One of our eager readers pestered Ceerose until she finally received a response. Really, they should be telling everybody directly, but let's be thankful for small mercies:
"Ceerose rang back this morning and advised me all the construction will cease end of this month. It will need 2 weeks to get strata approval following that. So we are looking for mid-end of November for inspection and settlement afterward."
Also from the Herald, 12 October 2015, talk of making the Sydney Fish Market into a world-class facility. It includes 'upgrading linkages to the city' which will make it a more vibrant area, with HM more connected to the city.
"The Sydney Fish Market and UrbanGrowth NSW have committed to work together to rejuvenate what is both a Sydney landmark and a key part of the state government's Bays Precinct urban renewal ambition.
The aim is to create, as a top priority, a "re-imagined Sydney Fish Market" as the centrepiece of a proposed Bays Market District on Blackwattle Bay.
The chief executive of UrbanGrowth NSW, David Pitchford, said a "competitive process" for the creation of The Bays Market District would start in 2016.
"UrbanGrowth NSW has an ambition to create a new, world-class market precinct and dining destination connected to the water in Blackwattle Bay, and centred around a rejuvenated Sydney Fish Market," he said.
The general manager of Sydney Fish Market, Bryan Skepper, said his aim was to maintain the authenticity of market – with its wholesale auction – and retail activity, while improving the amenity, upgrading the linkages to the city, and broadening the offer.
"Our ambition is to become a key tourist destination on the western edge of the central business district while also acting as a gateway to the future Bays Precinct," he said.
The Sydney Fish Market, which is controlled by two seafood industry groups,occupies a prime 3-hectare waterfront site on a 30-year lease.
In the past, it has attempted redevelopment on its own. A memorandum of understanding, signed on Monday, commits Urban Growth and the Fish Market to work together on the project."
Thanks again！
ReplyDeleteI visited the construction site at 16:55 today 14 October. There was not a single worker in sight. The site appeared empty and tools of trade scattered around as if people just dropped everything and disappeared. Not much progress could be seen either - still a lot of concreting to be done. This prompted my phone call to Ceerose. I managed to get hold of Jason, solicitor at Ceerose, at approximately 17:30 on 14 October 2015. Here are the main points from our conversation:
ReplyDelete1) Project managers currently estimate completion of the construction by the end of October. Progress has been delayed due to multiple government authority approvals required in the process of construction. For example, today Ceerose received one important approval from RMS via email. There are still various appovals required to complete the construction, but the best estimate is that everything can be completed by the end of October.
2) If completion happens by the end of October, Settlement is estimated by the end of November. Jason anticipates to receive occupancy certificate within a few days of completion and then it takes 2-3 weeks to register the strata plan. Therefore, Settlement Date is likely to be towards the end of November. Jason said he hopes to be sending official letters to the purchasers (their solicitors) in the next 2-3 weeks.
3) Settlement itself is a quick process and Jason expects to be able to settle 6 apartments every 30 minutes on the settlement day. He says that approx.60% of the apartments are likely to settle on the day, 20% earlier and 20% later.
4) When asked a question "could you please give your view on the probability of settlement this calendar year", he responded without hesitation "99%".
5) We also discussed the Sunset Date concerns. Jason's response was "I am not cancelling any contracts". He repeated this twice and said that purchasers should not be concerned about this with Ceerose at all, as Ceerose will not be cancelling. He also added that it is very important for the owner of Ceerose to settle ASAP because he is losing thousands of dollars per day in interest on the project debt.
Overall, Jason sounded very re-assuring and sincere, our discussion lasted for about 15 minutes and I asked questions from different angles - this gave me confidence, despite the apparent lack of construction progress.
Hi Graham and Elana, I have provided the above as a "file note" for the future, so we keep all this as evidence, just in case. Please note that Jason, the solicitor, was in agreement that I provide the above on the blog for all purchasers to see. Thanks again for all your updates!
ReplyDeleteCheers
Hi Elena, thanks for the excellent file note, extremely useful for everyone. I am not overly concerned that workers had left by 5pm as most start early, but I will visit the site again on Friday and report back. What is holding up the driveway concreting?!! So the sequence of events is: 1) Complete construction at time T (say end October), 2) Receive occupancy certificate at time T+3 days, 3) Register strata plan by T+17 to 24 days 4) Settlement say T+19-26 days. 5) Move in. It seems to be missing a step of Inspection before Settlement - I wonder if this can happen while we are waiting for the strata plan to be registered. So very best result would be settlement by say 19 November but likely a week later. Thanks, G
ReplyDeleteAwesome work! And thank you. Hope the approvals and paperwork goes smoothly on this final stretch
ReplyDeleteHi Graham and All, my understanding has always been that final inspections can happen after the occupancy certificate is issued, as public is not allowed to the site without insurance before that. So, hopefully, inspections can happen while the strata plan is being registered. With 135 or so apartments, I wonder who is going to organise and oversee these inslections and collect all feedback / issues? CBRE?
ReplyDeleteI also would like tonput up for discussion the practical question of moving in. A lot of owner occupiers and tenants will be moving in at the same time (give or take a few days)... It seems to me it is inevitable that we'll have traffic jams with remivalist trucks and long wait times for the lifts. Further, as we don't yet have the body corporate formed or a concierge - who is going to look after this process to ensure the lifts don't get damaged etc.? In the building where we currently live, the byilding manager puts on special protective lift covers when someone is moving in or out or even just purchases a washing machine... If a lift is damaged, it costs a lot to repair. Also, when people are moving in, it usually creates more mess than usual but we don't even yet have cleaners contracted for the building.... Who will be organising all of this in Harbour Mill? I am sure here must be some solutions, as so many buildings have gone through the same process but I haven't experienced this before. It would be great if purchasers could please share their experienced and ideas? Perhaps, we could use this blog to help organise oursleves before the move?
ReplyDeletePS sorry about all the typos
ReplyDeleteHi Elena, on the move, I spoke to Ceerose many months ago on this, and there is a well-drilled procedure for moving people in. The lifts and foyers are protected, and professional 'manager' oversees the process, and people are scheduled to come extent. I have no prior experience personally but obviously it happens across this city every day. The failing here is in Ceerose communicating to the purchasers how it will be done, adding to the uncertainty. I expect in the next few weeks, we will be given this information.
ReplyDeleteHi Graham, thank you for the information regarding the move - this is excellent! I am glad it will be organised. Yes, I guess this happens in every newly constructed building and Ceerose have done this a couple of times before (with Eliza and Jade). I hope it all goes smoothly.
ReplyDeleteCeerose is a very experienced builder, having completed at least these past projects:
ReplyDelete> NORTHERLY PARK > ESPRA > BUSC > ARC > THE HUB > VILLAGE GRAND
> EDEN > JADE > ELIZA > MIGUEL CORDERO RESIDENCE > EDGE
Went to the site yesterday - there has been some progress but not much, unfortunately. If the work does not accelerate but continues at the current pace, it is unlikely that the construction will be all finished by the end of October :-(
ReplyDelete