existing reference point for S&amp;S Projects' delivery in Rainbow Bay.

There has also been interest from high-profile surfers and people connected to the surf community, with the elevated building providing outlooks towards several of the area's recognised surf breaks.

Radia continues S&amp;S Projects' concentration of development in a tightly held part of the southern Gold Coast, close to Rainbow Bay Beach, Snapper Rocks, Duranbah Beach, Greenmount Beach and the Tweed River. The neighbourhood also includes a growing collection of hospitality venues, while Coolangatta Airport provides connections beyond the southern Gold Coast.

Hutchinson Builders is now delivering Radia, continuing the project from early works privately funded by S&amp;S Projects. The $250 million development is expected to reach completion in the third quarter of 2027.

“With our history in Rainbow Bay, we have been fortunate to be heavily involved in how the development landscape has unfolded and this project slides into the property landscape comfortably and will feel like it was always there,” the developer said.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=140491]

How three Rainbow Bay projects shaped S&S Projects' fourth, Radia

Nearly 40 years after <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sheida-group">The Sheida Group</a> began working on the northern Gold Coast, the family-owned developer is continuing its involvement in Hope Island with Marina Point Apartments, where apartment scale has been a central part of the development.

Across the 235-apartment waterfront community, the developer has prioritised larger floorplans, substantial open space and marina access, responding to a purchaser base that has predominantly comprised local owner-occupiers and downsizers moving from larger homes.

"Having already delivered Anchorage nearby, we also understood this particular market and how people live here," developer Rick Sheida said.

"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marina-point-apartments-hope-island-66-view-line-terrace-hope-island-qld-4212">Marina Point&nbsp;Apartments</a> gave us the opportunity to build on those lessons and create the next evolution of our work in Hope Island."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136992 project_image_fid=293151]

The Sheida Group acquired the Marina Point land around 2018. Its appeal, Sheida says, went beyond having a waterfront address.

"What attracted us was not simply that the site was waterfront, but the way it meets the water," he said.

"It sits at the junction of broad waterways, creating long sightlines, changing views and a sense of movement throughout the day. Its shape also allowed us to orient the buildings outward, improve privacy between residences and make better use of natural light and breezes."

The buildings have subsequently been positioned around the perimeter of the site, allowing most apartments to take in water views while others look across the resort amenity or hinterland. Once all four buildings are complete, approximately one hectare of the site is expected to remain as open space.

The waterfront also provides the potential for up to 50 marina berths, with berths ranging from 15 to 24 metres and options designed to accommodate wider vessels including catamarans. Access from the marina to the Gold Coast Seaway is bridge-free.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136992 project_image_fid=293149]

The developer says purchasers to date have predominantly been owner-occupiers and downsizers from <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marina-point-apartments-hope-island-66-view-line-terrace-hope-island-qld-4212">Hope Island</a> and elsewhere on the Gold Coast, generally aged between 45 and 70. Many have sold larger family homes or properties requiring significant upkeep.

That purchaser profile informed a design brief centred on retaining the space and functionality of a larger home within an apartment format.

"Many of our buyers are coming from large, well-appointed homes in Sanctuary Cove and the surrounding area," the project team said.

"They are accustomed to generous spaces and thoughtful design, so it was important that the apartments delivered the same sense of comfort and functionality.

"Every room needed to feel well proportioned, every space needed a clear purpose and nothing could feel compromised."

Residences range from 139 sqm through to 319 sqm penthouses, with two car spaces provided to apartments and three to penthouses. Minimum 2.7-metre ceilings, floor-to-ceiling glazing, entertainer's kitchens with butler's pantries, substantial storage and balconies ranging from 18 sqm to 37 sqm further reflect the emphasis on space.

One purchaser from Sanctuary Cove has taken the concept further, combining two of Marina Point's largest apartments to create a 552 sqm residence with raked ceilings reaching up to 4.5 metres.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136992 project_image_fid=293155]

With Building 1 now complete, the developer is also seeing its original design assumptions tested against purchaser feedback.

Three completed display residences allow prospective purchasers to compare apartment sizes, layouts, finishes and outlooks in person. The sales team says one of the most consistent responses has been to the scale of the apartments, with visitors describing them as feeling more like homes than conventional apartments.

The first stage of resident amenity is also operational, including a 25-metre heated lap pool, Technogym-equipped gym, infrared sauna, golf simulator and yoga room. Future facilities are set to include a resort-style pool and spa, waterfront barbecue area and a residents' lounge with a library, fireplace, pool table, kitchen and bar.

Rather than treating the four buildings independently, the design brief called for a complete waterfront neighbourhood, balancing private residences with landscaping, open space, marina access and shared amenity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136992 project_image_fid=293152]

For Sheida, Marina Point Apartments is ultimately an extension of the developer's longer-term involvement in Hope Island and its view of how the suburb is evolving.

"We were equally interested in the long-term future of Hope Island," he said.

"Its position between Brisbane and the central Gold Coast gives residents access to both, while improving transport connections are making the northern Gold Coast increasingly attractive as a permanent place to live."

Hope Island Marketplace is 1.3 kilometres from Marina Point, while Sanctuary Cove and Paradise Point are within six kilometres. Links Hope Island, The Pines and The Palms golf courses are also nearby, and the new Hope Island train station is under construction around five kilometres from the development.

