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RBA Sydney HQ Renovation Soars to A$1.2 Billion as Board Weighs Options

Extensive asbestos contamination forces a full strip back to the steel frame.

Overview

  • The latest estimate, confirmed by an RBA spokesperson, lifts the project from roughly A$260 million to about A$1.2 billion.
  • An FOI release reported asbestos in all structural elements on every floor at levels four to five times expectations.
  • A document cited by the Australian Financial Review says the bank has already committed A$539 million to the redevelopment.
  • Heritage protections and the presence of critical financial infrastructure complicate remediation and redesign.
  • The project is currently forecast to finish in 2031, and the governance board is reportedly considering selling the Martin Place building.