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After 12 years at Taylor and an extensive portfolio of prior experience, Team Taylor bids farewell to Quality Assurance & Compliance Manager, Stephen Player, as he embarks on this new chapter of retirement.  

With a career spanning over 50 years, Steve’s journey in the construction industry has been impressive. Beginning at AV Jennings as a Leading Hand, then continuing his journey through esteemed companies like Fletcher Construction, John Holland, and Abigroup. Steve’s dedicated length of service is a testament to his expertise and unwavering commitment.  

Joining the team in 2011, Steve brought with him a wealth of knowledge and a passion for quality and compliance that quickly became the gold standard within Taylor. His meticulous attention to detail and his deep understanding of industry regulations have played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of our projects, ensuring that every structure we built not only met, but often exceeded the highest standard of quality and safety, from commercial buildings to maximum security facilities.   

From implementing corporate and project procedures and forms and conducting project procurement and quality audits, through to applying cost effective systems, improving subcontractor lettings, and assisting with contract administration – Steve has undoubtedly played an integral role in Taylor’s operations behind the scenes. 

In addition to these professional contributions, Steve is reliable, hardworking, and incredibly devoted. A quiet achiever, his highly efficient and procedural approach has made him a reliable and trusted team leader and mentor to others. Not to mention he has always been actively involved in our charity and community initiatives, making every effort to strengthen key relationships on this front. 

We wish to commemorate and acknowledge his hard work, valued contributions, and many achievements throughout his successful career.  

Congratulations Steve – Team Taylor thanks you for your dedicated service and wishes you a retirement filled with relaxion, joy, and the satisfaction you have made a lasting difference. 

The First Building in Australia’s newest city is beginning to take shape, with significant progress being made over the past couple of months. Following the erection of the steel cruciform columns, the team has successfully installed the Glulam timber beams spanning across the columns of the office space and the central spine. On Level 1, Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) slabs have also been installed in the office space, and the first pair of Bondek slabs within the building’s core have been poured.

The extensive use of timber throughout the structure demonstrates how contemporary urban landscapes can be successfully represented in modern placemaking, while simultaneously meeting sustainability targets. Using CLT and Glulam timber beams will reduce the project’s overall embodied carbon emissions, with the timber structure designed for disassembly or relocation.

Works on the lower ground floor are also progressing well. The team have dug six meters below the surface to install the substantial 150 kilolitre Rainwater Tank at the south of the Manufacturing Hall. The core stairs between the Lower Ground and Ground Floor have been poured, enhancing the building’s internal connectivity.

October and November saw steady progress of works as Team Taylor ticked off several project milestones, namely the unveiling of the Foundation Stone. Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh, recently visited the College to officially reveal the stone and masonry structure which has been intricately built to a traditional Scottish Baronial design. Celebrated widely across the College’s community and press, the unveiling marks a key milestone as the project moves steadily toward completion in 2024.

Beyond the Foundation Stone, another significant milestone has been the dropping of the scaffold. This has been progressively removed over the past couple of months, with the remaining half of the façade approaching completion.

Internally, the Ground Floor concrete topping slab with an integrated Indigenous artwork has been poured and finished, with the remaining internal fit-out, including joinery, progressing. The unique topping slab was designed by the Indigenous art organisation, 500 Voices which has been created with intensive research and consultation, resulting in a bespoke design culturally relevant to Country and its ancient traditions.

Both the First and Second Floors are very close to completion with the majority of high-end plaster mouldings and partition walls finished. Primary works are taking place on the Third, Fourth and Fifth Floors where plaster mouldings, joinery, carpentry, and tiling finishes are in progress. The Fifth Floor balcony balustrade is also complete with other elements of the roof structure such as slate and lead works being finalised.

The project team is facilitating regular tours of the John Cunningham Student Centre which, upon completion, is set to create a new, accessible learning and study environment delivering several key benefits to the College community. These comprise multiple new learning spaces, dedicated pastoral care and counselling facilities, improved academic research spaces, enhanced accessibility routes and new formal function rooms on the upper levels.

A Commitment to Change and Excellence

Jessica Evans has been Taylor’s Client Relationship Manager for three years. During this time, she has been a passionate leader in building and maintaining strong relationships with clients, consultants and internally with the broader Taylor Team. This has been evident in her ability to nurture and strengthen industry connections. This appointment works in tandem with her role at Taylor, where she supports the business in building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships.

Jess brings a wealth of experience and passion to NAWIC, where she has been instrumental in driving strategic changes and fostering key stakeholder engagement within the property and construction sectors. Her efforts have been centered around advocating for meaningful change, connecting with organisations to support this mission, and engaging at a national level to develop strategies to improve the industry and its people.

This appointment is a testament to Jess’s dedication and aligns with NAWIC’s mission to support and empower women from diverse backgrounds and career stages in construction.

