Fivex

JOINT WINNERS SHARE INAGURAL $30K DIGITAL BILLBAORD ART PRIZE

Sun, 20 Dec 2020 21:30:00 GMT

Joint winners share inaugural $30K digital billboard art prize Architecture news & editorial desk Melbourne-based artists Catherine Clover

BIRDSONG AND SONIC PATTERNS WIN FIRST DIGITAL BILLBOARD ART AWARD

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 04:50:00 GMT

Birdsong and sonic patterns win first digital billboard art award

Fivex Art Prize joint winners revealed

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 04:41:00 GMT

Fivex Art Prize joint winners revealed

The winners of the inaugural Fivex Art Prize – Australia’s first award focused on billboard art – have now been revealed.

Out of a prestigious group of six shortlisted artists, Catherine Clover and Daniel Kotsimbos, who are both Melbourne-based, will share the $30,000 prize, taking home $15,000 each. The results were announced by Lord Mayor Sally Capp, and Clover and Kotsimbos will have their pieces, Song Cycle and Peak Frequency respectively, displayed on large LED billboards (one wraparound and one vertical) at the corner of Elizabeth and Flinders Streets opposite the railway station until the end of January 2021.

“The Fivex Art Prize: Billboard Art Reimagined is an innovative addition to our city’s rich creative heritage,” said Capp at the announcement. “Showcasing the best digital art from across the country on a prominent CBD billboard is another reason to come into the city to enjoy what’s on offer.”

The prize jury included Jane Devery (curator, Contemporary Art, National Gallery of Victoria), Liss Fenwick (public art project lead, Melbourne City Council), Gary Deirmendjian (artist), Charmaine Moldrich (CEO, Outdoor Media Association) and Alessio Cavallaro (creative producer, Fivex Art Prize and media art curator).

Catherine Clover’s Song Cycle (pictured at top) centres on the phonetic words used by bird field guides to approximate the bird songs of the Indigenous red wattlebird and the introduced common starling, both local to Melbourne’s CBD. The red wattlebird’s scratchy raucous song is rendered for the horizontal billboard using the rhythm and metre of an early morning exchange, which includes two slightly varied groups of three notes, repeated. The complex song of the common starling, which includes a long dropping melodic note fills the vertical billboard.

Daniel Kotsimbos’ Peak Frequency (pictured below) presents a visualisation of the sonic patterns recorded at Melbourne Square Crossing to reflect on the public space and routine foundations of our public lives. Made from a site-specific audio recording, the artwork is a spectrogram of the billboards’ location. The spectrogram on the wraparound billboard shows time represented horizontally on the x-axis, and sonic frequency on the vertical y-axis. A colour key indicating decibel intensity is shown on the vertical billboard.

The other shortlisted artists will each receive $1000 and their entries will join those of the winning duo on display at intervals throughout the day, alternating with advertising content.

On weekends, between 12 noon and 1pm, and starting on on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 December, all six pieces will be displayed in one-hour, no advertising, group screenings.

The billboards belong to QMS media Group and its CEO, Barclay Nettlefold, says the competition is “a significant new art award that promotes new forms of bold, memorable street art for today’s digital age. Both of the winning works push the boundaries of what we expect from street art and billboards alike and QMS is proud to showcase their work on such a powerful digital canvas, right in the heart of Melbourne.”

fivexartprize.com.au

Inaugural billboard art prize awarded to Melbourne artists

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 22:30:00 GMT

By Kerrie O’Brien

Inaugural billboard art prize awarded to Melbourne artists

Daniel Kotsimbos, joint winner of the inaugural Fivex Art Prize. CREDIT: JASON SOUTH

Artist Daniel Kotsimbos sees the city as a giant instrument that is played by all who interact with it. “Everyone contributes to these sounds in some way, we all play into this pattern,” he says.

Who made the FIVEX Billboard Art Prize cut?

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 22:20:00 GMT

From native bird calls to sonic visualisations of public space, the inaugural swag of finalists for the Fivex Art Prize will capture the imagination of commuters at billboard proportions.

Finalist, Daniel Kotsimbos’ Peak Frequency. Image courtesy the artist.

He explains: ‘the artwork is essentially a spectrogram of the billboards’ location [which] shows time represented horizontally on the x-axis, and sonic frequency on the vertical y-axis … It’s a hypnotic representation of a public space.’

Similarly, designer and illustrator Phi Do turned to the city’s geometric layout with his stylised work, Move in All Directions .

A particular cheeky intervention is the work of designer, photographer and poet Magdalene Carmen, who fuses distinct road and construction signs with smart phone aesthetics, in her piece Hello Sign / Hey! Sign.

She says: ‘Mobility, a plethora of visual media and micro messages mark the 21st century, its zeitgeist perhaps best summarised in the graspable beauty of the mobile phone with its apps, containing our whole lives.’

It is a fun play with many waiting at the crossing diverted from their hand-held screens, to the big screens of the billboards.

There is also an environmental thread and messaging across the finalists chosen.

Artist and inaugural co-winner, Catherine Clover’s Song Cycle is based on songs of the Red Wattlebird and the Common Starling, turned to phonetic words for bird field guides.

She explained: ‘These seemingly nonsense texts incorporate phonetic words used by naturalists to approximate a bird’s call or song … Hopefully, viewers will find it irresistible to sound out the calls as they pass by.’

The co-winners, Clover and Kotsimbos’ works could be described as the most abstract of the six finalists in the way they are evocative of sound works rather than just purely visual expressions, and playing off the sound of the built environment to raise the broader questions of what is art and how it impacts us on a daily basis just walking streets, or rushing to work.

Finalist, Kent Morris’ City of the Future. Image courtesy the artist.

Artist and curator Kent Morris also takes his cue from Australia’s native songbird in City of the Future , which turns to the Magpie to highlight the Indigenous history of Melbourne’s landscape and its future .

Artist Deborah Kelly, known for her striking collages, captures the complex entanglement of city life whilst reminding viewers of the natural world’s resilience and promise of harmony.

Her piece Evolutionary Exuberance has been created from elements collected over three years, and ‘seeks to enchant the viewer with a shimmering array of complex inter-species entanglement.’

‘As history narrows and the world warms, this artwork is a balm and a herald of recovery and resilience,’ she added.

Finalist, artist Deborah Kelly’s Evolutionary Exuberance , detail (2020). Image supplied courtesy the artist.

Preview the selected finalists .

Ambitious is a good work to describe these finalist works. The public will encounter them as a kind of a jolt, perked by the anomaly: ‘That doesn’t look like an advert.’

Cavallaro added: ‘You are not expecting to see artworks when looking at billboards. A primary aim of the Prize is to highlight the interplay between vernaculars of art and advertising, and the creative trends that oscillate between them, while riffing off the perceived conditional space for art in a gallery or museum.’

Unrelated to the Prize, but now serendipitously coinciding with it due to the COVID delay, is a new public artwork by artist Gary Deirmendjian.

Commissioned by The Fivex Foundation for the Digital Facade in Melbourne’s iconic Federation Square, pulse is a subtly beating colour field of light that envelops visitors for several hours most evenings until 31January 2021.

Deirmendjian said the ‘artwork offers a tangible expression of the city’s strengthening heartbeat after prolonged COVID lockdown, filling the public space with gentle pulsing light that spills out through the perforated facades and reflects on passers by and the surrounding buildings.’

The Fivex Foundation is a philanthropic enterprise dedicated to initiating and supporting a range of community and cultural programs.

The Fivex Art Prize will be an annual event, with the desire to grow this unique project internationally. The Prize is sponsored by the digital billboard company, QMS Media.

All of the finalists’ works will be individually exhibited daily, interspersed among commercial advertising content, until 31 January 2021. The works will also be presented collectively, in one-hour group screenings without advertising, at 12pm–1pm on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 December (and similar weekend schedule thereafter until the end of the exhibition).

Learn more about the annual Fivex Art Prize .

FIVEX ART PRIZE: BILLBOARD ART REIMAGINED

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 23:51:00 GMT

BY MADELEINE SWAIN ON 1 DECEMBER 2020

HOW STREET ART CAN REVITALISE A CITY

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 23:43:00 GMT

Postponed due to COVID, the first edition of the Fivex Art Prize will soon be announced with artworks to be featured on the iconic QMS Media billboards in the middle of Melbourne’s CBD, bringing much needed artistic energy back to a city that has endured so much under lockdown.

top, l–r: Deborah Kelly, Evolutionary Exuberance; Catherine Clover, Song Cycle; Magdalene Carmen, Hello Sign / Hey Sign bottom, l–r: Phi Do, Move In All Directions; Daniel Kotsimbos, Peak Frequency; Kent Morris, City Of The Future.

Prior to March 2020, Melbourne’s CBD was bustling; the sun was out and foot traffic was constant during the busy summer period in the lead-up to the pioneering Fivex Art Prize: Billboard Art Reimagined.

This unique Australian art award offers six finalists the opportunity to showcase their works on two large digital billboards on the corner of Flinders and Elizabeth streets.

At last, the prize will be announced and presented by Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Sally Capp on Monday 14 December. The winner will receive AU$30,000, with each finalist to receive $1,000.

All of the finalists’ works will be individually exhibited daily, interspersed among commercial advertising content, and also presented collectively, in one-hour group screenings without advertising, at 12pm on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. The exhibition runs until the end of January 2021.

Alessio Cavallaro, Creative Producer of the Fivex Art Prize, said this major initiative is a new form of street art in Australia, specific to Melbourne.

‘As people return to the streets after such a challenging year indoors, the selected works will create surprising moments of intrigue and delight for passers by,’ Cavallaro said.

‘Viewed outside of conventional art galleries, and among commercial content, the artworks expand the context of “art in public spaces” and redefine modes of engaging with art that is situated in a constantly changing visual media landscape. Each of the six selected artists has responded superbly to these dynamic shifts. The stylistic diversity of the artworks will capture viewers’ attention, and spark their imaginations in subtle, provocative, and playful ways,’ he added.

The finalists are: Magdalene Carmen (VIC), Catherine Clover (VIC), Phi Do (VIC), Deborah Kelly (NSW), Daniel Kotsimbos (VIC), and Kent Morris (VIC). Cavallaro noted that, ‘Their works broadly explore tensions and reveries between urban and natural environments.’

Deborah Kelly’s Evolutionary Exuberance captures the complex inter-species entanglement of city life reminding viewers of nature’s resilience and promise of harmony, while Kent Morris’ photographic montage City of the Future features Australia’s native songbird the Magpie to highlight the Indigenous histories and stories that are central to Melbourne’s landscape.

The Prize attracted over 520 entries from across Australia, and highlights artists’ immediate enthusiasm to embrace a new exhibition platform.

Joshua Berger, Director of The Fivex Foundation and Fivex Art Prize said: ‘The Prize offers extraordinary potential as a new artistic medium and, particularly in the wake of the global health crisis, an unparalleled opportunity for artists to exhibit in an easily accessible and safe way outside the conventional gallery setting. We’ve received a strong response to the inaugural Prize and are delighted to be able to support the cultural sector which has been severely impacted by the pandemic.’

THE HEARTBEAT OF A CITY STRONGER THAN EVER

In addition to the Prize, Fivex has announced another exciting initiative: a newly commissioned work that will ‘activate’ Federation Square during most evenings from 7 December 2020 to 31 January 2021.

pulse is the latest work by Sydney-based artist Gary Deirmendjian. With its rhythmically beating colour field of light, the artwork offers a tangible expression of the city’s strengthening heartbeat after the prolonged Covid lockdown, filling the public space with gentle pulsing light that spills out through the perforated facades and reflects on passers by and the surrounding buildings.

A compelling presence in Australian contemporary art, Deirmendjian’s unusual mode of practice has produced an extensive body of work – sculpture, photography, video, installation, and site-specific interventions – that is often described as beguiling, thought-provoking and socially concerned.

Although pulse is strikingly different from the Fivex Prize artworks on the billboards, Cavallaro said: ‘The two projects are complementary, and perfectly coincide to revitalise the cultural heart of Melbourne.’

The Fivex Art Prize is presented by The Fivex Foundation, and sponsored by QMS Media, Australia’s leading digital billboard company.

Gary Deirmendjian’s pulse is commissioned by The Fivex Foundation, and presented in association with Federation Square.

The Fivex Foundation is a philanthropic enterprise dedicated to initiating and supporting a range of community and cultural programs.

For more information visit Fivex Art Prize .

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 23:39:00 GMT

MEDIA RELEASE

1 December 2020

FIVEX FOUNDATION TO ACTIVATE SCREENS AND BILLBOARDS ACROSS MELBOURNE’S CBD WITH NEW ARTWORKS THIS DECEMBER

– Announcement and exhibition of Australia’s first digital billboard art award valued $30,000 – – Major new commission in Federation Square by celebrated Australian artist Gary Deirmendjian –

Melbourne, Australia: The Fivex Foundation will enliven Melbourne’s CBD this December with a series of new screen and digital billboard artworks by leading and emerging artists from across Australia. The inaugural $30,000 Fivex Art Prize: Billboard Art Reimagined , Australia’s first award dedicated to digital billboard art, will present the winning and finalist works from 14 December 2020 – 31 January 2021 on two prominent billboards opposite Flinders St Railway Station, with the winner announced at the exhibition launch. From 7 December 2020 – 31 January 2021, the Foundation’s first major commission – by celebrated Australian artist Gary Deirmendjian , titled pulse – will set Melbourne’s iconic Federation Square aglow.

Joshua Berger, Director of The Fivex Foundation and Fivex Art Prize said: “The Fivex Art Prize offers extraordinary potential as a new artistic medium and, particularly in the wake of the global health crisis, an unparalleled opportunity for artists to exhibit in an easily accessible and safe way outside the conventional gallery setting. We’ve received a strong response to the inaugural Prize and are delighted to be able to support the cultural sector which has been severely impacted by the pandemic. We are proud to also be presenting the Foundation’s first commission, by esteemed artist Gary Deirmendjian.”

The Fivex Art Prize , sponsored by Australia’s leading premium digital billboard company, QMS Media, has been established for creative individuals of all disciplines to reimagine the dynamic relationship between art and contemporary street culture. QMS Chief Marketing Officer Sara Lappage commented , “QMS is proud to provide media sponsorship for this inaugural billboard art award, particularly at a time when the city is re-awakening and Melbournians are embracing being in the great outdoors once again. We are excited to see the finalists showcase their work on such a powerful digital canvas, right in the heart of Melbourne.”

The Prize offers a Grand Prize of AU$30,000 as well as $1,000 for each of the shortlisted artists. S ix artists and creatives were selected as finalists earlier this year from over 500 entries from around the country. T he winner will be announced by Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Sally Capp on Monday 14 December at the exhibition launch.

MEDIA RELEASE

1 December 2020

T he winning work will be presented alongside the five finalists on two large digital billboards prominently located at the corner of Flinders and Elizabeth Streets in the heart of Melbourne. The six finalist works explore themes including city life and the natural world and will be on view at intervals throughout the day, interspersed with, and surrounded by, commercial advertising content, surprising city-goers to re-engage and experience their built environment differently.

The 2020 Fivex Art Prize finalist works are:

Melbourne Square Crossing to reflect on the public space and routine foundations of our public lives. ● Artist and curator Kent Morris ’ (VIC) photographic montage City of the Future includes Australia’s native songbird the Magpie to highlight the Indigenous histories and stories that are central to Melbourne’s landscape and its future.

Gary Deirmendjian ’s new digital work pulse is the Fivex Foundation’s first major art commission and will take over the Digital Facade in Melbourne’s iconic Federation Square for several hours most evenings from 7 December 2020 – 31 January 2021 with a rhythmically beating colour field of light. The artwork offers a tangible expression of the city’s strengthening heartbeat after prolonged COVID lockdown, filling the public space with gentle pulsing light that spills out through the perforated facades and reflects on passers by and the surrounding buildings.

Artist Gary Deirmendjian said , “ It is the imagined heartbeat of the vernacular, pulsing silently with calm yet vital assurance. The City stirs… ”

Gary Deirmendjian’s pulse is commissioned by the Fivex Foundation and presented in association with Federation Square.

MEDIA RELEASE

1 December 2020

The 2020 Fivex Art Prize finalist works are:

Artist Gary Deirmendjian said , “ It is the imagined heartbeat of the vernacular, pulsing silently with calm yet vital assurance. The City stirs… ”

Gary Deirmendjian’s pulse is commissioned by the Fivex Foundation and presented in association with Federation Square.

For more information please see: https://www.fivexartprize.com.au/

Key dates & details:

MEDIA RELEASE

1 December 2020

MEDIA CONTACT: To request interviews, artist statements, imagery and information in relation to the Prize, please contact Articulate: Megan Bentley, megan@articulatepr.com.au , 0452 214 611 or Sasha Haughan, sasha@articulatepr.com.au , 0405 006 035

IMAGES: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hn3vkufm8pysj6c/AAA6Uu-iE4Byerr86q_1ho38a?dl=0 IMAGE CAPTION: Deborah Kelly , Evolutionary Exuberance (2020).

ABOUT THE FIVEX FOUNDATION

The Fivex Foundation is a philanthropic enterprise dedicated to initiating and supporting a range of community and cultural programs.

ABOUT GARY DEIRMENDJIAN

A sharp observer of the present. Gary Deirmendjian is a compelling and accomplished voice in Australian contemporary art. His unusual mode of practice has produced an extensive body of work that is often described as beguiling, thought provoking and socially concerned. Deirmendjian’s work involves shared space, existing in public as poised suggestions in direct friction with daily life. They also often challenge audiences with their scale and immersive qualities.

His practice encompasses sculpture, photography, video, installation and site-specific intervention. He has exhibited extensively and received numerous new work invitations and commissions for public and private artworks, as well as site-specific projects, realised broadly in Australia and several internationally.

The Fivex Art Prize is sponsored by QMS Media, Australia’s leading digital billboard company.

FIVEX ART PRIZE EXPLORES THE DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 22:13:00 GMT

Fivex Art Prize explores the digital environment

Finalists announced for Australia’s first digital billboard art competition

Sun, 08 Mar 2020 23:54:00 GMT

Finalists announced for Australia’s first digital billboard art competition The inaugural Fivex Art Prize offers up a total prize pool

FIVEX ART PRIZE & QMS CHALLENGE AUSTRALIAN ARTISTS TO REIMAGINE BILLBOARD ART

Sun, 15 Dec 2019 23:34:00 GMT

The Fivex Foundation has joined forces with QMS Media, calling for Australian artists from all fields to reimagine one of Melbourne’s most prestigious digital billboards as a giant art canvas, for the opportunity to win $30,000 and be showcased to over 250,000 Melbournians each day.

In its first year, the Fivex Art Prize will challenge Australian artists across the country to create conceptually and visually distinctive art that will see the billboard re-imagined into a giant digital street art canvas.

Fivex Art Prize creative producer, Alessio Cavallaro said that advertising and art share a steeped history – most famously, the 1950’s commercial advertising art of Andy Warhol, and James Rosenquist’s Los Angeles billboards.

“The Fivex Art Prize challenges artists to expand the scope of public art by directly embedding their work within the urban media space”, said Cavallaro.

“With entries now open, the Fivex Art Prize is a unique opportunity for emerging and established visual artists from graffiti and tattoo artists to photographers, graphic designers and advertising creatives, to re-think ideas of presenting art in a public space, as well as the relationships between art and advertising,” he said.

Cavallaro added: “We are excited to see how Australian artists reconfigure their concepts for art that will be seen not in a conventional gallery or museum, but instead showcased among commercial advertising content in a bustling and visually dynamic public space.”

Entrants are asked to design artwork for the two billboards at Melbourne Square – a horizontal corner ‘wrap’, and an adjacent vertical ‘podium’ – that will be conceptually related across both sites.

The finalists and winning works will be judged on originality, boldness and playfulness as well as their potential to artistically capture the attention of passers-by, just as Melbourne’s celebrated street art has done for years. These works will be displayed on QMS’ prestigious Melbourne Square Digital Billboard located at the corner of Flinders and Elizabeth streets.

QMS CMO Sara Lappage said the partnership with the Fivex Foundation provides an opportunity for the Out of Home industry to re-connect with the Arts and engage with community.

“We are thrilled to be the major partner of the Fivex Foundation for this inaugural billboard art award, and we are keen to see what Australian artists nationally can create for such a powerful canvas in the heart of Melbourne,” said Lappage.

Lappage added: “As the only annual award dedicated to billboard art in Australia, it will provide an extraordinary opportunity for artists to create something truly unique, compelling and memorable.”

QMS will be running a national call for entries campaign across its national network of digital locations throughout December and January with entries closing 20 ^th January 2020.

The finalists and winner will be announced in March 2020 and then displayed on QMS’ iconic Melbourne Square Digital Billboard location at the corner of Flinders and Elizabeth streets.

Full terms and conditions of entry to the Fivex Art Prize can be found here: www.fivexartprize.com.au

11 December 2019

B & T

www.bandt.com.au

Fivex and QMS challenge Australian artists to reimagine Billboard Art

Sun, 15 Dec 2019 23:25:00 GMT

• The works will be displayed on QMS’ Melbourne Square digital billboard The Fivex Foundation has joined forces with digital

FIVEX ART PRIZE

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 00:32:00 GMT

Imagine standing on the corner of Flinders and Elizabeth Streets – one of Melbourne’s busiest intersections and seeing your artwork on massive LED billboards. It’s the chance to break new ground in the way street art is viewed and have thousands of eyeballs on your work.

With the tagline ‘billboard art reimagined,’ the inaugural Fivex Art Prize offers the winning artist $30,000 and the chance to have their artwork seen by passing pedestrians and motorists throughout March 2020. There’s also a $1000 prize for finalists.

https://www.artshub.com.au/news-article/sponsored-content/grants-and-funding/sabine-brix/billboard-art-reimagined-the-new-prize-taking-creativity-to-the-streets-259187?utm_source=ArtsHub+Australia&utm_campaign=576afff51c-UA-828966-1&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2a8ea75e81-576afff51c-304006689

TWIGGING TO TIMBER – Fivex scores big benefits

Mon, 01 Jul 2019 04:15:00 GMT

Developers of the second tower at 276 Flinders St in the CBD have broken the mould by rejecting a cement foundation in favour of steel and timber.

The building at the Fivex site on the corner of Elizabeth St was finished six months ahead of schedule, with a 10 per cent cost saving and a 25 per cent reduction in carbon emissions.

Fivex chief Lesli Berger said he was pleased at how it had been delivered using cutting edge designs and materials.

His advice to developers who don’t want to use traditional building methods is: “Work with architects and builders who are ready to push the boundaries and do the due diligence to come up with innovative solutions”.