Building 2 is under construction, with completion scheduled for 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=136992]

Marina Point Apartments continues The Sheida Group's 40-year Hope Island story

Sydney-based fund manager and developer EG is seeking to turn part of the former Roche pharmaceutical campus in Cromer into a 130-home residential community, introducing a mix of low-rise apartments, townhouses and duplexes to the tightly held Northern Beaches market.

The SJB-designed masterplan has been prepared for the 3.2-hectare site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/100-south-creek-road-cromer-nsw-2099">100 South Creek Road</a>, part of the former Roche landholding that EG acquired for $55 million in 2017 through its Yield Plus Infrastructure Fund No. 2.

EG is proposing what SJB describes as a new "urban village" set within the site's significant existing tree canopy.

<img alt="Cromer" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="482c9a58-49f1-4c53-a12e-aaa02336229f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-24%20at%2011.20.57%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=hZP8_XfPnfNq500dbcjlpVwYU1ebhF9_" />

Around three hectares of the site is considered developable, with the balance incorporating a riparian corridor that would be rehabilitated and revegetated as part of the proposal.

The indicative masterplan comprises approximately 72 apartments in low-rise residential buildings and another 58 townhouses and duplexes.

The apartment component would include around five one-bedroom, 37 two-bedroom and 30 three-bedroom residences, while the townhouse and duplex component would be spread across several different housing typologies. The overall scheme would deliver around 19,500 sqm of gross floor area at an FSR of 0.6:1.

Parking for the apartment component is currently estimated at around 112 resident spaces and 14 visitor spaces, while the townhouse and duplex component would have 116 resident and 12 visitor spaces.

A significant part of the masterplan revolves around retaining the established landscape character of the former Roche campus.

SJB's plans show heavily treed setbacks along both Campbell Avenue and South Creek Road, a centrally located collection of significant native and exotic trees retained as communal open space, and the regeneration of the northern bushland area.

The existing creek corridor along the site's western edge would also be rehabilitated and revegetated, creating additional separation between the new homes and the neighbouring Northern Beaches Business Park.

A heritage-listed cottage and its garden setting would be retained and restored, with SJB flagging its potential adaptive reuse as communal space.

The proposal also includes new communal recreation areas, pedestrian connections to Campbell Avenue and South Creek Road, and a contribution toward improvements to the adjoining Michele Reserve.

Vehicular access would be restricted to South Creek Road, with no vehicle entry proposed from Campbell Avenue. The main internal road would largely follow the site's existing driveway to minimise the impact on established trees.

SJB said residential redevelopment presented an opportunity to retain the majority of the site's heritage-listed mature trees while delivering a broader range of housing types than typically seen across the Northern Beaches.

"The site being 3.27 hectares in area represents one of the largest vacant sites in common ownership in the Cromer and Dee Why area capable of residential renewal," SJB noted in the masterplan.

The architect said the proposal would particularly target housing diversity through townhouses and other "missing middle" typologies suitable for singles, young families, downsizers and retirees.

<img alt="Cromer" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e3f5d841-8491-427e-8ada-c70d3d03d6bc" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-24%20at%2011.21.02%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=xTV7r.q8lrTzC9vKzMS9zMbjm9wKwhgm" />

The site emerged following the subdivision of the former Roche campus into eastern and western parcels.

EG has already transformed the western portion into the Northern Beaches Business Park, which incorporates heritage-listed office space, modern warehouses and indoor recreation facilities.

The proposed residential community, referred to as Cromer East in SJB's plans, adjoins established housing to the north, east and south-east, while the business park sits beyond the creek corridor to the west.

It is also within 250 metres of Pittwater House School and Northern Beaches Secondary College, while bus stops within a three-to-five-minute walk provide connections to Dee Why, Brookvale and express services to the Sydney CBD. Cromer Park and the South Creek open space corridor are also nearby.

EG acquired the broader 7.5-hectare former Roche campus in 2017 for $55 million through its Yield Plus Infrastructure Fund No. 2. The campus at the time comprised more than 25,000 sqm of industrial and office buildings set within landscaped grounds.

The current residential site represents the eastern portion of that original holding.

EG's investment strategy for the fund has centred on acquiring income-producing real estate with longer-term rezoning and repositioning potential, particularly assets benefiting from infrastructure and changing land-use patterns.

EG also has an established residential track record across Sydney, including Bosco in Five Dock, Tempo in Drummoyne, The Flour Mill in Summer Hill and Pindari in Randwick.

The developer says it has delivered more than 1,000 homes to date, with a further 3,000-plus residences across its development pipeline.

First look: EG plans 130 apartments on former Roche pharmaceutical campus in Cromer

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> has lodged plans for a $750 million, three-tower mixed-use precinct that would complete the long-running redevelopment of Carlton's former Carlton United Breweries site.

The proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/185-195-queensberry-street-carlton-vic-3053">46-78 Bouverie Street and 185-195 Queensberry Street</a> spans a 6,468 sqm site, the last remaining undeveloped parcels within the former brewery's 2007 masterplan.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the development will comprise two purpose-built student accommodation towers and a third build-to-sell apartment tower above a shared commercial podium and basement.

Across the three towers, SP Setia is proposing 606 build-to-sell apartments and 1,499 student accommodation units containing 2,009 beds.

The apartments will sit in the tallest tower, which will rise nearly 200m and 55 storeys. It will become&nbsp;one of the more substantial new build-to-sell apartment projects at the northern edge of Melbourne's CBD.

