University Hill signs-up Hard Yakka
MAB Corporation (MAB) and Yakka Pty Ltd (Yakka) today announced a deal that will see the iconic workwear manufacturer move its head office to MAB’s $1 billion University Hill Project in Bundoora.
General Manager University Hill Project, David Hall, believed Yakka were quick to recognise the commercial benefits of being situated within a mixed use precinct.
“The economic benefits for Yakka were hard to ignore when they would have direct access to the retail and workforce industries located within the development,” Mr Hall said.
“Added to that is the commercial reality of being in such close proximity to their main distribution facilities in Somerton and the easy access to the CityLink network.
“The University Hill development illustrates how a high quality mixed use environment can contribute to increasing the number of jobs in Melbourne’s North. University Hill is now providing a home for commercial development in the North which will lead to a broader variety of jobs for the community in the City of Whittlesea.
Mr John Laidlaw, Executive Chairman of Yakka Pty Ltd congratulated MAB for its forward thinking and vision for what is the most significant development of its type in the north of the city.
“This is an exciting project for Yakka which will bring together all our head office functions and departments into the one facility,” Mr Laidlaw said.
“The two-storey building will accommodate all of our 115 head office employees, and its prominent position within the Business Park will provide us with maximum exposure to Plenty Road.”
Yakka’s new national head office will incorporate 3,500 square metres of prime office space with construction planned to commence in early 2007 with a target completion date of April, 2008.
David Herschell, Business Development Manager, MAB Corporation said the Yakka development will complement a 3,500m2 strata office development which MAB is commencing in January 2007. It will create the first dedicated office park within the northern suburbs.
Yakka were introduced to the University Hill project by John Camilleri of agents Killen and Thomas.
MAB’s University Hill mixed use development is now well advanced. Construction of stage one is now complete and will soon to be home to Siemens VDO. Stage two is currently under construction that incorporates a full-line Coles Supermarket and associated specialities. This will follow with the release of stage one of the residential product.
In the last 12 months, the University Hill project has secured more than 40,000sqm of commercial, industrial and retail floor space, creating more than 1,000 new jobs in the City of Whittlesea.
MAB Corporation is an established developer in Australia and continues to deliver innovative, high quality commercial, residential and industrial developments since 1995.
The company currently has over $2 billion in projects completed or commenced including the landmark NewQuay development precinct at Docklands, the award winning University Hill mixed-use development , National Business Park, Global Business Park, Northcorp Industry Park, Translink Business Park and a host of other award winning developments.