State by State New South Wales
New South Wales
Architect impression of the Camperdown Project (courtesy Hassell Architects) 
Architect impression of the Camperdown Project (courtesy Hassell Architects) “The Mercy Foundation has been behind this project from the start. We are very excited there will soon be more permanent supportive housing for people who have experienced chronic homelessness in Sydney. Without additional housing and support options we are never going to solve homelessness.” - Felicity Reynolds, CEO Mercy Foundation. Common Ground Sydney was officially launched at an event hosted by KPMG on 9 September 2008. The event was attended by the Federal Minister for Housing, Hon Tanya Plibersek, the NSW Premier and Ministers for Housing and Community Services, and the patron of the Australian Common Ground Alliance, Thérèse Rein. The NSW Government and the NSW Common Ground Advisory Group, which includes the Mercy Foundation, Baptist Community Services, City of Sydney, KPMG and a number of individuals, made a commitment to work together to make the first Common Ground building in NSW a reality. Over the following year, the NSW Common Ground Advisory Group worked to identify a suitable site for a Common Ground building close to the inner city and in July 2009, the NSW Minister for Housing David Borger formally announced the site in Camperdown. Housing NSW is now managing the project's capital program and facilitating the development of the support services. The building is jointly funded by the NSW Government and the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. The Common Ground project is a six storey, 104 unit purpose-built residential building. Designed by Hassell architects, it is located in the inner city suburb of Camperdown, between Pyrmont Bridge Road, Lyons Road, Lambert Street and Layton Street. The 104 units are a mix of self contained studios, one and two-bedroom apartments, with ground floor space for on-site support services. The building will include communal gardens and a 24/7 concierge to provide security for tenants, and is expected to be completed in November 2011. Grocon is constructing the building ‘at cost’. This is a similar commitment to the company’s contribution to Common Ground buildings in other states, including the Melbourne Elizabeth Street building. Grocon was selected through a competitive tender process managed by Housing NSW. Grocon is continuing its significant national corporate support of Common Ground, not just through undertaking construction of the Camperdown building at cost. The company will also employ two formerly homeless people on the project and retain them as part of its full time workforce beyond the completion of the project. Subcontractors will be encouraged to do the same. Grocon is also working with the Redfern Waterloo Authority to implement its Aboriginal employment protocol on the project. Also selected through tender was the community housing provider (tenancy manager), MA Housing. The Mercy Foundation and other members of the NSW Advisory Group continue to be actively involved in supporting the development and advising on the model. The project's support service provider is expected to be announced in 2011. For further information, visit the Housing NSW website. |
It's a great privilege for Grocon to be involved in Common Ground Sydney, having already completed a project in Melbourne and also having recently been appointed to a 146 apartment facility in South Brisbane. We began on site in Camperdown in August 2010 and we are hoping to finish before the end of next year. Working on this project has given me, and the rest of the Grocon team, a real insight into a social issue about which we knew very little. Working with groups like Mission Australia and the Mercy Foundation, who support homeless people, is a real learning experience for us and we are just happy to bring our expertise as a builder to the table."