Fivex appointed architects Baldasso Cortese to design the five- storey, 4000sqm tower overlooking Elizabeth St and Mulitplex to build it.

“The lightweight structural solution adopted for the building extension enabled service tradies to continue work before the steel framing was finished” Mr Berger said.

In a traditional build, a construction company would need to wait for the reinforced concrete to fully set and strip the formwork supports before the service trades could start work on that floor.

“Using steel allowed what would have been an 18-month project to be cut to less than 12 months.”

The project used timber flooring and double-glazed glass walls to further reduce environmental impact and gain a five-star Green Star rating.

“The use of cross-laminated timber (CLT) and lightweight steel is still fairly immature, with the industry generally preferring a mix of concrete and steel in commercial builds of any significant scale”. Mr Berger said.

“From our understanding this is certainly the first commercial project in Melbourne that has been built using this specific method.”

Ensuring minimal disruption to the site’s existing traders was also vital to Fivex. This was enabled buy having the cross-laminated timber panels produced off-site.

Compared with traditional methods, this had a negligible impact on the retail tenants and foot traffic at this congested intersection opposite Flinders St station. “The solution not only ticked the structural and practical box, but also extended into the realm of environmentally sustainable design.” Mr Berger said.

“While wood is already a good insulator of heat, the manufacturing process of CLT delivered an additional thermal benefit by preventing air leakage within the building envelope. This generates stabilised temperatures, which in turn lowers heating and cooling costs.”

“And just as pleasing is that the building methods used saved us 10 per cent on the overall costs.”

The City of Melbourne is yet to resolve issues around the display of Fivex’s illuminated sign on the side of the tower, Riverview House, overlooking Flinders St.

Olga Galacho

Herald Sun

26 June, 2019

Multiplex completes Fivex’s $24M Riverview House commercial office building

Tue, 25 Jun 2019 05:33:00 GMT

23 May 2019

Build Australia

Melbourne’s newest office space sets sustainability benchmark

Tue, 25 Jun 2019 05:29:00 GMT

One of Melbourne’s latest commercial buildings has set a new benchmark in sustainability with an innovative structural solution featuring a lightweight movement resistant steel frame, timber flooring and double-glazed glass walls.

The five-storey, 4000-square-metre second tower at 276 Flinders Street, at the corner of Flinders and Elizabeth Streets, meets the highest in environmental standards, reaching a 5-Star Green Star rating, as a result of the innovative method that uses low environmental impact building materials compared to standard construction.

The building foundations being constructed completely by steel, with no concrete used at all in the process.

According to research on the environmental impacts of steel as opposed to concrete, steel was found to be a “better and a more sustainable building material”, using 25 per cent less total CO2 emissions and 68 per cent less total natural resources.

Managing Director of commercial property investor, Fivex, Lesli Berger, said: “The use of lightweight fully-ductile steel grid framing and cross laminated timber is a relatively new approach to commercial building and one most property owners would not venture to use as it is in its infancy.”

“Despite not being a mainstream solution, we wanted to use this more environmentally friendly solution, both at the build stage and over its lifetime, as we are always striving for the most positive outcomes in our developments.”

“When we decided to build the second tower to meet the demand for high-quality contemporary commercial space in Melbourne, we set the sustainability bar higher than needed – aiming to deliver a building that met a 5-Star Green Star design solution.”

Mr Berger said Fivex’s commitment to more sustainable outcomes in its developments extended beyond the construction and through most parts of the building.

“Not only have we achieved environment benefits by cutting out the use of concrete in the design, but we have achieved ongoing sustainability gains through initiatives such as water recycling and natural ventilation.”

“Rainwater is being harvested for flushing toilets and bin wash-down and windows on each floor are openable to allow natural ventilation to enable air conditioning usage to be dramatically cut.”

Other initiatives employed in the construction of Fivex’s second tower on the site to reduce its potential environmental footprint include:

According to lead architect for the project, Murray Brassington of Baldasso Cortese, the sustainability design elements assisted in delivering a contemporary space that had a light and airy feel.

“The new office is connected to the existing tower at each level, resulting in larger than expected floor-floor heights. There is a ‘New York’ feel about the space as a consequence of the extra ceiling height and perimeter floor-ceiling windows.”

The innovative construction method, undertaken by Multiplex, also meant that the build was completed much quicker and with less disruption than the traditional construction approach.

Graham Cottam, Regional Managing Director of Multiplex said of the lightweight structural solution adopted for this building extension: “We almost cut traditional construction time in half – before we had the steel framing completed for a floor, service trades were following in behind.”

“In a traditional build, we would need to wait for the reinforced concrete to fully set and strip the form work supports before the service trades would be able to start work on that floor. What would have taken us at least 18 months to build, took us less than 12.”

fivex.com.au

Green Magazine

Issue 67, 2019

New Melbourne office achieves 5-Star Green Star with low impact materials

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 04:04:00 GMT

Melbourne’s newest office space at 276 Flinders Street has received a 5-Star Green Star rating, setting a new benchmark in sustainability.

The new commercial building located at the corner of Finders and Elizabeth Streets in Melbourne, is a five-storey, 4000-square-metre second tower. What makes the building stand out is the use of an innovative structural solution featuring a lightweight movement-resistant steel-frame, timber flooring and double-glazed glass walls.

The new building meets the highest in environmental standards, reaching a 5-Star Green Star rating by using low environmental impact building materials compared to standard construction.

Only steel has been used to construct the building’s foundations, with no concrete used in the process. According to this study (https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/4399726.pdf), steel uses 25 per cent less total CO2 emissions and 68 per cent less total natural resources, making it a better and a more sustainable building material.

Observing that the use of lightweight fully-ductile steel grid framing and cross laminated timber was a relatively new approach to commercial building, managing director of commercial property investor, Fivex, Lesli Berger said that they wanted to use this more environment-friendly solution, both at the build stage and over the building’s lifetime to maximize positive outcomes in their developments. For the second tower, they set the sustainability bar higher to target a 5-Star Green Star rating.

Fivex’s commitment to more sustainable outcomes in their developments extended beyond the construction and through most parts of the building. In addition to the environmental benefits gained by cutting out concrete in the design, the building has achieved ongoing sustainability gains through initiatives such as water recycling and natural ventilation.

Some of these initiatives include the use of harvested rainwater for flushing toilets and bin wash downs; openable windows on each floor to allow natural ventilation and minimise the need for air-conditioning; high performance double-glazed windows with thermally improved metal frames; high levels of thermal insulation; high efficiency LED lighting systems with advanced controls; and efficiency controls for lighting and HVAC systems throughout the common areas.

Lead architect for the project, Murray Brassington of Baldasso Cortese says the sustainability design elements assisted in delivering contemporary space that had a light airy feel.

Since the new office is connected to the existing tower at each level, it benefits from larger than expected floor-to-floor heights as well as extra ceiling height and perimeter floor-ceiling windows, giving it a ‘New York’ feel.

Multiplex’s unconventional approach to building in this project also meant that the build was completed much quicker and with less disruption than traditional construction. The builder was able to cut traditional construction time by half with the lightweight structural solution.

Architecture & Design

Architecture news & editorial desk

5th June, 2019

Multiplex finishes Riverview House

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 02:15:00 GMT

MULTIPLEX has completed Fivex’s $24 million Riverview House commercial office building overlooking the busy intersection of Flinders Street and Elizabeth Street, at an entrance to Flinders Street train station, in Melbourne’s CBD.

The new five-level building delivers 4,000 sqm of lettable office space and is connected to the existing tower lobby via bridge link at each level.

Riverview House was required innovative construction methods, including the use of lightweight materials such as modular structural steel grid and cross-laminated timber floor panels to limit the need to strengthen the existing structure below, and to enable compliance with engineering codes, while the project needed to be carried out over an active environment given the site’s location on a busy CBD corner.

“The building had many challenges from a design point of view. Balancing a new structure on top of a fully-occupied three-storey podium floors while achieving code compliance created unique design issues,” said partner Baldasso Cortese, Murray Brassington.

Fivex’s 276 Flinders Street has podium and ground levels comprising a fitness and childcare centre and a range of retail and food stores.

Liz Jordan

Australian Property Journal

22nd May, 2019

Landlord urges Melbourne City Council to see the light

Mon, 10 Sep 2018 00:02:00 GMT

Melbourne CBD by night is bright and buzzing but could the lights be about to dim?

That’s the fear of one landlord who is fighting with the City of Melbourne to keep two illuminated signs atop a prominent Flinders Street office block.

Boutique property group Fivex has lodged an appeal after the council refused a permit for continued display of the signs on River View House, with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal set to hear the case within a fortnight.

The council’s Future Melbourne Planning Committee called the signs “visually obtrusive”, warning that they would detract from views of Flinders Street train station and fail to integrate appropriately with the building’s architectural features.

Fivex chief executive Lesli Berger said similar signage on the building had received the green light during various reviews over the past 15 years.

“I felt that the council didn’t respect it’s earlier decisions,” Mr Berger told The Australian.

“And the economic implications to us, as far as the council considered, were considered irrelevant.”

He estimates the value of the signage on the group’s balance sheet at $2 million, as it could lure a major tenant with the promise of naming rights.

Mr Berger is concerned that opposition to signage could affect the city skyline over time.

“Melbourne is a major city on the world stage and the policies of Melbourne City Council need to reflect that,” he said.

“Part of having that international feel and significance is making sure the city is interesting and dynamic.”

A city of Melbourne spokeswoman said sign permits usually expired 15 years after issue so new applications could be assessed against current planning controls.

“The City of Melbourne supports and approves business identification signage and major promotional signage on buildings across the city when appropriate under the Melbourne Planning Scheme,” the spokeswoman said.

The Property Council’s Victorian acting deputy executive director, Linda Allison, called for a conversation about Melbourne’s future look, given the emergence of new technology that allowed for rotating or illuminated signs.

Elizabeth Redman

The Australian

6th September, 2018

Lighten up, urges PCA

Fri, 10 Aug 2018 06:11:00 GMT

The Property Council of Australia wants an urgent review of planning rules that block developers and anchor tenants from displaying their branded signage on buildings.

The call was sparked by Melbourne City Council’s ban on developer Fivex reinstailling signage on it’s CBD building, Riverview House, which is under development as two medium sized, mixed-use towers. The site is on a corner of Flinders and Elizabeth streets, a precinct which will become pedestrian only once the development is complete. Fivex is appealing against the council decision to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and the case will be heard later this year.

“There have been technological advances in signs, but Melbourne’s planning scheme does not seem to be flexible enough to consider them appropriate,” Property Council Victoria senior policy adviser Linda Allison said. “Building signage is an important part of the owner-tenant lease negotiations and the policy settings must be right to attract major companies to Melbourne. “I think the scheme is due for a refresh. I believe the council should ask itself what it wants Melbourne to look like by night and why we should look different to other cities around the world whose nightscapes are part of their appeal. It is time to review the current controls in light of new commercial arrangements and technological advancements”.

A spokesman for Fivex said: “We were disappointed by the council’s decision to reject a sign it had previously approved and question the grounds they refused it on. The issue is currently subject to review by the tribunal and we will honour and respect it’s decision.”

A source familiar with the development said the council’s position would “drag the city back to the Dark Ages. The council appears intent on making Melbourne dull and lifeless, as opposed to vibrant, lively and engaging,” said the source, who did not want to be named.

In March, a divided council rejected by eight votes to tow the Fivex application for it’s two existing, illuminated naming signs to be reinstalled once it’s mixed-use development was complete. The 15-year permit for those signs expired this year. At the time, Cr Philip Le Liu, who favoured the signs, said: “I like the fact that we have corporate signage because I think it’s the fact that it’s a badge of honour for Melbourne, where we bring in international business.”

Cr Nicholas Reece said a refusal to renew permits for signs could have once put at risk signage such as Abbotsford’s Skipping Girl and the Nylex sign in Cremorne. He said that based on council’s latest position, these signs would have struggled to get permits today. In February, council was forced by VCAT to grant a permit allowing signage for Central Equity to be displayed at the top of a 58-storey development at 560 Lonsdale St. VCAT gave the go-ahead for the installation of three signs measuring 3.1m by 9.07m. The proposal was for non-bold, white aluminium lettering illuminated by LED, similar to the Fivex signs. Melbourne council was not available for comment.

Herald Sun, realcommercial.com

1st August 2018

Riverview House – “Corner’s Kicking”

Wed, 04 Jul 2018 03:50:00 GMT

Food hub, tower project takes off…

The new look intersection of Elizabeth and Flinders streets is beginning to take shape with a rush of leases to food outlets just signed off for the corner’s Riverview House.

Part of the building, owned by Sydney-based developer Fivex, will become a construction site as the erection of a $40 million, five-storey tower begins.

Once finished, the office building will have the rare honour of having been built without tenants signing preleases – generally a prerequisite for obtaining bank finance for a new development.

Suggestions are already being made that Swanston retailers may seek to locate in numbers after the Elizabeth St corner undergoes a council planned makeover.

In the meantime, the existing structure at 276 Flinders St will have a number of new tenants in time for the launch this month of a food and beverage precinct on the busy CBD corner.

Agency Cushman & Wakefield said the planned revitalisation of the corner, to be finalised after the Fivex project is built, had attracted a number of ground-floor food outlets, including Cafe 358 for 26sq m, Wok to Walk for 82sq m, King T for 14sq m and 24-Hour Ramen, which will take up 128sq m. “The latest wave of food and beverage retailers setting up on Elizabeth St join major fast food chain Hungry Jacks and Greek takeaway outlet Hella Good, which is owned by the iconic 24-hour CBD restaurant Stalactites,” Cushman & Wakefiled retail leasing director Michael Di Carlo said.

“This is reflective of the major revitalisation that is occurring in the new precinct and spurred by Fivex’s ongoing office development.”

Fivex general manager Lesli Berger said the developer was thrilled with positive results achieved through the “repositioning of the retail offerings in stage one” of the project to makeover 276 Flinders St.

“We now look forward to commencing stage two of our program to construct our second tower on the existing site”, Mr Berger said.

“The strong Melbourne commercial leasing market gives us confidence the product we are delivering will be well-received, as one of the first office buildings constructed without pre-commitment.”

A Melbourne City Council spokesperson said traffic through the Elizabeth and Flinders streets intersection would be “permanently closed once the Fivex construction has been completed in 2019 and work begins on the permanent $2.2 million streetscape upgrade”. The pedestrian-only precinct will even have it’s own park.

And Mr Di Carlo said even more food retailers would consider the shift from Swanston St when the $11 billion Metro Tunnel is finished.

“(This project) is expected to add more foot traffic to the average 60,000 pedestrians that already travel through Elizabeth St daily,” he said.

“Elizabeth St has some of the highest rents in the CBD, yet this hasn’t deterred retailser from setting up shop, as demand for limited stock remains strong.

“This may be because the CBD is becoming more vibrant and accessible as employment environments continue to improve and the demand for goods and services increases.

“Strong business conditions continue to generate employment growth in the CBD.”

Mr Di Carlo added this had resulted in the office vacancy rate dropping to 4.6 per cent, the lowest in 10 years.

Herald Sun

4th July, 2018

Call to Keep City’s Bright Lights

Mon, 26 Mar 2018 05:07:00 GMT

MELBOURNE is in danger of losing its bright neon signs due to over-regulation, a city councillor has warned.

Planning portfolio chairman Cr Nicholas Reece said that famous signs like Abbotsford’s Skipping Girl and the Nylex sign in Cremorne would struggle to get a permit today.

“It’s a product of cumulative regulations over time, winding things back further and further,” he said.

“But at some point they become too restrictive and you lose something that made Melbourne special.”

Tonight, City of Melbourne councillors voted to reject a permit application from commercial property firm Fivex to continue displaying two promotional signs on its building on the corner of Flinders and Elizabeth streets.

It is expected the matter will be taken to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

A report said they “detract from and dominate significant vistas of Flinders St Station via the Yarra corridor” and can be seen from the Shrine forecourt.

Cr Reece told the Herald Sun that there was a need for regulation to stop “hideous” advertising signs, but current rules should be reviewed.

“When I was kid growing up in Melbourne it was a case of bright lights-big city. Now we are a bigger city than ever before but we don’t seem to like any bright lights,” he said.

“I want to live in a city where it is still okay to erect the Skipping Girl neon sign.”

Herald Sun

6 March 2018

Melbourne to Celebrate Summer with ‘Pop-Up Park’ in CBD

Fri, 09 Mar 2018 01:39:00 GMT

The City of Melbourne is workshopping the idea of a temporary inner-city public space with the creation of a pop-up park on the eastern side of Elizabeth Street for pedestrians over summer.

The 376 square metre space will feature trees, planter boxes, artificial turf, and moveable furniture designed by the City of Melbourne’s in-house design studio.

“We expect the pop-up park to be well used by the pedestrians who access the corner of Elizabeth Street and Flinders Street during the peak periods,” Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said.

According to the City of Melbourne, footpaths in this area of Elizabeth are accessed by more than 9,300 people in the morning peak, while car use has declined to a mere 73 vehicles at peak time.

Between 2004 and 2015 there was a 65 per cent decline in the number of motor vehicles using Elizabeth Street.

Despite the “pop-up” description for the park, the initiative is in fact a prelude to a more permanent park facility set to be built in 2019 which will see $2.2 million worth of work invested in new street furniture, better lighting, new bluestone paving, drainage improvements and trees.

Park construction has been put on hold during the redevelopment of a former bank site at 276 Flinders Street into a new commercial asset with a 16-storey office tower, three new retail podium levels and redeveloped childcare facilities.

The next stage of the Fivex development — to begin in February 2018 — comprises a five level office building in lightweight steel and timber with sustainable features.

“The transformation of this former bank site will provide an additional 4,000 square metres of new in demand office space for Melbourne,” the Lord Mayor said.

“The decision to postpone construction of the permanent public space is based on maintaining pedestrian safety around construction activities and allowing this important development for our city to get underway.”

Fivex managing director Lesli Berger said their commercial development will provide a valuable economic boost to the area while the street upgrade will improve public amenity on Elizabeth Street.

“We’re fully supportive of the permanent closure of the eastern side of Elizabeth Street. The combined impact of our $40 million development and the partial road closure will bring added vitality to an area that is such an important pedestrian gateway for the city,” Berger said.

The City of Melbourne released renders of the new park which will be open from December 2017 to February 2018.

The Urban Developer

Melbourne Can’t Wait for Its New CBD Park

Fri, 12 Jan 2018 05:07:00 GMT

Plans for a permanent park at the intersection of Flinders and Elizabeth streets have been postponed until after a $40 million revamp of an office building on the corner has been completed.

A temporary pop-up park will be rolled out on the strip until Riverview House’s owner Fivex begins work on a new five-storey tower on the building’s podium in February 2018.

The City of Melbourne has been working on a pedestrian-friendly park for the eastern side of Elizabeth Street, between Flinders Street and Flinders Lane, for some time but the permanent park will have to wait until early 2019.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said: “There’s no doubt the southern end of Elizabeth Street has become a pedestrian zone.”

About 9300 pedestrians use the intersection during the morning peak, Cr Doyle said. “But only 70-80 cars make that turn left or right into Flinders Street.”

Fivex General Manager Lesli Berger, whose family-run investment company also owns Carlow House on the corner of Flinders Lane, said the strip has become very busy.

“From a retail point of view we want strong pedestrian numbers but it was getting to the point where peak hour was overwhelming. If people can’t stop to look at your shop windows let alone enter your shop, it inhibits sales,” Mr Berger said.

“Because we own Carlow House as well, we control the majority of the shops along the strip the council wants to close. We are very supportive of the council’s plans. We see it as a positive.”

Originally built as headquarters for the Commonwealth Bank in 1972, the 17-storey building at 276 Flinders Street was purchased by Sydney based Fivex in 2002 for $18.15 million. There is a podium level above the bottom four floors on which the CBA had always planned a second tower.

“Forty years later we are finally building it,” Mr Berger said.

“The decision to postpone construction is based on maintaining pedestrian safety around construction activities,” Mr Doyle said.

November 8 2017

Nicole Lindsay

Double Bay’s Resurgence Cemented with $600 Million of Development

Thu, 21 Dec 2017 05:00:00 GMT

DOUBLE Bay is about to be jump-started by $600 million of development which will see 277 new apartments built on eight key sites in the suburb’s heart.

While dozens of businesses are set to be made homeless by the building bonanza, most feel the influx of new residents will cement the suburb’s resurgence.

Cross St will soon become a construction site and about 30 businesses have or will be displaced by the redevelopment of three neighbouring retail and commercial precincts into six storey mixed use developments.

TOGA will begin demolition in the next three months to transform the Hunters Arcade into a 13-unit development.

SJD Property Group’s 30-unit redevelopment of 20-26 Cross St next door into 1788 Residences is not far behind.

The Chinese-backed developer recently bought neighbouring Bay Village for $45 million and will soon lodge a development application to build about 21 apartments on the site, where the Frances Keevil Gallery has been located for 12 years.

Frances Keevil said she wanted to stay in Double Bay but would have to compete for space with other displaced businesses.

“It’s very unsettling for local businesses and from a personal point of view it is going to be very difficult,” she said.

“But from an altruistic point of view, I think the development will be positive for Double Bay, which will become more like a European village.

“There will be short term pain for long term gain.”

Down the road, a proposal has been submitted to redevelop Angela House on the corner of Bay St and Guilfoyle Ave into 39 units over seven storeys.

It is opposite Café Perons — one of the few businesses that has stood the test of time through many dark days, including the opening of Westfield Bondi Junction in 2004 and the resultant closure of Double Bay’s only cinema.

Then came the closure of the Ritz Carlton, now the InterContinental, in 2007 and the GFC.

Perons owner Greg Kelly said the suburb had “waxed and waned” since they opened 36 years ago but felt there had been a “gradual but steady improvement”.

Like many businesses, he felt the redevelopment of the Cross St carpark into a cinema and 100 new apartments would help revitalise the precinct, as would Woollahra Council’s lighting and public domain upgrades.

The lockout laws in Kings Cross have already helped revive the bay’s night-life.

But while Mr Kelly agreed Double Bay was on the edge of a resurgence, he didn’t hold back when outlining the myriad challenges ahead if the suburb wanted to return to its heyday of the 70s and 80s.

“We have been looking forward to a lot of things in Double Bay that seem to be taking a ridiculous amount of time,” he said.

“Take the street lighting for example — there’s been committee after subcommittee after focus group — they spend more time and money talking about it than just putting the damn lights in.”

