After two chaotic weeks of moving, Anglican Media Sydney's 11 staff members have unpacked the last of the boxes and are now settling in to their new offices in Parramatta.
The office relocation process began 18 months ago when the Anglican Media Council first talked seriously about moving operations away from their Northbridge premises.
"We had a lot of capital tied up in an ageing building that was under-utilised,” says Anglican Media CEO, Allan Dowthwaite.
“It made sense to free up some of that capital, and at the same time provide a better, more accessible, working environment for staff.”
The pros of Parramatta
Mr Dowthwaite says three main factors influenced the choice of Parramatta over other possible locations.
"We have been able to purchase a much better premises at Parramatta than we would have got for the same money in North Sydney or the city, for example," he says.
"Also, moving to Parramatta makes us more geographically central to the diocese, and that makes it easier for us to get out there, find out what's going on in parishes and report the news."
The final consideration was that the majority of Anglican Media Sydney's employees live in Sydney's greater west.
"This move has cut my commuting time by almost an hour each way," says New Media Manager Mark Hadley. "As a father to two young boys, having the extra time to spend with my family is a real blessing."
The offices, which are located in the Parramatta Business Centre on O'Connell St, were purchased in June and have undergone extensive refurbishment over the last three months.
They contain a large open plan office space, as well as meeting rooms, an editing suite and a small studio.
The Northbridge property, an old Presbyterian church bought by the Anglican Television Society in the late 1970s, has been sold to Willoughby City Council who will use it for a new public library.
Anglican Media Sydney also has a small office in the newly refurbished St Andrew's House.
"That gives us a presence in the city if people need to contact us there," Mr Dowthwaite says.
