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Actor Ada Nicodemou and her brother Costa have sold their Potts Point retail investment.
It was sold at $1.3 million by the the Home and Away actor and her sibling.
They have owned the 54-square-metre property since 2001 when they purchased it for $600,000 on Macleay Street.
It is leased by Toni&amp;Guy Hairdressing.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Potts Point retail space sold by Ada Nicodemou

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The deal to build Sydney's tallest residential tower has fallen over after its Chinese developer Greenland and the construction giant Brookfield Multiplex severed its contractual agreement due to commercial differences.
It is understood the construction costs would have made it hard for the project to be profitable for the Chinese developer which has accrued a chequered record in Australia in its brief time in the country. Or as the Australian Financial Review suggested Brookfield Multiplex thought Greenland had been difficult to deal with and there had already been significant delays in what was already an extremely tight program. 
The arrival of the Chinese-based Greenland to Australian shores was heralded by Property Observer an auspicious occasion with their 2013 plans for building Sydney's tallest residential highrise on the former Water Board site in the CBD, but little has gone right for the group ever since.
The overly ambitious Chinese developer were lured to overpay for the CBD site, after abandoning, at the eleventh hour, well advanced plans for a suburban project that would have not given them their desired world beating, global expansion status. Its acquired site was described in 2014 by JBA town planner Clare Swan as a "prominent CBD site that had been left in the ‘too hard’ basket for years." Greenland paid $113 million for the site from Multiplex which was never known having trophy development sites.
Swan noted with a heritage-listed building and an existing 1960s tower on the site, that previous owners couldn’t make a new development stack up, so it remained "stubbornly undeveloped" for nearly a decade.
In a statement the Chinese developer said yesterday it was still committed to the ugly duckling, intent on building <a href="https://www.greenlandaustralia.com.au/en/greenland-centre/" target="_blank">the $700 million, 235 metre tower tower</a>, which has seen almost all its apartments sold off the plan through CBRE Residential.
"Brookfield Multiplex and Greenland have had different views on commercial terms in respect to the construction of the Greenland Centre Sydney."
"Despite attempts by both Greenland and Brookfield Multiplex to find an acceptable resolution to those issues we have not been able to make an agreement to solve the contract."
However off the plan buyers dread the looming off the plan sunset settlement clause issues that may arise as the construction of the tower had been indicated by the selling agents to come with a completion date at the end of 2017.
“We will figure out what to do in the coming weeks,” was the best the Greenland spokesperson could advise The Australian.
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<div class="cq-article-content-media section"><img class="lazy620x0" src="https://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/h/c/b/z/e/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1432863576024.jpg" alt="The proposed Greenland Centre in Sydney is virtually sold out before construction has started." width="620" data-src="/content/dam/images/g/h/c/b/z/e/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1432863576024.jpg"></div>
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"Greenland Australia remains committed to delivering the project with early demolition work starting in May."
The tower, at the former Water Board site at 115 Bathurst Street, was Greenland's first project in Australia. 
There are 470 apartments in the tower for which only a lucky eight reportedly remain unsold. 
It was promoted boastfully as Sydney's highest residential block. 
<img src="/images/stories/2013/10/24/sydney-oct-23-one.jpg" alt="sydney-oct-23-one" width="470" height="569">
Marketed as 'Like a diamond in the sky' - Sydney's tallest residential tower had prices starting at $528,000.
Set on the former Water Board site, the 115 Bathurst Street and 339 Pitt Street site had stage-one development approval in its purchase for up to 70 levels reaching 235 metres high. 
Beating off Harry Triguboff Meriton's 230-metre tall World Tower, which dates back to 2004, the new tower will, if built, appear considerably taller as it is located further up a ridge than World Tower.
Greenland's project was marketed as having a level 82, but plans actually revealed there were really only ever to be 66 floors.
The developer of Greenland Centre, China’s state-owned Greenland Group, removed all floor references to the number four, because “four” and “death” have a similar look and pronounciation in Mandarin Chinese.
So there’s no level four, 14,  24 or 34. An entire 10 floors between level 39 and 50 don’t exist. And of course no level 54, 64 or 74.
There was also no rooftop garden because they could represent a green hat. “Wearing a green hat” is a term that Chinese use when a woman cheats on her husband.
Greenland Australia's haphazard development path continued recently when it ditched plans this year to build 1500 apartments adjacent to Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse after terminating a $45 million contract with Victoria Racing Club for the site.
Its Leichhardt Green project had to be re-marketed as it was initially sold off the plan without then securing the necessary matching planning approvals.
"Never satisfied, to be stronger; never stopping to be number 1, we always believe that any enterprise that dares to dream and has the ability to realise dreams will undoubtedly create even larger miracles" Yuliang Zhang, chairman and president of Greenland Group maintains.
Mr Zhang even told the Australian media he saw “no ceiling” for the value of its total investment in the domestic market.
But its most humiliating moment came when marketing their Lucent, North Sydney project which saw the group embarrassed with advertisements that suggested they were yet to know Sydney like the back of their hand.
<a href="https://lucentnorthsydney.com.au/Location/" target="_blank">The quickly corrected map selling the location of their Lucent, North Sydney projec</a>t was embarassingly skewiff.
<a href="/images/2016/05/23/map-aug-28-one.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/05/23/map-aug-28-one.jpg" alt="">
It was noted for instance:
<ul>
<li>The North Sydney swimming pool (6) is on the wrong side of the harbour on Pitt Street.</li>
<li>Martin Place (22) is at what we know as the Opera House.</li>
<li>Getting a drink at the Opera Bar (18) is over on the lower north shore.</li>
<li>Luna Park (4) isn't on the harbour anymore, but the MCA (23) is, though across the bridge not far from the relocated The Rocks (20) and Pitt Street Mall (19).</li>
<li>Mirvac/Eureka's Greenwood Plaza (11) is on Circular Quay, and no-one ever worked out what 24 onwards were meant to be.</li>
</ul>
The sales spiel suggested Lucent was perfectly placed to make the most of Sydney's world-famous lifestyle!
Tell us what you know: news@propertyobserver.com.au
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Greenland's awful Australian run escalates amid sunset clause fears for Sydney's tallest tower apartment buyers