He called for the introduction of one-hour free parking on the north side of NSHR to help businesses who suffered a drop in trade when the Kiaora Lane development kickstarted the south side of the bay.

“It’s also really important that the feel and nature of the village is retained and not overwhelmed with high rise, which would sound the death knell for Double Bay where sunlight is really important.”

Perons will one day be taken over by Charlie, 29, who represents the next generation of business owners.

He has already harnessed cutting-edge marketing tools and social media to “take the business to the next level” and draw a younger crowd.

CBRE senior director Ben Stewart, who has been handling the sales and marketing for several major residential projects, said that reflected the younger demographic moving into the area.

“There’s a real demand to live in the village due to its connectivity to the city, improved shopping and the (Kiaora) precinct — it’s really coming of age,” he said.

“Double Bay is back.”

Mr Stewart said there was a plan to redevelop the commercial/office suites on the corner of NSHR and Bay St into about 55 apartments.

Ray White’s Craig Pontey said: “It’s time for Double Bay to get with the program.

“There’s a lot of developers picking over Double Bay looking for opportunities to develop sites. I think it will change the look of the suburb for the better, bring it into this century and create more buzz and activity.”

Double Bay and Districts Business Chamber chair Katherine O’Regan was meeting with developers to see if their construction could be staggered to minimise the impact on traders.

She encouraged developers and the council to pursue one and two bedroom units rather than large luxury apartments.

“Big three bedroom apartments with two people living in them won’t drive the economy and social amenity as much as smaller apartments,” she said.

“I welcome an element of residential development but there really needs to be a good mix of retail and business — not just the amount but also the type.”

Fivex managing director Lesli Berger said they had made a conscious effort to ensure businesses were not being pushed out by their proposed redevelopment of 374-382 NSHR near the corner of Knox St into mixed use, six storey building.

Mr Berger said they were in fact boosting the amount of retail and commercial space while the intention was for the diverse mix of existing businesses to remain.

The eight sites being redeveloped all include a retail and/or commercial component.

Woollahra Mayor Peter Cavanagh said the council had a strategy in place to facilitate a wide range of shops, restaurants, cafes, commercial businesses and parking.

“This is an exciting time for Double Bay with a number of projects coming up which will help revitalise Sydney’s best bayside village,” he said.

A council spokeswoman said a DA for the cinema would be submitted by early next year.

“As part of the lighting strategy, we have installed new lights on Bay St along the route from the ferry wharf towards the shops, new bud lighting in trees along Knox St, upgraded the lighting surrounding the Cenotaph in Steyne Park and installed new uplights on a significant Morton Bay Fig tree near the waterfront,” she said.

The Marathon Rd staircase is next and discussions are underway with landowners to see if facade lighting can be installed on private properties.

The Double Bay Street Fair will be held on November 5 and the chamber will also host a Family Night Out early next year.

Kate Bastians, Wentworth Courier

Elizabeth Street to Get Pop-up Park Over Summer

Tue, 14 Nov 2017 02:36:00 GMT

The City of Melbourne will create a pop-up park on the eastern side of Elizabeth Street to provide a dynamic space for pedestrians over summer.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle AC said the 375sqm pop-up park between Flinders Lane and Flinders Street will be created in preparation for a partial closure of the eastern side of the road in 2019.

“The pop-up park will feature trees, planter boxes, artificial turf, and moveable furniture and will be a great location for small scale events as well as everyday enjoyment,” the Lord Mayor said.

“The pop-up park will create a pedestrian space on the eastern side of Elizabeth Street over summer before we close this section of the road permanently in 2019.

“We expect the pop-up park to be well used by the pedestrians who access the corner of Elizabeth Street and Flinders Street during the peak periods. I encourage all Melburnians to take advantage of the pop-up park this summer.”

City of Melbourne crews are cleaning the area several times daily and, along with Victoria Police, are conducting regular monitoring and patrols. The footpaths in this area of Elizabeth are accessed by more than 9,300 people in the morning peak, while car use has declined to a mere 73 vehicles in the morning peak.

The City of Melbourne released renders of the new park which will be open from December 2017 to February 2018.

The City of Melbourne’s plan to create permanent public space in this section of Elizabeth Street has been postponed for 12 months to accommodate construction of a premier development at 276 Flinders Street featuring redeveloped childcare facilities and new office space.

Stage one of the completed Fivex development features three new retail podium levels and a revitalised 16 storey office tower. The next stage (to begin in February 2018) comprises a five level office building in lightweight steel and timber with sustainable features.

“The transformation of this former bank site will provide an additional 4000 square metres of new in demand office space for Melbourne,” the Lord Mayor said.

“The business of the city is business and we need to ensure there is adequate supply of office space for those businesses, There’s also increasing demand for early learning facilities and this space will provide a welcome boost to childcare provision within the CBD.”

The Lord Mayor said construction on the new Fivex building will limit the City of Melbourne’s ability to build the new public space immediately.

“We also need to prevent damage to new public space infrastructure that would likely result from construction vehicles in this space.”

The City of Melbourne is committed to building the new $2.2 million permanent public space in the southern end of Elizabeth Street, with the permanent space to be delivered in 2019. The permanent works will include new street furniture, better lighting, new bluestone paving, drainage improvements and trees.

Fivex managing director Lesli Berger said their commercial development will provide a valuable economic boost to the area while the street upgrade will improve public amenity on Elizabeth Street.

Between 2004 and 2015 there was a 65 per cent decline in the number of motor vehicles using Elizabeth Street.

City of Melbourne

8 November 2017

Submission to North Sydney Council Regarding Draft Amendment to North Sydney Development Control Plan 2013 – Advertising and Signage

Fri, 02 Jun 2017 00:39:00 GMT

About Benmill Pty Ltd

Benmill Pty Ltd makes this submission is in relation to the proposed Draft Amendment to North Sydney Development Control Plan 2013 – Advertising and Signage.

Benmill Pty Ltd is the owner of 275 Alfred Street North, North Sydney. Fivex is the building’s asset manager.

Fivex is a family owned, multi award-winning, commercial property and asset management company that has more than 40 years of industry experience. We actively manage our portfolio of office and retail assets and lease space to commercial and retail business operators directly.

Fivex manages, owns and leases high-traffic office and retail space in locations including Woolloomooloo, Surry Hills, Double Bay, Paddington, Newtown, Katoomba, Melbourne CBD and Cairns.

We are committed to innovation in the commercial property space. Our environmentally sustainable, commercial property in Double Bay won prestigious awards for its architectural excellence, energy and water efficient design and construction. Our Woolloomooloo development showcases a state of the art parking auto-valet system not seen before in the Sydney residential development market.

Our most recent mixed use commercial, retail and residential development is an adaptive use conversion of the 19 ^th Century Newtown Post Office that respects the heritage of the past and creates a micro urban environment with new residents, new jobs and new retail spaces virtually under the one roof.

Introduction

The Draft Amendment to North Sydney Development Control Plan 2013 – Section 9 Advertising and Signage (from here on referred to as the Draft DCP) primarily focuses on the controls relating to rooftop signage and digital display signs.

A staff report to the council says there has been a steady increase in the number of development applications lodged for large LED (light emitting diode) digital display signs in the past two years, However, the report points to only four development applications for rooftop digital display panels that have been determined by council, only one of which was granted development consent by the North Sydney Independent Planning Panel (NSIPP).

If the Draft DCP is adopted, Benmill Pty Ltd believes it will introduce severe restrictions on rooftop signage and digital advertising that will have far-reaching deleterious effects on commercial businesses, property owners and smaller retailers in North Sydney.

The lack of consultation with property owners and industry bodies before the council publicly exhibited the Draft DCP and the minimalist approach to publicising its exhibition risked leaving many interested parties unaware of the proposals. Possibly due to that lack of pre-consultation, the Draft DCP is flawed. It displays little understanding of the value of third party and point of sale advertising to businesses and the economy, the history of building signage in the growth of North Sydney as a commercial centre, and the application of modern digital advertising and management of illumination and dwell times.

Rather than enhancing the character of North Sydney, the Draft DCP will reduce the vibrancy of North Sydney through its attempts to curtail the contribution advertising makes in major commercial centres and cities. While the objectives of the Draft DCP indicate the focus is to deliver and maintain a high quality public domain, we believe the proposed controls reveal perceptions of digital signage that are ill-informed and outdated and analysis that has led to a draconian outcome.

One of the more concerning aspects of the Draft DCP are the restrictions that will apply to small and medium businesses and retailers wishing to have digital signs in their buildings. For example, the proposed controls on general advertising signs say messages must not have a dwell time of less than five minutes.

The Draft DCP provides little reasoned argument to justify the restrictions on property owners around rooftop signs. There are few insights for why restrictions are proposed for digital signs when many retailers are transitioning towards them as the cost of LED screens continues to fall.

For all these reasons, Benmill is making this submission in opposition to the Draft DCP and we respectfully request an opportunity to discuss it with council officers after the close of submissions.

We strongly urge North Sydney Council not to proceed with the Draft DCP in its current form; and instead to begin genuine consultation with affected parties and interested industry bodies.

Draft DCP

North Sydney Council says its Draft DCP is proposed to amend Section 9 – Advertising and Signage to Part B of NSDCP 2013 to:

Section 9.1.1. The Draft DCP says the general objectives of are to ensure that signage:

Each of the report’s seven objectives indicates that the overwhelming focus of the Draft DCP Amendment is to deliver and maintain a high quality public domain. However, we believe the proposed controls appear to be based on attitudes towards advertising and signage, and digital signage in particular, that are ill-informed or subjective opinion.

For example, the Draft Amendment says:

How or why the viewpoint from a ferry or yacht on Sydney Harbour is negatively impacted by a building with signs on three of its facades is not argued. Similarly, a cogent reason for overturning current practice that permits third party rooftop signage is not offered.

The proposed controls relating to general advertising begin with a comment that could have come from Joseph Heller’s novel Catch 22. It says:

The objectives of the DCP and their provisions imply that it is not possible to achieve a high quality public domain that contains digital signage and large format advertising and signage. It suggest the two are mutually exclusive.

Objective 4 implies that the existence of digital signage will have adverse environmental impacts and detract from the public’s view. Meanwhile Objective 5 carries the implication that digital signage will have an adverse impact on sky glow.

The introduction of controls that fail to acknowledge that rooftop signage and general advertising are legitimate land use functions which play a vital role in supporting the economy and contributing to a locality’s vibrancy and personality will have serious repercussions on the LGA of North Sydney from both a cultural and commercial perspective.

In many cases the conclusions reached in this report are not argued, merely stated. While the background information accompanying the Draft DCP acknowledges the need for quantitative controls on illumination in digital signage, the report falls short in providing information to inform the provisions.

The report states that in September 2015 a delegate for the Minister for Planning permitted a dwell time of 10 seconds for a Roads & Maritime Services (RMS) digital sign at Cremorne. By contrast, the North Sydney DCP’s proposed controls on dwell time for static content on digital signs are based on the longest time that research could uncover – some four and a half times longer than the RMS example.

North Sydney – history of signage

It is no coincidence that the history of rooftop signage signage in North Sydney is aligned with North Sydney’s growth as a commercial centre.

Today North Sydney is renowned for its prominent sky signage. It sends a clear message that global and Australian corporations, including some of the world’s biggest brands, are proud to be represented in North Sydney, proud to have their names atop the peaks of the local skyline.

Some top of building signs are licensed to major brands that are not occupants of the buildings. Or they are not major tenants of the buildings. It has been like this for decades.

Sky signs have been part of North Sydney’s character since the 1970’s. They put North Sydney on the map. They give North Sydney life and vitality. Before the signs were switched on North Sydney was a backwater.

Switch the signs off and North Sydney will stagnate. You will deny North Sydney’s history and sense of place. It will be detrimental to the beauty of the buildings and to the amenity of the environment. Take away the character of North Sydney’s rooftop signs and you condemn the area to replicate the brutalist designs of those drab 70s and early 80s Sydney buildings for universities, local government and the courts.

This is not to say that North Sydney is Times Square, Piccadilly Circus (where the signage is currently undergoing conversion to digital) or Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo. But North Sydney has developed its own personality through the building signs.

What company name sits on top of a building is irrelevant to the wellbeing of the environment. Whether the company is in occupation or not makes no difference to the built environment.

This makes the Draft DCP’s opposition to third party advertising nonsensical. Its prohibition of third party advertising on roof or sky signs will not affect the amenity of the environment.

It will affect local business. Advertising is an important part of the local economy. The Draft DCP’s proposals will destroy hundreds of millions of dollars of commercial property values for no gain to the community. Much of the revenue is export revenue as it is paid for by overseas businesses.

The signs are a big part of the economic feasibility of North Sydney property development. Developments will be less viable and there will be less construction and employment and less economic activity if roof and sky signs are restricted to owners or major tenants.

Third party signage has been a very successful industry in North Sydney for many years. It is a significant point of differentiation for North Sydney. The high traffic movement on the Warringah Expressway makes it commercially viable. Trying to destroy the long established commercial activity of third party signage benefits no-one and detracts from North Sydney’s vitality.

Out Of Home media

Out Of Home media companies are making substantial investments in digital advertising technology which helps brands engage with audiences more than ever, not just in traditional billboards on roadside and on buildings but also in other environments such as inside airports, retail centres, office towers, cafes and gymnasiums. All those environments – except airports of course – exist in North Sydney.

Digital advertising is here now and it is growing. Just like banking, entertainment, media, communications, education and so many other areas, we live in a digital world. Out Of Home advertising has moved from the static to dynamic and the revenue from digital signs is approaching 50 per cent for the best of these Out Of Home companies. Out Of Home media is one of the few mediums that are growing because of its unmissable location-based nature.

Yet it appears this Draft DCP wants to turn back the clock by prohibiting digital roof or sky signs and introducing virtually unworkable restrictions for small and medium businesses that unreasonably limit digital signs to the ground floor and constrict their size, content, dwell time and setback from the shop window.

Recent research by Deloitte Access Economics for the Outdoor Media Association highlights the growing contribution of the Out Of Home industry to Australia’s economy and the benefits from Out Of Home advertising for all levels of government.

With the industry worth $790 million in Australian in 2016, the Outdoor Media Association says the industry pays $1 in every $2 of revenue in rent and taxes to government and other landlords. For every person directly employed in the Out Of Home industry, it supports two other jobs elsewhere in the Australian economy.

The Outdoor Media Association says the 17,664 pieces of public infrastructure delivered by Out Of Home media companies help make cities – like North Sydney – more user-friendly.

Responding to the Draft DCP in detail

In this section of our submission we have made comments chronologically on the Draft DCP report, identifying headings in the report.

LINK TO DELIVERY PROGRAM

The report says the North Sydney CBD is one of Australia’s largest commercial centres. It states the Council’s desire for North Sydney to have a diverse, strong, sustainable and vibrant local economy.

Advertising and signage are an integral part of CBDs the world over. We believe that North Sydney Council can achieve legitimate planning outcomes relating to character of the locality and the design of rooftoop signs without banning third party rooftop advertising signs that have existed in North Sydney for five decades and contributed to its identity and economic success. We also believe that the use of digital signage technology can add to the vibrancy of cities and its current and future utilisation by small and medium business owners and commercial property owners alike in North Sydney can enhance the vitality of the municipality.

Contrary to what the report states, we believe the Draft DCP proposals have the potential to reduce vibrancy, reduce economic vitality and reduce community connectivity rather than increase it. Rather than providing civic leadership for North Sydney’s strategic direction, the proposals would create enormous economic damage to property owners for no discernible benefit.

BACKGROUND

The Draft DCP says council staff have noted a steady increase in the number of development applications lodged for large scale digital display signs. Initially they related to , the replacement of existing static general advertising signs, more recently they related to the replacement and erection of new rooftop signs.

However, the report fails to demonstrate either a steady increase of a large number of such DAs. The report talks about DAs for only four buildings lodged since 2004.

In fact, we believe that there are few economically viable locations for new commercial signage on rooftops in North Sydney. The prerequisite for a commercially viable sign is very large exposure to vehicle or pedestrian traffic. Secondary sites attract little or no interest from advertisers. For this reason the prospect of proliferation of advertising signage in the municipality is factually non-existent.

The pattern of development applications demonstrates the point. If there were widespread commercial opportunities, Council would have received many dozens of applications. That is not the case.

The only rooftop signs that are commercially viable are those that are on rooftops of buildings oriented towards the Warringah Expressway. The building cannot be too tall, or else the sign is too high to be seen from the main target audience on the expressway. Most of these sites already have rooftop signage and there are very limited opportunities for new signage.

The rooftop signs on the buildings facing the highway in North Sydney make an enormously positive contribution to the appearance of North Sydney. In many cases the buildings are aesthetically unattractive and the signage adds some colour and character to the drabness below. Signage on buildings is similar to badges on motor vehicles. Remove the brand badges from a car and it loses appeal.

If you switched off North Sydney’s rooftop signs, the city would look dead. You’d be left with a skyline of bleak and bland buildings, exposing the plethora of rooftop plant and equipment. We believe the Draft DCP would lead to detrimental and unintended outcomes for North Sydney’s economic vitality and visual amenity as the character and attraction of the expressway skyline will be inadvertently ruined.

DETAIL

This section opens by stating: Since the advent of advertising, signage companies have been devising ways to maximise revenue from a single advertising structure by increasing the number of images displayed from a single panel or site. We trust this is not perceived as a problem by North Sydney Council – if so, it is certainly not one that the council has been elected to solve.

3 Planning Framework

3.2 Transport Corridor Outdoor Advertising & Signage Guidelines 2007

SEPP 64 requires certain advertisements (within 250 metres of a classified road) to be considered with regard to the Transport Corridor Outdoor Advertising and Signage Guidelines which provide controls relating to issues such as illumination and message content.

The Draft DCP acknowledges that the Department of Planning and Environment released draft amendments to the guidelines in December 2015 which assist in the assessment of variable content digital signage.

The proposed changes to the guidelines include the length of time an image can be displayed on the sign (the dwell time), the brightness of the signs (luminance) and sign content (changes to reduce driver distraction).

It is therefore both surprising and unfortunate, given the relevance of the guidelines to local government authorities, that North Sydney Council has progressed with its Draft DCP proposals on advertising and signage before the New South Wales Government has enacted its amendments to the Transport Corridor Outdoor Advertising and Signage Guidelines.

3.5 NSDCP 2013 and B4 Mixed Use Zones

Section 9.11 to Part B of the DCP states roof or sky signs are generally not permitted and P2 says they will only be permitted on buildings used solely for non-residential uses in the B3 Commercial Core or B4 Mixed Use zones.

The Draft DCP, in its review of Australian controls, says there is a consistent approach across Australian councils to permit rooftop signs within commercial, industrial and mixed use zones, while prohibiting these signs from residential zones.

Later, in 9.2.2 B4 – Mixed Use Zone, the Draft DCP says rooftop identifications signs are to be phased out and over time removed.

We believe that a blanket ban is likely to have unintended consequences. We believe there should be more flexibility on this issue and that a nuanced approached would deliver the balance between the needs of advertisers, property owners and residents that the Draft DCP says it favours.

It is not reasonable for Council to expect a property that has had signage for a long period of time to suddenly give up that revenue source merely because the property is in a mixed-use zone or has been rezoned mixed-use over a period of time.

It is a principle of planning law to respect existing use rights and in the context of a DCP, in the very least the DCP should have a savings provision protecting existing signs in mixed use zones in order to ensure the ongoing economic usage of the land in question.

4.1 Content of Digital Display Panels.

The report says that widespread use of LED technology has significantly changed the way in which advertising is presented to the public in the outdoor domain. It says the technology can have a number of negative impacts – we wish to respond to each of these claims:

In regard to the North Sydney Development Control Plan 2013 and digital display signage, the report says it is therefore recommended “that a policy position be established before such signage proliferates through the LGA in an ad-hoc manner and irreversible changes the character and amenity of localities.”

The report presents no examples of proliferation and ignores the reality that proliferation will not occur at rooftop level because there are very few commercially viable rooftop advertising signage locations available in North Sydney.

On sky glow, this section of the report gives no weight to the management of digital signs – the illumination is definitely changeable and can be controlled manually or automatically.

One only has to look north from Sydney Town Hall and two things are obvious: only a fraction of buildings have illuminated rooftop signs and those that do – Citibank, Westfield, Hilton, JP Morgan, Suncorp, and CommBank to name some – are illuminated without damaging effect on the surrounding locality.

The report does not adequately acknowledge all of the benefits of digital signage – one clear benefit that is not mentioned is that the change of message in a static sign involves significant disruption to surrounding residents and businesses while digital signage can be managed remotely without interruption.

4.2 Codes SEPP

The Draft DCP notes that the Codes SEPP was amended in 2014 to include new provisions that enable the content of an existing rooftoop sign to be changed. The Draft DCP proposes action to prevent digital display signs being changed on a regular basis by restricting dwell times of the message or limiting the message to a business located within the building.

As a matter of law the DCP cannot overturn the Codes SEPP. In the case of North Sydney sky signs, the Codes SEPP would not have adverse impacts and would have no practical adverse effect on the area’s character.

The digital signage need not be a ‘large rectangular box’ – the description given in the Draft DCP report. Calling it a large box misrepresents the shape and depth of the screen that is possible with modern LED technology – it can be extremely thin notwithstanding the dimensions of the signage.

In the case of existing signs – for example signs for MLC, Meriton, AGL and Konica – if they were digital modules recessed into the structure there would be no appearance of a ‘large rectangular box’ and no-one would know if the signage was made of metal, plastic, neon or LED Digital modules. The external appearance of each would remain identical. Therefore we submit that a municipality-wide ban on digital technology at the top of buildings is short-sighted.

Regular changes of message will not reduce wayfinding. There is no evidence presented for this argument in the Draft DCP report.

Digital rooftop signage in North Sydney will not morph into general billboard-style advertising purely for the reason that the viewing distances are such that unless a letter is two metres high the information is not visible to passing traffic. Billboard advertising on rooftops would never find a commercial market due to lack of legibility at the prevailing view length. Complex messages will not work commercially on rooftops in North Sydney.

We believe that Council could require rooftops in North Sydney to display simple messages on digital signs only while not permitting billboard style messages on the rooftops.

4.3 Characterisation

The Draft DCP report expresses a concern that digital signs – despite no change to the sign’s structure – could change the character of an area. All the concerns can be addressed by controls on size, design, luminosity, dwell times and controls limiting message complexity. As an example, if the MLC sign changed once a day or once a week, there would be no objective change to the character of the area. On the contrary, it would introduce some subtle vitality.

