Latest news with #Lendlease
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
How Melbourne renters will live like millionaires inside $1bn tower
A record-breaking new skyscraper in the heart of Melbourne is flipping the great Australian dream on its head, offering renters rooftop bars, private cinemas, co-working suites, pet spas and even a bowling alley. But while the 45-storey West Tower will deliver a lifestyle most buyers can only dream of, it's part of a growing shift in Melbourne's housing market, one that could see more people choosing not to own at all. Set to welcome its first residents in early 2026, the $1bn build-to-rent development is now the largest single build-to-rent tower in the country, with 797 apartments exclusively for lease, not sale. Located at 899 Collins St, Docklands, the Lendlease and Daiwa House project will feature a concierge, 25-metre lap pool, cinema, rooftop gardens and sweeping bay and city views, all within walking distance of the CBD. Daiwa House Australia chief executive Koji Morishige said the project aimed to raise the bar for rental housing. 'Everyone deserves a place they can call home, with everything a home can and should offer,' Mr Morishige said. Lendlease Development chief executive Tom Mackellar said long-term BTR developments like West Tower were not just lifestyle-driven, they were also about meeting demand. 'Long-term rentals provide much-needed housing supply and diversity,' Mr Mackellar said. 'They give people more choice at different stages of life.' The announcement comes amid renewed debate over the future of housing in Victoria, where house prices and rental costs remain near record highs. While some see institutional landlords as a threat to affordability, others argue they could offer much-needed consistency and quality in a system currently dominated by mum-and-dad investors. Interim REIV president Jacob Caine said large-scale build-to-rent projects would become a bigger part of Melbourne's housing mix, especially as traditional rental stock came under pressure. 'Build-to-rent is going to play a major role in Melbourne's housing future, and the announcement of a project of this scale is a huge vote of confidence in that model,' Mr Caine said. 'We need more homes of all kinds, whether that's rentals, first-home buyer listings, family homes, or downsizer-friendly options. 'Build-to-rent is one piece of the puzzle, but it's an increasingly important one.' Mr Caine said the growth of build-to-rent could help relieve pressure on renters by adding more listings to the market and offering longer leases with clearer standards of management. 'The more choice there is in the market, the more pressure we can take off prices and the greater the opportunity for Victorians to find housing that suits their needs,' he said. West Tower is part of a broader pipeline of 2800 apartments being developed by Lendlease across Melbourne and Brisbane. Its location within the Melbourne Quarter precinct means residents will also have direct access to the recently opened Quarterhouse pub and rooftop bar, and elevated green space via the city's first 'Sky Park'. And while it won't solve the housing crisis alone, industry leaders believe it's a glimpse into how future generations will live, with luxury amenities and no mortgage.
BBC News
10-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Thamesmead Waterfront: The London site with room for 15,000 homes
They are two vast sites on the banks of the Thames in east London and you probably haven't heard about the chances are you might are huge development areas called Thamesmead Waterfront and Beckton Riverside. Both are brownfield sites and are earmarked for huge housing developments of thousands of homes, shops and problem is these are among the few areas in London without a rail or Tube link and that is stalling the developers and the mayor want is a commitment from government to an extension of the Dockland Light Railway (DLR).Could that happen in the chancellor's Spending Review? Ed Mayes is the executive director for development at Lendlease, which will develop the Thamesmead site."Our priority for Thamesmead in particular is the DLR extension. We have already got commitment from the mayor and there is commitment from Tfl for the initial stage of funding," he told BBC London. "But what we really need is a government commitment that subject to that initial stage of work they are willing to help fund the actual delivery of the DLR."He says a transport link is crucial."It's been proven across London that transport infrastructure unlocks delivery of homes; that's happened with the Jubilee line and the Elizabeth line, it will continue to happen."This is an area of London that has amazing potential: there could be 15,000 homes at Thamesmead Waterfront, another 15,000 on the north of the river in Beckton - all unlocked by that extension."In addition, there's future potential if it was extended in the future. That will unlock homes, much-needed affordable homes for London, but also the jobs and enterprise that comes with that." It is perhaps no surprise that London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan is framing what transport infrastructure he wants in terms of course, creating housing through transport links is not a new idea in the capital. Just one example is the Metropolitan line creating the suburbs in the north west of London dubbed "Metroland".Today, the main projects on the City Hall wish list are the DLR extension to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead Waterfront, the Bakerloo extension and the West London of them link areas where thousands of homes could be links do not come cheap though and are beyond the realms of Tfl's budget and so funding would have to come from government.A DLR link to Thamesmead would cost about £1.5bn and involve a tunnel under the Hall said in a statement: "The mayor wants to work in partnership with government to support the national growth agenda. With the right investment and devolution of powers, there is a huge opportunity to unlock growth; create new jobs; attract international investment; and ensure London contributes more to the national economy and the Exchequer's finances." Just down the road from Thamesmead is Abbey Wood. It got an Elizabeth line station three years ago. Once known as the cheapest postcode in London, the area is Lewis is executive director for sustainable places at Peabody, which developed the Southmere Lake site in Abbey Wood. "I think in any part of London that's changing, if there hasn't been an established market or people don't know the area, you need to give some confidence, you need a reason to come and visit," he said. "I think with the arrival of the Elizabeth line, people really understood that it was a new area opening up to a lot of Londoners so we saw people from east London coming here to visit for the first time and recognise all the open areas and green space."People started to recognise this was somewhere they wanted to view and ultimately move to."There have been objections to the Southmere Lake redevelopment, though, with opponents saying some of the homes demolished to make way for it should instead have been refurbished. As regards Thamesmead Waterfront, a project he is also involved in, Mr Lewis says transport infrastructure is critical."I think what's really exciting about the Waterfront is 100 hectares of land that's hardly been developed at all. In London terms that's unheard of."You have two kilometres of the waterfront of the Thames and we have got the capacity to get 15,000 homes built and a million square feet of other uses. "It would be a new neighbourhood for London, but the critical thing we need to make that happen is the arrival of excellent public transport - which is bringing the DLR over to Thamesmead." The government's target is to build 1.5 million new homes by if London can't deliver a large number of new homes, there is little chance the government will hit that number. To do that, it will mean transport infrastructure being funded to reach the undeveloped sites in Thamesmead and Beckton.
