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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
</section>
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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Commercial Office

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Australian CBDs are still reeling from the impact of COVID-19, with new data revealing a deceleration in the rate of workers returning to their offices.

The Property Council of Australia’s latest office occupancy survey has found little growth in the number of workers returning to offices in February across most Australian CBDs.

Especially following recent snap lockdowns, Melbourne and Perth CBDs both had less workers at the end of February than they had at the end of January. Melbourne’s CBD recorded only 24% occupancy in the final week of February.

Sydney’s CBD experienced the strongest growth last month with 48% occupancy recorded - up from 45% in the final week of January.

<img alt="" height="1016" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/cbd_office_vacancy.jpg" width="1200">

Survey respondents identified worker preferences for greater flexibility as the main barrier to achieving full occupancy despite office building owners and managers working to ensure workplaces are COVID-safe.

“As Australia’s public health response reaches a new phase and the vaccination program rolls out, we’re looking forward to more CBD workers coming back to their offices to enjoy the benefits of face-to-face connections and collaboration,” said Property Council chief Ken Morrison.

“Lively city centres are not only important for the thousands of businesses who rely on foot traffic, but also for millions of jobs and hundreds of billions of dollars in broader economic activity generated in our CBDs,” he noted.

But boosting office occupancy levels remains a big challenge, especially in the secondary office space which is at risk of lower occupier demand and high vacancy, and likely in need of being retrofitted or repurposed. A recent PWC report advised around 12% of Australia’s economic activity during the 2019 financial year can be attributed to four of the country’s largest CBDs, but were likelier than the wider community to work from home.

"We believe that this so-called ‘death of the CBD’ has been exaggerate," PWC advised. "As the risks of COVID-19 recede, we can expect people to return to work in Australian CBDs." RMIT planning Professor Michael Buxton believes the emptying out of commercial buildings will be temporary, telling The Age the greater threat to the CBD was the loss of international students and short-term renters in high-rise apartments.
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Survey respondents identified worker preferences for greater flexibility as the main barrier to achieving full occupancy. 

jchancellor

The return to workers in CBD offices slows

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Charter Hall has taken a 100 per cent interest in the Sydney CBD tower block currently leased to Telstra.

Their Charter Hall WALE Limited, a responsible entity of the Charter Hall Long WALE REIT, has paid $281.5 million for the 76-78 Pitt Street building, which will be leased back to Telstra on a 10-year, triple-net agreement at a yield of around 4.75 per cent.

Telstra will see a fixed annual rent increase of 2.5 per cent.

Avi Anger, fund manager of CLW, said the property has a high underlying land value and future optionality.

Charter Hall's REIT has also entered in to an agreement to take a 100 per cent interest in a new Bunnings property to be developed in Caboolture, in Queensland's Moreton Bay region, for $28.1 million.

The REIT have also announced they've completed the acquisition of a 49.9% interest in an Endeavour Group leased pub the Parap Tavern in Darwin, paying for $9.8 million.

“Bunnings Caboolture and the Parap Tavern are located in strong trading areas and identified growth corridors for Bunnings and Endeavour Group," Anger said.

"The acquisitions increase the proportion of triple net leases in the portfolio from 50% to 53% and increase the proportion of fixed rent reviews to 55%, further supporting the REITs secure and growing income.

"The Acquisitions also increase CLW’s exposure to high quality tenants in Telstra, Endeavour Group and Bunnings.”

The REIT will undertake a fully underwritten $250 million institutional placement to partially fund the acquisitions and associated transaction costs.

 

 
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Charter Hall acquire 100% stake in Sydney's Telstra building

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Super Retail Group, an Australian retail conglomerate, has opened a new workplace in the Moreton Bay suburb of Strathpine.
The building was designed by Cottee Parker architects, while global architecture firm Woods Bagot designed the interior.
With an annualised turnover in excess of $2.5 billion, SRG is one of Australasia’s largest retailers of auto, sports, and outdoor leisure products.
Within its stable are notable brands including BCF Boating Camping Fishing, Macpac, Rebel and Supercheap Auto.
Located adjacent to the Strathpine shopping centre and rail corridor, and the sole tenant of the building, SRG’s new workplace sits within what will become a larger mixed-use precinct being developed by PrimeWest.
Woods Bagot associate principal and project design leader Sarah McMahon says that SRG setting up permanently in Strathpine is a tremendous vote of confidence for the area.
The new support office accommodates 650 of the company’s key customer care, visual merchandising, product testing, and retail experience staff across three levels. It comprises of 7000 square metres, and cost $75 million to build.
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Super Retail Group reveal new Strathpine headquarters