The apartment mix is weighted toward smaller inner-city product, with 188 studios, 206 one-bedroom apartments, 192 two-bedroom apartments and 20 three-bedroom apartments

<img alt="First look: SP Setia plans three-tower finale for Carlton’s former CUB precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8271bc87-1b0a-41b7-ac73-a425ee375261" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/3_2.png?VersionId=G4lw23o90B1boX4k4dj7rdz2ZEajS9wy" />

Part of the precinct will be a large-scale&nbsp;3,684 sqm supermarket and a further 2,198 sqm of speciality retail, creating close to 5,900 sqm of new commercial space within the precinct.

But one of the biggest components of the proposal is what sits between the buildings.

Around 4,650 sqm, or roughly 72 per cent of the site, will be publicly accessible open space, incorporating plazas, pedestrian connections, landscaped laneways and retail spill-out areas.

The ground plane is intended to finally complete pedestrian connections envisaged when the CUB masterplan was first approved nearly two decades ago, stitching together Victoria Street, Queensberry Street, Bouverie Street and Swanston Street through the former brewery precinct.

Urbis said the development would "complete the CUB precinct", with the public realm providing important north-south and east-west connections through what is currently the final undeveloped portion of the masterplanned site.

SP Setia is also exploring a new linear park within the Bouverie Street road reserve, with the concept to be developed further with the City of Melbourne through the planning process.

The proposal is being pursued through the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program under Clause 53.23 for significant residential development with affordable housing.

The planning report acknowledges the proposed heights exceed those contemplated under the original Comprehensive Development Plan and masterplan, but argues the built-form context has changed considerably over the past two decades.

Urbis said the three towers would instead create a stepped transition between Carlton and the Hoddle Grid, rising progressively from the 94.1-metre Tower One along the Queensberry Street edge to the 199.44-metre Tower Three closer to the established CBD-scale buildings to the south.

<img alt="SP Setia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e885a07a-592c-40fc-bf82-e6dbaf32da54" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-21%20at%208.52.24%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=7s_ErUkSKAdY1mAWp3GRZgMNCGtwhk5m" />

SP Setia plans to deliver the development across three stages.

Stage One would deliver the basement, podium and retail areas for the entire precinct alongside the first student tower. Tower Two would follow in Stage Two, before the 606-apartment Tower Three is delivered as the final stage.

If approved and delivered, the project would close out a redevelopment process that has been underway since the former brewery masterplan was approved in 2007, adding more than 2,600 student beds and apartments to a precinct already home to Swanston Central, the Barak Building, RMIT Design Hub and several large student accommodation developments.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

SP Setia plans three-tower finale for Carlton’s former CUB precinct

South Yarra

<html><body>
Gamuda Land is set to unveil an impressive collection of artwork for the soon to be completed 661 Chapel St development in South Yarra.

Andy Dinan, Director of Mars Gallery which is renowned for exhibiting and promoting contemporary Australian artists, has been invited to specially curate the art collection throughout the development; included will be some of Australia’s most collected artists.

<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/2_0_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Aerial view of 661 Chapel with the Melbourne skyline in the distance. Image: supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="290" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/2_0_0.jpg?itok=3A5cEjk5" title="Aerial view of 661 Chapel with the Melbourne skyline in the distance. Image: supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Aerial view of 661 Chapel with the Melbourne skyline in the distance. Image: supplied</figcaption></figure>Dinan's curation for the project adopted a slightly different approach, treating the shared spaces of 661 as part of a 'home' environment rather than as a ‘corporate curation' with the each of the chosen pieces reflecting the spaces which they occupy, as well as the relationship between the artworks themselves.

Andy Dinan recently took time out of her schedule to chat to Apartments.com.au about Mars Gallery's curation of 661 Chapel St's shared public and resident spaces, and the growing demand for artist involvement in property development. 

According to Dinan a number of developers are realising the potential shared spaces have to add value to their projects, and this has in turn created a growing number of opportunities for artists to be brought on for commissioned work in a curatorial, or consulting role.  This growing demand for property development collaborations represents a key new pillar for Mars Gallery.

In commissioning artwork as part of their developments, the more culturally atuned and younger developers are providing a point of difference to their respective development in an increasingly competitive market, creating what Dinan terms as 'destination developments'. 

Dinan says that developers and developments are moving away from just street art to other media such as video and audio art to enhance and compliment their spaces. Marina Tower's artwork which comprises optic fibre light to create a giant glow worm is set to be unveiled in February, with an art installation as part of Golden Age's Opera development on St Kilda Road to be launched mid-year.

Previously Mars Gallery has been involved in creating a sound sculpture as part of an Elenberg Fraser development on Albert Road South Melbourne, which featured sounds that the artist recorded in Japan that was activated when the visitor sat down.

Another project <a href="/news/kennedy-nolan-create-a-new-melbourne-central-video-art-space">previously covered</a> by Apartments.com.au and curated by Mars Gallery is Melbourne Central's Melbourne Art Loop on the lower ground level.

In explaining about how Mars Gallery won the curatorial commission for 661 Chapel St, Dinan says she was invited to submit via a tender process with a brief that called for a more 'homely' experience rather than something corporate.

<blockquote>
This is not a corporate curation, nothing is “plonked” into place. This project is highly considered.

