NSW Parramatta - Infrastructure and Developments thread

5 Parramatta Square

Major occupier: City of Parramatta Council

5 Parramatta Square | City of Parramatta
Parramatta Civic Centre | DesignInc
CRYSTALLINE | Lacoste + Stevenson | Architecture & urban design
Community Center – Manuelle Gautrand
Built Holdings Pty Ltd - We do things differently

 

I've been waiting a while to see when Council pushed the button on this one. They moved out of their old digs into offices on Church St before any of the redevelopment started and had extended their lease/exercised the option.

Now they have some certainty on their return to Church St Mall.

It'd be good to see private investors start getting rid of the 1950's buildings down that way for some private industry occupiers. All the newer buildings under development are leased almost exclusively to govt or institutional users.

 

Is it just me? Because I don't find that attractive at all.

 

Reminds me of an RSL club minus the pokies.

 

Yep, and all that glass will make it really hot during summer.

 

Nah, it's Parramatta. It doesn't get hot out that way.

 

I remember Penrith Plaza put a lot of glass in the ceiling.......it didn't take long before they had to do something about it. No amount of air conditioning can save stupidity.

 

All of that glass would be west facing too, so unless someone builds out the other side of the mall to create some shade, it'll have a horrendous heat load.

Edit. They may use some smart glazing systems to improve their lot.

 

Oh yeah. My CBA office was out in Parramatta. Glass on all 4 sides floor to roof. Some days they'd direct the staff to put the blinds down because all the sun coming in. The seals around the glass panes weren't all airtight either.... needed some maintenance/new rubber. We'd hear sone whistling noises so the air was coming through the gaps...

 

The town hall looks particularly ugly in the mix of modern buildings!

 

Yep!

 

Yikes!

 

Parramatta set to become bigger city than Adelaide | Daily Mail Online

 

Great to see that the 'vision' is being delivered with enormous progress (& disruption).

The new ferry wharf is progressing well with other works along the head of the river up to the weir.

Lots of footpath/road closures in the CBD due to light rail progress. As we have seen in Sydney, it's a long and slow project.

Not much insight into the third city which is to service the new airport but priorities have been thrown a curved ball with few arrivals and no tourists ATM.

 

Still in the general theme of the thread:

Ray White Commercial Buys new Parramatta Office

 

The newly upgraded Parramatta Wharf has reopened today - Parramatta Wharf reopens Wednesday 23 September

It looked pretty well complete last week as I rode past.

Likewise the Parramatta Park Cafe has been completed. All of Grindley Constructions fencing and signage has been removed. No sign of EOI for a new operator.

 

Born and raised in Parramatta (Go the Eels) annot believe sometimes just how much parra has developed and continues to develop

 

NAB ARRIVES IN PARRAMATTA

By, NPopow 31/08/20

Today, NAB begins to welcome colleagues to their new work home in the Centre of Global Sydney, at 3 Parramatta Square.

“While we continue to live in communities impacted by COVID-19, we will need to find the right balance between working from 3 Parramatta Square and at home. The wellbeing of our employees remains our top priority and we will maintain the highest standards of health and safety in the office, our branches and business centres. In the beginning, only business critical employees will work from the new office space, but we have every confidence our people will love the new workspace and will enjoy being part of one of Australia’s most diverse and thriving areas when the COVID-19 restrictions ease,” said NAB’s Head of Group Property, Kevin Davine.



FINANCIAL SERVICES; PARRAMATTA’S LARGEST INDUSTRY BY OUTPUT
Financial services already make up a significant part of the city’s emerging professional economy, attracting blue-chip talent to the area and providing 17,000 jobs. The Finance and Insurance Services sector generated $9.09 billion in the 2017/18 financial year – making it the largest industry in the City of Parramatta by output. It has also been the fastest growing industry (in absolute terms) in the city over the past decade, increasing by $3.6 billion since 2007/08.

This economic benefit translates into great opportunities for local residents, who can progress their careers while working from a head office close by. And further Investment in the region will harness the talent of local professionals for years to come. In 2016, PwC projected the sector would generate 3,600 new jobs and an additional $2.2 billion of output by 2021 – a jobs target already quickly met by NAB’s move.

