Amazon founder and executive chairman Jeff Bezos (Getty Images)
In today’s review of real estate news from around the region, Amazon Australia commits more than A$750 million to build Queensland’s first robotics fulfilment centre, Mapletree breaks ground on a warehouse near Kyoto’s city centre, and Hong Kong authorities raid the equity capital markets divisions of Citic Securities and Guotai Junan amid a booming listings market.
Amazon to Build $535M Robot-Power Shed at Charter Hall Queensland Project
Amazon Australia has announced plans to invest more than A$750 million ($535 million) to build Queensland’s first Amazon robotics fulfilment centre in North Maclean, south of Brisbane. Targeted for completion in 2028, the facility will cover 150,000 square metres (1.6 million square feet) across four levels.
The company said the centre will create more than 1,000 permanent jobs once operational, with a further 2,000 positions during construction, and will have capacity to process over 125 million packages a year. Read more>>
Korea’s Koramco Acquires Icheon Logistics Centre for $6.3M
Koramco Asset Management has acquired Logispoint Hobeop, a dry logistics centre in South Korea’s Icheon, for KRW 9.3 billion ($6.3 million). The facility spans 49,600 square metres (533,890 square feet) and is fully leased to Nike and Hanyang affiliate HYL.
Koramco said the deal marks its second logistics investment under its new industrial division, targeting the Deokpyeong and Seoicheon logistics cluster in Seoul’s southeastern metropolitan area. CEO Jangho Yoon said the asset’s 0 percent vacancy rate makes it highly competitive amid rising scarcity in the market. Read more>>
Hanwha REIT Named Preferred Bidder for Seoul’s E-Mart Tower at $236M
Hanwha REIT has been selected as preferred bidder to acquire E-Mart Tower, a prime-grade office in Seoul’s Jung district, in a deal the investment banking industry expects to total KRW 350 billion ($236.3 million). The building spans 19 above-ground floors with a total floor area of 34,170 square metres (367,803 square feet).
E-Mart has occupied the building since relocating its headquarters in 2022, with a lease running to February 2033. Seller NH-Amundi Asset Management, which acquired the tower for KRW 252 billion in 2020, is expected to book a profit of KRW 100 billion. Read more>>
Macquarie Technology Secures $142M Hybrid Investment From Australia’s NRFC
Macquarie Technology Group has secured a A$200 million ($142 million) hybrid investment from the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation, a sovereign investor established by the Australian Government to support nationally significant digital infrastructure and defence projects, the company announced.
Proceeds will fund sovereign cloud and cybersecurity services within Macquarie’s Cloud Services and Government business unit. CEO David Tudehope said the capital provides long-term funding flexibility and diversifies the company’s funding sources without diluting existing shareholders. Read more>>
Mapletree Breaks Ground on 72,000 Sqm Kyoto Logistics Centre
Singapore’s Mapletree has broken ground on a four-storey ramp-up warehouse in Japan’s Kyoto prefecture. The Mapletree Kyoto Logistics Centre will span more than 72,000 square metres (775,002 square feet) on a site 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) from Kyoto’s city centre, serving last-mile distribution for the region.
The facility is the second new development under Mapletree Japan Investment Country Private Trust to break ground in the first quarter of 2026, with completion targeted for the second half of 2027. Read more>>
Charter Hall Eyes Full Control of Sydney’s O’Connell Precinct as Lendlease Signals Exit
Charter Hall is moving towards full control of Sydney’s O’Connell Street precinct after Lendlease’s Australian Prime Property Fund Commercial served the developer a pre-emptive notice to exit its remaining stake. Charter Hall last month acquired the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority’s half-interest in the precinct for A$500 million ($356.6 million).
The five assets occupy a combined freehold site area of 6,177 square metres (66,489 square feet) in Sydney’s city centre. CEO David Harrison said Charter Hall is more likely to reposition the buildings than pursue the 72-storey supertall tower previously proposed by Lendlease. Read more>>
Morgan Stanley Hires Contract Staff in Hong Kong to Capitalise on IPO Surge
Morgan Stanley has begun hiring one-year contract staff in Hong Kong to handle a surge in stock listings, a first for a Wall Street bank in the region, three sources told Reuters. The bank formed a team of about 10 contractors in the fourth quarter of 2025 to support IPO due diligence work, mainly for Chinese companies.
Hong Kong ranked as the world’s top listing venue in 2025 with IPO proceeds surging 231 percent to $37.4 billion. The Securities and Futures Commission last month warned 13 banks over deficiencies in listing applications, intensifying pressure on institutions to add qualified staff. Read more>>
Hong Kong Authorities Raid Citic Securities and Guotai Junan Amid Market Boom
Hong Kong authorities raided the equity capital markets divisions of Citic Securities’ local unit and Guotai Junan International Holdings, taking at least one senior executive in for questioning, people familiar with the matter said. Guotai Junan confirmed that one employee was detained and documents seized, and said it had immediately suspended the individual.
The Securities and Futures Commission declined to comment. The raid comes as the city experiences a significant resurgence in capital markets activity — Hong Kong was the world’s top IPO destination in 2025 and regulators have stepped up scrutiny of brokerages amid the listings boom. Read more>>
Tune in again soon for more real estate news and be sure to follow @Mingtiandi on X, or bookmark Mingtiandi’s LinkedIn page for headlines as they happen.
Leave a Reply