We have curated this like a personal home using all Australian artists to evoke a sense of continued discovery.

- Andy Dinan, Director Mars Gallery
</blockquote>

The process to select the artists and curate the works was slow but considered says Dinan, largely in response to the brief, with each piece chosen for its suitability for a particular space with a lot of negotiating and consultation as part of an open dialogue between architects Bird de la Coeur, Gamuda Land and the builder, Crema Constructions.

This has resulted in a carefully curated experience for both visitors to the building, and its soon to be residents. A stainless steel sculpture in the form of the building address by sculptor Matthew Harding greets residents upon arrival at the porte-cochere, and visually introduces the art project to visitors of 661 Chapel St.

<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/661_plus_-_porte_cochere_-_2000_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Exterior render of the porte-cochere with the 661 Stainless Steel sculpture. Image: supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="454" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/661_plus_-_porte_cochere_-_2000_1.jpg?itok=-Mga6feO" title="Exterior render of the porte-cochere with the 661 Stainless Steel sculpture. Image: supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Exterior render of the porte-cochere with the 661 Stainless Steel sculpture. Image: supplied</figcaption></figure>Once inside visitors will find themselves within the high vaulted ceiling Grand Library - a space designed to capture light and create a sense of calmness. 'The Relic' - a cardboard sculpture with an industrial aesthetic by acclaimed artist Daniel Agdag who works entirely in cardboard and is known for his attention to detail, will feature in this space.

According to Dinan it was critical that the artworks selected were 'an appropriate fit for the spaces.' In the context of the Grand Library this extended beyond The Relic to the adjoining wall, which will feature a print of a photo by Agdag while a catalogue of his work will also sit within the 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/david_agdag.png" rel="gallery-all" title="A sample of David Agdag's cardboard sculptures. Image: supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="459" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/david_agdag.png?itok=D2QiOklh" title="A sample of David Agdag's cardboard sculptures. Image: supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A sample of Daniel Agdag's cardboard sculptures. Image: supplied</figcaption></figure>Fabrice Bigot, a French-born photographic artist, will have a series of pieces centred around botanical studies located above the concierge desk, and throughout the building’s public spaces and private dining rooms.

Simon Finn has several works curated throughout the building, including a statement piece in the Grand Library, and three framed works entitled Liquid Tower in the meeting room which draw on his practices exploration of the synthesis between artist, environment and technology.

Woven polypropylene sculptures by Emma Davies are featured in the common spaces alongside Jenny Crompton’s acrylic ink on paper frames in the newspaper room.

The artworks will be officially unveiled in February as part of the official building opening.

Lead Image : Supplied
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Laurence Dragomir

Gamuda Land engages Mars Gallery to curate 661 Chapel St

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Iglu Student Accommodation wants a prime piece of South Yarra's Forrest Hill precinct for their next Melbourne outlet.

Forrest Hill has been dominated by traditional apartment developments in recent years, although the designated urban renewal precinct is beginning to further diversify. Alongside Iglu's intended redevelopment of the land at 6-8 Claremont Street, LK Property Group are looking to add a 294 suite hotel further north along Claremont Street.

Iglu's South Yarra footprint would be the first dedicated student accommodation building in the area, although both Ozihouse South Yarra and District South Yarra provide limited student accommodation beds within their respective properties.

For site owner Harbour Claremont Pty Ltd, their agreement with Iglu Student Accommodation has seen intentions for the 1,029 square metre plot change. Initially, the developer had sought approval for a Bates Smart-designed tower during 2016, which included 106 apartments, 2,700 square metres of office space and 81 car parks within a 26-storey building.

<h2>6-8 Claremont Street application summary</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/image27_10.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Exterior perspectives. Planning images: Bates Smart"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="292" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image27_10.jpg?itok=YLHTbF4q" title="Exterior perspectives. Planning images: Bates Smart" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Exterior perspectives. Planning images: Bates Smart</figcaption></figure><ul>
<li>1,029sqm site currently a three storey commercial building</li>
	<li>Proposed 24 storey tower at 74.4m in height</li>
	<li>488 lodging rooms</li>
	<li>No car parking or retail spaces</li>
	<li>Communal: gym, media &amp; games room, lounge, study spaces, outdoor balcony/verandah</li>
	<li>Shared vehicle and pedestrian thoroughfare included</li>
	<li>Cluster and studio configurations included</li>
	<li>Cost of works: $40 million</li>
</ul>
Now expected as a 24 storey tower, Iglu South Yarra's 488 rooms will be offered for rent on either 6 month or 12 month agreement terms.

In line with all contemporary student accommodation buildings, a bevvy of amenities are included. A gym, media room, lounge areas, games room, computer zone and study spaces are present, as is a first floor balcony/verandah that will bring added vitality to Claremont Street.

Cluster formations are present across levels 2-9 whilst levels 10-17 are dominated by studio apartments. At ground level, the building entry splays into an open plan lobby with a shared thoroughfare to the north of the site.

According to Bates Smart "We aim to maximise the activation of both the street frontage end the laneway. To achieve this we are proposing a linear planter with integrated seating along the northern edge. We are also proposing to incorporate a three-dimensional artwork which will bring colour and life to the 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/image22_13.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Laneway and common area perspectives. Planning images: Bates Smart"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="523" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image22_13.jpg?itok=IkvrOYX8" title="Laneway and common area perspectives. Planning images: Bates Smart" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Laneway and common area perspectives. Planning images: Bates Smart</figcaption></figure>Iglu Melbourne City is the provider's first Melbourne project, with Hacer Group advancing the build to structural completion.