Sydney Morning Herald
08-06-2025
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
At more than five metres tall, new ‘superhero' will rise above Circular Quay
Sydney's heroic statues of explorers, colonial governors and architects will soon have a new imposing counterpoint – a monumental bronze sculpture of a powerful Aboriginal woman, half human and half whale, marked for Circular Quay. Badjgama Ngunda Whuliwulawala (Black Women Rising) has been commissioned for public space at the front of Lendlease's luxury residential One Circular Quay tower and the new Waldorf Astoria hotel, above the original shoreline where the Tank Stream once met the harbour. The multi-million dollar bronze is the work of Dharawal and Yuin artist Alison Page, and a group of 20 local Aboriginal women, who want the imposing sculpture to become a site of cultural pride and a reminder of the resilience of Indigenous women and their deep spiritual connection to Country. The first Aboriginal councillor in the City of Sydney's 180-year history, Yvonne Weldon, has long called for a review of the city's 25 colonial statues as part of a push to 'truth-telling'. This sculpture, says Page, will speak to 'female power in a white man's world'. 'This CBD is peppered with monuments of white men in history, and they are done in way that is colonial; it's all linear, they are standing on sandstone plinths and doing something heroic,' says Page. 'This bronze bubbles at the base, as if she's forming out of water, as if she is this superhero with her energy and essence living within the Aboriginal women of Sydney today. She is everyone, every black woman, every mother, daughter, sister, aunty. She is Country.' Loading Rising 5.5 metres tall, the imposing bronze mermaid-like form will be constructed at the UAP foundry in Brisbane, the same forge that made Lindy Lee's 13-tonne serpentine sculpture, Ouroboros, the most expensive work in NGA history. It will be created from 73 individually cast 12mm-thick bronze panels which together will weigh 4.5 tonnes. Each will be aligned, welded and finished smooth by hand into a single piece without an internal supporting structure. It will be delivered by road whole from Brisbane, at the insistence of Page, who does not want to diminish the power of the bronze figure as she makes the journey between the two capital cities.
The Age
08-06-2025
- General
- The Age
At more than five metres tall, new ‘superhero' will rise above Circular Quay
Sydney's heroic statues of explorers, colonial governors and architects will soon have a new imposing counterpoint – a monumental bronze sculpture of a powerful Aboriginal woman, half human and half whale, marked for Circular Quay. Badjgama Ngunda Whuliwulawala (Black Women Rising) has been commissioned for public space at the front of Lendlease's luxury residential One Circular Quay tower and the new Waldorf Astoria hotel, above the original shoreline where the Tank Stream once met the harbour. The multi-million dollar bronze is the work of Dharawal and Yuin artist Alison Page, and a group of 20 local Aboriginal women, who want the imposing sculpture to become a site of cultural pride and a reminder of the resilience of Indigenous women and their deep spiritual connection to Country. The first Aboriginal councillor in the City of Sydney's 180-year history, Yvonne Weldon, has long called for a review of the city's 25 colonial statues as part of a push to 'truth-telling'. This sculpture, says Page, will speak to 'female power in a white man's world'. 'This CBD is peppered with monuments of white men in history, and they are done in way that is colonial; it's all linear, they are standing on sandstone plinths and doing something heroic,' says Page. 'This bronze bubbles at the base, as if she's forming out of water, as if she is this superhero with her energy and essence living within the Aboriginal women of Sydney today. She is everyone, every black woman, every mother, daughter, sister, aunty. She is Country.' Loading Rising 5.5 metres tall, the imposing bronze mermaid-like form will be constructed at the UAP foundry in Brisbane, the same forge that made Lindy Lee's 13-tonne serpentine sculpture, Ouroboros, the most expensive work in NGA history. It will be created from 73 individually cast 12mm-thick bronze panels which together will weigh 4.5 tonnes. Each will be aligned, welded and finished smooth by hand into a single piece without an internal supporting structure. It will be delivered by road whole from Brisbane, at the insistence of Page, who does not want to diminish the power of the bronze figure as she makes the journey between the two capital cities.
