Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer advises The Living Company on Melbourne’s State Library Exchange development

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer (HSF Kramer) has advised The Living Company on the fund through arrangements for the State Library Exchange development in Melbourne and on its partnership with RMIT University.

The flagship mixed-use development will sit directly above the State Library metro tunnel station currently under development. Forty-six floors will be dedicated to student accommodation, providing housing for up to 1,400 students, with nine floors of education and industry engagement space.

The HSF Kramer team was led by partner Niresha Mudalige, with support from Julia Orbach and Liam Thompson.

Niresha said, “It was a pleasure to work with the team at The Living Company again on what will be a transformative development for the Melbourne CBD.”

HSF Kramer has worked with The Living Company on a number of its partnerships and acquisitions, including its partnership with Mirvac to deliver student housing on the site of the old Sydney Fish Market at Blackwattle Bay, announced earlier this year.

The firm has also advised The Living Company on its partnership with Lendlease and the City of Melbourne to deliver student accommodation at the Queen Victoria Market, its acquisition of the Marrickville Timberyards to develop build-to-rent homes, its partnership with Deicorp to develop build-to-rent homes in Zetland, and its acquisition of a development site in Sydney's Redfern from EG Funds.

This deal is the latest example of HSF Kramer’s market-leading work in the real estate sector. Other recent examples include the firm advising: 

• The Living Company on a co-living and student housing development in Sydney’s Blackwattle Bay
• EdgeConnex on its 50/50 partnership with property group Stockland
• Nuveen on its acquisition of a logistics property in Sydney
• Centuria on its purchase of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest glasshouse
• Keppel REIT on its acquisition of Top Ryde City Shopping Centre, Sydney 
• TrustCapital Advisors on its acquisition of 750 Collins Street, Melbourne 
• Lendlease on its partnership with Nippon Steel Kowa Real Estate to deliver a build-to-rent apartment development at 899 Collins Street, Docklands