Due to open mid 2018, the 594-bed student accommodation building opposite the Queen Victoria market is also a design produced by Bates Smart. A smaller nine storey building fronts 299 Franklin Street with another twenty three storey building at the rear.

Iglu Melbourne City and the South Yarra site which has gone to construction tender are part of the Iglu Australia series, joining two outlets in both Brisbane and Sydney. 

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_3696.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Iglu Melbourne City is structurally complete."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_3696.jpg?itok=ObmdSmnl" title="Iglu Melbourne City is structurally complete." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Iglu Melbourne City is structurally complete with the tower crane now removed.</figcaption></figure><h2>6-8 Claremont Street development team</h2>

<ul>
<li>Developer: Harbour Claremont Pty Ltd</li>
	<li>Project Architect: Bates Smart Architects</li>
	<li>Town Planning: Contour Consultants</li>
	<li>Waste and Traffic: One Mile Grid</li>
	<li>Environmental Sustainable Design &amp; Services Engineer: ADP Consulting</li>
	<li>Wind Consultant: Windtech</li>
	<li>Project Management: Point Polaris</li>
	<li>Fire Engineering: Olsson Fire &amp; Risk</li>
	<li>Structural Engineering: Webber Design</li>
	<li>BCA: Steve Watson &amp; Partners </li>
</ul>
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silvermb

Iglu Student Accommodation heads for South Yarra

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When a site spans 19,280 square metres, it becomes a 'district'. That's the case according to the development team behind the Jam Factory's pending overhaul.

Reporting on the project to date has focused on the close to 60,000 square metres of new commercial space that is earmarked for the site, but more importantly from a layperson's perspective is the extensive new public realm that is planned as part of the development.

<blockquote>
Our vision for the new Jam Factory is to create a highly permeable site, an extension to its context - a district defined through an ensemble of buildings that embodies and reflects the site’s rich character and establishes a new district, a breathing space, a destination of shopping, eating, working.

Jam Factory shapes as  far more than just a commercial reworking of the existing complex. A genuine gesture to the people.
</blockquote>

The opportunity to create this grand gesture has fallen to Bates Smart and Nottingham-based Leonard Design Architects. Their challenge as set down by developer Newmark Capital was to create Australia’s premiere mixed-use district.

<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/image49_7.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Green rooftop expanses. Image: Bates Smart"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="337" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image49_7.jpg?itok=XyCSagm-" title="Green rooftop expanses. Image: Bates Smart" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Green rooftop expanses. Image: Bates Smart</figcaption></figure>A highlight of the reworked Jam Factory's design is the publicly accessible network of green terraces and passages that will sit atop level 3.

<blockquote>
The spaces feature direct access from ground level from a number of locations and will be highly activated throughout the day due to the location of the commercial lobbies on these levels.

In addition, the proposed garden terrace located along the northern edge of the site will receive high exposure to direct northern sun throughout the day due to abutting rail reserve which prevents the interface from being ‘built out’.
</blockquote>

The multiple access points will join with a network of activated roads and laneways at ground level.

In the application now with City of Stonnington, Newmark Capital's stated goal is to revitalise the current complex so that it reflects the needs of the whole community.

<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/image45_7.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Chapel Street permeability. Image: Bates Smart"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="339" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image45_7.jpg?itok=t7EENNpy" title="Chapel Street permeability. Image: Bates Smart" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Chapel Street permeability. Image: Bates Smart</figcaption></figure>According to planning documents, key features of the proposed ground floor treatment include: 

<ul>
<li>A new north facing dining terrace with extensive greenery and public realm opened up. Vertical links to the level three elevated garden terrace will also be incorporated.</li>
	<li>A new laneway entry from Garden Street aligned with Bray Street to the south. This new laneway physically and visually reconnects the site to the southern road network and offers unique opportunities for walkable and pedestrian-scaled ground plane treatments.</li>
	<li>Re-opening the existing original façade on Garden Street to introduce a variety of smaller scaled retail and dining formats will activate Garden Street from a moribund vacant street to a vibrant and pedestrian-friendly street.</li>
	<li>The proposed design ‘opens up’ new access points from Chapel Street by reinstating Turnbull Street lanes and a new open plaza on Chapel Street to the north of the site.</li>
	<li>Internal privately managed, publicly accessible spaces, laneways and streets feature different widths, lengths and overall design which creates a series of different spaces with different identities, character and ‘feel’ similar to what would be expected across a typical city block.</li>
	<li>Depending on their purpose, the width of each internal laneway has been modelled on analysis of successful outcomes within Melbourne – Bank Place, Degraves Street, the Causeway within the central city have informed this aspect of the proposal.</li>
	<li>A new ‘Jam Factory Square’ similar in scale to QV Square in Melbourne. Designed with a number of events in mind (normal day, small events, larger events).</li>
	<li>The courtyard is north facing and will allow light to filter through the space and define the proposed series of streets and lanes.</li>
</ul>
Submitted during October, the cost of construction for the project exceeds $400 million, making it one of Melbourne's largest pending projects.