Kicking off the summer season in style, the Taylor team recently enjoyed a relaxed, laid-back afternoon with colleagues and their families at Centennial Homestead for our Annual Christmas Party.

The event catered to all ages, with our priority being to create an environment where every team member, regardless of age or family responsibilities, felt welcomed and actively involved. It is a legacy event for Taylor and one that holds a special place in our company’s culture as an opportunity to meet the extended members of our Taylor family.

The day was filled with laughter and bonding among colleagues. With cocktail pop-up bars serving Aperol Spritz and Margaritas, employees had the chance to unwind and mingle in a casual atmosphere. To add to the vibrant setting, there was an array of activities for all ages! Kids enjoyed face painting, a glitter bar, decorating baubles and playing sports with Spiderman and Wonder Woman. The petting zoo and reptile show were popular amongst both adults and children. The tug-of-war was also a big hit (especially for the big kids!), with some friendly competition amongst the team. In true Taylor tradition, Santa joined us for the event, taking photos with families and gifting the children with presents.

Taylor is pleased to celebrate Scott Dobson reaching his 10 years of service. A diligent, organised and highly regarded industry figure, Scott has certainly made his mark not only at Taylor, but also on several iconic Sydney projects spanning across a variety of sectors. Primarily working in our Refurbishment & Live Environments division, Scott played an instrumental role in the delivery of Marriott Hotel Circular Quay and NSW Children’s Court, through to the Powerhouse Museums Discovery Centre, and more recently, Rosebery Engine Yards and The Scots College.  

Scott exhibits a commendable ability to manage expectations and build trusting relationships with a large cohort of our clients and key industry partners. His profound understanding of contracts and financial management has cemented his reputation as a reliable and accomplished Senior Contract Administrator at Taylor and within the industry.  

Beyond project delivery, Scott is one of our cultural leads and fundraising champions who is passionate about giving back to the community. In recent years he has independently raised over $20,000 for our charity partners, leading by example and setting a solid foundation for our broader team to build upon. His exceptional efforts have been recognised multiple times, consecutively leading the charts as the ‘Top Individual Fundraiser’ for the Property Industry Foundation’s (PIF) SleepOut in 2022 and 2023. Scott has also been paramount in driving our fundraising success for our Charity Golf Days and PIF Hard Hat Day BBQs and remains an influential advocate in this space.

Taylor and Scape Australia recently joined special guests to celebrate the topping out of Scape Kingsford, marking the completion of the project’s highest structural point.

The Topping Out Ceremony was led by Project Director, Peter Yamin, who welcomed guests and commenced formalities with a Welcome to Country. Philip Bermingham, General Manager – Major Projects, acknowledged the collaborative efforts responsible for reaching this milestone, followed by Tim Peel, Chief Financial Officer of Scape, thanking Taylor’s delivery team and other key stakeholders for their dedication and contributions.

Keeping with tradition, a tree was placed on top of the 18-storey building as a symbol of good luck for future occupants. Following formalities, a site tour was provided to guests to appreciate the impressive milestones achieved.

In support of the UN Women’s Global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence Campaign, Taylor joined the Property Council of Australia and Champions of Change Coalition as they hosted a panel discussion over lunch.

The industry-wide event addressed the impacts of domestic and family violence in our workplaces and society, and provided valuable insights into the collective actions we can take to contribute towards a safer and more equitable industry. Australia’s Minister for Social Services, Hon Amanda Rishworth MP provided a keynote address followed by a panel discussion moderated by Elizabeth Broderick AO, Founder of the Champions of Change Coalition.

As the nation’s largest employer, the property sector plays a vital role in investing in gender-based violence prevention. It is crucial to understand how organisations can support their staff and incorporate gender equality conversations in their workplaces.

Congratulations to our Gordon Quarter project team for being awarded the National Lifestyle Housing for Seniors Award– Retirement Villages at the Master Builders Association Excellence in Building and Construction Awards 2023.

Working closely with Anglicare and Allen Jack+Cottier Architects, Taylor brought this state-of-the-art development to life. The redevelopment includes 40 new independent living units, a brand-new 107 Roden Cutler Lodge residential aged care home, and the Burnham Thorpe Heritage Conversion to new living apartments and community spaces.

Gordon Quarter also features new community facilities including a Café, snooker room, wine cellar, and outdoor BBQ areas, as well as spacious common areas, beautifully landscaped gardens and terraces, staff facilities and associated carparking.

Respecting the history and heritage of the existing Burnham Thorpe building was a significant component of this project. By collaborating with the local community, the Taylor team maximised every opportunity to protect and enhance existing architecture, as well as maintain fauna and flora DA requirements.

Congratulations to our client, Anglicare, consultants and subcontractors for their dedication in the delivery of this multiple-award winning project.

Learn more about Gordon Quarter here.