THE VALUE OF PARRAMATTA
Improving customer accessibility has real benefits for large financial service providers. “Western Sydney is currently home to more than 2 million people – that’s roughly one in every 11 Australians – and projected to grow to 3 million by 2031,” Davine explains. “It is also home to more than 240,000 local businesses, so it absolutely makes sense for NAB to have a strong presence here.”

“We know there is great demand for quality service in Western Sydney and Parramatta is no exception.” The region is already home to more than 300,000 NAB customers which Davine says is rapidly growing. “Our retail branch at Parramatta Square will open in late September, it’s so important for us to be close to our customers in Western Sydney. Parramatta is part of an incredible growth region and being at the centre of activity ensures we’re always listening and learning from our customers,” Davine says.

Being based in the most ethnically diverse region in Australia also gives NAB the opportunity to connect with a much broader customer base. “Nearly one in three residents in Western Sydney are from a non-English-speaking background. Having a base here gives our customers direct access to bankers and brokers with both local and regional knowledge, so they can provide a more personalised approach to their banking needs,” says Davine.

FUTURE-PROOFING THE FINANCIAL WORKPLACE
“As we’ve learned over these past few months in this current COVID-19 environment, while people have been able to sustain working from home, they miss the office workspace. Our commercial buildings are designed to bring out the best in our people so they can collaborate, connect with each other, be inspired and better serve our customers.

3 Parramatta Square spaces and settings have been designed to support the community-oriented focus of our organisation. Smart building features will make it easier and faster for colleagues to navigate throughout their day - built for people, enabled by technology,” says Davine.

“It’s clear to see why the Centre of Global Sydney is such an attractive location for leading financial service institutions,” Davine continues.

As NAB strengthens its presence here, it will also play a vital role in helping the region, communities and customer base continue to grow and thrive.

NAB ARRIVES IN PARRAMATTA | Invest Parramatta

 

Looks great

 

Parramatta: Sydney’s second CBD is set to only get better for new wave of residents

ELICIA MURRAY WRITER OCT 2, 2020




Parramatta may be Sydney’s second CBD but it seems the neighbourhood missed the memo about letting its harbourside rival hog the spotlight.

With its stunning riverside setting, eclectic dining scene, big-name commercial players and major infrastructure upgrades, Parramatta has shed its scrappy street-fighter image to emerge as a bona fide business and cultural heavyweight.

Meanwhile, a fresh crop of residential towers is reshaping the city’s skyline. These new apartments offer workers in the west luxurious finishes and resort-style amenities at a fraction of the cost of similar homes in places like Circular Quay or Barangaroo.


Parramatta Park. Photo: Vaida Savickaite

“In the past five years, it’s gentrified,” says Adam Denina, principal at Stone Real Estate Parramatta. “It’s a lot more of a funky location to be, so you’re getting the younger generation – 25 to 40-year-olds – coming through. People aren’t working in the city as much any more, so Parramatta is considered more of a central location.”

The banking sector is at the forefront of industries relocating to slick new digs in the neighbourhood, which sits 25 kilometres west of the Sydney CBD. NAB has already moved into its new headquarters at the multibillion-dollar Parramatta Square precinct. Westpac is poised to move a huge chunk of its operations nearby while the Commonwealth Bank has also confirmed plans to expand its presence.

The state government is up to its armpits in its “Decade of Decentralisation” policy, shifting jobs and agencies away from the Sydney CBD in favour of Parramatta and other metropolitan and regional areas.



The first stage of the light rail, due to open in 2023, will link the Parramatta CBD and station to the Westmead and Cumberland hospital precincts, Bankwest Stadium, Western Sydney University and the new Powerhouse Parramatta, among other stops. New metro lines will connect the Sydney CBD with Parramatta and the greater western Sydney region, including the future airport. Commuters can currently choose from ferry, rail or buses.

Residents are spoilt with a head-spinning array of shops, cafes, bars and restaurants, including favourites Bayti, El-Phoenician, Sahra by the River, Alex &Co, Kouzina Greco and Holy Basil.

Off-the-plan apartments are hot property among young professionals with jobs in Parramatta. The suburb’s free-standing bungalows, many updated, are targeted by local upsizers.


Blackseed Eatery. Photo: Vaida Savickaite

“We’re also seeing more buyers who were priced out of the Ryde area sliding a little further west, as well as the younger generation who grew up in the Hills District.”

Parramatta: Sydney's second CBD is set to only get better for new wave of residents