<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/image48_8.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A green view toward South Yarra's Capitol Grand building. Image: Bates Smart"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="684" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image48_8.jpg?itok=AGz1Z3ZR" title="A green view toward South Yarra's Capitol Grand building. Image: Bates Smart" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A green view toward South Yarra's Capitol Grand building. Image: Bates Smart</figcaption></figure>
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South Yarra's Jam Factory redevelopment a public realm bonanza

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Apartments have seemingly taken a back seat in South Yarra as developers look to cash in on Melbourne's buoyant hotel sector.

Latest to the trend is LK Property Group who are seeking to usurp their already approved residential tower scheme on Claremont Street with a 294-room hotel tower. If successful 35-41 Claremont Street would join three other prospective hotels within South Yarra, which combined could add as many as 711 new hotel suites to the suburb.

LK Property Group's about-face for the 1,446 square metre site follows on from the previous <a href="http://artisanarchitects.com.au/projects/claremont-street">Artisan Architects-designed scheme</a> gaining approval during December 2016. It was to have included 121 apartments.

The developer pulled the trigger on the redesign mid-year, enlisting Rothelowman for the new hotel's design. Submitted during August, the project carries a build value of $65 million.

Expected is a twenty-two storey hotel building above a single basement level encompassing 20,083 square metres of gross floor area. A lounge, meeting rooms, restaurant, gym and rooftop bar are among the design's listed amenities.

<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/image15_13.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Exterior finishes. Planning image: Rothelowman"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="228" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image15_13.jpg?itok=zojjQuCq" title="Exterior finishes. Planning image: Rothelowman" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Exterior finishes. Planning image: Rothelowman</figcaption></figure>In advancing plans for a hotel, LK Property Group will for the first time move away from a residential outcome.

The unveiling of a new 35-41 Claremont Street follows hot on the heels of two new hotels announcing themselves over recent weeks. Most recently Argo Group has listed 230 Toorak Road for sale, complete with approval for 93 hotel suites.

Designed by Woods Bagot, the scheme replaces developer Cranecorp's earlier plans for <a href="https://www.hassellstudio.com/en/cms-projects/detail/toorak-road">25 luxury apartments</a> across the site.

Alfasi Property Development has also entered the fray, planning a 150-room, 4.5-star international hotel at 2-10 River Street. JLL Metropolitan Sales handled the sale of the 2,116 square metre site recently, resulting in Alfasi rolling out their first hotel development.

Carr Design Group have handled the project's architecture, describing the outcome as "consisting of a two-level podium which creates a dramatic contrast. Clad in a dark metallic materiality with a structural form defined by sheer blades and articulated planes, the effect is of solidity, strength and rigorous detailing forming the base from which the suites sit lightly above."

Rounding out South Yarra's quartet of hotels in waiting is Starwood Hotel and Resort's commitment to 402 Chapel Street. Expected to open during 2019 as part of a larger mixed-use development, Starwood will brand the 176-room hotel component under its Aloft banner.

<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/image18_21.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="2-10 River Street, Aloft Chapel Street and 230 Toorak Road."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="403" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image18_21.jpg?itok=XVw8LWT6" title="2-10 River Street, Aloft Chapel Street and 230 Toorak Road." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>2-10 River Street, Aloft Chapel Street and 230 Toorak Road.</figcaption></figure>
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South Yarra's fourth hotel in development unveiled

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The South Yarra trophy home offering of celebrity chef Shannon Bennett and actor wife Madeleine West has come down from listing websites, presumably sold after offers fell due mid-week.
They listed Barwon, an updated 1880s home, having spent around $17 million on a Toorak mansion, a four level Lansell Road home sold by the Melbourne pub owner Mazen Tabet earlier this year.
The couple bought the Cromwell Road South Yarra home for $4,805,000 in 2012, upgrading from Kensington.
There were $7 million to $7.7 million price indications for the home which had a Jackson Clement Burrows' renovation and extension by the prior owner.
It came with five bedrooms. The new home comes with five “oversized” bedrooms, four ensuites plus a family bathroom.
Bennett and West are the parents of five daughters and one son. She has written a book on parenting called Six Under Eight.
This article was first published in The Weekend Australian property section.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Chef Shannon Bennett sells Barwon, South Yarra for $9 million plus

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South Yarra's latest residential addition is rapidly approaching completion, and to mark the occasion Apartments.com.au was guided through Noir by developer Dahua Group.

Under the guidance of head contractor Hacer Group, Noir's construction has moved at breakneck speed, so much so Dahua Group asserts it has risen in record-breaking time. The project, on Garden Street, has advanced from its ground level slab to completion in only eight months.

Noir's final slab was poured during April, followed in August by a traditional topping out ceremony. 

The rapid acceleration through the concrete structure can be attributed to the tower's simple square floorplate, combined with the brisk work of concrete structure specialists I&amp;D Group.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_1887.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Noir South Yarra is approaching completion"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="781" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_1887.jpg?itok=aCVGsnHr" title="Noir South Yarra is approaching completion" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Noir South Yarra is approaching completion</figcaption></figure>Fast forward to Apartments.com.au's visit earlier this month and Noir's exterior is all but complete. The building carries a trademark CHT Architects finish which consists of predominantly black and white interlocking geometric shapes; this finish is prevalent across numerous CHT Architects projects such as <a href="http://chtarchitects.com.au/projects-3/multiresidential/ebony-apartments-camberwell/">Ebony Apartments</a>, <a href="http://chtarchitects.com.au/projects-3/evita-maroondah-highway/">Evita</a> and the award-winning <a href="http://chtarchitects.com.au/projects-3/multiresidential/the-maze-apartments/">Maze Apartments</a> in Richmond.

