National Australia Bank (NAB) will fund <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-gold-coast-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Palmera</a>, a $1 billion, 52-level luxury residential tower being developed by Central Equity in one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held coastal locations at Northcliffe.

The project, launched recently by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/central-equity">Central Equity</a>, one of Victoria’s largest private residential developers, comes at a time when construction funding for large residential developments has become increasingly competitive as lenders tighten exposure to the sector.

Multiplex has been appointed the builder, and construction is now underway.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365784]

Since its first project, Central Equity has delivered more than 85 residential developments with a combined end value exceeding $8 billion.

Palmera reflects Central Equity’s growing focus on the Gold Coast luxury apartment market and continues a relationship between Central Equity and NAB that dates back to the late 1980s, when the bank funded one of Melbourne’s earliest inner-city residential towers at a time when high-rise apartment living in the CBD was largely unproven.

“NAB’s funding of Central Equity’s $36 million CBD development in the late 1980’s to the financing of the billion-dollar tower today highlights the long-term relationship between the two organisations in delivering major residential projects” said Central Equity Founder and Chairman Eddie Kutner.

He said NAB’s early support was instrumental in helping establish the company’s development model.

“When we commenced our first residential tower in the late 1980s the concept of funding off-the-plan apartments was still largely untested in Australia,” Kutner said.

“NAB recognised the opportunity early and supported the project when others were uncertain. That relationship has now continued for more than 37 years across many developments.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365771]

Central Equity was established in 1987 when Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank precinct were still dominated by warehouses and commercial buildings. Fewer than 100 residents lived in Southbank at the time, and large-scale residential development in the inner city was not widely considered.

Recognising changing demographics and lifestyle preferences, the company began developing high-rise residential projects designed to bring permanent residents into the city centre.

Central Equity has provided accommodation for approximately 40,000 residents across Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank, while also incorporating supporting infrastructure including essential lifestyle facilities like retail spaces, childcare facilities and neighbourhood activity centres.

Central Equity has spent many years assembling the Palmera development site on the corner of Garfield Terrace and Frederick Street in Northcliffe, creating a supersite of around 3,300 sqm.

The developer said the Palmera apartment tower reflects its long-term view of the Gold Coast as a growing and increasingly diversified economy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365768]

Supported by infrastructure including the light rail network, major road upgrades expanded education, hospital and medical facilities and continued expansion at the Gold Coast Airport with more internation and domestic flights.

Positioned in the tightly held Northcliffe precinct, the 52-level tower will deliver 347 apartments, targeting buyers seeking a high-end coastal lifestyle, from downsizers to interstate investors.

Designed by Marchese Partners with interiors by DBI, Palmera has been conceived as a next-generation residential offering, featuring a collection of oversized apartments, with premium three-bedroom residences offering sweeping northern views stretching from Surfers Paradise through to Burleigh Heads.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108274]

Joel Robinson

NAB funds $1 billion Surfers Paradise apartment development, Palmera

Two years after completing one of the newest developments in North Sydney, developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aqualand-australia">Aqualand</a> is turning its attention to the rapidly evolving St Leonards apartment market.

The developer, which completed AURA by Aqualand on North Sydney's Walker Street, has lodged plans for a 5,918 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/33-37-herbert-street-st-leonards-nsw-2065">33-37 Herbert Street, St Leonards,</a> seeking approval for a pair of residential towers rising above a shared podium opposite Royal North Shore Hospital.

The proposal forms part of the broader transformation underway across the St Leonards-Crows Nest precinct, where former industrial and commercial sites are increasingly being redeveloped into high-density mixed-use projects tied to major transport infrastructure.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2cc428cf-fe70-4cac-9cd5-264ad53af62c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=otKSnHtbjAvAddOnovyXQMgcAwE6DMe1" />

According to the planning documents, the site sits “within the St Leonards–Crows Nest Strategic Centre, identified by the NSW Government as a key area for accommodating future jobs and housing across Sydney.”

The proposal has been designed by fjcstudio, formerly FJMT Studio, and is being progressed through the State Significant Development pathway due to its scale and affordable housing provision.

The scheme would comprise 413 apartments, including 46 affordable housing units, alongside retail and commercial uses fronting Herbert Street. The project would also include communal open space, landscaping, a swimming pool, gymnasium, children’s play areas and podium-level resident amenities.

Planning documents show the development would consist of a part-13, part-39 storey tower form positioned above a four-storey podium.

“The development comprises a unified podium that activates the street interface, and two setback towers to accommodate new housing supply while maintaining an appropriate human scale at ground level,” fjcstudio noted in its Design Report.

The northern and southern towers have been shaped to respond to the surrounding skyline while also limiting overshadowing impacts to nearby public open space, particularly Talus Reserve.

The design report said the differing tower heights were intended to “contribute to a varied skyline while responding to the surrounding built form context and solar access considerations.”

