North Ryde. $40.5 million sale

Macquarie University has purchased a seven-level office building in Macquarie Park for $40.5 million, from Challenger Diversified Property Group and Challenger Life. The sale is the first institutional investment sale at Macquarie Park since mid-2009, according to The Australian Financial Review.

Region. My University website

The Tertiary Education Minister, Chris Evans, will launch the My University website, today, It details each of the 39 public universities’ institution's fees, courses, cut-offs, lecturer qualifications, student satisfaction rates, graduate employment outcomes, enrolment numbers and student/staff ratios. It also encourages students to directly compare institutions across fields of study. The website cost $1.5 million to create and is expected to receive millions of hits from domestic and international students

Rydalmere. Food testing facility

ALS Global has lodged a DA with Parramatta City Council to locate a food and pharmaceutical testing laboratory, in South Street, Rydalmere. The company operates more than 300 laboratories in 50 countries across Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America.

Parramatta. Call on Premier

Parramatta City Council will call on Premier Barry O’ Farrell and relevant state ministers seeking their support for Parramatta 10,000, a campaign aimed at delivering 10,000 new local jobs over the next five years. “The simple fact is that by 2036 more than half of Sydney’s population will reside in the western suburbs, so it is vital that we continue to provide employment opportunities to keep pace with this residential growth,” said Lord Mayor, Lorraine Wearne.

Westmead. $3.5 million project

Kane Constructions has been awarded a contract to extend and upgrade the existing Emergency Department at Westmead Hospital.This $3.5 million project involves a two level extension and a staged refurbishment of the Emergency and Acute Resuscitation wards. Procured through a competitive lump sum tender, the project will commence in March 2012. This is Kane’s third project under construction in the precinct.

Parramatta. NBN available in 2014

While the entire National Broadband Network project is expected to take around a decade to complete, Parramatta will join the network in 2014. “Parramatta is home to some of the biggest organisations in Australia that need this kind of high-level technology and connectivity,” said Lord Mayor, Lorraine Wearne.

Region. University is one of six

Macquarie University is one of six universities to partner the Centre for International Finance and Regulation in providing education and training programs at honours, master and doctoral levels. “We want to be a key influencer on the international stage in terms of best practice regulation and policies for the financial sector,” said Ros Brady, the centre’s CEO. The education, research and advisory centre is charged with positioning Sydney as the services hub in the Asia-Pacific region.

Erskine Park. $30 million deal

Logistics group, DB Schenker, has leased an office and warehouse complex, of 21,000 square metres plus, at Erskine Park. The deal is worth about $30 million, according to sources, The Australian Financial Review said. The company will occupy a $25 million facility newly built, speculatively, by the DEXUS Property Group. DEXUS bought a 7.6-hectare site in Lenore Drive in 2010 for more than $15 million, with part of it sold in July 2011 for $10.1 million..