City Resolves to Sell Land for New 400-Home Residential Development

Approval has been given to proceed with a 40-apartment development on Mary Street Como, which is earmarked to attract significant buyer interest following the over subscription of Match’s latest development fund for the acquisition of this property.

The Mary Street site was acquired through an off-market transaction in the tightly held suburb of Como.  It is located in a quiet side street off Preston Road, in an environment that has not seen any new apartment product for years.

Managing Director of Match, Mr. Lloyd Clark, believes the early investor interest reflects a limited supply of opportunities in Como and a demographic shift that will effectively increase demand for apartment living in this area.

“Surrounding amenity  is important   in  apartment living  and,  in  the  case  of  Mary  Street,  it  is substantial.  When combined with an established population likely to be downsizing within the same area, the significance of our development in an environment of limited supply is likely to have an impact on sales,” Mr. Clark said.

“Boutique product in well-located environments will always be in demand. However, the high medium house price in this area makes the apartments an even more attractive proposition and downsizing option.”

The apartment development is designed by Architect Dominic Snellgrove of Cameron Chisholm Nicol and is scheduled for a marketing launch in the second half of 2015.

“While  Como is a  new area  for  Match  to  be  working  in,  it  has  been  in  our  radar  for  over a decade,” Mr. Clark said.

“Our   plans   for   the   development   are   extremely   boutique   and   carry   all   the   charm   and sophistication of the area. With this, together with our track record in developing quality apartments, we are confident of a successful sales program.”

The development is walking distance to shops, offices and a cinema, as well as metres from parkland and the pedestrian bridge access to the riverbank.

Apartment prices will range from $450,000 for one-bedroom apartments and $595,000 for two-bedroom apartments.

Creating  distinction  in  the  competitive   building  sector  is  no  mean  feat!     With  the industry’s  ingrained practices and conventional mindset, nothing short of a significant psychological shift, together  with a company culture to infiltrate every layer of the building process, is required to achieve any traction  for change.

In just  five  years, M  Construction  has  quietly  emerged  as  a leader  of  change  in  the building  sector, and continues  to impress  with a genuine  demonstration of the  ‘design­ construct  model’, which is so pertinent  in this era of rapidly changing technologies.

M  Construction   was  born  from   boutique   developer,   Match,  as  part  of  a  vertically integrated  concept to improve efficiencies  and streamline  the development process from instigation  to completion.

While for the  most  part, the  companies  operate  as independent entities,  they share  a common  design philosophy  and  collaborate  to  achieve  the  best  possible  outcome  for every project.

Construction  Director of M Construction, Mr Michael Read, said the company takes a personalised approach to its work and keeps abreast of innovative  building techniques and materials.

“M Construction  specialises  in providing design and construct services, whereby the builder gets involved in the early stages of development and works with the developer and Architect to provide building solutions  and avoid unnecessary cost expenditure  and time delays,” he said.

“We work closely with the client to get a detailed understanding of what they want to achieve, and our early involvement  in the development process often saves clients in efficiencies and innovation.”

Like its parent company, M Construction  is steered by design detail, quality and project control.  Such strategies  have engineered  the company’s success and enabled it to stand out in the competitive  building environment.

M Construction  is selective with the projects it takes on and has developed a niche for the design and construction  of private luxury homes in the western suburbs, where attention to detail is paramount. The company also works on multi-residential apartments, general commercial  works and the construction management of large-scale projects.

Included in its recent portfolio is the completion  of a $10 million multi-residential development in Port Coogee named “Helm”, a $3.55  million mixed-use project in North Fremantle, named “Sublime”,  and the company is currently working on a $2.5 million luxury home at 9 McNeil St, Peppermint Grove.

“We are not a company that will aggressively compete for large tenders.   Instead, we are selective and tend to attract clients that we work with repeatedly,”  Mr Read says.

“We have grown organically over the last four years and now have a solid team of reliable subcontractors that we offer regular work to.”

Last year, M Construction celebrated a company milestone of $50 million in completed works – an achievement reached in four years from a standing start.

M/Construction has reported in excess of a 50% increase in demand for its facilities management and maintenance services, with the City of Fremantle the latest to appoint the company onto its panel of providers.

M/Construction is currently on approved panel for the City of Canning and maintains an ongoing relationship with WA Defense Housing Authority.

Construction Director of M/Construction Director, Mr. Michael Read, said the growth is extremely pleasing and testament to the quality and standard of work M/Construction puts into any job, regardless of scope.

“The facilities management and maintenance side of our business is certainly quite different to the high end residential and commercial product we do.  However, it plays a significant role in our business structure,” he said.

M/Construction was established  as a strategic investment  initiative  by parent company Match, as a means to increase quality control and efficiency benefits with a primary building resource in the company structure.

Match Managing Director, Mr. Lloyd Clark, believes post construction services are a large part of the integrated process.

“We recognized a direct synergy in the work we do during construction and after completion.  As a boutique company, we wanted to ensure the same quality and service standard applied throughout the entire development process,” he said.