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36da62dc-ff9e-41f2-a7e3-7be38373751c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.45%E2%80%AFAM_0.png?VersionId=Mo6Rp2r.XRLTzIfg_PEEpw8NepDH8UBs" />

The site sits directly opposite Royal North Shore Hospital and within walking distance of both St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

While the site itself sits just outside the formal Crows Nest Transport Oriented Development boundary, the planning documents repeatedly reference its alignment with the broader TOD objectives reshaping the Lower North Shore.

“The site is located adjacent to St Leonards Station and in close proximity to Crows Nest Metro which is within the Crows Nest Transit Orientated Development Accelerated Precinct which has been identified by the NSW Government to support housing delivery,” the Design Verification Statement noted.

According to fjcstudio, the project has been designed to respond to the broader transition occurring across St Leonards, where increasing residential density is being concentrated around transport infrastructure and employment hubs.

“The broader precinct is undergoing significant change, with a mix of existing mid-rise buildings and newer high-density developments,” the report stated.

“Recent and approved projects indicate a consistent shift toward taller built form, typically organised as tower-and-podium typologies with more active ground levels.”

The proposal includes close to 6,000 sqm of retail and commercial space across the ground floor and podium levels, designed to create a more activated street edge along Herbert Street.

Aqualand’s plans would also introduce a landscaped podium shared between the two towers, with communal open space in the form of a podium rooftop designed to support resident interaction and improve urban greening outcomes. The scheme would also introduce pocket parks at the northern and southern ends of the site, including a landscaped area at the corner of Herbert and Ella streets designed to improve pedestrian amenity and soften the streetscape.

&nbsp;

The proposal is being progressed through the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway, which was introduced to accelerate housing supply across the state. The application was declared State Significant Development in April 2025 following an expression of interest process.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="faf6d97d-2671-454f-b85a-fe1c6a7be608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.49%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=diVd28OBVr5.YV.7prrOz.uAanwwwm7a" />

St Leonards has been particularly active with new developments in recent weeks. Developer SP Setia’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-sp-setia-targets-st-leonards-skyline-with-40-storey-tod-tower">plans for a new 42-storey tower</a> recently went on exhibition through the same pathway, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">Stockland’s 52-storey tower proposal</a> was also recently unveiled.

Aside from the St Leonards project, which is expected to take around nine months to move through the approvals process ahead of a potential 2027 launch, Aqualand is also preparing to launch Boronia, a new apartment project in Roseville comprising around 111 apartments on Larkin Street.

The developer also has approvals in place for the next stage of the Barangaroo precinct, which will feature new residential, retail, hospitality and community uses, alongside a new metro entry across the five-hectare site.

More than 50 new retail destinations are planned for Central Barangaroo, alongside a 270-metre-long boulevard connecting Hickson Park to Nawi Cove. Together with Harbour Park, more than 50 per cent of the precinct will comprise public open space and parkland.

First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-5" data-turn="user" data-turn-id="e65dbe94-e3b6-47f7-b62a-9cbb30c9bf79" data-turn-id-container="e65dbe94-e3b6-47f7-b62a-9cbb30c9bf79" dir="auto">Time &amp; Place’s plans to transform the former David Jones factory building in Surry Hills into a mixed-use residential precinct have gone on exhibition through the NSW Government’s In-fill Affordable Housing pathway.</section>

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-6" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:f4d533b7-64a5-413d-86fd-5c99649c2b73-2" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:f4d533b7-64a5-413d-86fd-5c99649c2b73-2" dir="auto">
The Marlborough House proposal, lodged for the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marlborough-house-47-97-marlborough-street-surry-hills-nsw-2010">47-97 Marlborough Street</a> site, would see the adaptive reuse of the heritage-listed warehouse building alongside the construction of new residential additions and a separate apartment building on the northern portion of the site.

The proposal seeks approval for 172 apartments across three buildings, including 15 per cent affordable housing managed by a community housing provider for at least 15 years from occupation.

<img alt="Marlborough" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5d1d3c2a-bf13-47d6-a335-7c01102cdee1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=cjMYrbR.BLUlWH4dar0RVDDo0bG.u2YT" />

Interior view from the Northern Building Penthouse overlooking the park

&nbsp;

The redevelopment is planned for the prominent 3,413 sqm site bounded by Marlborough Street, Goodlet Street and Lansdowne Street, directly opposite Eddie Ward Park and around 200 metres from the Surry Hills light rail stop.

Time &amp; Place acquired the former David Jones building in 2024, marking the first time the property had changed hands in around 50 years.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal centres around the adaptive reuse of the former David Jones factory, originally constructed between 1913 and 1935 in the Inter-War Chicagoesque architectural style.

Wardle noted in its Architectural Design Report that the building “occupies a significant place in the industrial and cultural history of Surry Hills” and at its peak was “the largest department store manufacturing facility in Australia, employing over 800 people and fuelling the growth of Sydney’s fashion and retail industries.”

The practice said the project positions itself “not as an isolated intervention, but as a contributor to the civic, social, and architectural grain of the precinct.”