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Older Dubbo offices are struggling to attract leasing inquiry.
The location of Dubbo office accommodation has diversified significantly in recent years with the development of a number of business park precincts, exemplified by the Blueridge Business Park in East Dubbo (above) and Riverview Business Park in North Dubbo, according to the latest report from Herron Todd White.
Both offer single ground level office unit accommodation and have drawn a divergent range of office users to these areas according to the report.
These business park developments offer the particular advantage of onsite parking and purpose built amenity.
But older CBD office space, particularly those without lift services in multi floor buildings, struggle to attract leasing enquiry.
This can be compounded where car parking is limited, the report suggests.
As a consequence, office users who don’t rely on physical client contact have gravitated to periphery CBD locations or the aforementioned business park developments.
It noted government and allied agencies that require face to face dealings with the public need to be located within easy access to public transport and other support services.
According to the report this necessity has confined these agencies to within the Dubbo CBD and they are the major source of leasing demand for larger, modern, publicly accessible and NABERS compliant office space.
 
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Older Dubbo offices struggling to attract leasing inquiry: HTW 

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The Trocadero and Académie de Musique, a Victorian Fleming-style commercial building at 69-77 King Street, Newtown, has been sold.
The non profit cancer charity, CanTeen has paid $13 million to the Moore Theological College, which bought the property in 1974.
CanTeen has been the anchor tenant in the heritage-listed building since 2014, occupying most of the 1700 square metres of internal space.
There were more than 250 inquiries, and more than 50 inspections.
The agents were quoting more than $10 million, offering comparables including the historic Chippendale warehouse, which the University of Technology Sydney bought for $11.25 million last March.
Built during the 1880s boom, the Trocadero was one of 25 roller skating rinks in Sydney.
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Cancer charity CanTeen buys Newtown building for $13 million

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Designer William Smart has proposed $4.9 million alterations and additions to his intended Alexandria office property. 
It follows the<a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-industrial+warehouse-nsw-alexandria-502372482" target="_blank"> recent purchase</a> by Smart Studio Design.
There was a $2.65 million purchase from NID Pty Ltd of the 3360 square metre site along with $6.55 million of the adjacent warehouse space.
The warehouses of 12-18 Stokes Avenue are representative of Post-War and late twentieth century warehouses constructed during the industrial development of Alexandria during one of the peak periods of Australia's industrialisation.
The 12-18 Stokes Avenue space will accommodate the new fitout for Smart Design Studio and a caretaker's apartment.
A portion is located within the North Alexandria Industrial Heritage Conservation Area, triggering a Heritage Impact Statement.
Two buildings are located on the subject site 12-16 Stokes Avenue and both buildings have primary frontages to Stokes Avenue and rear access via Balaclava Lane.
While 18 Stokes Avenue forms part of the subject site, no works are proposed to the existing warehouse located on this lot.
The properties within the vicinity of the subject site are predominantly commercial in character, with properties surrounding consisting of a mix of warehouses and office spaces.
Buildings designs are typically simple and robust, reflecting the modular building forms, with heavy geometric massing and restrained ornament limited to the brickwork and parapet wall, as is typical for industrial buildings of the inter-war and post-war periods.
The Inter-War and Post-War characteristics of the North Alexandria Industrial HCA can clearly be seen through the stepped parapets and sawtooth roofs.
The development of Stokes Avenue was slow to begin, with subdivision only occurring from 1922. The first developments on Stokes Avenue were single storey residences, which were later replaced by industrial and warehouse buildings during the 1950s and 1960s.
The development of the subject site took place in two stages, with 18 Stokes Avenue being developed as a warehouse site from as early as 1943, followed by the development of 12-16 Stokes Avenue into a warehouse during the 1950s.
The 1951 Civic Survey of Sydney identifies the owners of 18 Stokes Avenue as J. Gadson Pty Ltd, a company which manufactured cans.
Founded in 1879 in Melbourne and begining its first plant in 1912 in Sydney.19 In November 1951, J. Gadsen Pty Ltd merged with R. Hughes Pty Ltd, continuing the use of the Alexandria factory as a can making facility. R. Hughes Pty Ltd had been founded in Sydney in 1880, developing three factories, one of which concentrated in lithographic metal printing and lacquering. 
During the 1950s, 12-16 Stokes Avenue changed uses from residential to industrial, with the construction of a new single storey warehouse building at 12-16 Stokes Avenue, for the manufacturing of confectionary machinery in 1958, owned by Hans Faerber.
Hans emigrated to Australia from Germany following the end of World War II.
Faerber's company was soon designing and building its own sugar sanding and starch moulding machines.
By 1958, Hans's business had grown and was incorporated as New Industrial Design (NID), functioning out of both the new purpose built warehouse at 12-16 Stokes Avenue and the existing warehouse, previously under the ownership of Gadsen- Hughes Pty Ltd at 18 Stokes Avenue. 
Since NID's founding in Alexandria in 1958, the business has continued at 12-18 Stokes Avenue. The property was offered with a year long lease back.
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William Smart Design Studio take on its own ambitious Alexandria warehouse office project

