Mirvac Sells Brisbane Office Complex to Alceon for A$124 Million
In this article (8)
Mirvac has agreed to sell a twin-tower office complex and adjoining public car park on the northern edge of Brisbane’s city centre to local investment manager Alceon for A$124 million ($87 million).
Alceon announced on Wednesday that contracts have been exchanged for 410 Ann Street and the neighbouring Cathedral Square car park at a fully leased yield of 11 percent. The transaction prices the asset at about A$6,000 per square metre, falling below A$4,000 per square metre once the excess car parking is stripped out. Mirvac is exiting the property through a separately managed account.
Yields Split Between Prime and Secondary Stock
Marking Alceon’s 15th Brisbane office purchase, the deal expands its bet on secondary-grade buildings as city-centre vacancy dropped to 10.2 percent in July. Prime space in the city saw gross effective rents rise 11.8 percent in the third quarter from a year earlier, lifting cumulative gains since 2022 to 47 percent.
The pricing gap between institutional prime towers and secondary stock in the city has widened sharply. Institutional buyers have paid roughly double the square-metre rate for premium assets, while secondary properties trade at heavy discounts to replacement cost. With 10-year bond rates hovering near 5.35 per cent, buyers of older stock rely on double-digit yields and hands-on leasing turnarounds to make underwriting hurdles pencil out.
For office landlords and commercial operators, the transaction demonstrates that capital liquidity remains selective rather than frozen. Private syndicators and high-net-worth capital pools are absorbing secondary buildings that institutional funds are paring back. The core risk rests in capital expenditure demands, as incoming landlords must commit fresh funds to older floorplates to compete against premium stock offering stronger sustainability credentials.
Car Park and Transit Connections
The Ann Street property occupies a 4,052 square metre freehold parcel containing more than 20,000 square metres of net lettable area and 139 internal parking bays. Beside the towers, the Cathedral Square facility adds 572 vehicle bays across an 8,949 square metre site held under a leasehold tenure running until April 2108.
“This is a well-located asset that has been under-managed for some time,”
Commuter access sits close to the asset, located 375 metres from Brisbane Central Station and near works on the subterranean Cross River Rail network. The complex holds a 5.5-star NABERS Energy rating and a 3.5-star NABERS Water rating under national benchmarking standards.
“This is a well-located asset that has been under-managed for some time,” said Todd Pepper, managing director and head of Alceon’s Queensland business. “Our plan is hands-on: invest in the building, lift the tenant experience and lease it up into a market where good space is getting harder to find.”
Planned Capital Works and Lease Expiries
Alceon intends to refurbish the entrance lobbies, shared amenities and empty office floors to lift the asset to a contemporary B-plus grade. Existing leases run across an occupancy level of roughly 90 per cent with a four-year weighted average lease expiry, anchored by the Public Trustee of Queensland, First Parking, Mipac, Sonic Healthplus and Dye & Durham.
The transaction follows a comparable secondary deal completed in September, when Quintessential Equity purchased 133 Mary Street from ESR Group for A$81.8 million, or roughly A$6,200 per square metre. That asset also included retail space targeted for a refurbishment program. By contrast, Barings paid A$700 million for 480 Queen Street in July at A$12,727 per square metre, while GPT Group acquired Central Plaza II at 66 Eagle Street for A$400 million in April at A$12,561 per square metre.
Brokers Peter Chapple and Bruce Baker of CBRE handled the transaction alongside Paul Noonan and Jack Sullivan of JLL. Alceon financed the purchase via its network of wholesale and high-net-worth backers, pushing its Queensland commercial property portfolio past A$1.25 billion under management.
Near-term performance now depends on tenant retention, with almost half the total floor space at 410 Ann Street scheduled for contract renewal across 2028 and 2029.
Questions & Answers
Q.What upgrades does Alceon plan to carry out on the property?
What upgrades does Alceon plan to carry out on the property?
Alceon plans to invest in the complex by refurbishing entrance lobbies, shared amenities, and vacant office floors. The hands-on capital works programme aims to enhance the tenant experience and elevate the asset to a contemporary B-plus grade standard.
Q.What is the current leasing profile and main renewal risk for the complex?
What is the current leasing profile and main renewal risk for the complex?
The complex is roughly 90 per cent occupied with a four-year weighted average lease expiry across key tenants including the Public Trustee of Queensland. However, near-term performance hinges on tenant retention, as almost half the total floor space is scheduled for contract renewal across 2028 and 2029.
Q.How does the pricing for 410 Ann Street compare with prime Brisbane office assets?
How does the pricing for 410 Ann Street compare with prime Brisbane office assets?
At approximately A$6,000 per square metre, 410 Ann Street sold at roughly half the rate of prime institutional towers. Recent prime transactions, such as 480 Queen Street and Central Plaza II, commanded more than A$12,500 per square metre, highlighting a widening pricing gap against secondary stock.
Q.What assets are included in the transaction alongside the office towers?
What assets are included in the transaction alongside the office towers?
Alongside the twin-tower office complex, the purchase includes 139 internal parking bays and the adjoining Cathedral Square car park facility. That neighbouring site provides 572 vehicle bays across 8,949 square metres, held under a long-term leasehold tenure running until April 2108.