Giving Sydney's inner city a new lease on life

If a city is the sum of all its layers, Sydney certainly has a rich tapestry that is worth preserving.

In Darlinghurst a 90-year-old Georgian-style building is set to get a new lease of life.

In 1925, 177 William Street was the flash new base for Larke Hoskins and Company. The car dealership selected a Georgian design with wrought iron window guards, antique brick and a “special form of tile roof”, according to The Sydney Morning Herald article from the time. It also added four display bays – one for each brand of car sold – with large glass windows facing the street.

Now the four-storey building, known as Grenville House, will be renewed into 22 apartments that aim to make the most of its original features.

Developer Malouf Group will expose the internal brickwork and install large, north-facing windows, using a design from Molnar Freeman Architects.

Sales agent Judy Savage, of Charles Stuart, says the “big solid” walls and original structure of the building will make each apartment unique.

“You’re not looking at units where everything … is identical,” she says. 

Over in Erskineville, a suburb highly regarded for its well-preserved terraces and semis, Abacus Property and Linear Group are paying homage to the area’s industrial history in their One A development.

The new building will feature a saw-tooth roof, often seen on older warehouses, designed by KannFinch, Breakspear and BKH.

The $160 million project will, in part, simulate a row-house look.

The jagged finish of the roof will help One A to slot comfortably into the eclectic suburb and will create space for high-level windows that bring in additional natural light.

Near the border of Alexandria, One A is a stroll to Sydney Park.

Grenville House

177 William Street, Darlinghurst
Studios 45-47 square metres $675,000 +
One-beds 47-65 square metres $780,000 +
Two-beds 80-105 square metres $1,050,000 +
Strata levies From $474 a quarter
Due for completion July 2016
Agent Charles Stuart, 0416 042 420 ; grenvillehouse.com.au

Drawing inspiration from the Soho warehouse styles of New York, the Grenville House development in lively Darlinghurst is making the most of its heritage with 3.5-metre ceilings and industrial-look finishes.

Sales agent Judy Savage, of Charles Stuart, says there will be copper-toned splashbacks in the kitchens, concrete-finish Caesarstone benchtops and recycled timber floors of blackbutt or ironbark, depending on the colour the buyer prefers.

Although on William Street, the apartments will be quiet, says Savage.

“They’ve got 10-millimetre glass so there is no noise problem,” she says.

Levies will also be low thanks to only needing one lift and Grenville House’s future as a low-maintenance building, says Savage.

The Astonia Residences

10-18 Cliff Street, Milsons Point
Three-beds 185 square metres $4.25 million
Four-beds 227-377 square metres $5.25 – $9 million
Strata levies From $1350 a quarter
Due for completion Mid 2016
Agent Boutique Estates Project Marketing, 0411 643 535; www.theastonia.com.au

It’s been a while coming but a project that sees architects Nettleton Tribe breathing fresh life into a former Milsons Point commercial building overlooking Lavender Bay is finally seeing the light.

The triple-storey office building in Cliff Street will be stripped out to make way for eight oversized luxury apartments. The project was first announced four years ago and, after a change of developer, is now being pre-sold with a completion date of mid next year.

Private boutique developer Underwood Corporation has teamed up with Qualitas in a joint venture. They are using an interior design from Archer + Wright, who worked on North Residences Milson’s Point, The Hyde Penthouse Sydney and Lee Wharf in Newcastle.

One A

1a Coulson Avenue, Erskineville
Studios 43 square metres, $585,000 +
One-beds 50-52 square metres, $625,000+
Two-beds 61-94 square metres, $865,000+
Three-beds 92-159 square metres, $1,195,000+
Strata levies From $480 a quarter
Due for completion Mid 2017
Agent CBRE, 1800 669 957; onealiving.com.au

Linear Group and Abacus Property are creating a 172-apartment development in walking distance from St Peters and Erskineville train stations.

One A will comprise two buildings, one that is three-storeys high and the other seven stories.

The bulk of apartments in One A will be one and two bedrooms.

There will be 15 three-bedroom offerings, including house-sized, two-level penthouses with eight-metre frontages.

One A will benefit from one of City of Sydney’s biggest urban development projects, the Ashmore Precinct. Plans for the area include tree-lined streets, bike routes, a retail area with cafes and a small supermarket, and a large new park.