SkyscraperCity Forum banner

ANZ looking for 100,000 sq metres of space !

6K views 47 replies 27 participants last post by  Muse 
#1 ·
has anyone posted anything on this ???

Yesterdays Aust Fin Review had a short story about ANZ looking for an amazing 100,000 sq metres of office space in central Melbourne !

cant get into their website but basically their plan is to leave all existing towers in the CBD and centralise it all in one bldng ala NAB.
A few scraper projects were mentioned but none would come anywhere near to housing the space requirement apart from getting a new one built in docklands, which seems to be the favoured option.
If this is the case then it will be the 13th office tower built in this cycle.
This would be a massive shame, be great if a 300m office tower could be proposed in the cbd which would house all the space, instead of a 50m high x 100m long x 100m wide ground scraper.
 
#3 ·
Hey that would be strange for them to do due to risk.
A friend of mine works with the ANZ in Risk Management.
I remember a conversation we had that centered around banks keeping an decentralised system of offices. That's apparently why they prefer to be spread around a city, and he also told me that the C.E.O is on the first floor of ANZ World Headquarters. Once again due to risk management and safety.
Still hope it's right though!
 
#5 ·
oh no - not another groundscraper!!! that would mean no new scrapers built in melbourne for ages if they move out of ANZ and Collins Place = glut of scraper office space! no no no no no no - we NEED a new scraper to make up for the new glut of scraper office space!!! AMP Church Place on the Grand Central site, anyone???!!! 100,000 sq metres is definitely screaming for a new scraper!!!
 
#6 ·
Curtain said:
Why a shame?

I would rather work at the Docklands than in the CBD, its a much more "human" space.

One 350m skyscraper is more than enough for Melbourne.

"Canyon city syndrome" belongs in Sydney.
The CBD is just as human as Docklands, even more so.

However I don't think it would be a shame either - it would be a crying shame if they moved to a burb, like Optus & Microsoft to North Ryde, GlaxoSmithKlyne to Noble Park, Siemens to Bayswater and St. George to Alexandria.
 
#7 ·
tayser said:
The CBD is just as human as Docklands, even more so.

However I don't think it would be a shame either - it would be a crying shame if they moved to a burb, like Optus & Microsoft to North Ryde, GlaxoSmithKlyne to Noble Park, Siemens to Bayswater and St. George to Alexandria.
It makes sense for manufacturing and IT firms to move out to the burbs, but I seriously doubt that a major bank (one of the big 4) would move to the burbs. What I'm more worried about is if they go for a groundscraper over a skyscraper!!! :D
 
#8 ·
I don't think ANZ would go suburban, I think a major bank is the least likely business to go suburban. They could go docklands but I don't think they would like to be seen as copying NAB.
I think if this is true and they do need 100,000 square metres (sounds unlikely) they will move to a CBD developement. The only sites that could fit 100,000 in the CBD are The Age, Old Power Station, Grand Central and CUB sites.
 
#9 ·
Blabbyboy said:
It makes sense for manufacturing and IT firms to move out to the burbs,
Bollocks blabbs! Look at Telstra - it used to have 16 or more office sites around the city and has slowly been closing them and consolidating closer to the city - I don't think there's a presence on the Mornington Peninsula (or even Franga anymore) and the furthest away 'suburban' office is in Brandon Park (unless the Dandenong office is still operating) next to NEC HQ - of which the NEC HQ is just white-collar workforces (300+), no manufacturing or anything of the sort is done on site there.

ANZ HQ is prime for legal space, just look at how quick Bourke Place was snapped up for legal firms after BHP moved to Lonsdale St.
 
#10 ·
Hey I also read that article. I tried to get it off the Fin Review website to post but its $3.30... Anyway in summary it mentions most of the major reshuffles (ie Pwc, Axa etc..).

I have heard of AXA moving being bantered around this forum. Excuse my ignorance but i am somewhat unclear about this...what is the deal with them. It is on batman hill yes? (where that red bilboard says "rebuilding batman hill" near SXS?) Are there any renders? Construction timeline?

Thanks! Sorry
 
#11 ·
Grollo said:
I don't think ANZ would go suburban, I think a major bank is the least likely business to go suburban. They could go docklands but I don't think they would like to be seen as copying NAB.
I think if this is true and they do need 100,000 square metres (sounds unlikely) they will move to a CBD developement. The only sites that could fit 100,000 in the CBD are The Age, Old Power Station, Grand Central and CUB sites.
I was thinking the same thing. The old city power station is around 12,000 sq meters and could accomodate a big 300m plus tower for ANZ and 2 or 3 other towers in one mega developmemt. (hello grocon!!!)

Having said that they may want to remain closer to the financial region of the CBD and opt for the grand central site whcih would also be an ideal site.