“While M/Construction has been quietly building a portfolio of construction projects independent of its relationship with Match, it has also been increasing its credentials in facilities management and maintenance and is clearly being recognized as a reliable provider.”

M/Construction recently completed a major re-roof & relocation of mechanical services on a City of Fremantle heritage property along the South Terrace cafe strip.

Mr. Read said the company is looking to further expand its capacity in facilities management.

“There is enormous scope to expand each arm of the business as they are, in many ways, complementary to each division,” Mr Read said.

“I believe our facilities management clients appreciate the level of design and construction experience we bring into every job, and our construction clients know that our role does not necessarily end with the building’s completion. It certainly adds depth to what is typically considered a general maintenance role.”

A $2.5 million luxury home at 9 McNeil St Peppermint Grove is being built on a design construct model under the management of M/Construction.

M/Construction is the construction arm of boutique property developer, Match, and is well known for its building innovation and attention to detail.

Construction Director of M/Construction, Mr. Michael Read, said the design-construct model enables the owner to provide more input into the direction of the home design.

“Design-construct is about design-construction integration and property customization. It allows the client, Architect and builder to work closely together from the early stages of the project.  The collaboration interprets the owner’s vision and, as a builder, we offer building solutions and take steps to avoid unnecessary cost expenditure with a good understanding of the design parameters,” Mr. Read said.

“The model allows for increased design flexibility.  In the case of 9 McNeil Street, the owner wants to bring in top end fixtures and fittings from Europe.  This would be difficult under a conventional building company contract, as they are often locked into supply chains.  However, in design-construct, the client gets what they want and any cost savings are passed onto them.”

While M/Construction has predominantly  worked on the design and construction of multi­ residential  apartments  (over 3-storeys), as well as serviced apartments and fit outs, general commercial  works and the construction management of large-scale projects, the company is increasingly approached  to undertake  luxury home builds, which such as the Peppermint Grove home.

Located on a 1500sq.m site directly across the road from Presbyterian Ladies’ College (PLC), the Architecturally designed two-storey house spans some 867 sq. m, and comprises the latest in technology, cantilevered  stairs and large openings with double glazing to give it a 6-star rating.

It has travertine floor tiles and imported English oak timber flooring, with a custom designed kitchen that accommodates both western and Asian cooking styles.

Its backyard showcases a custom designed pool with water jets in the steps and feature water fountain, and the home is very much a signature piece of its owner.

“Design-construct isn’t for everyone, but for those who want more input into the build as it progresses, M/Construction provides a great option,” Mr. Read said.

With  only  2  or  3  apartments  available,  and  settlement   taking  place  within  weeks, boutique  property company, Match, has delivered  on its word on bring ‘coastal  living at its finest’  with the completion  of its “Helm” development  on the Port Coogee Marina.

Its recent completion has given new apartment owners and the community at large the opportunity to see the sheer impact of this striking concept design against the backdrop of ocean.

Match Managing Director, Mr. Lloyd Clark, said it is a design that has certainly not gone unnoticed.

“Everyone seems to be talking about Helm and how it has exceeded expectation based on the concept drawings,” Mr. Clark said.

“It is without question a striking vision of towering white walls against feature bronze slides, and it is very much in keeping with the beautiful nautical environment.”

Helm is a 32-apartment boutique building designed in collaboration with award winning Architects Dominic Snellgrove of Cameron Chisholm Nicol Architects, and inspired by environments such as the French Riviera, where boating, beaching and sophisticated style are part of everyday life.

Its colours and textures reflect the coastal environment, and each apartment has operable louvers, that can be move and relocated by occupants to create a constantly evolving fa9ade.

“The vision for Helm was to create an environment that would match the expectation of living in a coastal, nautical environment.  We considered  the  lifestyle  of someone  who might   have  a  boat   moored  at  the   pier,  and   how  they  would   look  to   enjoy  the indoor/outdoor lifestyle.  This package was wrapped in a sophisticated, open-plan design and the market responded extremely well,” he said.

The introduction of Helm follows a number of boutique apartment buildings developed by Match that have attracted strong sales and the potential for good returns for residents.

“Helm is a great example of the difference between boutique apartments and the high density dwellings.  It is unique in structure and has been specifically designed to speak to its residents and their lifestyle goals.  There will always be a limited supply of this type of apartment on the market, which creates market demand and points towards a more secure investment,” Mr. Clark said.

“Combine this with a waterfront location close to Fremantle, and suddenly the two propositions are beyond compare.”

The City of Fremantle  has almost  $1billion in planned  investment  into  revitalizing the City, and an equally significant  infrastructure program  is being  rolled  out  in the  City of Cockburn.

Helm comprises of two and three bedroom open-plan apartments with large balconies and views over the marina, parks and Indian Ocean.

The remaining apartments are priced from $595,000.

For more information contact Chadd Boucher or Charlie Clarke on 0432 660 066.