Prohibiting digital display signage would plunge North Sydney into the technological dark ages. When North Sydney is seeking to attract technology businesses in order to create economic activity, vitality and employment opportunities, the Council must avoid sending a retrograde message to the very technology businesses it so desperately needs to attract. Without technology businesses, the future of North Sydney diminishes; the flow-on effects of banning a new technology is to curtail future prosperity.

It is premature for North Sydney Council to look at banning something without even exploring what the technology permits by way of addressing potential concerns such as luminosity or the so-called “large rectangular box” issue.

The Draft DCP suggests that the whole digital panel has to be illuminated. This is not so. Many of the pixels would remain non-illuminated; this is a false argument answering a false problem. Digital signs often incorporate black backgrounds.

The report says there would be a homogenous shape of digital rooftop signs. Again, this is a false assumption. Analyse each of the signs in North Sydney and if digital panels were incorporated into the existing structure one would never distinguish the sign from what prevails there now.

The report fails to appreciate that digital signage has the potential to improve the skyline of North Sydney, add to its vitality, improve economic outcomes for local business and be designed and controlled in a way that ensures that the adverse impacts the Draft DCP is worried about are appropriately controlled.

Instead of embracing the future, the Council’s current draft policy is stuck in the past and needs to be completely re-thought and re-worked so that well-crafted controls on the content of top of building signage and appropriate signage outcomes are actually achieved.

4.4 Strata Lots.

It is ironic that while Council has added an objective to the signage DCP relating to the economic use of land it seeks to ban the creation of a strata lot for signage. The strata title system was created so that discrete parts of a building could be given the same legal protection as freehold title, thus maximising its economic value. It is contrary to the new objective that strata lots are banned. Therefore the creation of a strata lot for signage creates no environmental impact and should not form part of the DCP.

4.5 Multiple Building Names

The Draft DCP suggests that if digital display panels were permitted to be erected on rooftops to display multiple businesses over a short period of time, it would be difficult for people to properly identify the building.

This argument overplays any public benefit from rooftop signs as markers for wayfinding, as we point out elsewhere in this submission. There are many buildings in North Sydney without building or business identifications signs – more in Sydney’s CBD – so it does not make a case against having variable rooftop signs. We believe the proposed one-year dwell time period is far too restrictive for no public benefit.

We also see potential for tasteful signage changes within the proposed dwell time that are community-minded and socially innovative. For example a building could adopt a pink colour scheme to their logo for Breast Cancer Awareness day/month, or rainbow colours for Mardi Gras, or have Christmas themes on the logo at that time of year. The notion that long dwell times make digital screens pointless is short-sighted and dismissive of their potential to add to the LGA’s character and that of the businesses within it.

Wayfinding

At various places in the Draft DCP, from the Primary Issues Section 4 to Attachment 3 section 2.4.3, there is opposition to changing rooftop signs because of a perceived reduction in what it calls wayfinding opportunities through a locality in night-time hours. There is no evidence to this point; instead an inconsistency within the report on wayfinding. On the one hand it advocates against changing rooftop signs because they may help people find their way around North Sydney’s business district; then it argues against rooftop building signage in other business areas within the municipality.

This approach ignores the reality of buildings in Sydney and cities such as New York and London that have no identification signs. They can be identified by their shape, accentuated by in-building lighting at night (for example the Chrysler Building, Empire State Building and Rockefeller Centre in New York, and The Shard in London).

If wayfinding from on high is so important, council should mandate that every building should have a roof sign on it to assist with the desired improvement to wayfinding. Clearly, that would be an absurd outcome.

Building signs at roof level ordinarily cannot be seen from ground level in commercial districts and hence they count for little or no impact on wayfinding from a pedestrian’s perspective.

Small and Medium Businesses

In section 9.11 of the proposed controls relating to rooftop signs, the DCP puts forward onerous and unworkable provisions that would affect every small and medium business, particularly retailers, wishing to introduce digital signs to their premises. These prohibit digital signs located other than at ground floor level. They say the signs:

Key controls proposed in the Draft DCP

The Draft DCP proposes restrictions on new rooftop building signs and restricting rooftop signs to commercial buildings with a maximum of two signs per site in North Sydney.

It says rooftop signs are generally not permitted but may be considered only where it is a building identification sign, the building is non-residential, only one business entity is displayed for the life of the sign, the sign represents the logo of a business, and the ‘message’ of the sign relates to an owner or major tenant of the building.

The proposed provisions for general advertising digital signs restrict businesses to displaying static images or messages and – without providing any reasonable argument for such an onerous time limitation – require that messages that can be changed electronically must not have a dwell time of less than five minutes.

Attachment 1: Table 1 Analysis of Planning Controls and Attachment 3: 1.1 Review of Australian Controls and 1.2 Review of International Controls

The Draft DCP says a review was undertaken of the signage controls of other capital cities in Australia and LGAs containing significant commercial centres within NSW. A review of international controls was also conducted.

None of the local or overseas jurisdictions reviewed for the report have banned digital display signs. Does North Sydney really want a reputation for banning modern technology? We believe there are adequate opportunities to implement controls to prevent unwanted signage outcomes without banning digital signage and without banning third party signs.

The countries analysed in the Draft DCP report are a tiny proportion of the world and many of the examples referenced in the photographs demonstrate signage that is currently unlawful as a result of the SEPP. To reference examples that do not and would not comply with Australian law is disingenuous and in no way advances the argument. In very many ways the council’s Draft DCP report is trying to solve a problem that does not exist.

What may appear as glow in a photograph in fact does not glow in the real world. It may be a function of camera technology or perhaps of filters applied to the photo. For example, the photo of the sky glow presented in the report is not a representation of a real world sky glow. It is misleading to present these photos as a rationale for banning a technology or for banning third party advertising on rooftops in North Sydney.

Digital display signs have been installed very successfully on top of iconic heritage buildings in cities such as Paris, Rome, Barcelona and many others. Surely, appropriately controlled digital signage can be designed and installed in North Sydney without causing unreasonable amenity impacts.

The report identifies the range of controls in Australian and some international cities and then proposes what observers would see as a lowest common denominator or strongly restrictive approach to advertising.

Number and content and location of digital signs

In its analysis of planning controls and the use of digital display panels, the Draft DCP says only a few councils restrict the number of rooftop signs. Rooftop signs are generally restricted to one per façade.

The Draft DCP says the City of Sydney has the most restrictive controls with a maximum of two per site – under the City of Sydney draft 2015 DCP it’s two signs at the rooftop and one at the building entrance.

However, the City of Melbourne permits a maximum four rooftop signs per site, one per façade. Permissible content comprises the logos of:

o Corporate bodies with naming rights

o Major tenants (or)

o The name of the building

Again, Brisbane City Council allows consistent content on all facades that may display the name of the building, the owner of naming rights or one occupant of the building.

It is inexplicable that the North Sydney Draft DCP should fall in behind the most restrictive controls on sign numbers (the City of Sydney) – it proposes signs on two facades only but fails to argue why this is good policy. It is also unexplained why North Sydney proposes to ignore other councils’ controls on content that are consistent with the decades-old practice in North Sydney.

The report says only four of the 10 Australian councils reviewed specifically limit the content of rooftop signs for building identification purposes, restricting such signs to the owner or major tenant of the building and prohibit third party naming rights. Again, without reason, it proposes to take the most restrictive approach.

The report says its review of international digital signs showed an absence of controls restricting the number of digital display panels permitted on a site. It says the City of Toronto restricts digital panels to a maximum of one per site and is considered appropriate for incorporation into North Sydney’s DCP. It provides no reason why the Canadian city takes this approach or why it is appropriate for North Sydney.

There are numerous buildings in North Sydney that have top of building signs displaying global and Australian brands on more than two facades. All these businesses and property owners would be affected by the Draft DCP’s proposals.

North Sydney Councillors, if they accept the Draft DCP, will be wading into battle with some of the world’s biggest multi-national communications, information technology equipment, computer security and insurance companies, for no reason.

Examples of rooftop signage that currently exceed the Draft DCP’s restrictions include:

o Australian Catholic University – four rooftop signs & four logos, one of each on each facade

o Fujitsu, four rooftop signs to the north, east, south and west

o McAfee – four rooftop signs to the north, east, south and west

o Zurich – four rooftop signs to the north, east, south and west

o Panasonic – four rooftop signs and logos

o Vodafone – three rooftop signs

o Cisco – three rooftop signs

o Genworth – three rooftop signs

o AAMI – three rooftop signs

o Richardson & Wrench – three rooftop signs and a lower level sign

o HSBC – three rooftop signs and a lower level sign

o Bayer – three rooftop signs and a lower level sign

The report says the City of Toronto is the only city that restricts the location of digital display panels on a building – they are to be located below the second story level. It says: “The general approach established by the City of Toronto is considered appropriate for incorporation into NSDCP 2013.” Why is North Sydney choosing the most restrictive approach?

The report embarrasses itself by including a photograph said to be of the Beijing Skyline in China with a caption that claims building identification signs tend to saturate the skyline around the harbour foreshore. Beijing is, of course, inland and 170 km north-west of its Tianjin Port. The picture is of Hong Kong’s skyline.

Dwell time and illumination

The report says the City of Sydney’s draft DCP 2015 “is the only plan to enforce a minimum dwell times – of 45 seconds – for static content on digital display signs.” It says its review of international cities shows the majority of councils restrict digital display panels to static content with dwell times ranging from eight seconds (Auckland, Phoenix) to one minute (Toronto).

Again, the Draft DCP is consistent in favouring the most restrictive example, when it says: “it is not considered appropriate for NSDCP 2013 to permit static content with a dwell time less than one minute.” The report claims these controls ‘will minimise impacts of ground level digital display panels on pedestrian and road safety’ but gives no definition of the ‘impacts,’ their range, frequency or severity.

The Draft DCP proposes the imposition of curfew hours and maximum levels of luminance to restrict illumination of rooftop signs in order to preserve local amenity and minimise increases in sky glow ‘that can impact on astronomical observations.’

It says digital signs should comply with the luminance levels for digital signs as identified under the government’s draft Transport Corridor Outdoor Advertising and Signage guidelines. While there appears to be some concern about sections of ‘black screen’ in the curfew hours in the summer morning hours, we believe this can be overcome by having twilight illumination levels stipulated in the DCP and shifting the curfew hours shift for summer months.

Conclusion

North Sydney Council’s report and the proposed Draft Amendment to NSDCP 2013 – Advertising and Signage are conceptually and factually flawed. The report’s analysis shows misunderstanding about the real world issues around digital display screens and the dire conclusions about the impact of advertising and signage are not backed by evidence.

There was a serious lack of pre-consultation around these changes before the report was put on public exhibition – changes that would have severe consequences not just for the vibrancy of North Sydney but for its economy.

Business industry groups, apart from the Outdoor Media Association, were not informed directly about these far-reaching proposals. Similarly, the local North Sydney Chamber of Commerce. Commercial property owners too were kept in the dark. A newspaper advertisement or exhibition at the council’s customer service centre or library is no substitute for adequate communication.

We are grateful for the extension of the time for submissions so that we could properly review the report. Having done so, we urge North Sydney Council to make a fresh start and embark on genuine consultation with affected parties and interested industry bodies and not to proceed with the Draft DCP in its current form.

We also urge North Sydney Council to take a measured approach with the Draft DCP to avoid earning a reputation for wanting to ‘ban the future’ by draconian restrictions on digital technology in advertising and signage.

Thank you for the opportunity to make this submission. We look forward to discussing our views with the Council and its planning team.

Submitted by Benmill Pty Ltd

North Sydney

March 2017

North Sydney Bayer Sign Up for Grabs after Budget Constraints Forced Pharma Company to Give Up Fights

Mon, 22 May 2017 00:41:00 GMT

North Sydney’s Bayer sign is up for lease, after almost 16 years sitting above a tower block on Alfred St in North Sydney.

The sign, which will come down by October, has three sides, the front facing the harbour, as well as the South and North, and sits on top of 275 Alfred Street, North Sydney.

The Bayer sign was the successor of Konica Minolta, a Japanese technology company, which also appeared along the North Sydney CBD skyline.

Bayer’s loss of the sky signage spot will allow a new brand to put their name and logo above the building.

Commenting on Bayer’s departure, James Palmer, director of office leasing for Fivex’s agent JLL, told Mumbrella: “

“There is no question that this opportunity has provided deep brand awareness for Bayer. There will be great shock, and it will not go unnoticed when the Bayer sign shines for the last time.

Palmer said he believes the sign is one of the best in Australia.

“The simple reality is that it sits unblocked from the position, and is indeed 3 sided hence more coverage to the north, south (facing CBD) and West where the Bayer crest sits.”

He added: “Fivex would love to see a company that is Australian or who have a large presence in the country such as Bayer.

The static sign is currently for sale, with Fivex seeking a rental rate of 6 figures plus, in line with current market rates for Sky Signage of the same scale.

Fivex also owns a building on Flinders St in Melbourne, which currently has the Fivex logo on top. It is also looking to lease its signage rights for this too.

April 13, 2017

Mumbrella

Zoe Samios

with edits by Fivex

Fivex Conserves and Converts Newtown Post Office

Wed, 05 Apr 2017 05:04:00 GMT

Commercial property investor Fivex has refurbished one of Sydney’s 19th century buildings, The Newtown Post Office at 292 King Street, into a new $5 million commercial, retail and residential mixed use development.

Fivex, led by Sydney developer Lesli Berger, has upgraded the post office’s historic facade, and constructed six luxury apartments in a separate four-storey building attached to the post office, on the same site.

Suncorp Bank has signed as tenant in the refurbished ground floor retail space, originally the post and telegraph office with cast iron columns and arched masonry girders.

The second floor of the building, which has Diocletian arched windows, has been leased to hair salon A+H Salon.

8 March 2017

Su Lin Tan

Australian Financial Review

Australia’s Most Seen Sign Offered

Tue, 27 Sep 2016 05:05:00 GMT

Billed as Australia’s most prominent sign, the Fivex-owned signage above the Warringah Freeway in North Sydney is looking for a new tenant for the first time in 15 years.

Currently leased by Bayer, the sign wraps around three sides of the building, owned by private developer Fivex, at 275 Alfred Street, not far from the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Each façade of the sign is 20.1 metres by 7.6 metres. Beneath the sign more than 150,000 vehicles make the Sydney Harbour Bridge crossing daily.

Almost 90,000 vehicles are going daily through the Sydney Harbour Tunnel.

“This represents a phenomenal branding opportunity on an international scale, reaching tens of millions of commuters every year,” said JLL’s James Palmer, who is handling the leasing.

“Standing above 14 lanes of traffic with zero neighbouring buildings, this is Australia’s most highly valued and sought-after advertising opportunity.”

“Being made available for the first time in 15 years, interest has been significant, coming from a wide range of industry sectors.”

Bayer’s lease finishes in October. Along with the signage rights, come building naming rights as well. Fivex is offering short, medium and long terms. Any leasing deal could be worth in the single-digit millions of dollars.

Fivex, a Sydney-based commercial property investor and developer, has experience with major signage on its assets.

In Melbourne, Fivex won approval for a giant, 42 square metre electronic billboard as part of its redevelopment of a major central business district corner.

That billboard flanks two sides of Riverview House, on the corner of Flinders and Elizabeth Streets.

Nick Lenaghan

AFR 19 September 2016

Robotic Car Stacking System in Unit Blocks Set to Resolve Sydney’s Parking Crisis

Mon, 08 Feb 2016 04:16:00 GMT

Could these giant car stacking robots like this spell the end for the traditional carpark in Sydney?

Spiralling real estate prices, an exploding population and a chronic lack of space is forcing property developers to look for novel ways to provide residents with amenities like parking.

And with some CBD car spaces attracting $300,000 price tags, developers like Fivex are bending over backwards to maximise the little space they have.

The new Anchorage development in Woolloomooloo is just one of about 20 Sydney apartment blocks, including one in Harris Park, now featuring a fully automated car stacking system.

Motorists can drive into the garage, park their car, press a button and the car disappears underground. It takes about three minutes to retrieve the car.

“All the easy development sites have been taken up already, and so what’s left can be awkward and difficult to excavate,” Fivex general manager Lesli Berger said.

“This technology is a solution to one of Sydney’s future problems: how to fit another 1 million people in our city while allowing them to have amenities that they enjoy, like having a car.

“With this system we’ve fitted 23 car spots in approximately a quarter of the space of a regular carpark.”

The median Sydney apartment price is $670,000 and a car space can make up 10-20 per cent of that figure.

The car stacking systems, provided by companies such as Hercules Carparking Systems and Klaus Multiparking, cost between $30,000 and $60,000 per space to install.

Mr Berger said the site’s car stacker worked out to be the same as what a conventional carpark would cost.

Klaus Multiparking director Simon Gilson said technology is constantly improving.

“A conventional car space can’t breakdown because it is just a piece of concrete,” he said.

“You tend to have problems, though, only when users are not trained.”

Mr Gilson said there has been a sharp increase in demand in Sydney in the past five years, and he expects the trend to continue as property prices continue to stay stubbornly high.

“We’ve seen a 30-40 per cent growth year-on-year for the 12 years we have been in existence,” he said.

Ben Pike

The Sunday Telegraph 30 August 2015

The Anchorage Opening – NSW State Minister for Planning Rob Stokes’ Speech

Tue, 19 Jan 2016 04:02:00 GMT

Thanks Lesli, thanks ladies and gentlemen. I too want to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet today. I also want to acknowledge a couple of local government councillors that I see with us today and that’s Councillor Christine Forster from the City of Sydney, as well as Councillor Ted Bennett from Woollahra Council, and most particularly I also wanted to thank the Berger family for the opportunity to be with you and also for the opportunity to open this wonderful new contribution to Woolloomooloo.

As Lesli has mentioned, this development really adheres to the principles of new urbanism which is a movement that this city really needs to embrace if we are to truly develop in sustainable ways that’s going to make our city more liveable, more productive and ultimately the sort of place that’s attractive for us and for our children and for new residents moving into the city.

For too long this city has been lazy in its patterns of development and that’s left a legacy now that is somewhat ironic in that we live in the most sparsely populated inhabited continent on earth and yet ironically we suffer from a land scarcity problem in Sydney. The reason for that is, of course, the legacy of car dependent development that has led to lazy subdivision and settlement patterns. We’re now trapped by these lazy subdivision patterns and the only way in which we can deal with this legacy of uncoordinated development is to be more thoughtful, more conscious of our surroundings and more thrifty and efficient in our planning, in our design and in our use of spaces, and that’s something that The Anchorage does incredibly effectively.

Fivex, here, have produced a triumph of urban design, really focused on those principles of new urbanism. Thinkers like Lewis Mumford and Jane Jacobs writing in the 1960s talked about the anti-urban movement of cities that have been really driven by technological developments in motor vehicles at the time that allowed cities just to grow outwards and outwards and further and further out and they called for a return to more urbanist principles and thus began that movement, that new urbanism that the Future Cities Collaborative is all about that so inspired Leslie and his family to create this development based on those principles of new urbanism.

Like me, I’m sure all of you were struck by the fact that this is a development that doesn’t detract from its neighbourhood but rather adds to it and enhances the liveability and the architectural attractiveness of this site.

What may also have struck you, as it struck me, was for a very limited site in terms of 500 square metres, that the Berger family and the architects at Eeles Trelease and builders Zadro, and not to forget Hercules Car Stackers, have really made efficient use of this space to create a liveable and a beautiful contribution to this part of Sydney.

This is the sort of development, ladies and gentlemen, that the NSW government would like to see in more places, so that as Sydney gets bigger it actually becomes a better place to live as well and, ultimately, that should be the focus of everyone in the development industry, everyone in the planning industry, everyone in government. Leslie spoke, I thought, in a very restrained way about government regulation but the way in which we need government and council regulation to work is to facilitate good development and hinder bad development; that’s what regulation is there to do, to guide the development industry to produce great outcomes and here we’re an example of that today.

So it’s a great delight for me to be here to officially open The Anchorage and wish the Berger family all the very best as they continue to contribute to shaping this great city of ours. Thanks very much.

NSW State Minister for Planning Rob Stokes

Lesli Berger’s Speech at The Official Opening of The Anchorage

Wed, 09 Dec 2015 04:44:00 GMT

Welcome everyone to this milestone day in the 40-year history of Fivex, the opening of The Anchorage, our first mixed use residential development. I’d like to acknowledge the Cadigal people of the Eora Nation.

We are immensely pleased to welcome Rob Stokes MP, the NSW Minister for Planning, and a strong supporter of sustainable planning for the future of cities such as Sydney.

Also, welcome to our partners in The Anchorage’s development, architects Eeles Trelease, builders Zadro Constructions, and underground carstacking specialists Hercules Carparking, friends of Fivex, ladies and gentlemen.

Wellington Webb, the first African American Mayor of Denver, said the 19 ^th century was a century of empires, the 20 ^th was a century of nation states, and the 21 ^st will be a century of cities.

Living in Sydney, one of the world’s great 21 ^st century cities, we’re living in times of great change.

Change driven by desire to end the urban sprawl, and instead build liveable communities. Change where the home office rivals the ever-increasing long commute. Change that forces us to move on from 20 ^th century development practices and take a fresh look at the older, inner, original village suburbs.

To remain a great city, we believe Sydney has to embrace the principles of the New Urbanism movement, and its promotion of walkable neighbourhoods, along with the Future Cities Collaborative, and its advocacy for building sustainable communities.

My personal participation in the Future Cities Collaborative as part of the Woollahra Council delegation has helped me inform much of Fivex’s current thinking. Minister, if I could wave a magic wand, I would make it compulsory for all Councils to participate in the Future Cities Program.

We believe The Anchorage will contribute to making Woolloomooloo, already one of the most diverse suburbs in Sydney’s east, a more liveable, walkable and sustainable community.

Fivex was established more than 40 years ago by my father Joshua Berger and my late grandfather Marko Berger. Our history is in acquiring, developing and managing commercial properties in NSW and Victoria.

Recently we expanded into residential development with The Anchorage our first mixed use residential development.

Our move has been prompted by strategic considerations: our belief that long term demand for office accommodation will not substantially increase whereas the chronic under-supply of residential accommodation in the Sydney basin is still unresolved.

We branched out into high-end high-quality residential development so we’ll have the skills and flexibility to enable the long term conversion of our commercial assets to residential uses as market forces change.

As our new Prime Minister says, we need to ensure we focus on “Innovation” and maintain “Agility”.

The Anchorage will be followed by residential mixed use developments in Double Bay, Newtown and in due course Surry Hills.

The Anchorage has an amazing location, on the edge of Sydney Harbour at Woolloomooloo – an unusual trapezoidal block with three street frontages of just 500 square metres.