Cheers

Dean - Melbourne
 
#14 · (Edited)
SHIT! more F**** campus, docklands is going to kill the CBD at this rate, who will be next, Telstra? I can't see more large office developments in the CBD until Docklands is completed in 10-20 years :-(

ANZ trawls for $400m. new HQ -
Docklands warm favorite

http://www.propertyreview.com.au/archives/2005/04052005/headline/04052005001.html

Ted McDonnell
May 04, 2005

One of Australia’s top 10 companies, ANZ is trawling the streets of Melbourne again for its new world headquarters that could see the banking giant move to a $400 million purpose built office campus at Melbourne Docklands.

It is likely ANZ could move to Docklands by 2010.

Property sources told propertyreview.com.au yesterday that the Docklands move was on the cards because Melbourne Docklands was capable of handling a 100,000 sqm campus style complex of up to five buildings one as high as 18 storeys.

The site is expected to be between 7000 sqm up to 15,000 sqm depending upon the number and size of buildings making Lend Lease’s Victorian Harbour the logical choice.

Some pundits believe Docklands other major site Waterfront City could also raise its hand, but many property experts believe that would be like moving Tiffanys to Footscray.

ANZ has been eyeing off Lend Lease’s Victoria Harbour since the highly lauded move by National Bank to its new Docklands headquarters.

Around two years ago, ANZ began a similar search for its future headquarters, but reportedly abandoned any plans of an immediate move after being told by agents and developers alike how much the move would cost.

However, a report, which reviews ANZ’s long term property strategy, is expected to be presented to the ANZ Board in the in the coming weeks. The strategy report is rumored to recommend a move to Melbourne Docklands within a five year time frame.

ANZ world headquarters is presently located within the 162 metre tall 37 storey ANZ Tower, which was completed in 1992, on the corner of Collins and Queens Streets, houses around 1000 staff. ANZ own the building.

Several thousand more ANZ employees take up major space in 530 Collins Street, from level 14 upwards, and the company also leases 50% of 55 Exhibition Street as well as its Card Services centre on Melbourne’s Kingsway.

It is believed the ANZ property report recommends bringing together 4000 - 5000 of office and hi-tech staff scattered around Melbourne, into one hi-tech office campus of up to five buildings the largest being a landmark 18 storey icon tower for Docklands.

Some agents put the price tag of a purpose built 100,000 sqm office development, much like the campus style complex at National @ Docklands, at around $400 million.

A city office tower has been ruled out due to the high cost of building such a mammoth tower and the lack of sites large enough to handle such a large building. (cheap pricks, lucky the English, Scottish and Australian bank didn't have that attitude in 1886 when they decided to build the current ANZ head branch and spared no expense. Where has the vision gone, the desire to create something remarkable?).

Lend Lease has planned more than 250,000 sqm of office space at Victoria Harbour with so far the award winning National Bank campus taking up around 60,000 sqm.

“ Victoria Harbour is the ideal choice because it continues the Bank’s relationship with Collins Street financial and the fact that Docklands has the potential to become Melbourne’s banking epicenter,” one banking insider said yesterday.

“With suitable sites virtually no existent within the CBD, ANZ need to make a decision on its future world headquarters in the immediate future. Docklands is the only legitimate site that can offer major tenants purpose built facilities.”

Around 90% of ANZ’s business is conducted in Australian and New Zealand.

If ANZ does relocate to Docklands in the next five years it will create a major medium term headache especially for GPT the owners of 530 Collins St. AMP the owners of 55 Collins Street won’t be as perturbed as ANZ has a 50 year head lease over the building.
 
#15 ·
Here's the full article:

Melbourne's office roundabout has cranked another turn with the ANZ Banking Group putting out feelers for up to 100,000 square metres of new office space.

It's the third time in as many years that the ANZ has checked out the cost of leasing new space in Melbourne's dynamic office market but potential sites for such a large requirement are starting to dry up.

According to agents, there are no sites in the CBD which could support a building of 100,000 sq m, which would suggest the ANZ is hatching plans to escape the city for Docklands where there are several potential spaces. That could mean selling its 34-level tower on the corner of Collins and Queens streets.The ANZ declined to comment yesterday.

A site at the bottom of Collins Street could take 70,000 sq m but that project is on a shortlist to win insurer IAG's 36,000 sq m office building.

A new ANZ building would be Melbourne's 13th major office building in only four years.

In 2003, the ANZ put out a modest request for 20,000 sq m after a plan to commit to a 90,000 sq m new head office in Docklands was scuppered by the corporate panic engendered by the September 2001 terrorist attacks.

Nearly 500,000 sq m worth of new leases were signed during 2004 but warnings of a commercial oversupply and savage rental discounting did not happen. Instead, tenants were lured into the market, thinking they could get a good deal in the prestigious new high-technology spaces in single buildings.

BHP Billiton abandoned Bourke Place for the Grollo's QV towers at the old Queen Victoria hospital site.

Telstra's registries business, Sensis consolidated a number of sites and also moved to QV.

PricewaterhouseCoopers is about to move to a new Southbank office tower, while Ernst & Young, Deacons and the Victorian government await their new buildings in Melbourne's CBD.