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Car and home insurer Youi has unveiled its new Sunshine Coast headquarters building at the Sippy Downs technology precinct.    
The completion of Stage 1 of the four-level building provides the insurer with 12,500 sqm of high-tech office space and accommodation for up to 1,700 staff.  
Stage 2 of the project will see a 12,500 sq m wing added to the new headquarters providing space to accommodate up to 3,000 staff.
“We are one of the region’s major employers and have been part of the Sunshine Coast since Youi commenced its Australian operation with 30 staff in 2008,” said Youi CEO Frank Costigan.
“The decision to build our new headquarters at Sippy Downs reinforces our commitment to growing with the community and providing additional employment opportunities across the region.”
He added that the new location places Youi close to the University of the Sunshine Coast that would enable a partnership.
The unveiling was attended by Mayor Mark Jamieson.
“Sunshine Coast Council has been working with Youi for the past decade as it grew from a start-up business to be one of the region’s major employers now based in this very impressive global HQ,” Mayor Jamieson said.
“Their investment is one of the largest non-governmental related investments in our Sunshine Coast’s history.”
The global headquarters will be home to all corporate positions including IT, marketing, HR and other professions.
It will also have an innovative advice hub where customers and public can drop in to discuss their insurance or obtain advice about Youi’s products, Costigan said.     
The energy efficient building is complimented by a sophisticated security entry system that does away with access cards by recognising each employee.
The close to 900 staff will move in to the new office from its offices on Lake Kawana at Birtinya before Christmas.
 
 
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Insurer Youi unveils new $73 million Sunshine Coast headquarters