It’s an easy walk to the CBD and nearby communities.

It’s an example of making existing inner suburbs more densely-populated while promoting compact, walkable, mixed-use communities.

The Anchorage is a five-storey building offering 1300 square metres of residential living space – through studio living, one and two bedroom apartments and a penthouse – and 250 square metres of commercial space.

Our architects have designed a unique looking development, with interesting geometric shapes, that helps activate the Cowper Wharf Road street frontage and adds to the local area’s vitality.

Its unique design features make the apartments look and feel much bigger than they actually are.

Eeles Trelease pushed the boundaries with space-saving designs that you can see today including:

While the ability to walk in the New Urbanism movement is most important, cars are not excluded, and The Anchorage has incorporated world class parking technology into its design and construction.

We’ve included the Hercules Carparking underground auto-valet car-stacking system to fit more than 20 car spaces in an underground box, almost 19 metres long, 9 metres wide and 6.5 metres wide.

Fivex bought 65 Cowper Wharf Road in 2008, just before the GFC hit.

The approval process has been challenging. Residential development is even more regulated than the commercial office development sector.

We were limited in terms of minimum apartment sizes, minimum balcony requirements and even the mix of apartments we were allowed to develop.

The site’s proximity to the Harbour meant excavating was a complex exercise and we used Menard Bachy, who have a lot of experience in safely excavating in such situations to ensure we had no issues.

To our architects Eeles Trelease, our builders Zadro Constructions, and our carstacking technology partner Hercules Carparking, thank you for together creating such a unique development.

We believe The Anchorage will be a great example of sustainable living for Sydney and one that is consistent with the State Government’s policy to liven up Sydney and ensure it truly remains a great city of the 21 ^st century.

And now I’m delighted to welcome the Minister for Planning, Rob Stokes, to say a few words and to officially open “The Anchorage”.

Lesli Berger, 9 October 2015

Working Group Winds Up

Mon, 05 Jan 2015 05:09:00 GMT

A group set up to help revitalise the North Sydney CBD has voted to dissolve itself after claims it was ignored by elected officials.

The CBD Working Group was in action for two years but members believe their voice was not being heard by councillors.

“They clearly have no interest whatsoever in anything the business community represented in this group has to say; therefore we have just voted to dissolve the working group,” group member and former councillor Richard Pearson said.

The group, set up by North Sydney Council, generated several ideas – one document had 60 suggestions. These included becoming part of the Vivid light festival, providing free parking after hours, giving more priority to cyclists, creating a seven-day destination and creating public open space.

It also proposed to relax limits on the conversion of office buildings to residential. Members included professionals from retail, urban planning, real estate, property development, architecture and hospitality. The North Sydney Chamber of Commerce and NSW Business Chamber was also represented.

Councillor Stephen Barbour, who attended the final meeting, said it was a shame the working group was being disbanded. He described the end of the group as “almost death by thousand cuts”.

Lesli Berger, general manager of Fivex Commercial Property, said he made lots of suggestions. “Rather than explaining why our recommendations should not be supported … they have been ignored,” he said.

The director of the council’s city strategy division, Joseph Hill, said the council wanted input from the North Sydney business community and that a new working party format would be set up.

Andrea McCullagh

Mosman Daily 4 December 2014

City Dead End at Flinders and Elizabeth Streets to Take a New Turn with Tram Route Extension in the Works

Tue, 12 Aug 2014 05:03:00 GMT

A key Melbourne tram route could be extended under a revamp of a rundown CBD intersection.

The Herald Sun can reveal the Napthine Government is seriously considering a plan to run Elizabeth street trams into Flinders street.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle strongly backs the move, saying that the intersection needs “a whole lot of love” and would benefit from the removal of the Elizabeth Street tram terminus.

“If the tram goes around the corner it gives us the opportunity to consider removing parking, extending the footpaths, doing tree planting to make it a beautiful intersection rather than the mess that it is right now,” he said.

A spokesman for Transport Minister Terry Mulder said the Government was evaluating a number of tram improvements including linking the Elizabeth and Flinders streets tracks.

“We are still gathering more information and will discuss these matters with stakeholders, such as the Melbourne City Council, before we make any decision,” she said.

It is understood that the Government wants to upgrade the Elizabeth St-Royal Pde route as compensation for rejecting the Metro 1 rail plan, which would have included an underground station in the busy Parkville health precinct.

Cr Doyle said his preference was for Elizabeth St trams to turn right into Flinders St and link up with destinations such as Southern Cross Station.

“It will be very important as the Parkville precinct grows that the Elizabeth St-Royal Pde tram route becomes as busy as Swanston St,” he said. “This is the first step towards extending our tam network to make it serve a busier city.”

Committee for Melbourne CEO Kate Roffey said it was a good idea because Flinders St needed more tram services and it suited a strategy to move trams to the western side of town.

The RACV has previously proposed that cars be banned from Elizabeth St between Flinders and Bourke. The Greens have a similar policy to keep vehicles out of Elizabeth St near the Flinders St end.

John Masanauskas

Herald Sun 23 July 2014

Stores Adopt Vertical Retailing in Melbourne, Sydney

Mon, 11 Aug 2014 05:35:00 GMT

High rents on ground floors and the large spaces needed by international retailers are driving the industry upwards.

Rents have risen above $9000 a square metre on Melbourne’s Bourke Street Mall. Prices are even higher on Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall, making them among the most expensive shopping strips anywhere.

Rents on higher floors are lower, making what is known as “vertical retailing” more cost-efficient. Multiple levels allow stores of 2000 square metres and more.

“International retailers’ space requirements are so much bigger and given the space restrictions in places such as Sydney, the reality is they have to go up or down, and sometimes even miss out on a ground floor location,” CBRE retail director Leif Olson said.

UK fashion retailer Top Shop has opened a multi-level flagship store in Emporium Melbourne, the seven-level poster child for vertical retailing in Australian CBDs.

Hilton Seskin, who owns the Australian Topshop franchise, said vertical retailing was not totally new to Australia. What has changed is the space used.

“Now we are seeing large multi-level stores taking on 2000 square metres instead of 500 square metres.

“What has also changed is the customer’s willingness to shop multi-level, which in the past has been a challenge,” he said.

Also in Emporium is a four-level UNIQLO store, the Japanese retailer’s first in Australia.

It is 2180 square metres – big enough to accommodate a vast range of clothing and accessories. Sales are strong, according to a spokeswoman.

Angus McNaughton, chief executive of the CFS Retail Property Trust, joint owners of Emporium Melbourne, said vertical retailing was challenging but can be “very powerful” if you get the format right. “Getting foot traffic to all levels is critical. Getting people to go all the way to the top floor can be quite difficult,” he said.

Enticing shoppers upwards

To encourage people to visit the Emporium’s upper floors, a food court was installed on the top floor with Myer.

“We also have great vertical transportation and strong site lines, so that shoppers can see the activity on other levels and get there effortlessly,” he said.

On neighbouring Bourke Street Mall, Swedish retailer H&M occupies all four levels of the GPO Building.

Spanish fashion icon Zara has three levels in a building further along. Chanel is opening a four-level store on Russell Street. Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana are trading over two levels on Collins Street.

In Sydney, US retailer Williams-Sonoma has three levels in Bondi Junction for its Pottery Barn, West Elm and Pottery Barn Kids stores.

Pennie Rende, Williams-Sonoma’s Australian head, said vertical retailing was very common in the US. The $6 billion retailer’s San Francisco store is spread over five storeys.

“Our Bondi Junction retail area has given us the opportunity to showcase all four of our unique brands under one roof, which is a world first for Williams-Sonoma,” Ms Rende said.

Elsewhere in Sydney, UNIQLO plans to open a store this year on the second floor of the Pitt Street Mall. It will skip the ground floor. “UNIQLO’s Tokyo flagship store is 12 storeys, something unheard of yet in Australia,” Mr Olson said.

Global trend

CBRE leasing agent Zelman Ainsworth said US landlords were taking advantage of rents over $31,000 a square metre on Fifth Avenue to convert offices into shops.

“This trend is continuing to spread around the world in all major retail markets including Melbourne and Sydney, due to limited ground floor space in prime location and increasing rentals,” he said.

Last year Sydney boutique investor Fivex Commercial Property converted 1800 square metres of office space on the first floor of Riverview House, on the corner of Flinders and Elizabeth streets, into space for Japanese discount chain Daiso. Daiso signed a 10-year lease, paying net rent of about $700 per square metre. The two floors above have been converted into gym space for Fitness First.

“So far it’s been an enormous success,” said Fivex general manager Lesli Berger.

Mr Berger said rising ground floor rents would drive more retailers in Sydney and Melbourne to consider leases on upper levels.

“It’s the first time since the emergence of the CBD shopping centre model that we are seeing vertical retailing apply to smaller scale assets,” he said.

Larry Schlesinger

Mercedes Ruehl

Australian Financial Review 2 August 2014

For Land Tax Purposes Land Value Includes GST

Mon, 11 Aug 2014 05:17:00 GMT

Fivex is currently in a dispute with the NSW Valuer General relating to the fair value of land. One of the issues in contention is whether or not GST should be included as part of the land value in circumstances where GST is applicable to a comparable sale.

CBD’s Smaller Leases

Mon, 11 Aug 2014 04:52:00 GMT

Refurbished smaller suites ranging from 50 to 200 square metres are also being offered at 276 Flinders Street – known as Melbourne Square – through Matthew Kent of Savills, in tandem with JLL agents James Palmer and William McLaughlin.

The building, owned and managed by boutique commercial property group Fivex, has been re-positioned to include retail tenants.

Mr Kent said Japanese retailer Daiso, a Fitness First gym and Goodstart childcare centre occupied the first three floors of the refurbished building, the middle floors being broken up into smaller spaces to provide a niche offering to small businesses.

Smaller tenants in 276 Flinders Street include a dentist, migration agents, an IT firm and advertising groups.

“They’re small businesses of up to 10 or 12 people, but with the potential to grow and take up more space,” he said.

Mr Kent said offices hat had good natural lighting and were well located (276 Flinders Street is directly opposite the Flinders Street train station) were important to attracting smaller tenants.

Larry Schlesinger

The Australian Financial Review

Monday, 31 March 2014

Double Bay Go Getter Gets Going

Wed, 07 May 2014 04:24:00 GMT

High profile local Lesli Berger has another project on the books: his own Future Cities Program.

Speaking as the owner of 376-382 New South Head Road, Double Bay, and General Manager of Fivex Commercial Property, Berger says Woollahra Council need to implement the program now.

Fivex recently lodged a DA with Council to convert one of the floors of its award-winning environmentally-sustainable commercial building to residential lodgings.

The height of the proposed development is 180cm lower than the approval it was granted in 2010 for a rooftop cinema.

The proposal includes a mix of studio, one-bedroom and loft-style apartments and as there is no onsite parking within the DA, Fivex has suggested two Go-Get cars to be on call nearby.

Not the kind of man to wait around, Berger said his proposal will stimulate the retail economy and give Woollahra’s growing population a place to live.

“The advantage of increasing the resident population of Double Bay’s Commercial Centre with a focus on lower-cost and smaller apartment sizes is that it encourages a younger demographic who are not car-reliant and who have a high disposable income to live in the heart of Double Bay.”

“The main lesson of the Future Cities Program is that it is a range of initiatives that are needed to create a vibrant and revitalised town centre.”

He said the program goes hand in hand with the general revival of Double Bay.

“While Woollahra Council is doing an excellent job on the big ticket projects, the smaller projects also form a vital part of the revitalisation of Double Bay.”

LattéLife

Issue 38, May 2014

Double Bay Business Disenfranchised at By-Election

Wed, 16 Apr 2014 06:02:00 GMT

Not a single business ratepayer has successfully enrolled to vote at the upcoming Woollahra Council by-election for Double Bay ward.

Councillor Elena Kirillova resigned on 31 December 2013, sparking the need for the by-election. The non-resident electoral roll was closed on 3 February 2014. The by-election is scheduled to be held on 15 March 2014.

“For the first time in living memory, not a single business has successfully enrolled to vote at the upcoming Double Bay ward by-election.” Lesli Berger, Deputy-Chairman of the Double Bay Chamber of Commerce said.

“Never before has the Double Bay business community been completely disenfranchised at a Woollahra Council election.”

“It is outrageous that as a result of the timing of Councillor Kirillova’s resignation, the Double Bay business community was only given 5 weeks to enroll to vote over the busy Christmas period. Is it any surprise that due to the legislative requirement to purge the electoral roll for non-resident ratepayers after each local government election that the business community will not have a voice at the upcoming by-election?”

“Australia has a system of compulsory voting at the State and Federal level and it is also compulsory for residents to vote in Council elections. It is scandalous that there is a different rule for business ratepayers in Council elections.”

“It is perverse that the Law has operated to prevent Double Bay’s business community from voting in the Double Bay ward by-election given Double Bay’s business community pay over a million dollars in Council rates and it is the customers’ of the business community who enable Woollahra Council to earn millions of dollars in parking meter and parking infringement revenue.”

“The Chairman of the Double Bay Chamber of Commerce has written to the Minister for Local Government calling on the NSW Government to amend these discriminatory laws so that the Double Bay business community is never again disenfranchised at a local government election.” Mr Berger said.

Media Release

Lesli Berger, Deputy Chairman of the Double Bay Chamber of Commerce

Double Bay Chamber of Commerce

24 February 2014

Business Misses the Boat on the Vote

Mon, 24 Mar 2014 03:51:00 GMT

The business community in Double Bay has been left without a vote in the March 15 Woollahra Council byelection because none of the 700-odd business ratepayers registered to vote in time.

The Double Bay Chamber of Commerce deputy chair Lesli Berger said the fact that not a single business will vote “for the first time in living memory” is “scandalous” and should be met with legislative change.

The problem arose as former Residents First councillor Elena Kirillova resigned on January 31, leaving little time after busy Christmas period for people to enrol before the roll closed on February 3.

Mr Berger said the legislation made it compulsory for residents to vote, but businesses were not even notified about the opportunity to enrol.

“After every local government election the electoral role is purged for the business ratepayers … that is what has led to this appalling outcome,” he said.

“What we are calling for is the State Government to fix these appalling laws and to adopt what occurs in Melbourne City Council, which is having a system of automatically enrolling business ratepayers to vote in the local government elections.

“You can’t make voting attendance compulsory for non-residents but if you were to automatically enrol them you’d get a … higher submission rate.”

Robbie Patterson

Wentworth Courier March 2014

Future Brightens for Business

Fri, 07 Mar 2014 04:29:00 GMT

Small business is on the rise with the Double Bay Chamber of Commerce deputy chairman Lesli Berger declaring that the “worst is definitely behind us”.

Retail Leases Act Review 2013

Tue, 28 Jan 2014 03:18:00 GMT

My name is Lesli Berger and I am the General Manager of Fivex Commercial Property. Fivex is a boutique family owned investor in office and retail properties predominantly in Melbourne and Sydney.

The majority of Fivex’s retail assets in Sydney are located in neighbourhood shopping precincts or are part of strip shops.

1. Is there an imbalance in market power between landlords and tenants in neighbourhood shopping precincts and strip shopping areas (particularly outside the CBD)?

Notwithstanding the fact that Fivex greater financial resources than the majority of our retail tenants due to the size of Fivex’s combined property portfolio, we find that the retail market has significantly turned since the Global Financial Crisis (the “ GFC “) and the power in the relationship between retailers and landlords has significantly shifted since 2008 until the present day and for the foreseeable future.

The majority of Fivex’s retail properties are located in some very poorly trading areas, where vacancies are high, nearby shopping centres have significantly impacted on local trading conditions and the rise of online shopping has had a very significant impact.

Given prevailing market conditions and likely future market conditions, the need for the protections afforded in the Retail Leases Act is significantly diminished, because the power imbalance the Act was meant to rectify no longer exists as a market reality and has not existed since the onset of the GFC.

In actual fact, the Retail Leases Act gives tenants enormous power and given current market conditions, actually creates significant potential for a retail tenant to use their rights and powers under the Act to the significant financial detriment of Landlords, without a reasonable justification for retailers retaining those rights.

In real economic terms, the rise of online and app based shopping means that there is a significant ability for retailers to trade without the requirement to have physical premises and that means that many retailers now have a significantly increased ability to retain their client base and goodwill even if the retailer is forced to change the location of their physical premises. This means that the power of landlords has been structurally diminished as a result of changes in technology and the ability of retailers of all persuasions to build strong connections with their customers directly, without having to rely solely on passing trade.

I will not comment on every question in the paper apart from pointing out that the majority of the commentary in the review is based on the false assumption that all Landlords have more power than most (if not all) Retail Tenants.

Given the reality that the power imbalance for the most part no longer exists between significant classes of landlords and retail tenants that means there is a strong case for a substantial reduction in the scope of the Retail Leases Act and substantially limiting the operation of the Act to only the largest retail landlords that own and operate substantial shopping centres.

2. Should tenants be given the right of first or last refusal when their lease comes to an end?

The answer is clearly no. If this suggestion were followed it would amount to a transfer of value in the premises from the owner of the property to the tenant, without any form of financial compensation being paid for this right and amounts to a quasi transfer of ownership rights to the tenant.

If the proposal were to go ahead, it would have a substantial effect on competition for retail space because it will lessen the ability for new traders to compete for retail space.

If the goal of our State is to maximise the employment and job-making opportunities afforded by the retail sector, then this proposal should be rejected out of hand. Statutory guaranteed first and last rights of refusal are anathema to a free market.

If the proposal were implemented, the bad old days of ‘key money’ being paid to tenants will occur as a matter of commercial reality, because new tenants who are interested in premises will have no choice but to pay sitting tenants a fee to move out. The fact that ‘key money’ is formally outlawed in the Act has no impact on the commercial reality.

The proposal also falsely assumes that all lease relationships come to an end due to financial considerations alone. Often it is the case a Landlord does not wish to renew a lease with an existing retailer because the Landlord wishes to improve the retail mix of their property or the Landlord has been approached by an interested third party who is a much stronger financial covenant than the existing retailer, which equates to greater financial security for the Landlord.

In a real practical sense, we once brought to an end a retail lease with a two-dollar shop operator and replaced them with a name-brand pharmacy without achieving any increase in rental, because we knew that the value of that asset would substantially increase as a result of the improvement of the retail covenant. Why should a Landlord be prevented from dealing with their property as they see fit when the lease to an existing retailer comes to an end? Why should Fivex have been prevented from doing this particular deal?

3. Are disclosure statements working effectively?

In Fivex’s experience, disclosure statements are long and convoluted documents that no longer serve any purpose. Disclosure statements have improperly morphed from a simple statement outlining the basic financial terms a retailer will need to pay, to a de facto lease that no one apart from the Lawyers actually read or understand.

4. Are there retail shops that are currently covered under the Act which should not be?

As discussed in point 1 above, there is no longer an imbalance in power between retail tenants and landlords for retail property that is located in strip shops and neighbourhood shopping precincts due to the onset of the GFC and changes in technology relating to online and app based shopping.

Substantial retail vacancy outside of the CBD and large shopping centres means that landlords no longer enjoy substantial power over retail tenants and the scope of the Act should be substantially reduced in order to properly reflect the change in economic circumstances.

In particular the rise of online and app based shopping as well as the prevalence of social-networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook have weakened the link between a retailer’s physical location and their customer base. While inevitably there is disruption if a retailer is forced to move premises, thanks to modern technology, innovative retailers can now attach the majority of the goodwill associated with their business to their online presence as opposed to the precise location of their physical store.

As a result of these changed circumstances, the scope of the Retail Leases Act should be reduced to only protect retail shops that are in large retail shopping centres greater than 5,000sqm in size. Such a change would have an enormous regulatory saving on the entire retail sector and substantially remove red-tape in circumstances where regulation is no longer warranted.

The Commissioner needs to understand that the vast majority of Landlords who own property in neighbourhood shopping precincts and strip shops are themselves small operators and often the property amounts to the Landlord’s superannuation savings. It is expensive, time consuming and administratively complex to properly administer a retail lease in accordance with the Retail Leases Act and given the power imbalance the Retail Leases Act was enacted to address no longer exists, the NSW Government needs to enact changes that properly reflect the economic reality.

Body Fitness Company on the Move

Wed, 27 Nov 2013 02:50:00 GMT

National fitness group Fitness First will open a new flagship gym in Melbourne, which will become its largest CBD tenancy on levels 2 and 3 at 276 Flinders Street. According to Savills’ Michael Di Carlo and Jeremy Marmur, the deal represented the latest in a series of retail leases over what had been office floors in the former CBA-leased building, Riverview House.

“Fitness First had been in the market for a tenancy which offered first-class facilities in a great location with superior exposure and Riverview House offered all of that right opposite Flinders Street Station,” Mr Di Carlo said.

Mercedes Ruehl

The Australian Financial Review 26 November 2013

Coming up Daiso Again in Melbourne

Thu, 22 Aug 2013 05:52:00 GMT

Popular Japanese retailer Daiso is opening its largest Australian store yet, in downtown Melbourne, amid plans to roll out as many as 12 more outlets along the east coast this year.

Well-known in Japan as the 100 Yen Shop, Daiso’s smorgasbord of household and gift products are priced more prosaically at $2.80 in Australia.

The giant chain already has 2500 stores in Japan and another 500 overseas, including an outlet that opened in Brisbane’s Myer Centre. Its other stores in Australia include outlets at GPT’s Highpoint and Westfield Doncaster in Melbourne.

In a deal brokered by Colliers International agent Ben Tremellen and Savills agent Michael Di Carlo, the retailer has taken up a 10-year lease across 1800 square metres at 2 Elizabeth Street in Melbourne. Face rent on the space is close to $700 per square metre, sources said.

Opening in August, it will be Daiso’s first company-owned and -operated outlet in Australia.

The corner site, in a property held by Sydney boutique investor Fivex Commercial Property, stands just opposite Flinders Street railway station.

The first floor vacancy was previously office space but is now being converted to retail, to take advantage of the thousands of commuters using the station each day.

The retailer’s tenancy will add momentum to the Town Hall’s ambition to rejuvenate the final block of Elizabeth Street before the station.

Daiso is the latest in growing number of major global brands, such as TopShop and Zara, which are now opening outlets in Australian high streets and shopping malls.

Nick Lenaghan

AFR 2 May 2013

150,000th Visitor to Attend Blue Mountain’s Tourist Hot Spot ‘Waradah’

Wed, 21 Aug 2013 04:17:00 GMT

Located adjacent to the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains National Park, home of Australia’s most popular tourist destination ‘The Three Sisters’ is the Waradah Aboriginal Centre which in just 18 months is about to welcome its 150,000 ^th visitor.

