The Courier Mail, Thursday 2 July 2020
Chris Herde
A leading developer has started work on the next stage of two industrial estates which will generate hundreds of new construction jobs.
An artist’s impression of four unit development at the next stage at Connexion Industrial Park in Darra,
DIVERSIFIED property group Pellicano has fast tracked the next stage of construction at its Parkwest Estate in Bundamba, while announcing the commencement of construction of the next stage at Connexion Industrial Park in Brisbane’s western suburbs.
Due to the final office/warehouse space selling out at Parkwest Estate in Bundamba, Pellicano will start the $8 million next stage of the project 12 months ahead of schedule, which will deliver additional office warehouse units.
Meanwhile at $35 million Connexion in Darra, construction has started on a major refurbishment of a freestanding 10,600sqm office/warehouse, and four new spec office/warehouses totalling 3000sqm.
Pellicano was buoyed by a deal struck at Connexion during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a 7500sqm site being leased out to MACH1 Logistics in late March, spurring the company to prioritise the works on both sites.
The latest work at Connexion will create 25 to 30 full time jobs over the next 12 months and there will be about 1000 people working on the whole project.
Pellicano managing director Nando Pellicano believes recent activity at these projects, as well as its Industrial activity in Melbourne, is an early sign of how well the Industrial sector is holding up across the property market.
An artist’s impression of the refurbishment of the 10,600sqm warehouse at the Connexion Industrial Park in Darra.
“We saw many companies facing challenges during lockdowns, restrictions and work-from home guidelines, but we’ve still been able to put clients into new facilities, as the push to ecommerce and online expediates,” he said.
“Well-located industrial space has proven popular at a time where more and more consumers turn to shopping online.”
“I think the popularity of these sites is driven in part by the flexibility we give our clients across the board – we work with them to ensure their facility is exactly what they need, and that they can make any necessary tweaks to ensure it’s a long-term prospect.”
Works at the office/warehouse site at Connexion Industrial Park are due for completion in two stages, with the 10,600sqm refurbishment available to occupy from fourth quarter of 2020, and the four spec units from early 2021.
The next stage of the Parkwest Estate will start in the coming months once detailed designs are finalised.
Pellicano’s current activity will take its total Industrial Holdings to over 600,000sqm by the end of year with a vacancy rate of under 2.5 per cent.