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Sacred Heart EOI | Abbotsford Convent Foundation | August 2017 1
CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTERESTS ABBOTSFORD CONVENT, SACRED HEART TENANCIES
CONTENTS
ABOUT THE ABBOTSFORD CONVENT FOUNDATION (ACF) Section 1, Page 2
ACF STRATEGIC DIRECTION Section 2, Page 3
ACF Core Values Page 4
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (SHEOI) Section 3, Page 5
Mandatory compliance material Page 5 Assessment criteria Page 6 Key Considerations Page 8
ROOM SIZES AND DESCRIPTIONS Section 4, Page 10
Room specifications and Floor plans Page 10 - 15 Enquiry contact details Page 16
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SECTION 1. ABOUT THE ABBOTSFORD CONVENT FOUNDATION
The Abbotsford Convent Foundation (ACF) is seeking Expressions of Interest from individuals or
organisations who work in or are aligned to arts, culture and/or learning to become tenants of the Sacred
Heart building, joining the Abbotsford Convent community.
Just four kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD and spread over 16 acres, the Abbotsford Convent – with its 11
historic buildings and gardens – is Australia’s largest multi-arts precinct. A former Convent of the Good
Shepherd, this ex-monastic site is now owned by the Abbotsford Convent Foundation (ACF), a not-for-profit
organisation that operates the Abbotsford Convent on behalf of the public.
Today, the Convent is home to over 100 studios, two galleries, cafes, a radio station, a school, and an
abundance of green open space. Each year the Convent welcomes a diverse range of arts projects,
rehearsals, workshops, exhibitions, markets, events and festivals. In addition to our fantastic hospitality
service providers, the Convent is home to:
artists (from ceramicists to writers)
creatives (from industrial designers to architects)
organisations (from environmentally focused not for profits to industry service bodies)
wellbeing practitioners (from Tibetan Massage to Psychotherapy).
Being part of the Abbotsford Convent has many benefits because joining our diverse community offers
wide-ranging support, collaboration and cross-pollination. The Abbotsford Convent is a vibrant and active
community where space is in high demand.
For more information, go to abbotsfordconvent.com.au
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SECTION 2. ACF STRATEGIC DIRECTION
The ACF Business Plan defines our Vision as:
“To be renowned for stimulating community engagement and cultural exchange through the wonderful and
unexpected curiosities of our people and our place.”
The ACF’s Business Plan details our priorities, our market, what we will do and the results we are seeking
in the short and medium term. Our actions and desired results are supported by operational plans, including
targets against which our performance and achievement of our objectives will be measured.
The ACF’s strategic priorities are congruent with our values. They are the roadmap that has been
developed to lead us to our vision. The ACF Board has four main aims for this next phase of the ACF’s
custodianship of the Convent site.
1. ACTIVATION – the Abbotsford Convent will be a catalyst for cultural development, animated by
creative and entrepreneurial people. It will be a place that encourages cultural engagement in a
broad civic and social sense, as well as fostering excellence in the fine and applied arts
2. PLACE – the Convent will be a place that inspires, supports and reflects a vibrant mix of cultural
and community activities while conserving and enhancing the heritage assets of the Convent and
ensuring maximum access and amenity for all visitors
3. VIABILITY – the ACF will achieve financial independence through uses that generate income and
extend the scope and quality of outcomes relating to the place and its activation
4. GOVERNANCE – the ACF will make decisions and perform our role in a manner that reflects our
core values and that encourages accountability, operational efficiency and responsiveness to
needs as they arise.
The ACF’s 17/18 – 21/22 Business Plan is available at: abbotsfordconvent.com.au/about/governance
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THE ACF CORE VALUES
EMPOWERMENT
We offer a program experience and landscape that helps people live well. Our community is engaged, and
feels ownership of and responsibility for the Convent.
DISTINCTIVENESS
We make our place the home of arts and cultural innovation, often at the engine room of independent
practice, which we share with our clients, audiences and visitors through unique and distinctive programs.
RESILIENCE
We constantly seek to be a strong organisation. We adopt an entrepreneurial approach that is consolidated
through continually improved systems, renewed and new partnerships and a commitment to providing
excellence in our overall client and visitor experience.
RELATIONSHIPS
We nurture, renew and inspire our partners, communities, visitors and audiences through the depth and
breadth of our engagement opportunities.
LIVING LEGACY
We acknowledge the past. At the same time, we look to the future. We seek to understand the needs of our
communities and continually evolve our site, programs and experiences to stimulate new conversations and
stay at the forefront of contemporary practice.
DISCOVERY
We share our point of view and invite participation to stimulate emotional responses and transformational
ideas about our place and the world around us.