Located in the World Heritage Plaza at Katoomba, Waradah offers authentic Aboriginal song and dance performances, dreamtime stories and authentic, quality paintings, arts and crafts.

One of only two venues in Australia to offer daily dance and dreamtime story performances by Aboriginal people, and the only one in New South Wales. Waradah (formerly known as the Koomurri Aboriginal Centre) provides an exciting and rich cultural dimension to the national tourism industry which has far-reaching benefits to the local community, state and country, as well as providing tangible benefits to the various indigenous communities represented at the Centre.

Waradah makes a significant contribution to various Aboriginal clans and communities by way of employment; the provision of a retail gallery space through which indigenous arts and crafts are showcased and sold, to both local and overseas visitors. The Centre provides an environment for the advancement of better relationships through workshops, performances and the promotion of Aboriginal culture and interests.

“I am very proud of what we have created and are doing within the local community and for tourism generally”, said owner and CEO Farid Nayerhabibi.

“We have Aboriginal people from all over Australia working at Waradah and sharing their respective cultures with visitors, business groups and school children. All of which helps foster better relations and understanding between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples”.

Waradah offers a rich educational experience and has school children come through the centre each week.

With two qualified teachers on staff, we are fortunate enough to be able to formulate and deliver strong programs that meet individual school and student needs. The NSW school curriculum has a stage 1 – 6 Indigenous Program covering classes from kindergarten to year 12. This element in the curriculum is designed to promote intellectual, social and moral development by enabling students to think critically about the historical and contemporary experiences of Aboriginal people.

“The Waradah Centre was a wonderful experience. There were several different educational packages to suit different needs. The stage four students loved the art, music and dance activities, but their favorite part was when they were taught about the culture”, said recent visitor to Waradah, Mrs Rathbone, a teacher at Cambridge Park High School.

In addition to its school educational program, Waradah has seen a sharp increase in the number of businesses participating in the ‘corporate program’ it offers which provides a unique opportunity to develop team building exercises and initiatives through personal interaction with indigenous Australians. The workshops afford participants a rare opportunity to hear dreamtime stories, learn about Aboriginal traditions, culture and ceremonies (not widely exposed to the general public) try their hand at Aboriginal painting, the didgeridoo and various dances.

“Waradah helps create a better understanding of different cultures and how diverse the Aboriginal way of life is. It brings the white and black together by promoting understanding about each other and showing that we’re not so different”, said lead performer Peter Williams.

“Getting people to take part in the dancing takes them out of their comfort zone and they have a lot of fun and will always remember the experience.”

At a time when Aboriginal people are high on the Federal Government’s agenda and the climate for acceptance – to the point of recognizing them in the country’s constitution – is bi-partisan in its appeal, Waradah stands as a shining and very successful example of what can be achieved in a collaborative environment between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples.

Mr Nayerhabibi has invested everything he has in the business and is proud of the fact that he has not had to rely on any government assistance.

“Waradah Aboriginal Centre is proud to be a wholly owned and operated private enterprise that has never drawn any funding from either the state or federal governments. Our landlord, the Fivex Commercial Property ~~has been incredibly supportive of what we are trying to do in the Blue Mountains both financially and in helping us with our DAs.”~~

“Our staff is eighty percent Indigenous, representing seven different clans. Something we are very proud of and looking to build upon as the business grows.”

“Without the support of the Darug Mountain people, the Gundungurra people and other Aboriginal elders, we would not be in a position to soon welcome our 150,000 ^th visitor. An incredible achievement in such a short space of time.”

Waradah Aboriginal Centre is located in the World Heritage Plaza, 33 – 37 Echo Point Road, Katoomba, a Fivex property. The owners of Fivex have been staunch supporters of Mr Nayerhabibi and have spent considerable monies to help establish this Aboriginal cultural centre for the benefit of Australians and foreign visitors alike. The Centre pumps an incredible amount of money into the local community and is fast becoming one of the most visited tourist attractions in the country.

Alan Jones Interview with Lesli Berger

Wed, 14 Aug 2013 05:18:00 GMT

Berger discusses Kevin Rudd’s plan to prevent property developers standing for pre-selection for the NSW Labor Party, and says that he should not be banned as he is a law abiding citizen and wants to employ people and invest in the city.

2GB The Alan Jones Breakfast Show, 11 July 2013

Property Developers to be Banned from NSW Labor Party

Fri, 05 Jul 2013 02:37:00 GMT

For a long time I have been strongly opposed to the NSW State Government’s decision to ban property developers, hoteliers and tobacco companies from making political donations. While electoral funding transparency is critically important, outright banning a class of business people from participating in the political process is troublesome to say the least, particularly where that prohibition continues in NSW notwithstanding recent reforms by the current NSW State Government to limit political donations to individuals with a maximum cap.

I would have thought the so-called corruption risk is negligible given these limitations. In any case, if the State Government was serious about mitigating corruption risk amongst elected officials, then similar to the abolition of Part 3A of the Planning Act which means the Minister no longer decides major planning decisions, the State Government as part of its planning reforms should mandate Independent Hearing and Assessment Panels and prohibit locally elected officials from deciding on individual development applications.

Further, in my view not only is the donation prohibition on individuals who are property developers, hoteliers or work for tobacco companies unfairly discriminatory and undemocratic, it is also likely to be unconstitutional as an impingement on our constitutional right to freedom of political communication.

Now it appears that the NSW Labor Party intends to ban property developers (not sure where they stand with hoteliers and tobacconists) from further participation in the democratic process.

Where will this nonsense end? When will the Labor Party actually fix the problem it faces by sacking any parliamentarian who won their pre-selection with the support of anyone who is found by ICAC to be corrupt? When will the Labor Party finally sever its ties to the Union movement and become a membership based party?

Aren’t we all property developers when we renovate our own home? How do you properly define who is and who is not a property developer? Putting it mildly, the NSW political donations Legislation has an absurdly complex definition. Using property developers as a scapegoat is hardly going to solve NSW Labor’s rotten culture, nor the likely corrupt practices of current and former parliamentarians.

I can’t think of one Labor official who is caught up in ICAC who is a property developer. If our newly recycled Prime Minister wanted to ‘solve’ the problem of NSW Labor, shouldn’t he instead have banned publishers, farmers, teachers and nurses union officials from the NSW Labor Party?

Will property developers next lose their right to participate in local elections?

Does our Prime Minister seriously believe that the vast majority of property developers are not law abiding citizens who want to positively contribute to their community? Sure property developers want to make a profit, but isn’t that true of everyone who is in business? The last time I checked, there are not too many employees who are willing to work if they don’t get paid!

Why not stop at banning property developers and instead ban all business people and their dependents from the ranks of the NSW Labor Party? While I have no doubt that Labor’s business oriented membership is appallingly low, why not remove anyone who is a business person or their dependents from the NSW Labor Party? Oh goodness, if that happened wouldn’t that mean that our Prime Minister would not be eligible to join his own political party in NSW due to his wife’s very substantial business activities?

Does anyone seriously believe that prohibiting any category of person, who complies with the minimum Constitutional criteria for eligibility to be elected to State of Federal politics as a potential candidate for a political party is likely to stand up to a Constitutional challenge?

Does anyone actually believe in freedom of political association any more and the right for a law abiding citizen to participate in our democratic political processes? Is electoral apartheid the new norm for Australian politics?

Lesli Berger

General Manager

Fivex Commercial Property

Letter to the Minister

Thu, 04 Jul 2013 05:47:00 GMT

Dear Minister,

I have reviewed the “Strata & Law Reform Community Title Law Reform Discussion Paper”.

I must say that I was particularly interested in Chapter 3: Managing the Built Environment. I wish to emphasise that the comments below are in my personal capacity.

I am personally very supportive of law reform that enables a fair, transparent and practical means of terminating strata schemes.

The truth is that many buildings in North Sydney and Double Bay (not to mention pretty much every major town centre in NSW) cannot reasonably be redeveloped based on the current state of strata law. It is nearly impossible to terminate a strata scheme under the current law and the requirement to have unanimous support for the termination of a strata scheme is artificially preventing urban renewal in circumstances where it should be encouraged.

While the principles of individual rights to own property are sacred and the basis of our capitalist economy, equally, there is a very strong community interest in allowing older strata properties to be redeveloped, particularly in circumstances where the strata building is not properly maintained, is very old or even when the town planning controls would allow a substantial increase in height and density on the land in question.

I am very supportive of the concepts contained in the section titled “Urban Renewal” starting on page 22 of the report and believe that a small minority of strata owners should not have the ability to hold the large majority to ransom.

My personal view is that it is absolutely key to any law reform in this area that those owners who are not interested in selling have appropriate rights of review, so as to avoid tyranny of the majority and equally in circumstances where a sale is forced that the minority owners are fully compensated for the full value of their units taking into account issues as diverse as:

Kind regards,

Lesli Berger

General Manager

Fivex Commercial Property

Office-to-retail Conversion a Growing CBD Trend as Ground Floor Space Dries Up: Colliers International

Mon, 24 Jun 2013 04:12:00 GMT

The decision by Fivex Commercial Property to convert office space on Flinders Street into retail space for Japanese gift and homewares retailer Daiso is likely to herald a trend across Melbourne as large ground floor retail space becomes scarcer.

The first floor in Fivex’s ‘Riverview House’ across the road from Flinders Station, and previously tenanted by the Commonwealth Bank, is currently being converted into a Daiso store, accessed via escalators.

The move is in line with Fivex’s plans to reposition the use of the building with another floor in the building being converted into a gym and another is being transformed into a child-care centre.

A digital advertising board was recently wrapped around the first floor of the building on the corner of Flinders Street and Elizabeth Street to generate a separate source of income.

The Daiso deal has an upside for both tenant and landlord: the landlord receives a higher rent for the retail space then he would if it were office space while the tenant pays a lower rent then they would if they had leased a ground floor space, though without the passing foot traffic.

The lease was negotiated by Ben Tremellen, Colliers International retail leasing manager, who tells Property Observer that international retailers are struggling to find large ground floor spaces in the Melbourne CBD.

He says new international retailers all require at least 500 square metres of space and they all want to be on Collins Street between Elizabeth and Swanston Street or on the Bourke Street Mall.

“It’s near impossible to find this sort of foot print,” he says.

“There are definitely a lot of office landlords seeking to activate the ground floor and level one and provide space for those retailers that can’t get a footprint on the ground floor,” he says.

Converting from office to retail could also become an option for some office landlords who can’t secure tenants in the lower floors of some of their buildings.

The Melbourne office market is expected to soften further over 2014 and move increasingly in favour of tenants over landlords.

BIS Shrapnel forecasting the vacancy rate to hit 10% by the end of the year.

The Property Council of Australia recorded the highest CBD office vacancy rates in Flagstaff (13.9%), the Western Core (8.2%), Eastern Core (7.1%) and Spencer Street (6.9%) in its most recent office market report.

Retailers seeking prime Melbourne CBD space may also not have the appetite for the high rents charged on Bourke Street.

According to Knight Frank, “super-prime” rents on Bourke Street Mall range from $7,500 per square metre to $10,000 per square metre.

Larry Schlesinger

Property Observer 15 May 2013

Visibility at Its Best and a Price to Match

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:30:00 GMT

A recently installed digital billboard facing the Elizabeth Street entrance of Flinders Street Station is believed to have set an Australia record for an advertising sign.

Dubbed “Melbourne Square”, the 43sqm LED sign hangs on the south-west corner of 276 Flinders Street, making it visible along Elizabeth and Flinders streets.

It is estimated that more than 81,500 pedestrians and 21,500 vehicles pass through this corner each day.

“We ran an international expression of interest campaign and we received responses from advertising operations from all over the world”, said Jones Lang LaSalle leasing director James Palmer.

“This site is without a doubt one of the busiest and most significant street corners in the Melbourne CBD. Exclusive rights in such a prominent and busy location mean this is an extremely valuable piece of real estate.”

The building is owned by Fivex Commercial Property.

Chris Vedelago

The Age 15 June 2013

Daiso Inks Flagship Deal

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 04:33:00 GMT

International homewares retailer, Daiso, has confirmed it will open its Australian flagship in Melbourne’s CBD later this year.

Ben Tremellen, Colliers International manager of retail leasing, and leasing agent Michael Di Carlo, of Savills, together with Tim Boyce, Daiso property executive and former Coles Group head of property, have facilitated a new lease under which Daiso will occupy 1800sqm site at Level 1, 2 Elizabeth Street.

The Japanese-based brand has signed a 10 year lease with the doors expected to open in late August.

Tremellen said while Daiso had several existing franchise outlets in Australia, this store, at the corner of Elizabeth and Flinders Streets, would become one of the first company owned and operated stores to be opened in Australia. Daiso opened its first company owned store at the Myer Centre in Brisbane on April 23 to strong customer traffic.

“Traditionally, retailers have had a strong preference for ground floor shop fronts, but as vacancy across the Melbourne CBD remains tight I believe we will see an increase in what we call vertical retailing, particularly with big box international retailers,” Tremellen said.

“At Colliers International, we are working with numerous landlords to activate multiple levels for retail use. This new Daiso store will be one of the largest Level 1 retail offerings in the Melbourne CBD when it opens later this year.

Colliers International introduced Daiso to leasing agents Savills after coming on board to help the popular Japanese retailer find a site for their Australian flagship.

Daiso’s Australian CEO, Kit Cheong – a former senior executive at the Coles Group and Pacific Brands – said the Daiso concept of providing everyday life solutions for one price of $2.80 was perfectly suited to the Australian retail market.

“With up to another dozen stores to open this calendar year along the east coast, the business is already well positioned to capitalise on some excellent locational opportunities that have emerged,” Cheong said.

Di Carlo declined to confirm the rent but said Daiso would pay more than $200/sqm over office rents, which represented exceptional value for building owner Fivex Commercial Property and an affordable retail rental for Daiso. He added the space was originally earmarked for offices but agents were able to work with both the owner and tenant to deliver a concept that allowed the area to be activated as a retail store, with access via escalators from Flinders Street.

He said the building’s location on the Elizabeth Street corner, opposite Flinders Street station – where passenger numbers were expected to double from 200,000 per day to 400,000 per day within 10 years – and the diverse mix of food retail, residential and education uses surrounding the building were key factors in Daiso’s decision making.

List of Top 10 Mistakes Commercial Tenants Make

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 04:03:00 GMT

1. Starting the renewal or new premises negotiations too late.

2. Not defining a clear real estate brief.

3. Putting too much emphasis on financial cost alone.

4. Failure to appoint a clear internal decision-maker and point of contact.

5. Making incorrect or inaccurate estimations of space requirements.

6. Not leaving sufficient time at the end of the lease to allow time to properly fulfill make-good obligations.

7. Acting too slowly once a decision is made on premises, consequently missing out on opportunities.

8. Agree to terms prior to obtaining professional space planning (from an interior designer or the like).

9. Failing to allow enough space for future growth.

10. Not realising that the best deals are often secured well in advance of the space actually becoming available on the open market.

Finding Room for New Set of Skyscrapers

Wed, 15 May 2013 04:16:00 GMT

Something very interesting happened about six years ago in the Melbourne CBD: developers started running out of major sites to build the next generation of skyscrapers.

In a landmark sale which started in 1999, the City of Melbourne council offloaded an entire city block once occupied by the Queen Victoria Hospital (developer Grocon has filled the site with a swag of skyscrapers). A few years later, the state government sold large properties in Collins Street and other exclusive city addresses, mostly to developers. Some blocks were sliced into smaller pieces.

At the point where the CBD meets Carlton, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology sold the 1.6 hectare former Carlton & United Brewery, another site now earmarked for a skyscraper compound. The former Spencer Street Power Station in Spencer Street later sold to a residential developer – a $1-billion-plus urban village, Upper West Side, is currently under construction there.

In 2007, developers paid Fairfax Media $66 million for a mammoth 1.5 hectare site at 250 Spencer Street, which had been home to The Age since 1969. A village with eight skyscrapers rising up to 63-levels has since been permitted. The land shortage has changed how investors view Melbourne’s CBD office buildings. Many in the industry were surprised when Singapore-based developer CEL paid $25.5 million for a 14-level office at 150 Queen Street only to announce a year later plans to replace the building with a 71-level residential skyscraper, being marketed now as Tower Melbourne.

Another major building at 199 William Street – an office infamous for being shut and unavailable for lease for decades – will be refitted as a 547-unit apartment complex.

In Russell Street, a 4-level office on a 381 square metre block near the city library was permitted to become a 36-level residential building.

Office occupants are increasingly competing with residential users for prime Melbourne CBD stock – but not all building owners are being tempted.

Bucking the trend, the owners of a 14-level office building with spectacular views of the Yarra River and Southbank over the Flinders Street train station, undertook a major refurbishment after ASX-listed tenant Commonwealth Bank of Australia recently vacated.

At the north east corner of Elizabeth Street, 276 Flinders Street has been relaunched as a high quality new office complex, Melbourne Square. Some 8882 square metres of office space is available in the building with net rents starting at $350 per square metre, per annum, according to leasing agent Matthew Kent from Savills who is marketing the space with colleague Nick Farley and Jones Lang LaSalle’s William McLaughlin and James Palmer.

Mr Kent says it’s not surprising Melbourne’s best sites have been developed adding that the loss of city office space to residential users in recent years has contributed to commercial space becoming more valuable to buy and rent.

Owners who renovate well-located offices to suit tenant demands have recently reaped rewards, Mr Kent said.

Not far away at 357 Collins, a rundown but prominent 30,000 square metre office building, formerly occupied by the Australian Stock Exchange, is undergoing a major renovation. The move reverses high-profile plans by the building’s previous owner to convert the office into a residential tower.

Sydney-based developer Charter Hall has progressively refurbished an office it co-owns at 570 Bourke Street, between King and William Streets. The 31-level building, Marland House, has a particularly large car park with 522 bays over five levels.

Office areas are set to be refurbished at 120 Spencer Street when NAB leaves later this year and electricity company AGL quits in 2014. Mr Kent said renovated older buildings often had the same quality high-end space offered in the city’s new towers “but are in locations you can’t beat”.

He said many investors who buy old Melbourne CBD offices do so with the intention of repositioning them once a tenant vacates.

Mr Kent said the changing way people come to work is a contributing factor for prospective tenants, with the role of public transport expected to increase even more over the medium and long term.

He said this coincides with government efforts to reduce the number of cars in the city by recently increasing a controversial congestion tax. CBRE office services director, Shane Burns, said refurbishments to buildings can be many things, some to re-position the asset and look for a higher rental rate.

“Other works are often done to existing A-grade office and premium (highest quality grade) buildings to ensure they remain relevant against new buildings and their peers,” he said.

End-of trip facilities including showers, lockers and sometimes a towel service are now seen as must-haves, not nice-to-haves.

“We have also seen most major institutional owners with vacancy issues inject significant capital into services upgrades, lobby and foyer refurbishments and improvements to tenant amenities to ensure their assets can offer comparable space to new buildings,” Mr Burns said.

Knight Frank Victorian research director, Richard Jenkins, said the CBD office vacancy rate is forecast to rise from a current level of 6.9% to 9.6% by July this year before experiencing a drop down to 6.9% in July 2015.

“As a result of the uncertain economic conditions stemming from the global financial crisis, the average incentive level has been 19% over the past four years; whereas the vacancy rate has averaged 5%. The subdued confidence levels and tighter funding conditions have led to incentive levels and the vacancy levels being misaligned since late 2008 compared to the long term correlation.”

The Age Wednesday 15 May 2013

Letter to the Mayor Regarding Double Bay Commercial Centre Car Parking Issues

Thu, 09 May 2013 04:29:00 GMT

The Mayor

Councillor Andrew Petrie

Woollahra Municipal Council

PO Box 61

Double Bay NSW 1360

Dear Mayor,

Re: Double Bay Commercial Centre Car Parking Issues

Following our discussions at the Chamber of Commerce Networking event, the Double Bay Chamber of Commerce requests that Woollahra Council urgently review the Council’s car parking policies, as they apply to the Double Bay Commercial Centre.

It is the view of the Double Bay Chamber of Commerce that Council’s car parking policies must ensure that car parking in Double Bay achieves the following policy objectives:

1. That car parking rates, restrictions and services are competitive with neighbouring commercial centres;

2. That the provision of car parking in the Centre is reasonably optimised so as to maximise the economic benefit to be gained by existing car parking spaces;

3. Expand the services available to car park users;

4. That any changes to car parking policies are made in such a way so as to reasonably minimise any potential impact on Council’s revenue.

Based on the January 2007 “Double Bay Commercial Centre Development Study” prepared by Hill PDA Consulting, and coupled with the Chamber’s own recent tenant survey of March 2013, obtained from direct interviews with 320 businesses in Double Bay, the case for change to Council’s car parking policies, in our opinion is overwhelming, and has been so for a considerable period of time.

Clearly, the temporary closure of the Kiaora Lands car park is exacerbating what has been a long-term issue in the Double Bay Commercial Centre.

It is view of the Double Bay Chamber of Commerce, that Woollahra Council has a responsibility to mitigate as far as possible any potential negative impacts resulting from the construction of the Kiaora Lands development, notwithstanding the anticipated (and much hoped for) improvement to Double Bay’s retail environment that will surely result when that development is complete.

The Double Bay Chamber of Commerce requests that Woollahra Council review and instigate the following changes to Council’s car parking policies, as a matter of urgency.

1. That Council trial the following changes to all metered car parking spaces, similar to the successful trial by Leichhardt Municipal Council, that has now been made permanent:

a. That all metered parking spaces be converted to 2 hour time limited spaces;

b. That all metered parking spaces also allow the option for 30 minutes free parking;

c. That peak hourly rates for metered parking be competitive with the hourly parking rates for surrounding Commercial Centres.

It has been long anticipated by Woollahra Council that the closure of the Kiaora Lane car park would have a short term detrimental impact on the retail trading conditions in Double Bay Commercial Centre. To Council’s credit, some changes were made along New South Head Road and to the Cross Street car park in order to alleviate some of the worst effected parts of Double Bay.

Unfortunately, as a result of the larger than expected economic impacts resulting from the closure of the Kiaora Lands car park, Council needs to do far more to lessen the impact of this development and we believe Council must as a matter of urgency, trial changes that the Double Bay Chamber of Commerce believe will help encourage local residents to shop in Double Bah while at the same time, based on the Leichhardt experience, ensure that Council’s revenue base from parking meters is reasonably maintained.

