In a quiet, tree-lined street just 11kms from Melbourne’s CBD, a residential development is reshaping how Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) can look and feel. Named “Bumblebee”, this ten-apartment complex is more than a housing solution – it’s an example of purpose-driven design, with community and care at its core.
With its tan brick facade, green and brown powder-coated steel accents and soft architectural lines, the Bumblebee apartment complex in Glen Huntly stands out – not only for its striking beauty, but for what it represents.
Inside are ten generously proportioned one- and two-bedroom apartments that blend comfort and design-forward detail, with light-filled interiors, high ceilings, on-trend green joinery, and warm, inviting common areas. They also happen to be fully compliant with Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) regulations, providing accessibility for those within the High Physical Support category of the National Disability Insurance Scheme’s (NDIS’s) guidelines.
Nine apartments are designed to encourage independent living for tenants, while the tenth is reserved for an on-site support provider. This setup ensures 24/7 generalised assistance is available at the push of a button or via voice command, supplementing each tenant’s chosen care providers.
Developed by the Coffee Club Investment Group (CCIG) and delivered in partnership with Panplan, Bumblebee Glen Huntly is an example of how thoughtful design, accessibility and purpose can come together to create homes that change lives.
As a member of the SDA Alliance – the national peak body for ethical, participant-centred SDA development – Bank Australia is proud to support the project through our impact lending team.
Designed for accessibility and appeal
So, what does an accessible apartment actually look like?
For CCIG and Panplan, the answer was simple: like any other beautiful, modern apartment. “Our goal was never to build something that looked like a traditional SDA, where the focus is just function,” says Jason Perlstein, Panplan’s Development Director.
“Some of our tenants have spent months in hospital,” adds Les Silverstone, CCIG’s Group Managing Director. “When they come out, they don’t want to feel like they’re still there. This is a place our participants can truly feel at home.”
Each apartment features wide, automatic doorways, stepless transitions, height-adjustable kitchen benches, ceiling hoist points, and smart-home assistive technology, along with a private outdoor space. Crucially, each home is adaptable to suit the needs of the person who lives there.
“You don’t always know your tenant in advance,” says Les. “So we build to the highest standard and maintain flexibility with adjustable features and design elements that can evolve with the resident’s needs.”
For John Tousis, a Bumblebee tenant, those details make all the difference. “The extra living space, the attention to detail – things like the height of the microwave and the adjustable countertop – there’s just a real focus on living space that hasn’t always been apparent in the other SDAs that I’ve looked at,” he says.
From personal experience to purposeful design
Behind the Bumblebee project is CCIG’s Impact Fund, backed by a close-knit group of 30-50 investors. “We’re called the Coffee Club because these are people we’d genuinely sit and have a coffee with,” says Lance Blumenthal, Director of CCIG and a veteran property developer. “They’re values aligned. They care.”
The fund currently owns four SDA developments at various stages, with Glen Huntly being the first completed and Bumblebee Frankston nearing launch. For Lance, Bumblebee’s ethos is deeply personal. The project is dedicated to his late sister, who lived with disability. “I grew up around that lived experience,” he says. “When this opportunity came up, it just felt right.”
Throughout the design and development process, the team consulted with NDIS participants, their families and support workers to ensure the building went beyond compliance and made tenants feel comfortable, cared for and included.
One cornerstone of their approach is selecting “gold brick” locations – desirable, accessible, amenity-rich neighbourhoods with public transport and local services nearby. “You’ve got the tram here, coffee shops down the road, health services nearby and the train station 200 metres away,” Les says of the Glen Huntly site. “It’s not about striving for inclusion – you’re already part of society from day one.”
A purpose-aligned partnership
CCIG’s partnership with Bank Australia through our impact lending team is an example of values-aligned collaboration. “When we met Bank Australia, it just clicked,” says Les. “Our investors already believed in balancing doing good with doing well, and here was a bank that felt the same.”
Bank Australia’s ethos of balancing profit with purpose made it a natural fit for the Bumblebee vision. “It’s crucial to have a capital partner who’s patient, understanding, and focused on the long-term,” Les says. “Bank Australia has been that. They’ve rolled with the punches, supported us through NDIS challenges, and believed in the bigger picture.”
Divya Krishnan, Bank Australia’s Internal Communications Lead, headed along to the launch of Bumblebee Glen Huntly late last year. “I was moved by the thoughtfulness and sensitivity of each apartment’s design,” she says, “with a focus not just on practical accessibility needs, but recognising the importance of aesthetic, comfort and modernity. What really stood out to me was the desire to not just meet SDA standards but go above and beyond the requirements for each resident.”
A growing vision
With the success of Glen Huntly, the project is already expanding. Bumblebee Frankston is underway, with more developments planned with the same team – the investors, Panplan, the builders and Bank Australia. “It’s been a successful formula,” Les says – even the project name is rolling on.
So, why did they choose the name?
“Bumblebees are known for hard work,” Les says. “They’re focused, they’re seeking goals and they have that community, that connectedness. We want to create a place that people can call home for as long as they want. You can't feel included in society until you feel safe where you are, so this is a place where people can be independent, feel safe and work hard to fulfill their own dreams.”
Learn more about Bank Australia’s impact finance.
