Australia’s leading premium flexible workspace provider Hub Australia expands its Melbourne offering with the announcement of a new purpose built, hospitality focused Balaclava workspace, in partnership with property developer, owner and manager, Ninety-Four Feet.
Hub Balaclava, the firm’s 14th site to be announced, will feature 2,900 sqm of premium workspace over three floors at the new Open Court development at 21-23 William Street, Balaclava, together with Hub Building Hospitality services. The deal was brokered by Cushman and Wakefield’s Vincent Tran & Ben McKendry. The site is under construction by Hamilton Marino Builders, with design by WMK Architecture and is set to open in 2024.
What are Hub’s prospects for the Balaclava community?
To ensure an inclusive workspace that accommodates to the needs of the Balaclava business community, in addition to the flexible workspace offering Hub is also providing Hub Building Hospitality services for the benefit of all users of the Open Court development, including a rooftop basketball court and exercise area, communal rooftop gardens, amphitheater, media studio, parents facilities, café, concierge, and a range of serviced meeting and event spaces.
It will be the provider’s third city fringe site in Melbourne, following the opening of Hub St Kilda Road in 2021 and Hub Church Street in Richmond in June 2022. The coworking provider has also partnered with Vicinity to open additional “work-near-home” locations in Melbourne’s suburbs, including Box Hill. Hub Balaclava site will be Hub’s latest partnership with property owners that offers the Hub Building Hospitality product in addition to flexible workspace.
John Preece, Chief Property Officer at Hub said: “We are delighted to be partnering with property developer and owner Ninety-Four Feet on this amazing development.”
“The world of work has changed immeasurably in recent years, and occupiers of leased space and flexible workspace have higher expectations of amenity and workspace services than ever before. Working alongside progressive property owners, Hub is able to cater for these ever-increasing demands, and Open Court will be an exemplar of what can be achieved when property owners and hospitality-first operators like Hub work together in partnership.”
”It’s an exciting time for Hub as we evolve our Hub Building Hospitality product and flexible workspace partnerships in response to demands from owners and occupiers of premium workspace. We are able to provide coworking space for building occupiers while supporting a range of other needs from occupiers that go way beyond the simple provision of ‘space’.”
“We’ve announced similar partnerships in Sydney, Adelaide and Canberra, and we see genuine and innovative partnerships as the way forward to create the engaging and highly serviced workspaces that are necessary for the future of work,” John Preece further commented.
What are 94Feet’s thoughts on the partnership?
Dean Rzechta, Chief Executive Officer at 94Feet said: “Open Court is a space for new ideas, new connections and new ways of working. This will be a living workspace that was once the industrial heartland in Melbourne’s south, and today it still has an entrepreneurial spirit.”
“Balaclava offers an engaging and attractive option being very accessible, close to home for many millennial workers who live in the southern city fringe and surrounded by a thriving, activated and eclectic mix of retail amenity and culture,” Dean Rzechta further commented.
With a major train station minutes walk, this destination meets the aspirational goals of CEO’s wanting to attract and retain the best talent by locating their business in a thriving and well-connected metropolis. We are excited to make this our new headquarters and to have the opportunity to collaborate with HUB and their exciting tenants.
The operator agreement influences management of the building’s associated amenity and the flexible workspace, ensuring that the owner’s strategic objectives for the asset are met. By leveraging Hub’s operational and marketing expertise to ensure a positive financial outcome.