2. That improved signage be installed, better directing drivers to the Cross Street car park as a result of the Kiaora Lands car park closure;

The current signage is inadequate and unless you are a regular commuter to Double Bay, you do not know where the Cross Street car park is.

Professional signage needs to be designed and installed in order to redirect traffic to the Cross Street car park.

3. That the 2 hours of free parking that is applicable for clients of businesses along New South Head Road, be extended to all of Double Bay;

The current concessions are welcome, however, they are hindered by poor signage and confusion as to how tickets can be appropriately validated. Plus we feel Council need to acknowledge that all of Double Bay has been adversely effected by the closure of the Kiaora Lands car park. For the Double Bay Commercial Centre to remain competitive, shoppers need to be able to have their parking ticket validated by any retailer in Double Bay and not just limited to those on the Kiaora Lands side of New South Head Road.

The Double Bay Chamber of Commerce would appreciate if Council were also to advise when the existing contracts with 3 ^rd party operators expire, and for the Chamber to be consulted during the tender process for the operation of the new Kiaora Lands car park.

4. That the Council introduce electronic signs at the entrance to the Cross Street car park noting the number of car spaces available;

The cost of implementing this recommendation is relatively inexpensive and can be implemented quickly.

All modern shopping centre car parks advise drivers before they enter the car park whether or not there is vacant car parking and also advise drivers precisely how many car spaces are available so as to avoid frustration.

Clearly, Double Bay needs to keep up with the times and ensure that all of Council’s owned and controlled car parks have this simple technology installed.

5. That a valet parking scheme be implemented in Double Bay either on-street along dedicated parking spaces in Knox Street with the cars parked in the Cross Street car park or within one of Council’s owned or controlled car parks, such as the Cosmopolitan Centre car park;

The valet parking scheme at Bondi Junction Westfield has been an enormous commercial success and given the wealth of the eastern suburbs demographic a valet parking scheme in Double Bay would also likely be an enormous commercial success.

The Double Bay Chamber of Commerce calls on Woollahra Council to put a valet parking scheme out to public tender without delay to test the demand for valet parking in Double Bay and also to allow private valet parking operators to help advise the Council and the community what would be the most effective and profitable means of introducing valet parking and associated services to Double Bay.

We look forward to your early response.

Kind regards,

Greg Solomon

Chairman

Double Bay Chamber of Commerce

Broken Land Tax System Threatening Small Business

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 03:34:00 GMT

The cost of objecting to land valuations in NSW is forcing small businesses to overpay council rates and land tax.

There are widespread concerns that objection costs are spiralling out of control. Hornsby Council, which is appealing the valuation of a disused quarry has spent more than $1m in legal fees and expert reports. If litigation continues costs may escalate to $2.5m.

The Mayor, Steve Russel, has called the valuation system “crazy”, saying that “cost of appealing valuations is ridiculous. Families and small businesses are being completed locked out of the process.”

High profile Commercial Property Owner and Developer Mr Lesli Berger, General Manager of Fivex Commercial Property is also currently fighting in the courts.

“The land valuation system in NSW was introduced in 1916. Today it’s too inflexible and lacks transparency. The appeal mechanisms are complex, cumbersome and expensive, making an appeal like mine a very fraught ordeal,” Mr Berger said.

“Business owners are often too busy and don’t always have the skills or resources to take on big government,” Mr Berger said when commenting on his Land and Environment Court appeal against excessive land valuations and land tax bills.

Mr Berger speaking from experience noted many landlords and property investors don’t dispute incorrect Land Valuations because of the complexity and cost associated with the appeals process and as a matter of practicality choose to simply pass the land tax bill onto to their tenants.

Fivex is disputing land valuations made on their commercial properties in New South Head Road Double Bay which Mr Berger argues are up to 100% too high and if applied across Double Bay and the State is costing landlords and tenants tens of millions of dollars.

“The Land Tax issue is not only about Double Bay but has implications across NSW. It affects small businesses and impacts upon the NSW economy,” Mr Berger said.

“It is clear that the Valuer General has ignored his duty under the Act to ensure a fair and transparent land valuation system and instead has ‘stacked the deck’ to ensure land tax receipts are artificially and unfairly inflated,” Mr Berger said.

Mr Berger’s appeal follows a series of overvaluations. In one case, a mine in Broken Hill successfully reduced its valuation from $20.6M to $4.9M in an appeal before the Land and Environment Court. Broken Hill Council expects to have to repay $6.9M in rates.

Matt Kean, the Member for Hornsby and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee overseeing the Valuer General’s Office says he is “extremely frustrated” by the objection system.

“We need an objection system that gives people a fair go. I am very concerned by the costs of the appeals process, and we will be making a number of recommendations to improve the equity in the system”, he said.

Mr Kean’s Committee is currently holding a public enquiry into the Land Valuation System and is due to report back to the Government in April.

Immediate Release

Media Contact

Mr Lesli Berger

General Manager

Fivex

Vivid North Sydney

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 04:52:00 GMT

News that North Sydney’s new mayor, Jilly Gibson, is trying to bring the highly successful Vivid Sydney Festival to North Sydney has put extra excitement and bounce in the step of many residents and traders.

For the past two decades, the decline of the North Sydney central business district as an employment, entertainment and destination hub, has been a perplexing issue for the former mayor, Genia McCaffery, the council and its administration.

Critics have directed responsibility for the decline to a number of factors – including high rents, lack of ‘parking-friendly’ policies, the lure of big companies to Sydney’s north west, and the fact the council’s environmental zoning policies have not actively encouraged ‘mixed residential’ usage and inner city population growth.

Businessman and co-founder of independent lobby group Living North Sydney, Joseph Opoyan, says the area will continue its ‘march into obscurity’ unless urgent action and pro-active planning becomes a priority.

‘Trying to bring the Vivid Sydney Festival to North Sydney is great news,’ he tells North Shore Living. ‘We are starting to see some developments that will breathe new life into the area because, for the past 15 years, we have gone from being a vibrant business hub to a ghost town after 5pm, Monday to Friday and on the weekends,’ he confirms.

About 18 months ago, Optus relocated its 3,000 workers out of North Sydney – just one of many companies who have left the area in the past decade, contributing to severe economic consequences.

‘Of course, companies like Optus leaving have had a huge effect,’ Mr Opoyan maintains. ‘Just think about all the restaurants, cafes, hairdressers and drycleaners who have lost thousands of dollars by this exodus. It’s hard to justify having a business here when you are forced to open on weekends but your customers are nowhere to be seen after 5pm on Friday.’

Mayor Gibson has announced the council has started major negotiations with Vivid Sydney and Destination NSW in getting the festival brought across the harbour to light up North Sydney.

She says she’s had lots of positive feedback from residents about the Vivid Sydney proposal and the need to really ‘revitalise North Sydney.’

‘Residents embrace arts and culture, and I’m getting great feedback from the business community as well,’ she tells North Shore Living.

‘I think it would be a wonderful way of showcasing North Sydney and putting us back on the map – it would be beneficial in every sense.’

Mayor Gibson says she and the new council have started to ‘brainstorm’ ideas because the CBD is lacking a heart and soul, and what is needed are both short-term and long-term goals and initiatives. She says Vivid Sydney would be an excellent start.

Vivid Sydney is now in its fourth year and runs from late May to early June. In 2012, more than 50 light installations and large-scale projections were located around The Rocks and Circular Quay, including interactive energy-efficient light sculptures and the famous ‘Lighting the Sales’ on the Sydney Opera House.

The program also includes a colourful canvas of music and ideas, in addition to the light displays. Each year, the festival attracts more than half a million visitors into the area and injects more than $10 million into the local Sydney and NSW economy.

This is an event North Sydney would like to embrace. Vivid Sydney 2012 creative consultant, Ignatius Jones, says the event always attracts global industry leaders alongside emerging talents, coming together through an 18-day program of discussion, debate and workshops at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

‘The residents are telling us they want to liven up their CBD,’ Mayor Gibson says. ‘It’s a waste of a major resource that it is deserted after 5pm, and I think in the future we are going to see some really positive things happening there.’

A spokeswoman for Destination NSW says discussions have been ongoing with North Sydney Council about the viability of Vivid Sydney operating within an area of the CBD. She says ‘any inclusion would require major partners to fund the initiative.’

Mayor Gibson says the proposal could include light displays travelling across the harbour to light up the foreshore using ferries and also linking the city of Sydney and North Sydney by lighting the Harbour Bridge and pylons.

The North Sydney traders and especially groups like Living North Sydney agree things in the area must change.

‘We think the new council is on board with what needs to be done,’ Mr Opoyan tells North Shore Living.

‘This (the CBD) is not a small boat you can turn around quickly – it’s more like a massive oil tanker. I think a lot of people have been asleep at the wheel for the past 15 years. A beautiful place like North Sydney should be thriving. We definitely need change.’

January 2013 Edition of North Shore Living

Park Funding – Letter to the Editor

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 05:04:00 GMT

Dear Sir

I write in response to David Mills’ editorial of the Wentworth Courier on 28 November 2012 on p.48.

I apologise if my remarks in the Wentworth Courier dated 21 November 2012 have caused any confusion. It is the clear position of the Board of Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust that the State Government has a responsibility to continue funding Centennial Parklands.

From a personal perspective, I can see that growth in the Trust’s property and event related income means the Trust has the financial ability to become completely self-funding from an operational perspective within the next 2 to 3 years.

Having said that, there will always be a role and a clear responsibility for the State Government to fund major capital works and upgrades to the Parklands.

While the State Government has reduced its financial support for the operational costs relating to the ongoing care and maintenance of the Parklands, in return the State Government has generously supported major capital upgrades to ES Marks Athletics Track, the upgrade to the roof of the Equestrian Centre and more recently the refurbishment of the Paddington Gates. These capital contributions far outweigh the reduction in the operational budget of the Trust.

My comments reported in the Wentworth Courier on 21 November were in response to an article relating to the Centennial Park Foundation’s idea, supported by the Lord Mayor of Sydney and the new Member for Sydney, to set up a $20 million future fund for the benefit of Centennial Parklands. While it is confusing, the Centennial Park Foundation is a separate independent body to the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust, with its own Governors. I am concerned that the editorial in the Wentworth Courier does not make a distinction between the two entities.

From my experience, when a person of power and authority, who has access to substantial capital, such as the Lord Mayor of Sydney, is an advocate for an idea. It is important that they follow up their words with deeds.

It is all very well for the Lord Mayor to call on the State Government to contribute to the so-called future fund, however, ultimately, the Lord Mayor has the ability, particularly through s94 development levies, to contribute to necessary and desirable capital upgrades to Centennial Parklands, (without the need to call on ratepayers funds). To do otherwise, undermines her call to the State Government to contribute much needed additional funds.

Is anyone seriously suggesting that people who are fortunate enough to live in close proximity to Centennial Parklands, and their political leaders such as the Lord Mayor, have no responsibility to contribute to Centennial Parklands’ ongoing financial needs? After all, it is the people who live nearest the Parklands who are the main users and beneficiaries of any proposed upgrade to the ‘People’s Park’.

Lesli Berger

Trustee

Centennial Park & Moore Park Trust

Christmas Tree Marks Start of Woollahra Council’s Festivities

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 02:15:00 GMT

Double Bay has officially started celebrating the festive season with the installation yesterday of a towering Christmas tree in Guilfoyle Park.

Woollahra Mayor Andrew Petrie, Double Bay Partnership Chairman Lesli Berger and students from Double Bay Public School helped decorate the tree and hence start the countdown to Christmas.

Baubles, stars and tinsel will adorn the tree which heralds the arrival of a number of festive events in Woollahra municipality throughout December.

Carols on the Bay will take place on Saturday at Wilson’s Field, Watsons Bay, and feature performances from local schools and traditional carols from the Royal Australian Navy Band.

Chanukah at the Bay will have fireworks and family fun, as well as the lighting of the chanukah candles on Tuesday from 4pm at Steyne Park.

Putting the cherry atop the festivities will be the annual Rose Bay Christmas Carols on Thursday, December 20, from 5.30pm at Pannerong Reserve on New South Head Road.

The celebration will include a free sausage sizzle, entertainment and a choir singing well-known carols.

Wentworth Courier 7 December

Emma Schiller

Council Funding for Centennial Park is Not the Answer

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 03:10:00 GMT

Australia’s first Governor-General, Lord Hopetoun, dedicated Centennial Park ‘‘to the people of New South Wales forever’’, but in the past few weeks several commentators have suggested that it’s people like you and me — the Cashed-Up Chumps of the Eastern Suburbs — who should be footing the bill for it.

Coogee MP Bruce Notley-Smith and Centennial Park Trustee Lesli Berger have argued that our local councils should pitch in funding for Centennial Park, which faces dwindling funding from the state government, and an increasing need for money as many of its trees are coming to the end of their life span. Centennial Park has been funded by the state since federation, but the bean-counters’ increasing insistence that the park pay for itself is enabling the state government to weasel out of its responsibility, bit by bit, under the mantra of ‘‘user pays’’. The idea that the user should pay sounds eminently reasonable on the surface, but it begets hypocrisy, because the principle inevitably gets applied to some things and not to others. Bike lanes? Oh, the user should pay. Roads? Everyone should pay. And the exceptionalism being shown here with regard to Centennial Park is particularly telling. Does Auburn Council get asked to make contributions to the upkeep of Bicentennial Park? Does Kuring-gai Council spend its ratepayers’ money on Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park? No and no. The argument that Sydney, Woollahra, Waverley and Randwick Councils should help fund Centennial Park is being made on the simple presumption that they are flush with cash. In fact, the proponents of council funding can’t stop talking about it. Mr Notley-Smith made poetic reference to Sydney Council’s ‘‘rivers of cash’’, while Mr Berger focused on Sydney’s ‘‘strong balance sheet’’. But why should Sydney Council, or any council for that matter, be asked to help fund a domain over which it has no authority? It’s like being asked to chip in for repairs to your neighbour’s deck. Could it be the state government is green — with envy? It does seem a bit jealous of Sydney Council’s finances. Having thumped Clover Moore by creating the legislative conditions which removed her from state parliament, you’ve got to wonder if the Liberals are looking at her other source of power — Town Hall’s big fat balance sheet— and wondering how they can get their hands on it. In any case, the local councils have firmly kyboshed the idea, but by mounting the argument in the first place, the state government is trying to chip away at its own responsibility, entrusted to it by Lord Hopetoun over a century ago.

Wentworth Courier, Sydney

28 Nov 2012, by David Vills

The Council Should Pay, Says Berger

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 02:27:00 GMT

Centennial Park Trustee Lesli Berger has called on Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore to put her money where her mouth is – in the form of a financial contribution towards the park’s future.

Mr Berger said the park’s four neighbouring councils should contribute to the park’s maintenance because their ratepayers are its regular users.

He said this contribution could be drawn from the councils’ development levies.

“The City of Sydney … is Sydney’s premier council, it has got the strongest balance sheet and it has got the best financial resources,” Mr Berger said.

The Centennial Park Trust Foundation recently called for the state and federal governments to set up a $20 million investment fund to secure the park’s future.

Wentworth Courier

November 2012

Bonding Over Breakfast

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 03:34:00 GMT

The Double Bay Partnership and DB Networking Group recently hosted a hugely successful breakfast at Pink Salt. Aimed at bringing key members of the community together, the event drew a crowd that included Mayor Andrew Petrie, Cr Deborah Thomas, and many local business owners.

Guest speaker Carla Zampatti was witty and charming, and Lynne Champion from Excessories left having won a three-month advertising campaign with LatteLife.

Congratulations to Lesli Berger and Liz Cotter from the DB Partnership, Kristian Nelson Marshall from the DB Networking Group, and Evan at Pink Salt for a fabulous event.

Jane King

LatteLife November 2012 Issue

Planning Submission Green Paper

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 01:53:00 GMT

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Lesli Berger and I am the General Manager of Fivex Commercial Property ( old.fivex.com.au ) a private investment and development firm that concentrates predominantly on commercial property investment with some ancillary development.

I have read the Green Paper on the New South Wales Planning system and I make this submission in my personal capacity.

My General thoughts on the Green Paper titled a “New Planning System for NSW”

I am highly supportive of the green paper. I think the focus on strategic planning as opposed to individual development assessment is welcome, implementation of the separation of powers doctrine is sensible and that properly implemented information matching requirements and a fairer development levy system will have a real impact on housing affordability. Of course the most challenging aspect to a new Planning regime will be cultural change, particularly at the elected Councillor level, however that can be addressed so long as appropriate accountability mechanisms are introduced.

Implementing The Separation of Powers Doctrine

I think that elected officials whether it be Councillors or former Planning Ministers under Part 3A have spent significantly too much time and energy on individual development assessment as opposed to strategic planning. I think the Green Paper’s proposal to properly implement the separation of powers doctrine for development assessment will fix this anomaly and put the focus on strategic planning, which is where our elected officials should be focusing their energy and attention.

As a matter of principle, development assessment should be carried out solely on the merits of the application and not based on a political decision making process where often “who you know”, whether you are an applicant or an objector, is more important than the strength of your argument.

Enforcing the separation of powers between the legislature (the Minister and local Councillors) and the executive in terms of development assessment is sensible and will help ensure that development assessment is de-politicised.

As part of implementing the new system, the retention of the Joint Regional Planning Panel (“ JRPP ”) is sensible, however, consistent with the separation of powers doctrine and the explicit recommendations in the Green Paper, Councils should be prohibited from appointing elected officials or their delegates as members of the Joint Regional Planning Panel.

Unfortunately, the current JRPP process has not been fully de-politicised because many Councils appoint 2 Councillors as their representatives to the JRPP and for controversial development applications the goal of the Councillors who are members of the JRPP is to influence at least one of the expert panel to vote against or significantly modify the development application so that the proposal is no longer economic in order to stop the development application from proceeding.

I experienced this scenario first hand when the JRPP assessed the development application for 33 Cross Street, Double Bay, which included a very popular 5 screen cinema proposal as part of the development application.

Unfortunately, notwithstanding the significant public benefits associated with the proposal for the Double Bay commercial centre, the JRPP decided that a full floor of the proposal should be removed. That decision was made notwithstanding the fact that no economic analysis was undertaken before making this decision and the reduction in height by one storey would not lead to any appreciable improvement to the amenity of surrounding residential property. Based on my discussions with some of the parties involved in the decision, the two Councillor representatives on the JRPP managed to convince one of the expert panel to their way of thinking and as a result, the approval was given on the condition a full floor of the proposal be removed, without any input from the applicant, and as a result the proposal has not proceeded as at today’s date.

Clearly, when JRPP’s were introduced it was never the intention that elected officials be appointed as members to the panel and I believe the current membership of the JRPP system can lead to perverse outcomes as described above.

My view is that the membership of the JRPP should either be completely appointed by the State Government or if it is considered desirable for Councils to continue to make two appointments to the JRPP that Councils only be authorised to appoint two senior staff members with requisite planning expertise and that Councillors or their nominees be prohibited from serving on the JRPP.

I think there needs to be a strong focus on ensuring a true separation between development assessment and elected officials in a practical sense. Elected officials need to be banned from lobbying Council Officers either to support or oppose an individual development application. Significant penalties need to be introduced should the ban not be properly followed.

Strategic Planning

The current EPA Act only pays lip-service to economic outcomes and the Green Paper’s recommendation that economic modelling is properly considered as part of Strategic Planning is sensible, means that strategic planning decisions are not made in a theoretical vacuum and puts a reality check on what is actually likely to be built based on suggested building envelopes based on expert economic evidence.

I think the Green Paper’s focus on building envelopes is welcome, however, I think there is a need to remove Floor Space Ratio controls as a planning tool, because they are a crude planning instrument and so long as the envelope controls are properly defined, are completely redundant.

Further, it is the practice of most New South Wales Councils to propose envelope controls in their town planning instruments, with very low FSR controls, which are not in harmony with the envelope controls. My personal theory is that Councils do this as a means to limit the economic development of land and to ensure Council has a discretion to reject a development application even in circumstances where it complies with the envelope controls, particularly for political purposes. Clearly, that is a highly undesirable outcome.

In the case of City of Sydney Council, the motivation for proposing generous envelope controls and very low FSR controls relates to the City’s and the former South Sydney Council’s policy of requiring developers to buy ‘bonus’ floor space as a revenue raising method. Notwithstanding the fact that this practice is clearly contrary to a proper s79C assessment under the current EPA Act, this policy has infected the current City of Sydney Council and the Council has developed a ‘bonus floor space guide’ where developers are required to enter into a ‘voluntary’ planning agreement in order to obtain a development approval. Clearly, this sort of questionable practice needs to be outlawed and the simplest way to do this is to remove FSR controls as a planning control, not to mention to clean up the imposition of development levies to a more transparent system, which I will touch on later in my submission.

I know from personal experience, this is how the City of Sydney Council operates because I was once so bold as to suggest I would not ‘voluntarily’ enter into a VPA with City of Sydney Council to pay for bonus floor space in circumstances where our development was supportable on merit. Without further notice the Council Officers recommended refusal of our development application notwithstanding the fact that the site had an existing development approval on the site for substantially the same building envelope we were now seeking to internally modify with a new DA.

So far no one in a position of authority, not even the Minister for Planning when I addressed him publicly on this issue at a Property Council breakfast was willing to tackle this area of maladministration and abuse.

I believe the Green Paper, properly implemented has the ability to stop Councils from unreasonably abusing their powers and fixing some of the non-transparent behaviour evident in the current planning system.

Information Matching Requirements

Matching information requirements to the complexity of the development assessment is a brilliant suggestion and long overdue. Currently, applicants are forced to spend an inordinate amount of money designing what is tantamount to a virtual building that is almost ready for construction, without even knowing if the basic envelope of the development is supportable on merit. Of course this is a massive waste of public and private resources in terms of the assessment of superfluous material and the preparation of that material and I applaud the Green Paper for properly addressing this issue.

Clearly, the information requirements need to be mandatory and the discretion provided to Council to seek additional information which is not relevant to the proper assessment of a development application given its level of complexity needs to be prohibited.

How to fix the development levy system?

I personally believe that a needs based system, as exists in current s94 contributions, is highly subjective and can create economic anomalies in terms of the development taxes associated with different parts of Sydney and New South Wales. Further a needs based system creates a perverse incentive for Councils to produce so-called expert reports maximising the needs related to new development.

I am personally opposed to voluntary planning agreements and see them as an area of gross abuse of power. However, if VPA’s are to be kept, they need to be capped, so that a Council cannot request more money through a VPA either in kind or in terms of a financial contribution greater than what the s94 contribution for the development would otherwise be.

