New apartment development The Hensley brings art deco elegance back to Potts Point

To many Potts Point locals, 37-41 Bayswater Road would be better known as the site of a little urban jungle that used to grow behind Hensley Hall.

The carefully – and kookily – tended garden faded a few years ago when the boarding house closed. Now the site is set for a dramatic overhaul by developer Roxy-Pacific, which will involve retaining and updating the twin terrace facade of Hensley Hall and adding an eight-storey building to house 44 apartments. A ground-floor cafe is also planned for The Hensley.

CBRE residential projects director Ben Stewart says lockout laws have hastened the pace of change in this patch of Potts Point.

“There are restaurants, cafes, yoga studios, fashion shops – the whole vibe of the area is changing,” Stewart says.

“Macleay Street and Darlinghurst Road [neighbourhoods] were always going to connect and get better. The lockout laws have just accelerated that.”

Potts Point residents, eastern suburb dwellers and country folk in search of a city bolthole are expected to show strong interest in The Hensley.

Finishes in the north-east facing apartments, by architects Woods Baggot, include herringbone timber floors, exposed brick feature walls, oversized mirrors, open shelving and stone benchtops in the kitchen and bathroom.

Spacious balconies extend from the living spaces, and there’s a nod to Hensley Hall’s green thumb in the form of a communal kitchen garden on the shared rooftop terrace. There is a choice of a dark, bold colour scheme or a lighter, brighter option.

This weekend’s sales launch is open to prospective buyers who have registered with CBRE.

The Hensley

37-41 Bayswater Road, Potts Point

Executive suites, 39-41 square metres, $820,000 to $855,000; one beds, 54-82 square metres, $1.015 million to $1.35 million; two beds, 81-117 square metres, $1.495 million to $2.25 million; three beds, 129-132 square metres, $2.595 million to $3.75 million

Strata levies from $399 a quarter

Due for completion December 2017

Agent CBRE, 1800 116 990; hensleypottspoint.com.au

See more at: domain.com.au/project/1490

… or try these

50 Bayswater

50 Bayswater Road, Rushcutters Bay

Studios, 30 to 85 square metres, $560,000 to $990,000; one beds, 39 to 62 square metres, $649,000 to $1,150,000; two beds, 60 to 76 square metres, $965,000 to $1,150,000

Strata levies from $610 a quarter

Due for completion late 2016

Agent CBRE, 1800 039 319; 50bayswater.com.au

A former boarding house is destined for a new life as a chic apartment complex, following a renovation by developer Fiducia. The five-storey building is on the southernmost end of Bayswater Road, near where it turns into Roslyn Street.

Darlinghurst-based architect and designer Daniel Boddam cast his expert eye over the transformation, which includes Carrara marble benchtops and herringbone timber flooring. Residents have a two-minute walk to Rushcutters Bay or a three-minute walk to Kings Cross station, with all the neighbourhood’s cafes, restaurants and assorted entertainment options nearby. Despite the terrible weather, contracts were signed for 15 out of 19 apartments at last weekend’s launch.

See more at: domain.com.au/project/1548

The Thane

242 New South Head Road, Edgecliff

One beds, 50-58 square metres, $850,000 to $995,000; two beds, 82-88 square metres, $1,575,000 to $2,450,000; three beds, 107 square metres, $2,250,000 to $2,750,000

Strata levies from $750 a quarter

Due for completion late 2017

Agent Brad Caldwell-Eyles, 0414 246 625; thethane.sydney

For 99 years, the Thane family of Sydney’s eastern suburbs has owned 242 Edgecliff Road. Past uses of the address have included a car service centre and commercial offices. In its next incarnation, the existing building will be demolished to make way for a development of 19 apartments over three storeys.

Architect Nicholas Tang has designed each residence to maximise sunlight to the living areas. As well as district views, some apartments offer glimpses of Double Bay or Sydney Harbour. The site is about 100 metres from the Edgecliff Centre’s shops and trains, providing access to Bondi Junction, the city and beyond. About 16 apartments remain on the market.

See more at: domain.com.au/project/1203