The proposal would deliver 75 apartments within the retained southern heritage building, 59 apartments within the central addition, and a further 38 apartments within the new northern building fronting Lansdowne Street.

Planning documents show the scheme would comprise a mix of heritage apartments, new-build apartments, townhouses and penthouses.

<img alt="Marlborough" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="57758518-40a3-4b83-958c-d06e96a2cffa" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.42%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=VerlX9ST5xgBi8.1_YRsqdWTJeT6ygjs" />Interior View of the Heritage Building Apartment

The development would also include a ground-floor retail tenancy on the corner of Marlborough and Lansdowne streets, rooftop communal open space, a landscaped pedestrian link along the western edge of the site, and basement parking accessed from Lansdowne Street via a car stacker system.

&nbsp;

The scheme emerged from a competitive design process run by Urbis, with Wardle ultimately selected as the winning architect ahead of FJC Studio, TZG, Architectus and Wilkinson Eyre.

The Design Integrity Panel later described several aspects of the Wardle scheme as fundamental to the project, including “the stepped character of the new addition to the north of the site”, the landscaped western pedestrian link, and the “garden arrival” experience separating the original Marlborough House from the heritage addition.

Wardle’s design heavily references the site’s industrial and heritage history, while also responding to the surrounding Surry Hills streetscape.

The Architectural Design Report describes Surry Hills as “a finely grained neighbourhood with beautiful and expressive brickworks throughout the suburb,” with the proposal introducing a material palette intended to sit comfortably alongside the existing warehouse fabric and neighbouring terraces.

The report also outlines the project’s relationship with Eddie Ward Park and the broader landscape context of the area.

“Marlborough House occupies a site of deep cultural memory and the neighbouring Eddie Ward Park is of local ecological significance, where natural systems, topography, and stories have long shaped human experience,” Wardle noted in the report.

The architects said the proposal sought to “rebind built form to Country” through landscape, materiality and the adaptive reuse of the heritage structure.

<img alt="Marlborough House" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9ae3f2f9-c85f-477a-a6f8-b43f6cb97c41" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.53%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=B.qUCLqRvJOR.n9CvYcTpaknIX9LuqKZ" />

The project is also being progressed under the NSW Government’s in-fill affordable housing provisions, allowing developments that include affordable housing to access additional height and floor space incentives.

Under the plans, 2,593 sqm of the project’s floor space would be dedicated to affordable housing, slightly exceeding the required 15 per cent threshold.

In its Design Excellence Strategy, Urbis said the project aimed to “sensitively adapt and enhance the heritage-listed building on site through alterations and additions that preserve its historical significance” while delivering “high-quality market and infill affordable housing development in Surry Hills.”

Time &amp; Place has been one of the most active developers nationally in the last 12 to 24 months. Late last year they completed&nbsp;The Queensbridge in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank</a>, a mixed-use tower with 353 apartments and a hotel. They are currently selling Park Modern, 246 apartments near the famous Botanic Gardens in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/south-melbourne-vic-3205">South Melbourne</a>, and have future projects, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-wilmot-173-burke-road-28-hope-street-glen-iris-vic-3146">The Wilmot</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/glen-iris-vic-3146">Glen Iris</a>, the redevelopment of the Northcote Plaza, and another tower in South Melbourne.

The developer broke into Sydney just a few years ago with Two Tides in Manly. They have another project nearby, which is at the ultra-luxury end of the market on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/shoreline-manly-beach-89-90-north-steyne-manly">North Steyne</a>, fronting the beach.

It is also continuing to work through the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-time-place-settles-on-design-for-the-chimes-potts-point-redevelopment">redevelopment of The Chimes building</a> on Macleay Street in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/potts-point-nsw-2011">Potts Point</a>, as well as a project on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/time-place-to-take-on-mosman-apartment-market">Mosman's Redan Street</a>.
</section>

First look: Time & Place unveils Marlborough House redevelopment designs for former David Jones warehouse in Surry Hills

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

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

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

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

Building Construction

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Last year, Perth-based M/Group and its construction arm, M/Construction, delivered its second Quest Apartment project, Quest Perth Ascot and although construction of the 112-room apartment hotel was subjected to lengthy planning approval delay and Covid-19 regulations, it met strict building timeframes due to a new development model and building process that saw one floor completed every two weeks.

The main structure of Quest Perth Ascot officially commenced in January 2020 and the building was fully completed in August of the same year, an eight-month build.

M/Group Managing Director, Mr Lloyd Clark, said the formula used on the project had been perfected in the development of Quest Joondalup several months prior

“The M/Construction team used a building process that combined pre-cast concrete walls and a hollow core flooring structure with the integration of construction methodologies and custom-designed feature."

“The process allowed for up to 100 people on site at once, and the building program was coordinated and synchronised to adhere to new Covid-19 safety regulations."