The Bureau of Meteorology, Telstra and Medibank Private made the shift over the border into Docklands, as did the National Australia Bank, whose huge campus-style building has become an icon of the new large-floor plate corporate office. Other companies doing the leasing tango included legal firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques, the Australian Communications Authority, Connex, Bell Potter, Kellogg Brown & Root, Pitcher Partners, Phillips Fox and technology company UCMS.

Axa recently agreed to a 30,000 sq m lease in a new Grocon-built tower at Docklands, while Optus is tipped to be moving 15,000 sq m out of Collins Street into 452 Flinders Street. Meanwhile, Minter Ellison is looking for 14,000 sq m and Australian Customs is looking for 12,000 sq m.
 
#16 ·
Good points re: Victoria Harbour:

- creates a massive financial precinct, could easily rival Martin Place in pulling power (NAB, ANZ, AXA and Bendigo versus CBA, MLC, MAQ and WBC)
- potential to attract more global players to the area (Vic Gov does want more managed fund business, wants to make Melbourne a global centre for it)
- pumps even more people (5000?!?!) into Docklands.
- 'landmark' = potential for something good, remember the tower which is always rendered at the foot of Bourke & Collins?
- 2010 is not far away and it's pushing development further down that peninsula.

Bad points re: Victoria Harbour:

- they'll be using a lot of space for office, I think there should be a cap if ANZ do go for it down there.
- potential for mediocre design, notwithstanding people's obvious dislike of Campus over skyscraper, if it's a good design, I'd be happy. if it's pretty average, it'd be a crying shame (See suburban comments).
- related to too much office space, Victoria Harbour, unless other uses pick up, could become a commuter precinct, i.e dead after 8pm.

that's all I could think of in 5min.
 
#19 ·
This is one of the rare chances for Melbourne to get an office building taller than the Rialto (the next will be when Telstra moves).

Hands up who would rather see a 250m+ tower in the CBD or an 18 level campus style building in Docklands?

If it wasn't for the state government leases the CBD would be in real trouble at the moment as it can't compete with the massively subsidised Docklands precinct.

People forget that Docklands using el-cheapo land to suck up all the office demand in Melbourne means we will be left with massive bomb sites all over the CBD for decades to come, while we get average 'cost effective' (see NAB, AXA...) crap filling up docklands.
 
#22 ·
It's great that Australia has an enormous precinct like Docklands that is offering an alternative so close to a major CBD with all the major amenities.
If there was a demand for highrise wouldn't Docklands be brimming with proposals?

Here they are saying there's no space in the CBD for a massive tower but you don't see one going up in Docklands do you? The CBD can only support one type of accommodation, straight up. Give business an alternative and they jump for it.

The fact that Grollo Tower fell over was IMO because it was incongruous with the area. Big business is saying the skyscraper concept is inefficient "It doesn't work for us". ANZ spent so much money on their lavish HQ and it only took 10 years before they wanted to move out and consolidate.

Docklands is an organic thriving precinct meeting the modern needs of big business and residents and funnily enough turning into the residential, sporting and financial function polis that was dreamed of years ago.

If anything the Docklands is a model of a real city and is making the CBD a better place to work and live by discouraging bland expedient corporate highrise.

Good on 'em!

But yeah being lowrise doesn't mean you should skimp on design, ING HQ looks like K-9's head from Doctor Who. :)
 
#23 ·
Love the clogs Tays.

Another reason why clumping two major banks into Victoria Harbour is not a good idea is the risk of terrorist attacks or attacks from depressed psychopaths who had their credit card applications declined.

That aside here's hoping for more classy campus style buildings at Docklands.
 
#25 ·
so our worst fears have come true - ANZ are looking at a campus style development. my first thoughts (fears) are that Vic Harbour will be, as Tays noted, a commuter precinct - dead after 5pm (not 8pm!). Nuff said.

I already noted above, and now others have too, that this will spell the end of new CBD office towers for YONKS because there'll be a glut of office space. That's it - it's all over. We all might as well move to Adelaide. no matter how good the campus style development is, we're all stuffed - no more new commercial scrapers for yonks. and the fact is - NAB isn't exactly an ING, issit? Are we going to get an archiwonder? Hope so, but probably not. I don't understand HOW CAN THERE NOT BE ENOUGH SPACE IN THE CBD TO SUPPORT A NEW SKYSCRAPER?!

btw, mallesons recently moved into bourke place, so that's the end of that.

I'm tearing my hair out over this!!! I'm getting stresseD!!!! :rant:
 
#26 · (Edited)
Tays, that's grotesque.

It looks like a retarded shuttle or a pound puppy with no ears!

That is just foul the scale looks totally wrong for such a defined and evocative shape - far too much inherent symbolism in the design.

Don't you all get your knickers in a knot, I will have a word to John McFarlane and see if I can't get them to reconsider a landmark 300m+ office tower in the CBD. It is a sad state of affairs when all big business seems concerned with moving towards a campus style office models.

I got to spend some time in the ANZ World Headquarters with a parent, just after it was built - very nice. I am surprised they are planning a copycat move to Docklands.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top