Michael Pascoe writes:


What is it about Fairfax chairman
Ron Walker and real estate? As well as wanting to move the company’s Sydney paper out of
the CBD, he reportedly wants to shift The Age as well.

The Age itself reports the Fairfax board yesterday had a new Melbourne
headquarters on its agenda.

But not only is a move on the cards,
Real Estate Ron is considering building a new bunker in the Docklands.

Fairfax went to the market last year with a space requirement for 15,000
square metres and have an option on the vacant site opposite Southern Cross
Station, which is owned by the Docklands management authority, VicUrban.

According to a property source, Fairfax has
appointed architect Bates Smart to design the building, which will include an
airspace development above the former Spencer Street
rail-yards.

There’s nothing like designing a new
building, building the thing and moving to chew up money, which makes one
wonder about the focus of the Fairfax board. It is notoriously light on newspaper experience, but it
least it has a few real estate types. Maybe they feel more at home with
architects than journalists.

Never mind the quality, feel the plans.