POTENTIAL
We encourage our team to contribute by bringing their passions and expertise to the table, empowering
them to reach their individual and collective potential.
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SECTION 3.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
The ACF is seeking Sacred Heart Expressions of Interest (SHEOI) from parties interested in joining the
Convent community as tenants. Stage 1 of the process is submitting a written SHEOI. Subsequently, the
ACF may call on you to supply further information or more detail about certain elements of your SHEOI at a
second stage SHEOI interview.
The ACF will be convening a selection panel of experts who will assess both the evidence and
demonstration of the compliance of your SHEOI and the quality of the response to the Selection Criteria
through stage 1 and, if required, stage 2 of the process.
SHEOIs must:
Be no more than 8 pages (note this does not include support material such as referees, annual reports,
etc.)
Clearly identify the tenancy space you are expressing your interest in by referring to the room number –
please see the room specifications and floorplans for reference
Provide an overview of your work including your values and aspirations and audience demographics
SHEOI contact person, name, role, email, phone and mobile
Provide evidence items included in the mandatory compliance materials section below
Provide a detailed response to the assessment criteria (no more than 2 pages)
MANDATORY COMPLIANCE MATERIAL
The following must be supplied with your SHEOI:
Evidence that the fit out plan has minimal impact on this heritage building and enables flexibility for
future usage of the space
Evidence that the tenant can meet its financial commitments
Evidence of business track record
Evidence of Credentials/Achievements/Referees
Does not present additional obligation or financial commitments for the ACF
Evidence of good governance and management
Evidence that the tenancy proposal aligns to the Convent timeframes for the Sacred Heart
refurbishment.
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ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
1. ACTIVATION
Context: That Sacred Heart tenants:
- Contribute positively to the overall activation of the Convent.
- Encourage engagement with contemporary arts and culture.
Depending on the nature of your proposal and business focus, the selection panel will consider items such
as:
Creative Potential:
- Offers a core business activity related to contemporary arts, culture and/or learning
- Collaboration across and/or contribution to the ACF tenant community
- Provides a program that will enable site activation
- Contributes to a diversity of arts and cultural forms and expressions that make up the Convent’s
tenant community
Audience and Market Development:
- Programs/activities will bring audiences to the Convent
- Proposes public programming outcomes you will deliver for Convent audiences
- Will attract diverse clients, visitors and/or audiences to the Convent
- Has market development opportunities that will benefit the Convent’s clients, visitors and/or
audiences such as retail, workshops, classes, performances, exhibitions etc.
- The calibre of the proposed tenant positively impacts on the ACF’s reputation.
2. PLACE
Context: That Sacred Heart tenants enable Convent activation in a way that:
- Conserves and enhances the heritage assets of the Convent
- And ensures maximum access and amenity for all visitors.
Depending on the nature of your proposal and business focus, the selection panel will consider items such
as:
Usage:
- Plans enable maintenance of flexibility for future usage of the space
- Plan provides modern, high quality facilities and infrastructure
- Plan is a good fit for purpose
Impact:
- Plan supports access and amenity for ACF tenants or clients, visitors and/or audiences
- Any external elements of the plan make a positive impact on the precinct
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3. VIABILITY
Context: That Sacred Heart tenants contribute positively to the ACF's financial independence
Depending on the nature of your proposal and business focus, the selection panel will consider items such
as:
Financial Plan:
- Proposal provides evidence that the plan is funded by the proposed tenant and does not present
additional obligation or financial commitments for the ACF
- Plan provides modern, high quality facilities and infrastructure
Impact:
- The business strategy in the proposal articulates financial benefit for other tenants and/or the
Convent (such as event delivery increasing car park usage or retail component can benefit others
in the community)
- The proposal does not negatively impact on other tenants’ financial viability.
4. GOVERNANCE
Context: That Sacred Heart tenants have sound and effective governance that aligns to the
Convent’s core values
Depending on the nature of your proposal and business focus, the selection panel will consider items such
as:
Alignment:
- Proposal includes an outline of business goals and values, identifying synergy to the Convent’s
strategic direction
Professionalism:
- SHEOI outlines organisational structure, demonstrating good governance
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KEY CONSIDERATIONS
NELSON ALEXANDER COMMERCIAL
The ACF has engaged real estate agency Nelson Alexander Commercial (NA) to assist the ACF in
managing the SHEOI process. All enquiries and applications will go to Simon Verduci, Sales & Leasing /
Partner at Nelson Alexander with contact details below.