My personal recommendation is that if you want to fix the development levy system and make it equitable, simply apply a fixed percentage development levy (as opposed to the complex system proposed in the Green Paper) to all new development, based on the assessed cost of construction for the new works. The levy could have a ‘levy-free’ threshold, so that minor works are excluded. E.g. any works up to $200,000 have no levy applicable, however, any works above $200,000 will be levied at a fixed percentage of the construction costs for any amount above the threshold.

I also believe that the long-service levy that applies to new development projects needs to be removed. The scheme is a rort and the truth is that should the scheme continue the fees collected should be collected from employers and not directly from land holders.

How to ensure a world class planning system is properly implemented

As properly identified in the Green Paper cultural change is needed. There needs to be a change of focus for assessment officers from “how can we justify rejecting the application before us?” to “how can we approve the application before us?” That would be a far more constructive approach and will ultimately lead to better development outcomes.

However, in my opinion, cultural change needs to be more than just professional development. I think an enforcement and accountability mechanism is needed in order to achieve this and the simplest mechanism I can think of is a local government ombudsman who is tasked with ensuring Councils are properly administering the new planning legislation, with investigative powers to tackle potential areas of abuse.

The proposed local government ombudsman would need strong investigative powers, the ability to enforce change and follow up its investigations and most importantly would need to be properly resourced. Spot checks of local Councils would need to occur and I think the ombudsman would even need to go so far as to lodge dummy development applications with Councils to see first-hand how the development assessment system works in practice in particular local government areas.

Thank you for your consideration of my submission.

Yours truly,

Lesli Berger

275 Alfred Street, North Sydney – Facilities on Offer

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 02:55:00 GMT

275 Alfred Street North Sydney – Facilities on Offer

The property is serviced by a modern commercial grade chilled water Air Conditioning system.
This system is controlled by a new automated Building Management Control System which is designed to ensure comfortable office conditions and to reduce green house gas emissions.
There are small air conditioning plants located on each floor behind the amenities, these provide direct air conditioning to each of the office suites. Each suite has an after hours switch which can be used for those long nights or weekends in the office.
An additional supplementary tenant dedicated cooling water system is also available, although connection to this system must be approved by Building Management. This system enables respective tenants to install additional air conditioning capacity for critical office environments such as computer, data and meeting rooms.
A metered tenant distribution board is located on each level providing adequate power supplies for individual suites or an entire floor. The office tower is serviced by 3 modern lifts, a new lift information system is also available in the tower’s ground floor foyer.

Riverview Building Office Space

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 01:31:00 GMT

Fivex Commercial Property has released prime office space in 2 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne.

Policy Ideas to the Incoming NSW Government

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 05:58:00 GMT

Dear Sir,

The challenge for the Coalition is to remain quietly confident about an impending victory without letting it go to anyone’s head (Aussies like modesty as John Howard so effectively exploited while he was PM).

When the Coalition are returned to power there will be an opportunity to reform so many significant systemic failures in this State. For example, in the property sector alone these are some or the areas that are ripe for reform:

So called ‘voluntary planning agreements’ which in fact are used as a means by Councils to extort money from property developers.

Notwithstanding the so-called ‘voluntary’ nature of the contributions and the express terms of the legislation, in reality should a property developer be so bold as to not volunteer payment, development approval will not be forthcoming. This unnecessarily adds to the cost of new development, limits supply and ultimately will increase the cost of new housing legislation raises serious probity and maladministration concerns within the town planning system and should be removed immediately or limited so that a Council cannot request nor can a developer give a ‘voluntary’ payment in excess of the s94 contributions plan that applies to the site or area in question. Fortunately, we have not had any recent experience with re-zoning applications, but I can only imagine how the current system is rorted thanks to this so-called reform introduced by Frank Sartor;

The excessive levels of s94 contributions for inner-city development Often s94 contribution plans are merely a sham to raise revenue from the property development industry with little regard to the validity of the so-called community needs that are meant to be provable under a s94 plan. While I do not necessarily support development levies, it would be far better to impose a flat tax based on the construction costs associated with the development so as to ensure the tax is at least transparent and certain. There have been recent moves afoot to limit s94 contributions as they apply to greenfield development, but no moves have been made to fix the ridiculous levels of s94 contributions that apply to inner-city development. Unfortunately, all development taxes (or levies) increase the cost of housing, retail and office accommodation which has adverse economic effects;

Notwithstanding the so-called simplifications in the DA process, it still takes an extraordinary amount of time for Councils to assess DAs. Every day, I see petty abuses of the town planning system by Councils and occasionally I see major abuses. The problems are systemic because the town planning system is no longer just about town planning, but has morphed into a system where construction issues must be assessed up front, every conceivable consultant must be engaged at the DA stage, every objection is given credence irrespective of its merit and the onus falls on the applicant to demonstrate the proposal is justifiable. Historically, the consultant costs used to be about 10% of the total construction costs, in recent times that has blown out to at least 15% with a significant portion that must be spent up-front without any guarantee of receiving development approval. And people wonder why housing and renting are so unaffordable in this state?

The Land and Environment Court is a no-cost jurisdiction except when a developer makes a significant change to their DA before the Court even when that change results in a more sympathetic development. Talk about a perverse incentive! In my view the L&E Court should be a full costs jurisdiction so as to create incentives to ensure the process is followed honourably by both parties and also to ensure there is a financial penalty for nuisance litigation and a financial incentive for both parties to settle matters out of court;

The zoning system has largely reached its used-by-date. It is extraordinary, but we still have a centralist command and control mentality in this state and apply the communist ideal. We just don’t use those words anymore, instead we call it town planning. While it is clearly appropriate to regulate the bulk and scale of development in our residential neighbourhoods (to do otherwise would be political suicide), the zoning system is clunky and anti-competitive and the height and bulk restrictions in many parts of our city are well below what is reasonable. This is the very reason the State Government implemented the much reviled Part IIIA of the EPA Act so as to ensure large developments can still be approved (some say only for Labour party supporters) notwithstanding very restrictive zoning, height and floor space controls throughout our State. Below are two obvious issues with the zoning system as it currently exists:

The only reason there is a disparity in power between large shopping centre owners such as Westfield and retailers is because our town planning system has artificially reduced the amount of land that can be developed into shopping centres. While there are now some moves afoot to change this, the changes go nowhere near far enough to redress the balance;

Why should there be residential exclusion zones in our CBD’s? If the highest and best use for a particular site is residential or some other use, then subject to not unfairly impacting on the amenity of neighbours, wouldn’t it be best to let the market decide? Supporters of central planning will decry the loss of office accommodation and employment lands, however, assuming enough land is appropriately zoned for commercial use, if you reduce the supply of office space, over time you will inevitably increase the price of office space as demand picks up, which will in turn lead to new development, new economic opportunities, more job opportunities and more frequent renewal of our cities. New developments are more environmentally sustainable than old stock, so not only is there a good economic justification from removing the shackles from our town planning system, but there are also good sustainability reasons to do so as well. While the Coalition may be able to play to the anti-development crowd in the short term, long term you won’t get re-elected unless the State’s economy is performing well, which means development must be enabled;

There are far too many local government areas in Sydney. Notwithstanding local Mayors claims to the contrary, most people do not have an affinity for their local government area. I believe most people associate themselves with Sydney and not their local government area. While I am largely opposed to centralisation because it often simply leads to the lowest common denominator in terms of policy and spending outcomes, I am equally concerned about decentralising government too far which inherently leads to its own form of inefficiency. The reality is the Queensland and Victorian local government models work better than NSW’s and we should forcibly amalgamate local government areas and at the same time focus on service delivery, not just the job security of local government public servants;

Local politicians should not be part of the town planning process. This is an easy one, implement the separation of powers when it comes to town planning assessment. Expert panels should decide all contentious development items in order to remove the politics from local development. Professional town planners should decide less contentious development items under delegation. It is appropriate for elected officials to be part of the rule making processes (or more accurately guidelines) that apply to local development within the confines of what is economically sensible for the State as a whole, but for local politicians to be decision-makers in the development assessment system leads to political interference, vote buying by elected officials to gain popularity and historically large donations by many property developers to ensure they receive a fair hearing (the worst cases of course involved corruption and undue influence);

The retail tenancies act is far too prescriptive and assumes the power imbalance between retailers and landlords is very strongly in the Landlord’s favour which could hardly be further from the truth. While this proposition may be true for the large shopping centre tenants due to restrictive town planning and zoning laws, it is most certainly not the case for strip shops and the vast majority of small investors who only own small shopping centres with a few different retailers. For the most part the system still works because most tenants know that suing your landlord will not lead to long term prosperity, however, as mentioned above systemic abuse is real and the more unscrupulous retailers know how to game the system to make a profit instead of working for a living;

The car park levy that applies to the CBD and North Sydney does not serve its stated policy function to reduce congestion on our roads. If ever there was a policy failure this is it. The car parking levy has turned into a general revenue raising activity with money going into consolidated revenue which serves no legitimate policy function. If the State Government were serious about reducing traffic congestion then the Government would need to fix the public transport system so people have a better alternative to their car as a means of transport. If this is not financially feasible, then consider introducing more toll roads with differential tolling to encourage people to drive outside of core peak hours even into our CBD. Personally, I am not a fan of this option, but at least it would work. Unfortunately, bike lanes just won’t solve this problem because Sydney has far too many hills;

Land Taxes are way out of kilter with the achievable rentals for residential investments. Personally, we don’t invest in residential property because once you factor in Council Rates, Water Rates and Land Taxes for residential property the net profit after these taxes is so low, the residential property cannot possibly pay for the interest costs for a reasonable mortgage against that residential asset. The only reason anyone invests in residential property is if they are a cash buyer (and how many people are in that position?) or if you are a high income earner as a means of reducing your income tax due to negative gearing with the hope of achieving long term capital appreciation. Why is it no one has identified that the main reason residential rents are so high is because of the ridiculous barriers to new residential supply, the enormous costs that go to State and Local government and the administrative costs associated with the Residential Tenancies Act. It is not that difficult to figure out what has gone wrong. In order to fix it would involve spending cuts at the State level and a commensurate reduction in the Land Tax rate;

While I am a big supporter of the Coalition’s plans to increase infrastructure in the short, medium and long term the Coalition will not make NSW number 1 again (mind you it would be nearly impossible to do as bad a job as the current Labor administration). Unfortunately, given the limited resources of being in opposition, the reality is that the majority of the details related to policy reform needs to happen when you are in Government. I suppose, my goal is to give you a taste of some of the rules, laws and taxes that should be put on the table for the Coalition to review in due course.

Home Buyers Put Safety First

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 05:46:00 GMT

Buyers of apartments in new developments are often prepared to compromise on many items on their wish-list but never on one of their priorities: security.

With so many young first-home buyers and empty-nesters now buying units, the need to feel safe in their own home is paramount.

“The extra security apartments can offer over houses is one of the reasons people actually choose to live in apartments,” says the president of Strata Community Australia (NSW), David Ferguson.

“The idea of someone crawling through an open window at night… that’s a lot harder when you’re 20 floors up.”

Research backs up the importance of good security. The final report of the major NSW consultation project on strata laws found one of the main gripes of strata dwellers in new buildings was: “Developers… accused of skimping on modern security provisions.”

Similarly, the University of NSW’s Governing the Compact City research project found security was an issue that came up again and again. It also played a starring role in the Grattan Institute’s What Matters Most? report.

“It’s pretty much the case now that anyone buying anything is looking for good security,” says the Grattan report’s co-author, Jane-Frances Kelly. “It’s basic human need and is now a priority issue in decisions about buying a new dwelling, particularly for older people.”

Both architects and developers are now acutely aware of those concerns. They were an important element in the design philosophy at the five-level, 15-apartment boutique building The Anchorage , planned for the old BP service station site in Woolloomooloo, says the principal of Eeles Trelease Architects, Kathy Trelease.

The building, with its views straight along the Finger Wharf to the harbour beyond, edges onto the pavement along its three street frontages to ensure there are no dark lanes or spaces, while shops will keep those strips busy. The entrance will be obvious and easy to find, and the foyer will be brightly lit, with swipe keys for every area.

The location of a building can also help its security.

“Good security should now be standard in all new apartment buildings,” Zonie Property Group developer Nick Tizzone says. “We know people want it, so developers should deliver.”

The Anchorage has two one-bedroom apartments (66sqm) left from $700,000; four two-bedders (109sqm) from $1,25 million; and one whole-floor, three-bedroom penthouse (370sqm) for more than $5 million. Phone 1800 900 649 or see www.theanchorage.net.au .

28-29 July 12 The Sydney Morning Herald Domain by Susan Wellings

CARINGBAH MARKETS

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 02:51:00 GMT

CARINGBAH MARKETS

(A PROJECT OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF CARINGBAHINC.)

ABN 37 858 765 345

P. O. BOX 445

CARINGBAH 1495

Fivex Commercial Properties 5 July 2012

L5, 275 Alfred Street

North Sydney NSW 2060

Dear Sir/Madam

Caringbah Markets would like to place on record its appreciation to Fivex Properties for the continued use of the Car Park at the rear of 344 The Kingsway, Caringbah to enable us to conduct our Monthly Community Markets.

Your generosity in allowing us to use this area, at no charge, over a long period of time, and together with other property owners, adjoining the Council Car Park has enabled us to provide the Community with a 220 site, Market Area.

Caringbah Markets is a project of the Rotary Club of Caringbah and all monies collected are for Charitable purposes.

Regards

Grahame Wheeler

Market Administration

Living North Sydney has been established to bring life back to North Sydney’s CBD

Mon, 28 May 2012 04:12:00 GMT

the Heart of North Sydney. It aims to bring together like minded business owners and residents who want to see North Sydney thrive again.

Outdated planning laws, falling investment and a lack of vision have left the North Sydney CBD a ghost of its former self, to the detriment of local businesses and residents.

Living North Sydney is an initiative by residents and local business leaders who share the common vision of bringing about a revitalised North Sydney. Living North Sydney is chaired by local businessman, Joseph Opoyan, who has run businesses in North Sydney for more than two decades.

Living North Sydney needs your support. We welcome residents, local business owners and CBD office workers to show their support on our website and provide input and ideas to help bring about our vision for an improved North Sydney.

Katoomba, NSW

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 10:33:00 GMT

Koomurri Aboriginal Centre located at the Three Sisters Plaza in Katoomba.

33-37 Echo Point Road, Katoomba NSW 2780

The Three Sisters Plaza is located 50m from the Blue Mountain’s world famous landmark, The Three Sisters rock formation.
The Three Sisters Plaza is proud to announce the opening of the The Koomurri Aboriginal Centre. It is a unique centre as it not only offers some of the highest quality handcrafted art work of the Aboriginal Australian people, it also offers a regularly scheduled professional Aboriginal music, song and dance performance. Each performance includes a short presentation about the land and its Aboriginal people, an entertaining didgeridoo show and a selection of traditional dance performance. The entire performance is under 20 minutes. For more details on the performances and times/rates please contact +612 4782 1979.

For an informative, entertaining and unforgettable experience while visiting the Blue Mountains, the Koomurri Aboriginal Centre is a must see item! http://www.koomurriaboriginalcentre.com.au/

The Three Sisters Plaza is close to public transport, has easily accessible on-street parking next door to the centre. If you are looking for retail space in The Three Sisters Plaza, please contact +612 8920 1233.

Features of this commercial property include :

Katoomba, NSW Map

Tide turns to residential on Woolloomooloo foreshore site

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 01:00:00 GMT

A former BP station is the site of a new development by Fivex commercial Property on the foreshore of Woolloomooloo.
The new building, called The Anchorage, will house 15 apartments including a three-bedroom whole-floor penthouse with views over Sydney Harbour Bridge. It has been designed by architecture firm Eeles Trelease.

The developers bought the Cowper Wharf Road site from BP for $3.53 million in a 2002 auction, however, due to complications the site was only settled in December 2008.

It’s currently a vacant lot but the council has approved plans for the developer to build the five-level block.
Prices start at $525,000 for a 49-square-metre studio with no parking and go up to $1.65 million for a 111 square-metre two bedroom apartment with one car park. The 370 square-metre showpiece penthouse will set you back at least $5 million.

The initial residential plans were approved in 2003.
In 2007 Fivex Commerical Property lodged plans for a commercial retail building.

Despite the delays, which included Land and Environment Court proceedings, the residential development is expected to be completed before the end of 2013.

Two of the apartments have sold for $800,000 plus in the past month since marketing began.
The apartments are being sold through John-Paul Markopoulos of CBRE.

http://www.theanchorage.net.au/

By Alistair Walsh
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
www.propertyobserver.com.au

The Anchorage Apartments – a new apartment development on the Woolloomooloo foreshore.

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:45:00 GMT

Sydney investors may be tempted by a new apartment development on the Woolloomooloo foreshore, which is now selling off the plan. The Anchorage Apartments are being developed by Fivex Commercial Property. Reporter Alistair Walsh notes the site was acquired by developer Fivex way back in 2002, with the project due to be completed by the end of 2013. For advice on buying off the plan call 1800 900 649. http://www.theanchorage.net.au/

Property Observer

22/11/2011

Melbourne’s ‘Times Square’ outdoor ad site up for grabs!

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:18:00 GMT

Fivex Commercial Property has made the 14.4 metre by 2.9 metre site available for outdoor media companies or direct-buying advertisers to bid on, with a view to erecting an electronic billboard.

Melbourne CBD’s busiest street corner, located opposite Flinders Street Station, is up for grabs an advertising site for the first time.

The contract for what is being billed as Melbourne’s answer to Times Square is now up for grabs.

The site is visited by around 80,000 pedestrians and 22,000 vehicles every day week day, according to Cardno Group.

The process is being managed by Jones Lang LaSalle. The company’s leasing director James Palmer, said: “This site is without a doubt the busiest, and most significant street corner in the Melbourne CBD. The billboard will become the major look-to feature as people exit the Flinders Street train station via the Elizabeth Street pedestrian subway, and for all pedestrians in general. Exclusive rights in such a prominent and busy location means big brands will be sizing up the opportunity. It’s an extremely valuable piece of real estate.”

Fivex Commercial Property GM Lesli Berger said: “Finally Melbourne is set to join the ranks of the world’s great cities like New York, London, Paris and Berlin; cities that embrace billboards as part of the theatre of their very streetscapes, cities that work with billboard owners and advertisers to ensure the messages on these sites are entertaining, relevant and dynamic, and add to the character of the city. We are very pleased to be moving forward.”

“As soon as the site is leased – to either a media buying organisation or directly to a big-brand user – the LED signage is fabricated and installed in a matter of weeks and Melbourne will light up,” he added.

mumbrella.com

28 October, 2011

A new Aboriginal Art Gallery opens at Echo Point

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 23:18:00 GMT

Investors behind a bold proposal to establish an Aboriginal art gallery at the Echo Point tourist precinct hope it will breathe new life into the Three Sisters Plaza owned by Fivex Commercial Property and boost job opportunities for indigenous local residents.

Founding director of Aboriginal Art Galleries, Farid Nayer, and his business partner Russell Dawson told the Gazette last week they are prepared to invest up to $2 million to establish and run the gallery. They have come to an agreement with the site’s owner to lease the 800 square metre basement level should their development application lodged on July 14 be approved.

Mr Farid said the investment would cover refurbishment and set-up costs, the purchase of more than 700 art works from Australia’s top and emerging indigenous artists, rent of the gallery and shop space and wages for 20 employees, 80 per cent of whom would likely be of indigenous background.

There will be a gallery entrance fee and visitors would be able to view and purchase top quality indigenous artworks mainly from northern and central Australia but also stroll through a section featuring the work of artists based in the greater Blue Mountains region.

Mr Farid said the proposal had the full backing of key Blue Mountains indigenous organisations and “if the local mobs had said no, I wouldn’t go ahead”.

“We’ve been consulting with local indigenous organisations including the Aboriginal Culture and Resource Centre in Katoomba, the Darug people, the Gundungurra Tribal Council and council’s Aboriginal development officer and they are all for it . . . They all want to see employment opportunities [for indigenous people] grow and that is something I’m passionate about.

“A certain percentage of our profit will go towards projects that build infrastructure for Aboriginal communities.”

Mr Dawson, who has a background in the Aboriginal education and entertainment sector, hopes it will become a tourism attraction that will not only benefit all Katoomba businesses but also “put indigenous culture on the map, promote reconciliation and give tourists an insight into indigenous culture”.

“It is important we come here as business partners that we embrace the local indigenous culture,” Mr Dawson said.

“Initially we are calling the gallery Waranga which means to sing, but we’d like the local community to name it, perhaps through a competition.”

A council spokesperson said additional information was being sought from the applicant about a performance component in the application to ensure it was an ancillary use.

“Subject to this issue being resolved satisfactorily, [council] anticipates being able to finalise the application in the next two weeks.”

The spokesperson said the application involves internal works so does not require being placed on public exhibition.

Mr Farid said once approved the gallery would take three to four months to set up and could open by the end of this year.

The Art Gallery has now been approved by Council and is currently opened for business at the Three Sisters Plaza in Echo Point.

By Shane Desiatink

Blue Mountains Gazette 24 August, 2011

Email from Alan Jones to Lesli Berger

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 03:01:00 GMT

From: Alan Jones

To: L. Berger

Sent: Thursday, 22 March 2007 9:07 AM

22 March 2007

Dear Lesli,

Thank you for your note. It was my privilege to be there the other night and I was angry that all those other blowflies were there as well. They didn’t like it. That Geoff whatever his name is came up to me. Actually I taught him once. Obviously not much.

Let me know how you go with Woollahra Council and Energy Australia.

Keep well, Lesli. Thank you for your kind note.

With best wishes,

Alan Jones AO

Plans for Aboriginal Retail Art Gallery and Dance Concept at Three Sisters Blue Mountains

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 23:55:00 GMT

The Koomurri Aboriginal Dance Show and Retail Gallery has been approved by Blue Mountains City Council and the new retail theatre concept will be trading as at 1 December 2011 at 3 sisters plaza, Katoomba just up the road from the world famous 3 sisters lookout. There will be various packages for tour and bus operators, the education market and independent travellers.

As reported on 24 August 2011:

Investors behind a bold proposal to establish an Aboriginal art gallery at the Echo Point tourist precinct hope it will breathe new life into the Three Sisters Plaza and boost job opportunities for indigenous local residents.

Founding director of Aboriginal Art Galleries, Farid Nayer, and his business partner Russell Dawson told the Gazette last week they are prepared to invest up to $2 million to establish and run the gallery. They have come to an agreement with Fivex Commercial Property (the owner’s of the shopping centre) to lease the 800 square metre basement level should their development application lodged on July 14 be approved.