Property	Office Tower – owners corporation, Queen Street, Melbourne
Total investment	$1.5 million
Scope of works	Complete refurbishment and upgrade of the main foyer; full refurbishment and modernisation of three passenger lifts
Funding solution	Strata loan facility arranged through Lannock, covering the full cost of the program
Delivery partner	Independent project manager appointed by the owners corporation
Contractors	Principal building contractor (foyer); TKE (lift modernisation)
Outcome	Delivered on time, on budget, and to the full satisfaction of the committee and owners. The loan account has now been closed.

Project overview

The owners corporation at Queen Street, Melbourne identified the need for a substantial capital works program to renew two of the building’s most important shared assets. The works comprised a complete refurbishment and upgrade of the main foyer, together with the full refurbishment and modernisation of the building’s three passenger lifts. Combined, the program represented a total investment of $1.5 million.

As the appointed owners corporation manager, we provided the governance, funding and coordination framework that allowed a project of this scale and value to proceed with confidence, and to be delivered without disruption to the building or its occupants. Our role spanned the full life of the project, from the initial funding strategy through to practical completion and final owner sign-off.

Securing the funding

The first challenge was to fund a program of this magnitude in a way that was equitable and manageable for owners. Rather than raise a single large special levy, the committee elected to fund the works through a strata loan facility. We supported that decision and led the process from end to end. Our involvement included the following:

Presenting the loan option to the committee alongside the alternatives, so the committee could make a fully informed funding decision.
Preparing and issuing the relevant motions required to authorise the borrowing and to engage Lannock as the finance provider.
Managing the resolution process to secure the necessary owner approvals in accordance with the Owners Corporations Act 2006 (Vic).
Coordinating the establishment of a loan facility sufficient to cover the full $1.5 million cost of the program.

This approach spread the cost of the works fairly across the ownership over time, preserved the owners corporation’s cash reserves, and gave the committee the certainty of a fully funded project before any works commenced.

Procurement and contractor engagement

With funding secured, the owners corporation appointed an independent project manager to direct the works. We facilitated that appointment and remained the central point of coordination between the committee, the project manager and the contractors throughout the project.

The project manager sourced multiple competitive quotations for each work stream and presented them to the committee for review. Working alongside the project manager, we ensured the committee had clear, comparable information on which to base its decisions. Following this process, the committee selected two specialist contractors:

A principal building contractor to carry out the foyer refurbishment and upgrade.
TKE to undertake the refurbishment and modernisation of the three passenger lifts.

Because the two work streams were delivered by different contractors, two separate agreements were required. We oversaw the contractual arrangements to ensure each contract was properly documented, aligned with the owners corporation’s obligations, and consistent with the approved scope and budget. This gave the committee clear accountability across both work streams and protected the owners corporation’s position throughout delivery.

Managing the complexity

Undertaking works of this scale within an occupied building presents real operational challenges. Two required particularly careful management, and both were resolved without incident:

Building access. We coordinated contractor access to the building and the foyer so that works could progress efficiently while maintaining security and minimising inconvenience to occupiers. Access, deliveries and staging were planned in advance and managed as an ongoing part of the program.
Continuity of lift service. With all three lifts undergoing modernisation, we managed a staged program so that lift availability was maintained for occupiers throughout the works. This ensured the building remained fully functional and accessible for the duration of the project.

By anticipating these issues early and planning around them, we were able to manage them seamlessly, so that day-to-day life in the building continued with minimal interruption.

Clear and consistent communication

Throughout the project we provided frequent, clear updates to the committee and owners. Keeping all stakeholders informed at every stage built confidence, allowed decisions to be made promptly when required, and ensured there were no surprises. This transparency was central to the smooth progress of the works and to the strong working relationship maintained with the committee.

The outcome

The Queen Street capital works program was a clear success, delivering against every measure that mattered to the owners corporation:

On time. The works were completed within the agreed program.
On budget. The full $1.5 million program was delivered within the approved funding facility.
To client satisfaction. The completed foyer and modernised lifts were delivered to the full satisfaction of the committee and owners, enhancing both the amenity and the long-term value of the building.

Why it matters

This project demonstrates our capacity to steward a complex, high-value capital works program from initial funding strategy through to completion. We combined sound governance, a practical funding solution, disciplined contract management and consistent communication to deliver a significant upgrade with minimal disruption to occupiers. It is a clear illustration of the value an experienced owners corporation manager brings to a major building improvement project.