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A fully leased commercial office building in Sydney’s CBD and overlooking Darling Harbour is set to hit the market, while another opposite Hyde Park has been listed.
The building at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-nsw-sydney-501644761" target="_blank">160 Sussex Street</a> is a renovated 15-storey office asset comprising 8,269.6 sqm of net lettable area on an 853.6 sqm site.
The building was constructed in 1992 and has an elegant heritage façade while incorporating modern office accommodation.
It last traded for $51.2 million in 2015, according to Corelogic RP Data.
It offers a Weighted Average Lease Expiry (WALE) of 3.26 years (by income) with a net income of nearly $4.6 million.
Vacancy rate in the Sydney CBD office market has remained the lowest among the national capitals, helping drive strong growth in both capital values and rental growth, according to the latest research data from Savills.
With vacancy currently at a low of 5.9 per cent and expectations of further tightening over the next two years as net supply remains negative, rents have grown in double digits over the past two years and risen to record levels, according to Savills, which is partnering with Colliers International to market the freehold B-Grade commercial office building. 
Given forward indicators and a distinct lack of short term supply, this trend appears to have further to run, while investor demand for quality assets remains strong in the Sydney CBD, particularly from Asian investors, despite concerns over tightening capital controls.
The marketing is being done by Graeme Russell, Simon Fenn and Ben Azar of Savills and Vince Kernahan, Tom O’Neill and James Barber of Colliers International.
The property is being sold through an expressions of interest campaign closing November 2.
The vendor is local property investor, Stephen Burcher, of the Burcher Property Group.
The property is fully leased with major tenant Education Centre of Australia (ECA) occupying 46 per cent of the building. Other major tenants include Rankin Ellison Lawyers, Fortinet International, Dual Australia, Trippas White Group, Turner Freeman Lawyers and Health Care Australia.
The CBD's Western Corridor precinct where the building is located has the highest net effective rental growth, according to Graeme Russell of Savills Australia.
“What is happening within the Western Corridor precinct is changing the dynamics of the Sydney CBD. New construction worth billions in office, residential, hotel, transport, infrastructure and entertainment developments in the area gives Sydney a new focal point," said Russell.
“The commitment by both public and private sectors promises that this precinct will bring a new standard of working and living to the area with 160 Sussex Street perfectly positioned to benefit from this development activity” he said.
Vince Kernahan of Colliers said more than $6.5 million has been spent on services and refurbishment works throughout the building since 2012.
Meanwhile, a freehold corner office tower opposite Sydney CBD’s Hyde Park has also come to the market.
Located at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-nsw-sydney-501680013" target="_blank">299 Elizabeth Street</a>, on the corner of Elizabeth and Liverpool streets, the property offers access to major retail destinations such as World Square, Westfield Shopping Centre, QVB, Chinatown and Darling Harbour Live.
 <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/2017/09/20/299ElizabethSt.jpg" alt="">
The building comprises nearly 5,974 sqm of net lettable area with ground-floor retail space. It is nearly fully leased.
It also has direct access to the underground Liverpool Street entrance to Museum Train Station. 
The listing agents are Knight Frank’s Dominic Ong, Andy Hu and John Bowie Wilson along with JLL’s James Aroney and Steven Tsang.
They are acting on behalf of a private Asian investor and the property will be sold via an international expression of interest campaign starting September.
Knight Frank’s Dominic Ong said investment demand was extremely high in the Sydney CBD. 
“There remains a lot of capital chasing solid assets in Australia. We are expecting interest from local and offshore buyers, including syndicates and high net worth individuals,” he said.
“The high profile corner is directly opposite Sydney’s Hyde Park and is an appealing investment package due to its current level of occupancy and diversity of income through the retail and commercial tenancies,” added JLL’s James Aroney.
The building recently underwent a $1.55 million upgrade and is nearly fully leased – primarily to legal occupiers – due to its proximity to the Local &amp; District Court within the Downing Centre.
 
 
 
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Sydney CBD building overlooking Darling Harbour listed: Savills

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The award-winning penthouse office in Melbourne's South Yarra has sold after having price expectations of $6.5 million plus.
It is understood to have been bought by parties associated with SecureCorp joint managing director Craig Harwood
The two-level office with 675 sqm of flexible space is set in one of Melbourne's top retail hubs.
It sits on the corner of Arthur and Chapel Street, perched above the vibrant precinct.
In 2015 it took out the Interior Design Magazine's Best Interior Design Award, one of New York's most prestigious design awards.
It was also named a finalist in the Workplace Design and Workplace Less Than 1,000 sqm categories at the 2015 Interior Design Excellence Awards in Australia.
Colliers International secured the sale of <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-vic-south+yarra-501998198" target="_blank">529 Chapel Street</a> on behalf of local developer Bill McNee.
“This is a truly unique offering – there is no other office in Melbourne that compares to this one,” agent Daniel Wolman said before the sale.
“On offer is the world’s best office in the heart of one of Melbourne’s trendiest and most sought after suburbs."
The office has communal and private workspaces, innovative entrances, steam rooms and luxury finishes with multiple rooftop terraces.
Luxury features include a Sonos sound system throughout, automated bi-fold doors, a teppanyaki grill and beer taps on the external terrace. 
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World's best small office design sells on Chapel Street

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An East Melbourne property scored more than 20 percent over its reserve at a Savills auction recently, selling for $9.53 million to an investor.
The 96 Wellington Parade property, located opposite the MCG and Jolimont Station, drew 128 enquiries.
Selling agents, Savills’ Nick Peden, Clinton Baxter and Jesse Radisich, said the result represented a strong building rate of $8456 a square metre of net lettable area, and $18,613 a square metre of land.
The property is a five-level, 1,127 square metre (NLA) office building on a 512 square metre, and is zoned Commercial 1. Savills represented the Catholic Church for the deal.
The building covers around 65 percent of the site, while the zoning allows for a building height of 24 metres or eight levels subject to council approval.
It offers uninterrupted views across parkland to the MCG, said Baxter.
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