Commercial property industry professionals say industrial land in Melbourne is finite. Does that really translate into high-spec warehouse space as ‘the new ‘man cave’ for business, storage and lifestyle integration’? Wise Words Media examines this marketing play for new business as well as looking into The Rise of CoWorking Hubs, WTF or WFH? and a future that is all about upwards, not outwards – according to the Victorian government.
The squeeze is on for commercial space in Melbourne.
As seen in the residential property market, demand is also outstripping supply in the commercial property sector. How does this development announcement reflect the wider range of planning and development issues in Melbourne, Australia where residents and businesses alike are furiously grappling with planning and development changes – not to mention cost-of-living and other economic pressures.
Going vertical is no longer optional, it’s the future.
Commercial property | High-spec warehouse space
In an announcement today with Cushman & Wakefield, Developer Paul Huggins of Momentum Global Development & Construction cites growing demand from investors and owner-occupiers for high-spec warehouse space as the driver behind Victoria’s highest multi-level industrial warehouse. This development marks a decisive shift in how industrial property is designed, owned and taxed.
Increasingly positioned as the new ‘man cave’, business, storage and lifestyle integration are not the only evolving needs and requirements of a fast-changing, modern workforce. Read more below: ‘Inside Victoria’s Highest Multi-Level ‘Man Cave’ Warehouse’.
The Rise of CoWorking Hubs
Separate to this announcement, Wise Words Media has been tracking development and evolution of commercial spaces into co-working hubs. The stand out leader in this space appears to be Waterman Workspaces. At last count Waterman Workspaces now has 19 office spaces throughout Melbourne and growing. New spaces recently announced and due to open during 2026 include: 525 Flinders St, Melbourne and Williams Landing in Melbourne’s bursting western suburbs.
WFH, not WTF
In advance of 2026 Victorian state election, the Victorian state Labour government is hell bent on reshaping working culture in Melbourne – and throughout Victoria – by legislative decree [1].
For Victorian Labour, it’s not about ‘WTF we gotta do to keep or win middle class voters?’ More simply WFH — ‘work from home’ to keep the working – and voting – Mums happy. Victorian employers are less than impressed. Victorian small business owners are sticking to BAU ‘WTF!?’ mantra as they fight to keep staff on-site.
Premier Jacinta Allen also sees the future as ‘upwards not outwards’.
Planning for the future as ‘upwards not outwards’
Melbourne is furiously grappling with planning and development changes announced by the same state government.
This exemplified by two policy announcments. The first coming quietly in the last days of 2023 – between Christmas Day and New Years Day: SLRA Draft Precinct Vision (Suburban Rail Loop – SRL East).
Also more recently Planned Activity Centre Programs affecting 60 local communities to drive higher density around local train stations.
Many communities see these planning proposals as an existential life-style threat. While actively contributing what they value most about their ‘home’ and living environments, residents and businesses are being asked to redefine and accept planning concepts that include new towers up to 20 storey’s. Proposed to sit on property boundaries with little consideration to car-parking, traffic congestion, local infrastructure, schools and amenities such as local parks and local sporting communitites.
Wise Words Media’s Sean McIntyre today confirmed as selected as one of 35 individuals to represent the Blackburn to Mitcham Community Reference Group (CRG) for the zone activity centres program (AKA Planned Activity Centre Programs).
‘Industrial land across Melbourne’s south-east corridor is finite. Going vertical is no longer optional, it’s the future’ – Developer Paul Huggins, Momentum Global Development & Construction.
Inside Victoria’s Highest Multi-Level ‘Man Cave’ Warehouse
Media Release | Cushman & Wakefield 3 March 2026 —
Victoria’s highest multi-level industrial warehouse is rising in Moorabbin, marking a decisive shift in how industrial property is designed, owned and taxed. Demolition has commenced at KEYS101, a four-level strata industrial development at 101 Keys Road that will become Victoria’s first four-storey industrial hub of this scale, and the first of its kind to offer individual strata ownership within a structure of this magnitude.
As industrial land across Melbourne’s south-east tightens to critical levels, developers are increasingly looking up instead of out. But KEYS101 is not simply another vertical warehouse.
READ MORE | WATCH MORE
MEDIA RELEASE – Tues 3 March 2026 | Commercial property: Inside Victoria’s Highest Multi-Level ‘Man Cave’ Warehouse
[1] Allan to target ‘time-pressed’ voters with blanket work-from-home rules
Victorian election | The state government is expected to make further announcements on its working from home plans as it spoils for an election-year fight with business groups. Labor also rules out work from home exemption for small business.
Bosses with only a handful of employees will be forced to comply with the state government’s proposed work from home laws after cabinet ruled out exemptions for small businesses from its re-election pitch to time-pressed workers.
While the government is yet to reveal the design of its contentious laws, a cabinet meeting on Monday agreed to extend a statutory right to work from home two days a week to all employees where feasible, regardless of their workplace or payroll size.
Premier Jacinta Allan announced her plans to legislate work from home rights last August and has promised to introduce the change before the November state election. At the time of the announcement, she left open the possibility of exempting small businesses and people in the early, provisional stage of employment.