With concrete floors and toppings poured and cured over the weekend to create self-supporting formwork, the workspace below was obstruction-free for follow-on trades to install framing and services unencumbered. The process effectively shaved some three to four months off the construction timeline

The Quest Perth Ascot project was the result of an $11.5 million development fund managed by M/Group. Its success was preceded by Quest Joondalup which won a finalist nomination in the 2020 World Travel Awards. 
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The main structure of Quest Perth Ascot officially commenced in January 2020 and the building was fully completed in August of the same year, a build time of just eight months

urban.com.au

New apartment building process delivers a floor a fortnight 

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A $320 million commercial project Parramatta, 32 Smith Street, ‘topped out’ by Fender Katsalidis and the GPT Group.
The 25-storey office building, which will see QBE become the anchor tenant, is set to become one of the most sustainable commercial office towers in the Parramatta CBD.
Fender Katsalidis director Mark Curzon said the construction milestone of the 26,500sqm sculptural tower, <a href="/news/32-smith-streets-construction-continues-the-rise-of-parramatta?utm_source=PropertyObserver%20" target="_blank">which commenced last year</a>, was a significant step.
“This is an important gateway building for the emerging city and new civic space, delivering a world-class, cutting-edge, workplace environment, through its urban, sustainability and design philosophy-based solutions," Mr Curzon added.
The tower includes landscaped extern roof terraces, balconies throughout and a publicly accessible urban room.
32 Smith Street is on track for completion in late-2020.
Fender Katsalidis is well known for their design of the Australia 108 tower, which pays homage to the Australian flag with a rotated golden structure protruding from the building.
Other projects designed by the team include Royal Fund’s <a href="/new-apartments/camberwell-house-699-burke-road-camberwell">residential project Bijou </a>in Victoria’s Camberwell and <a href="/buildings/derby-place-369-high-street-kew?utm_source=PropertyObserver" target="_blank">Crema Group’s Derby Place</a> in Kew.
The topping out at 32 Smith Street follows the architects’ recent appointment to design the $2.5 billion Central Place Sydney project.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

$320 million Parramatta commercial tower tops out

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The building defects crisis is undermining confidence in the construction industry and causing heartbreak and financial difficulty for owners and residents of affected multi-storey buildings.
A number of apartment buildings in the City of Sydney have recently made the news due to defects that, in some cases, have left them unfit for occupation due to faults that have occurred in the construction process. These include structural cracks, problems with water proofing, inadequate fire safety and soil contamination.
It is utterly irresponsible that successive state governments have allowed this to occur by removing independent certification and professional supervision of construction sites.
In 1997, as Member for Bligh in State Parliament, I was one of only two MPs to oppose changes to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 that handed over authority to private certifiers to approve certain categories of development.
I told the NSW Parliament that self-regulation would not work, and that public interest would be put at risk by time and cost saving pressures put on private building certifiers to keep the person who pays their wages on side.
These warnings were sadly prophetic. Now the NSW Government must act urgently to reinstate independent onsite construction inspectors, and ensure engineers and similar professionals are adequately accredited.
It is essential that certification of all buildings, particularly multi-storey residential buildings, be carried out by a third party independent of the builder. This would ensure proper checks and balances to protect amenity and the environment, and address the conflict of interest that currently exists when private certifiers are being paid by the building contractor.
It is right that the NSW Government has established a Public Accountability Inquiry into the regulation of building standards, building quality and building disputes.
The City has made a <a href="https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/lcdocs/submissions/64615/0143%20City%20of%20Sydney.pdf" target="_blank">submission</a> (see here) to the inquiry and we look forward to seeing its recommendations for independent and professional oversight acted on as a matter of great urgency.
CLOVER MOORE is an Australian politician, She has been the Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney since 2004
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Crisis in building and construction sector: Lord Mayor Clover Moore

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Alfasi Property has appointed Kane Constructions as the builder to undertake the construction of its project in Cremorne, NSW. 
Works commenced in July on the new technology-focused commercial development at 510 Church Street.
On completion in mid-2021, 510 Church Street will deliver an additional 18,559 square metres of A-Grade office space with large and flexible floorplates. 
The building will be a technology-enabled smart building.
Electric vehicle charging stations, fast and reliable WI-FI connectivity, safety and security access controls using smartphones, smart lighting and smart metering are among the features. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/9/4/510%20Church%20St%20construction%203.jpeg" alt="">
A range of cafes, restaurants and shops all within walking distance from the building.
Trains and trams making access easy from any part of Melbourne. 
510 Church Street will deliver 18,559 square metres of office space across nine levels, with a further 1,848 square metre outdoor terrace area, situated on a 3,058 square metre site. 
“Our floors range from 1,758 square metres to 2628 square metres, with outdoor terraces on every second level and four street frontages allowing for an abundance of natural light,” Gill Dvir, Managing Director at Alfasi Property said. 
<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/2019/9/4/510%20Church%20St%20construction.jpg" alt="">
Basement car parking for 147 vehicles, end-of-trip facilities, a rooftop terrace and a smart building app will further enhance the building, which is targeting 5-Star Green Star and 4.5-Star NABERS ratings, Dvir said. 
Alfasi Property has appointed Colliers International’s Rob Joyes and Travis Myerscough and Cushman and Wakefield’s Ben McKendry and Ben Ward on the leasing campaign.  
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Alfasi Property appoints Kane to Cremorne commercial building construction 

