MORRIS MOOR 'URBAN DESTINATION'

With a planning permit already in hand for the 6.27-hectare site, Up Property’s development will feature approximately 50,000sqm of commercial space, landscaped gardens and parking across seven buildings.

Up Property bought the former Philip Morris’ Australian headquarters in 2014 in a deal worth more than $20 million. It was the first time since Philip Morris acquired the site in 1954 that it had hit the market.

Up Property has already welcomed new tenants to the site including Little Learning School, who will run a 140-place childcare centre, a 6000sqm co-warehousing facility by Clik Collective, and a 4140sqm furniture showroom facility, run by Schotts Home Emporium.

Taking its history into account, Up Property managing director Adam Davidson said the development would be called “Morris Moor”, as a nod to the site’s location and significance to the local community.

“Our vision is for Morris Moor to become an iconic destination for Melbourne and the local residential and business community to work, play, eat and drink,” Davidson said. “Upon taking ownerships of the site in May last year, we received overwhelming interest from businesses looking for opportunities beyond that of a typical office precinct – from gymnasiums and coffee roasters, to indoor golf simulators and cinemas.”

Morris Moor will feature approximately 2879sqm of hospitality space, with opportunities for a mixture of restaurants, cafes, a brewery, distillery, wine bar, convenience store, florist and event function space.

Construction began this month on Morris Moor’s most prominent office building, which boasts 5257sqm of office space across two levels, with the potential to house up to six tenants ranging from approximately 250sqm to the whole building. The building will be ready for tenant occupation in the first quarter of 2019.

Working alongside property development and advisory agency, Connect Plus Property Solutions, Up Property has plans to repurpose the original site, according to Connect Plus director Simmy Abraham.

“Rather than demolishing the original buildings and disregarding the site’s history, Up Property has recognised the iconic location and have taken the more challenging path of transforming the original buildings into the contemporary, industrially inspired, Morris Moor,” Abraham said.

Upon completion and full capacity, Morris Moor is expected to yield in excess of 1600 new jobs for the Moorabbin community, doubling the amount that were employed at the site in its previous life as a manufacturing hub.