Business Wire
05-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
VTS Activate Multifamily Becomes the Global Leader in Resident Experience Technology, Achieving Record Adoption Among Top Landlords
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- VTS, the industry's only technology platform that unifies owners, operators, brokers, and their customers across the real estate ecosystem, today announced record adoption across a number of key metrics for its resident experience solution, VTS Activate Multifamily. The announcement comes as a number of major landlords have recently selected VTS Activate Multifamily as their resident experience solution of choice, marking significant growth for VTS and a spike in metrics across the board, bringing the total number of users on VTS Activate Multifamily to nearly 600k, in over 400k residential units, across 5 countries and 3 continents globally. Major residential industry players such as Lendlease, Habitat, and Stonehenge, among others, have all selected and deployed VTS Activate as their resident experience solution of choice for properties across their portfolio. VTS Activate Multifamily provides owners and operators with a new solution to fully integrate and elevate their on-site experience in multifamily properties – increasing resident satisfaction and equipping teams to best serve them. With in-app resident and property insights, multifamily teams understand what resonates with residents and take action to strengthen their communities, increase efficiency, and secure renewals to generate and protect revenue. VTS Activate Multifamily was created as a singular ecosystem to connect property teams and residents to each other and the building, and facilitates tasks such as opening doors, work orders, registering guests, managing packages, rent payments, amenity reservations, communications, and more. In-app communications give residents a direct connection to their community, which can notify residents about things such as events, promotions from nearby retailers, property updates, and more at their fingertips. For a single building or across a portfolio, VTS Activate Multifamily has the unique ability to scale and grow alongside owners and operators of apartment and condo communities, single-family rentals, student housing, and senior living. 'Multifamily owners, operators, and property teams face unique challenges in how to best serve residents with a best-in-class experience. The right data and insights, as well as technology to facilitate the daily journey of residents through a property, are now essential for multifamily companies to continually attract and retain residents,' said Nick Romito, CEO of VTS. 'Innovative residential companies recognize the importance in providing their staff and residents with a seamless property experience, while also benefiting from deepened relationships, and unparalleled insights to help teams understand their residents, how they're using space, and the value they get from it – generating more revenue through renewals and lower vacancy rates.' With built-in operations features and sophisticated tools to deliver the right communications, content, and experiences to the right audience, VTS Activate Multifamily delivers a seamless and personal end-to-end experience at scale, driving engagement and increasing property satisfaction. Through insights that measure sentiment health and activity, multifamily operators and property teams can best anticipate needs of residents, navigate renewals, and deliver value through a tech-enabled experience, meeting the demand of residents in today's multifamily market. 'As our teams continue to focus on delivering the best possible lifestyle experience for our residents, VTS Activate Multifamily has proven to be an invaluable tool for building management, resident engagement, and relationship development,' said Michael Carson, Chief Technology Officer at Habitat. 'This resident experience platform, powered by VTS, offers a sleek, branded interface for residents and streamlined workflows for our staff. The result is increased resident satisfaction and improved operational efficiency — both of which contribute to higher renewal rates and greater revenue generation.' Beyond insights, access control, and operations management, VTS Activate Multifamily delivers sophisticated marketing capabilities that allows property management to create highly configurable, branded programming across their spaces and resident network to curate a sense of community. With events, perks, content, communications, and more, the experiences and offerings delivered to residents increase engagement and revenue. For more information on VTS Activate Multifamily, visit our website, and our interactive experience. About VTS VTS is the industry's only technology platform that unifies owners, operators, brokers, and their customers across the commercial and residential real estate ecosystems. In 2013, VTS revolutionized the commercial real estate industry's leasing operations with what is now VTS Lease. Today, the VTS Platform is the largest first-party insights and collaboration engine in the industry, transforming how strategic decisions are made and executed by real estate professionals across the globe. With the VTS Platform, consisting of VTS Lease, VTS Market, VTS Activate, and VTS Data, every stakeholder in real estate is given real-time market information and workflow tools to do their job with unparalleled speed and intelligence. VTS is the global leader, with more than 60% of Class A office space in the U.S., and 13 billion square feet of office, residential, retail, and industrial space is managed through our platform worldwide. VTS is utilized by over 45,000 professionals and over 1.2 million total users, including industry-leading customers such as Blackstone, Brookfield Properties, LaSalle Investment Management, Hines, BXP, Oxford Properties, JLL, and CBRE. To learn more about VTS, and to see our open roles, visit