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Building and construction expert David Chandler OAM has been appointed as the new NSW Building Commissioner.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the appointment of Mr Chandler was part of the NSW Government’s commitment to implementing the biggest overhaul to building laws in the State’s history.
“David has more than 40 years’ industry experience, which will be invaluable as we move to restore confidence in the building and construction industry,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We know there are national challenges affecting the industry, but this new appointment will play a key role in protecting NSW homeowners and driving critical reforms.”
The Building Commissioner will be responsible for the investigation and disciplinary action for misconduct in the building industry while overseeing the end to end licensing and auditing across the building industry.
The Commissioner will also drive legislative reforms of the building industry, including consultation with industry.
This will include legislation to be introduced later this year requiring building practitioners to be registered, a new duty of care to make it easier for home owners to seek compensation against negligent building practitioners, and ensuring all buildings are designed and constructed to plans that comply with the Building Code of Australia.
Minister for Better Regulation Kevin Anderson said the Building Commissioner’s priority will be to continue the extensive work that has already been started by the NSW Government to reform the building and construction industry.
“David will lead the implementation of this reform and will advise the Government on additional reforms that may be needed to ensure better protections for homeowners and purchasers, and lift building standards across NSW,” Mr Anderson said.
Mr Chandler has welcomed the opportunity to work with the Government to strengthen the building and construction industry.
“Recent events have reduced community confidence in how buildings are designed and constructed and how they perform, but I welcome the leadership and commitment being shown by the Government to implement change that will strengthen the construction industry foundations in NSW,” Mr Chandler said.
Mr Chandler will start in the position on 14 August 2019.
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

David Chandler appointed NSW building commissioner

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EXPERT OBSERVER
The NSW Government has taken the next step in reforming the building and construction industry by providing the first in-depth look at proposed legislation as part of the Building Stronger Foundations discussion paper.  
The community and industry now has an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed reforms to deliver greater transparency, accountability and quality of work in the building and construction sector. 
The legislation will implement many of the recommendations from the Lambert and Shergold-Weir reports into the building industry, and now we want to hear from industry and the wider community to help finalise the legislation
The NSW Government is implementing four key reforms to deliver a more robust regulatory framework for the construction of buildings, including:
- A requirement for buildings to be designed and constructed to plans that fully comply with the Building Code of Australia,
- A requirement that all building practitioners, including building designers, architects and engineers, be registered to ensure they have the appropriate skills and insurance, and can be held accountable for their actions,
- Introduction of a new industry-wide principle of duty of care, enabling home owners to seek compensation if a building practitioner has been negligent, and
- Appointment of a Building Commissioner, who will regulate all aspects of the NSW building industry, and have the power to investigate and take disciplinary action for improper conduct.  
 We are committed to getting these important reforms right and ensuring they are developed in close consultation with the industry and community.
The consultation period is open until 23 July 2019 which will then allow for legislation to be drafted and introduced into the NSW Parliament.
The appointment of the Building Commissioner is expected to be finalised in coming weeks. 
Kevin Anderson is the Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation.
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Next step in building reforms from the NSW Government

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Residents who aren't able to get back in to their unsafe apartments in Mascot Towers have been given access to temporary residential accommodation assistance by the NSW Government.
The government will supply emergency financial support to the Mascot Towers Owners Corporation.
Residents of a one bedroom unit will be able to access funding for accommodation of up to $220 per night. Two bedroom apartment residents will be able to get $300 per night and there is up to $400 per night for a three-bedroom unit, all paid subject to actual costs incurred. 
Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation Kevin Anderson said residents of the 132 units would temporarily be able to access financial support for incurred accommodation expenses whilst engineers determine the root cause of the issues. 
“The residents of the Mascot Towers are facing exceptional circumstances with a long wait to understand what has caused this problem," Anderson said.
"That’s why the Government is providing residents and owners some certainty by helping them meet the cost of emergency accommodation until liability can be determined and these costs recovered. 
“Whilst residents wait for advice from specialist engineers on the root cause of the problem, we are taking decisive action to ensure all residents of the complex, both home owners and tenants, are not left out in the cold. 
“I hope that this package will also help ease some of the stress that has no doubt been felt by the Strata Manager and volunteer Strata Committee, who have worked tirelessly to support residents in these exceptional circumstances.” 
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Mascot Towers residents given temporary accommodation assistance by NSW Government