In addition to the SHEOI application detailed above, you are required to complete the Commercial Tenant
Application Form provided via the Nelson Alexander Commercial website.
nelsonalexander.com.au/commercial
LEASE TERMS
Flexible lease terms are being offered and will be dependent upon the level of tenant fit-out and size of
space sought. The minimum lease period will be two years and the maximum will be ten years.
TIMELINES
Timelines for the SHEOI process are as follows*:
SHEOI application period commences: 1 August 2017
SHEOI application period closes: 5pm Wednesday 18 October 2017
Evaluation period: 19 October – mid-November 2017
Negotiation phase with preferred tenants: Mid-November – mid-December 2017
Tenant fit-out and move in period: Mid-January to end February 2018
Scheduled building official opening: March 2018
*Please note timeframes are subject to change, depending on progress of restoration work.
See Section 4 for detailed room specifications and floorplans.
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WHEN AND HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION
Applications are due 5pm Wednesday 18 October 2017.
The application process will be managed by Nelson Alexander Commercial
The selection assessment will be undertaken by the Abbotsford Convent Foundation, which manages the
Abbotsford Convent.
Completed applications should be sent via email to:
Simon Verduci
Nelson Alexander Commercial
T: 03 9419 5511
Damien TheiszNelson Alexander CommercialE: [email protected]: 0448 319 171
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SECTION 4.
ROOM SPECIFICATIONS AND FLOOR PLANS
The Sacred Heart tenancies detailed below all include building-wide hydronic heating and a split cooling
system. The area will have a service point for cold water and waste, unless stated otherwise, with any
further specifics as part of a kitchenette to be installed by the tenant, including hot water if required.
ADSL2+ telephone and data mounted point and electrical wiring for one floor box in each tenancy area is in
place, along with general power outlets on moduline strips. Installation of the floor boxes is to be
undertaken by the tenant.
Area Description
Tenancies
Ground Level.
9 separate spaces are available as shown below:
Tenancy 1: 85m²
Tenancy 2: 60m²
Tenancy 3: 27m²
Tenancy 4: 27m²
Tenancy 5: 20m²
Tenancy 6: 26m²
Tenancy 7: 75m²
Tenancy 8: 39m²
Tenancy 11: 148m²
These rooms will keep specific heritage features inclusive of original flooring, original joinery and
units, and rendered masonry in line with the heritage allocation.
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Area Description
Tenancy 12
Level 1.
Total Area is
204m²
This is made up of one large area of 175m² and two small adjacent utility rooms of 16m² and 10m²
respectively.
The area will keep specific heritage features within the refurbishment inclusive of timber flooring,
heritage basins, tiling and some character based structures in line with the heritage allocation.
Tenancy 13
Level 1.
Total Area is
188m²
This is made up of two medium sized areas of 78m² and 75m² and two small adjacent rooms of
17m² and 13m² respectively.
The area will keep specific heritage features within the refurbishment inclusive of timber flooring,
original joinery units, low height staircase, ceramic tiling and rendered masonry in line with the
heritage allocation.
Tenancy 14
Level 1.
Total Area is
213m²
This is made up of one large area of 170m² and two small adjacent rooms of 17m² and 21m²
respectively.
Includes two heritage basins with working cold water and installation of hot water is to be installed
by the tenant.
The area will keep specific heritage features within the refurbishment inclusive of two washroom
areas and basins, timber flooring, original joinery units, ceramic and wall tiling and rendered
masonry in line with the heritage allocation.
Tenancy 15
Level 1.
Total Area is
232m²
This is made up of one large area of 198m² and two small adjacent rooms of 13m² and 20m²
respectively.
The area will keep specific heritage features within the refurbishment inclusive of timber flooring,
original joinery units, ceramic tiling and rendered masonry in line with the heritage allocation.
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Area Description
Tenancy 16
Level 2.
Total Area is
107m²
This is made up of one large area of 107m².
The area will keep specific heritage features within the refurbishment inclusive of exposed trusses,
timber flooring, original joinery and rendered masonry in line with the heritage allocation.
Tenancy 17
Level 2.
Total Area is
82m²
This is made up of one large area of 82m².
The area will keep specific heritage features within the refurbishment inclusive of exposed trusses,
timber flooring, original joinery unit and rendered masonry in line with the heritage allocation.
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Weblinks
abbotsfordconvent.com.au
Abbotsford Convent Foundation 2017 - 2020 Business Plan
nelsonalexander.com.au/commercial
For all enquiries please contact
Simon Verduci
Sales & Leasing / Partner
Nelson Alexander Commercial
T: 03 9419 5511
Damien TheiszNelson Alexander CommercialE: [email protected]: 0448 319 171