Residents will get to see the building up close soon enough, with settlement approaching and many of its residents able to move in before Christmas 2017.

As Dahua Group's first Melbourne site acquisition post their office being established locally in 2014, Noir's pending completion is a milestone project for the developer and its Project Manager for apartment developments in Australia, PDS Group. At the peak of Melbourne's apartment boom, dwellings within the project sold out promptly.

<blockquote>
We’re delighted to have reached this milestone and thank our partners, particularly Hacer, for getting us to this stage ahead of schedule.

PDS Group is proud to have partnered successfully with Dahua Group for Noir and we are looking forward to Noir welcoming its first residents in the coming weeks and Dahua Group’s next Melbourne project Hawthorn Park.

Dahua Group  and PDS Group wish to thank our partners for their innovation and hard work to date

- Andrew Fortey, Managing Director of PDS Group
</blockquote>

91 residential apartments are located above 6 ground floor tenancies for restaurants and/or retail.1, 2 and 3 bedroom configurations were offered, although a top floor apartment was combined to deliver a massive dwelling looking over Melbourne's skyline.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_1891_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Professional photographers get to work on a completed apartment"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="305" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_1891_0.jpg?itok=jEkCLeQm" title="Professional photographers get to work on a completed apartment" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Professional photographers get to work on a completed apartment</figcaption></figure>At the time of Apartments.com.au's visit, two apartments were fully completed and styled with DOMO furniture packages. Seen above is a glimpse of a completed single bedroom apartment going through its marketing paces.

DOMO's furnishings were offered across Noir, with certain buyers electing to purchase a combined apartment and furniture package. The synergy will continue with DOMO set to anchor a major Camberwell Road tenancy in Dahua Group upcoming development dubbed Hawthorn Park at 33 Camberwell Road, Hawthorn East.

That project will include hundreds of apartments and townhouses, and is a major aspect in Dahua Group's Australian portfolio which is valued at $4.5 billion across 13 projects, with a development pipeline stretching to 2030.

Noir has an end value of $60 million. 

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_1893.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Uninterrupted and impressive sight lines"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="310" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_1893.jpg?itok=Nx1KeBXb" title="Uninterrupted and impressive sight lines" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Uninterrupted and impressive sight lines</figcaption></figure>
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A look inside Noir as the project races toward completion

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<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
The longtime Melbourne apartment developer Michael Yates is seeking to sell his 55 Claremont Street project site after only getting buyers for 20 of the 37 apartments in the planned development.
The <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-land+development-vic-south+yarra-502602942" target="_blank">boutique project</a> failed to get traction with buyers, he admitted to Fairfax Media.
"Sales were slow," Mr Yates candidly said. "We didn't reach the required numbers for finance. Building costs have also blown out."
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">It is reportedly the last site he owns, so he will be stepping out of the apartment industry.</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">His desperate sale pitch came with an offer of a shared electric BMW i3 for residents of the 37 apartments, but it wasn't enough to tempt buyers. </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">The unsuccessful marketing campaign came from <a href="https://www.grenade.com.au/55-claremont/" target="_blank">Grenade</a>. It was marketed as the last of its kind to offer panoramic, never-to-be built out views of the Yarra River and Melbourne CBD.</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/10/30/Yates2.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">
Ausin, the company that promotes Australian property to the Chinese foreigners, was engaged to find an overseas demand, that also failed to emerge.
The 50 year veteran, now 73, says he's not leaving development, but he has sub-leased his office.
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">He hopes to "take it easy for a year or so".</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">The Claremont Street site has joined with a neighbouring one owned by cleaning company AES Services boss George Haritos to make the current 969-square-metre site offering.</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">It is not just uncertainty about the apartment market - but his age and health - that had prompted him to take a break, noting "all cycles come to an end."</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
Mr Yates's son Toby left the business last year after ten years as sales and marketing manager.
On its 2015 launch, construction was due for completion by the end of 2017. When CBRE was engaged to sell the apartment, it was suggesting a late 2018 completion, but again unable to find sufficiently boost buyer numbers.
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">Now Mark Wizel is selling the entire 49-55 Claremont Street site with its view towards the river and city skyline over the Melbourne High School oval.</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">He claims there had been "solid" interest in the "early 30 [million]s" for the site but that the expectations of Yates and Haritos "might be a little north of that".</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">Fairfax Media described the site as "spectacularly located" that "some sources are tipping could make way for the city's most exclusive apartment tower."</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/10/30/Yates1.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">It anticipated a tower of possibly more than 30 storeys.</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">The site is along from his previously constructed Yarra House. 
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">
The Michael L Yates &amp; Co. project was set to continue their longstanding relationship with architects Bird de la Coeur and interior designers Hassell.</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">On its early 2016 launch The Urban Developer claimed Melbourne’s luxury apartment market was set to strengthen during 2016, driven predominantly by the baby-boomer cohort demanding high quality, spacious apartments in inner city pockets.</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">Yates, said on launch the past few years had seen the makings of the “boomer-boom”, with his nearby development Yarra House in South Yarra selling more than 70 percent of apartments to owner occupiers in the over-50 bracket.
According to Mr Yates, the baby-boomer demand for Yarra House was a shift from previous projects in the area where at least 40 percent of stock was purchased by investors.
“We have ensured 55 Claremont ticked the boxes for baby-boomers – spacious and flexible floorplans, a boutique development in a prime location and a dress circle view of Melbourne,” he suggested at the time of launch.
Industry observers noted the ignominy of his retreat in 2017 is that the name and the Michael Yates brand was built around the fact that he "lives and breathes South Yarra."
<div class="page" title="Page 2">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Known as the Forrest Hill Precinct, it is located between and includes the west side of Chapel Street through to Yarra Street, running north from Toorak Road through to Alexandra Avenue. 
The precinct was brought to the attention of the market in 2005, when a large portion was acquired by Michael L Yates &amp; Co, with its subsequent re-zoning following and development commenced. From the outset, the Precinct had potential for 50 development sites, of which 30 have now been fully developed providing in total around 3000 apartments.
Last year it was suggested 15 sites remained suitable for development, with a potential to produce a further 2,500 apartments. 
</div>
</div>
</div>
Yates' devotion to the area over four decades resulted in numerous developments that have included award winning projects such as 7 &amp; 9 Yarra Street, 50 Claremont Street, and One Yarra Lane.
Previously Yates was proud of the high-end Georges Apartments on Little Collins Street in the Melbourne CBD.
Earlier in his career, Yates developed office buildings on Collin Street, including 400 Collins St, 414 Collins St and 454 Collins St.
</div>
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Michael Yates quits South Yarra apartment site after failing to secure finance