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Too often it takes a crisis to trigger changes in legislation and behaviour, when forward thinking, cooperation and future planning could have negated the risk in the first place. Australia’s building and construction industry is under the microscope and changes in the law are in the wind, due to situations that could have been avoided. These include the evacuation of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/22/sydney-opal-tower-report-finds-multiple-design-and-construction-faults" target="_blank">Sydney’s Opal building</a> and the fires in Melbourne’s <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-28/lacrosse-apartment-owners-win-5.7-million-cladding-fire-damages/10857060" target="_blank">Lacrosse tower</a> in 2014 and the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/04/apartment-fire-in-melbournes-spencer-street-prompts-new-fears-over-cladding" target="_blank">Neo200</a> apartment building in February, both of which were <a href="https://theconversation.com/cladding-fire-risks-have-been-known-for-years-lives-depend-on-acting-now-with-no-more-delays-111186" target="_blank">fuelled by combustable cladding</a>, as was the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jun/04/expert-lists-litany-of-serious-safety-breaches-at-grenfell-tower" target="_blank">2017 fire in London’s Grenfell Tower</a> that killed 72 people.
The <a href="https://aibs.com.au/Public/News/2018/ShergoldWeir.aspx" target="_blank">Shergold Weir report</a> made 24 recommendations to improve the National Construction Code to ensure compliance, integrity and more. Commissioned by federal and state building ministers, the report was made public at the Australian Building Ministers Forum in April 2018. But implementation has been too slow to prevent the problems in the Opal and Neo200 apartment buildings. And it included no changes to climate-proof buildings.
A new National Construction Code comes into effect on May 1. Recent events have, however, exposed inadequate construction standards and increased public pressure for further change. This presents an opportunity to future-proof our cities as well as restore public confidence in our construction industry.
Construction codes were created to eliminate “worse practice”, but we are now in a position to make them “best practice”. Importantly, we must prepare for climate change. Australia is increasingly <a href="https://theconversation.com/state-of-the-climate-2018-bureau-of-meteorology-and-csiro-109001" target="_blank">experiencing more extreme weather patterns</a>, but are we ready?
The legislative overhaul must also include building sustainability and higher performance requirements. A low-to-zero-carbon future must be part of the picture.
Construction code changes are needed urgently, not just for increased safety, but to ensure future urban developments:
<ul>
<li>are ready for higher energy demands to cool and heat buildings</li>
<li>are designed to maximise sun and shade at the appropriate times to cool and warm both building and street</li>
<li>use materials that reflect heat for hot climates and absorb it for cooler ones</li>
<li>maximise insulation to reduce energy use</li>
<li>provide enough green space to give shade, produce oxygen and sustain a healthy environment</li>
<li>use water features to cool common and public areas</li>
<li>install smart technology to monitor and manage buildings and precincts.</li>
</ul>
Many leading developers are taking the initiative to ensure projects include high-performance, zero-carbon, highly energy-efficient buildings, with top star ratings, but action needs to be across the board. This can only be done via tough legislation and enforced compliance.
The <a href="https://www.estate.unsw.edu.au/tyree-energy-technologies-building-sustainable-energy-research" target="_blank">University of NSW’s Tyree Building</a> is an excellent example of a high-performance building, as is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/nov/11/sydneys-one-central-park-wins-international-best-tall-building-award" target="_blank">One Central Park, Sydney</a>, which features hanging gardens and an internal water recycling plant. But its most striking feature is its “heliostat”, a large array of mirrors that reflect sunlight to areas that would otherwise be in shadow.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2jN8-rMbQDM?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" width="440" height="260"></iframe>
Around the world, high-performance buildings are on the increase, such as <a href="https://e360.yale.edu/features/singapore_takes_the_lead_in_green_building_in_asia" target="_blank">313@Somerset</a> in the heart of Singapore, and the <a href="http://nirman.com/blog/2016/08/31/cii-sohrabji-godrej-green-business-center-hyderabad-a-guiding-light/" target="_blank">Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre</a> in Hyderabad – India’s first <a href="http://leed.usgbc.org/leed" target="_blank">Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)</a> platinum-rated building. There are many more.
Changing the law
New building standards and compliance are required to ensure high-performance buildings are the norm, not the exception. The construction industry should fulfil a “cradle to cradle” objective for materials. This means accounting for:
<ul>
<li>where materials come from</li>
<li>how materials are made</li>
<li>safety levels</li>
<li>carbon component</li>
<li>recyclability at demolition.</li>
</ul>
Laws covering low-carbon building design are imperative, setting standards for geography, maximising natural light, air flow, insulation and smart technology. Technology can monitor and run a building’s utilities to ensure it’s not only energy-efficient but also delivers a health standard that’s adaptable to the future pressures of climate change.
Sustainable buildings are achievable now
Current know-how makes all this achievable. Over the past seven years the <a href="http://www.lowcarbonlivingcrc.com.au/" target="_blank">Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living</a> and its industry partners have funded research into most low-to-zero-carbon aspects of the built environment. This has led to many recommendations in reports like <a href="https://www.asbec.asn.au/research-items/built-perform/" target="_blank">Built to Perform</a>, produced by the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council.
The many research projects include:
<ul>
<li>17 living laboratories providing cutting-edge data</li>
<li>creating low-carbon communities</li>
<li>developing tools to measure carbon outputs, from materials to services</li>
<li>studying the effects of heatwaves in Western Sydney and ways to cool cities</li>
<li>research into low-carbon concrete made of fly ash.</li>
</ul>
This plethora of data reveals that sustainable cities and precincts are achievable, while providing for a growing communities. <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-blockchain-can-democratize-green-power-87861" target="_blank">Blockchain and solar technology</a>, for example, is now proven for managing a precinct’s energy needs and can help turn energy users into providers.
Although we are more global than ever, online and social media have in turn made us locally focused. We can know what’s going on in our street at a click and this technology is applicable to the operation of our future, sustainable cities.
We have the data, expertise, tools and knowledge to make safe, low-to-zero-carbon cities part of our future. But there’s much work to do. We still need to implement this knowledge, use the tools, change behaviour and instil 100% trust in the design and construction process. There’s no time to waste.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/113365/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Deo Prasad, Scientia Professor and CEO, Co-operative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living, UNSW
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-forget-our-future-climate-when-tightening-up-building-codes-113365" target="_blank">original article</a>.
Photo: John Gollings (Aerial images of One Central Park)
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Don’t forget our future climate when tightening up building codes