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Having spent around $17 million on a Toorak mansion, celebrity chef Shannon Bennett and actor wife Madeleine West have listed Barwon, their luxury South Yarra home.
The couple bought the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-south+yarra-126762426" target="_blank">1880s home</a> for $4,805,000 in 2012, upgrading from Kensington.
There are $7 million to $7.7 million price indications.
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Set on 1250 sqm, the four bedroom Victorian home is flanked by north-facing gardens and an outdoor entertainment area featuring a pool, spa and pool house with sauna.
A self-contained studio sits in the grounds and there's a 3000 bottle temperature controlled wine cellar.
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Ross Savas and Steven Rode are marketing the home which had a Jackson Clement Burrows' renovation and extension by the prior owner, National Pacific Properties.
The couple bought a four level Lansell Road home from Melbourne pub owner Mazen Tabet earlier this year.
This article first appeared in The Weekend Australian property section. 
 
 
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Shannon Bennett of Vue de monde lists South Yarra home 

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The founders of the Byron Bay Cookie Company, Gary Lines and Maggi Miles, are selling their two-bedroom, two-bathroom South Yarra apartment in the Domain precinct.
It comes with oak parquetry floors and polished concrete ceilings.
There is a dark palette on the walls and in the kitchen.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-south+yarra-126453614" target="_blank">The Airlie Bank Lane apartment</a> has a courtyard with a deck.
The Neometro-designed property goes to auction on October 28 with $1.5 million to $1.6 million price guidance.
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No cookie cutter apartment on offer in South Yarra

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Francesca Packer Barham, heiress to one of Australia's largest media fortunes, scored an impressive profit on her first rather pricey property foray.
Her $7.6 million Melbourne investment terrace sale settled just as she headed back to London recently to complete her final year of design school, where she will also be studying psychology remotely.
The daughter of billionaire Gretel Packer and English financier Nicholas Barham had paid $6,125,000 for a South Yarra home in 2015 when she was dating a Melbourne property developer.
During her 18 month ownership she added a new kitchen with sleek black island breakfast bar and an all white marble bathroom.
There was also the major expensive of stumping up the $330,000 stamp duty fee.
The stately two-storey terrace purchase was financed by a company directed by Gretel.
Packer Barham has kept her nearby $1.4 million quaint South Yarra cottage.
Earlier this year she enrolled in a $50,000 a year interior design course at the prestigious Inchbald School of Design in Chelsea.
She's certainly following in her mother's footsteps when it comes to decor and design.
Gretel was into interior design when she had Barham and Bragg design with cousin Adelaide Bragg, which they co-founded in Sydney in the late 1980s.
Bragg has since kicked on independently as Adelaide Bragg &amp; Associates.
In a recent interview with Sydney Confidential, Francesca said she inherited her mother's passion for design. 
“Design is really fun. It is something I always had an ­interest in that has grown ­recently,” Packer-Barham said. 
"I'm heading back to London to complete my design diploma and working on my psychology degree by correspondence," she said of her plans for the rest of the year. "There's more crossover than you might think."
She has just finished refurbishing her Elizabeth Bay apartment.
Packer-Barham is set to be a VIP guest however at the Melbourne Cup carnival in November and spending Christmas with the family while on a break from her year long studies. 
Francesca is the eldest grandchild of the late media tycoon Kerry Packer and his widow, Ros. 
She had been living at Double Bay.
Prior to that was the Bellevue Hill mini compound of her mother, next to Gretel's 1919 home, Wiston.
It was a $4 million purchase of an adjoining house which the Packer's bought from the Fairfax family in 2013.
Her grandmother Ros lives at nearby Cairnton, the huge compound whose ownership dates back to 1935 when Sir Frank Packer started to buy up some hillside property.
This article first appeared in the Daily Telegraph.
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