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The reasons for the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/fears-of-50-per-cent-loss-in-value-as-opal-tower-owners-consider-legal-options-20190103-p50pgg" target="_blank">cracked concrete</a> that triggered the evacuation – twice – of residents from Sydney’s Opal Tower over Christmas and the New Year are unknown and will take time to properly establish. Many commentators are jumping to the conclusion (yes that includes you, <a href="https://www.afr.com/real-estate/labors-kim-carr-promises-building-industry-reform-says-nsw-indolent-over-opal-20190102-h19mgk" target="_blank">Senator Carr</a>) that the problem is the result of the privatisation of building certification. Instead of being done by government or council inspectors, certification is now done by private contractors engaged by the developer.
It might well be a contributing factor, but what went wrong at Opal Tower is is much more complex than that. Making certification a government responsibility again won’t solve it.
Opal is unusual. Very few residential buildings in Australia have ever been evacuated due to construction defects, and fewer still because of structural cracking. The vast majority of construction defects in multi-unit residential buildings are waterproofing failures. Rather than creating short-term alarm, they create long-term misery. Because misery does not generate headlines, the problem of quality in multi-unit housing continues to be ignored by governments.
Most strata buildings are defective
Strata title allows each resident to own the space in which they live as well as a share of the common property including pipes and walls. It’s the way apartments are usually sold after they are developed.
We don’t have definitive, current data on the extent of defects in strata title buildings. Researchers from UNSW’s City Futures Research Centre have begun collecting the information for Sydney. But there are clear indications that defects are significant and widespread.
A 2012 study by City Futures surveyed 1,020 strata owners across NSW, and found 72% of all respondents (85% in buildings built since 2000) knew of <a href="https://cityfutures.be.unsw.edu.au/research/projects/governing-the-compact-city-the-role-and-effectiveness-of-strata-management-in-higher-density-residential-developments/" target="_blank">at least one significant defect</a> in their complex.
In 2017 a City of Sydney survey identified defects and maintenance as the <a href="https://www.flat-chat.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CoS-Short-Term-Letting-Survey-report-2017.pdf" target="_blank">top concern of owner occupiers of apartments</a>, along with short-term letting through organisations such as Airbnb.
Unfortunately for those keen to leap to conclusions about certification, studies showed the same thing back in the early 1990s when certification was largely in the hands of local governments. In fact, studies have found the same thing ever since speculative housing became common in Australia, from the end of World War One.
In fact, ever since speculative housing development and investment has become common (after World War I in Australia), residential construction defects have been a concern both here and overseas.
The market for residential buildings is extremely competitive, and controlling the cost of construction is one of the key factors in making a profit. Sometimes, the urge to maximise profit dominates to the extent that both short and long-term construction failures are inevitable.
It’s the consequence of cost control
There are, of course, reputable developers and builders, but reputation usually finishes last, undercut by less-reputable players who produce buildings that are slightly cheaper.
Defects in single-storey speculative houses with pitched roofs are probably just as common as defects in multi-unit dwellings with flat roofs, but they are much easier to fix because the houses are close to the ground and no strata committee is involved.
They are also much easier to find; a competent building inspection initiated by a purchaser is normally enough to protect the buyer. On the other hand, a building inspection of a single unit in a multi-unit development is highly unlikely to find defects which are located elsewhere in the common property of a building.
There are 653 apartments in the Meriton-developed Regis Towers, for example, which was the subject of a <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/towers-of-trouble-20181228-p50ol6" target="_blank">long-running legal action for defects</a>.
Intervening at certification is too late
The only practical way to make multi-unit dwellings a good investment for the residents and a decent place to live is for government to take a pro-active role in driving quality throughout the design and construction process, not just at the end when the building is certified for occupation, or at the beginning when it gets a development approval.
It is a simple reality that no other actor in the construction process has the capacity to take this role. It is also simpler and cheaper to build in quality than to rectify defects.
Often, a $1 detail realised for fifty cents will cause endless grief and cost thousands of dollars to fix.
Reducing the amount of rectification required will improve sustainability outcomes by containing the amount of embodied carbon incorporated in the building.
If the building performs well, it will have a longer life and that will reduce the need to eventually replace it with a new building; again saving materials and improving the outcome for embodied carbon. It is worth remembering that 20 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste are produced in Australia each year.
Governments have been reluctant to intervene early
Governments have as good as ignored the problem of defects in multi-unit residential construction even though they have been aware of it for years.
This is particularly concerning because the state governments in NSW and Victoria have been busy spruiking this type of accommodation as the solution to the pressures of rising populations in Sydney and Melbourne. Given this, the protections for apartment owners under existing legislation are ludicrously slight.
Unfortunately, compliance with the National Construction Code (NCC) in its current form is no guarantee. There are so many ambiguities and grey areas in the NCC and in the way that it is applied that it is a guarantee of almost nothing, particularly when it comes to waterproofing.
A simple example is the construction of balconies with flat slabs, which is perfectly acceptable under the NCC. The floor slab is constructed as a single plane from the interior to the exterior of the building with the waterproof barrier at the balcony being provided by a masonry wall or a concrete ridge on top of the slab.
This design almost always leaks within a few years. The reliable solution is to cast the slab with a step, but this is more expensive and as a consequence is rare. Cut-price membranes under tiled terraces are also common, causing leaks, mould and misery, despite arguably complying with the provisions of the NCC.
Fortunately, there is plenty that government could do to improve quality of multi-unit construction without affecting prices much.
Five stars. Information could drive standards
One clear way forward is to make the construction quality of a building more transparent to buyers.
This could be achieved by introducing a similar sort of quality assurance scheme to the one government runs to improve safety in cars; a five-star rating.
People are free to buy a two-star car, but for obvious reasons, not many do, even if they are cheap. Similarly, it is unlikely that many people would buy a two-star unit.
It would be perfectly possible to star rate multi-unit housing for construction quality using an independent assessment body against a transparent set of criteria.
It’s been tried before
Such a quality assurance scheme was introduced by the now defunct Building and Construction Council (BACC) in NSW during the 1990s, but unfortunately foundered due to a lack of funding and will from Bob Carr’s government. This was a pity, as the scheme was designed to drive quality through the whole of the building process, from design to completion.
It still provides a perfectly valid model for a policy that would actually do something to improve multi-unit construction quality at a cost which is minimal in relation to the value of the benefits produced. If a building is built correctly in the first place, then owners will not need to rely on shonky fly-by-night builders and developers for rectification works nor need to claim against complex insurance policies.
If the NSW and Victorian governments are serious about having a greater proportion of people live in multi-unit developments, they have a responsibility to do something about their quality before we are left with a overhang of misery, leaks and failures. Just ask the residents and owners of Opal Tower.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/109428/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
Geoff Hanmer is the Adjunct Lecturer in Architecture, University of NSW, UNSW
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/there-are-lessons-to-be-drawn-from-the-cracks-that-appeared-in-sydneys-opal-tower-but-they-extend-beyond-building-certification-109428" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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There are lessons to be drawn from the cracks that appeared in Sydney’s Opal Tower, but they extend beyond building certification: Geoff Hanmer

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Two developers have joined forces for a new $40 million Fortitude Valley development.
Pellegrino Group Australia (PGA) and Mosaic Property Group will work together on the commercial and retail building, The Eminence, which was designed by Justin O’Neill of O’Neill Architecture.
The six-level A-grade building  to be built at 89 McLachlan Street will offer 3,500 square metres of commercial space and 305 square metres of retail space. 
Construction is set to commence mid-November 2018 with completion estimated for late 2019.
Pellegrino Group Australia Director Paul Pellegrino says both PGA and Mosaic Property Group are excited by the project.
“The Eminence has been specifically designed to provide optimal work-life balance with inspiration taken from co-working spaces to make it a flexible corporate environment for years to come,” Pellegrino said.
“It’s a boutique building that’s built to give those businesses with a smaller footprint in Brisbane, bigger exposure – something larger corporate buildings generally can’t offer.” 
Both developers will take up office space in the building.
Mosaic Property Group Founder and Managing Director, Brook Monahan said the McLachlan Street site was chosen after an extensive two-year search for a new headquarters for their company.
“We had a very stringent set of criteria for the property that would house our team and meet our requirements well into the future,” Monahan said.
“The Eminence was the first property that met this criteria as an asset that we wanted to hold longer term.
 “While the building is cutting edge in terms of design and technology, it is also surrounded by exceptional amenity being in the heart of the James Street lifestyle precinct.
“At the heart of the inner-north Urban Renewal precinct the area is full of life and energy and has significant room for continued market growth.
“We also felt that the Pellegrino Group was an excellent fit as a JV partner because of their shared values as an organisation.”
Two levels of the office building remain available for lease through agents Gerry Leyden and Michael Skaparis of CBRE and Alex Cameron and Sam Barr of JLL.
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