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Westpac, the country's biggest lender to landlords, is lowering the size of the deposits it will require from property investors.
The decision partially reverses last year's crackdown.
Westpac and St George has told mortgage brokers the maximum loan-to-valuation ratio (LVR) for new mortgages for property investors would rise to 90 percent, up from 80 percent.
The change means property investors need a deposit of 10 percent of a property's value, compared with 20 percent previously.
Fairfax Media reported Westpac's lending to investors grew only 7.2 percent in the year to March, down from growth of more than 11 percent in the first half of 2015.
The LVR changes bring Westpac into line with rivals. 
Aside from Westpac's move on LVRs, banks are offering more competitive interest rates to property investors, with St George on Monday offering cut-price variable home loan rates of 4.24 percent for investors.
Westpac's move marks a partial reversal from the industry-wide clampdown on investor lending last year, triggered by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority which was seeking to limit growth in lending to investors to 10 per cent a year to cool the heated property market in Sydney and Melbourne.
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Westpac happy to again take 10 percent deposits for investor loans

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Investor Anthony Crichton-Brown has expanded his Western Riverina landholdings with the purchase of Natue Station at Booligal from its longtime owners, the Robinson family. 
The 16,000 hectares was settled in the 1880s by Henry Wilton Robinson, managed principally as a Merino sheep enterprise. 
The property was put to the market by Sam Triggs at Inglis Rural Property.
Crichton-Brown, a former chairman of Lumley Insurance in London who divides his time now between Australia and the UK, is already a substantial landholder in the Hay district.
Natue Station has 13km of double frontage to Merrimajeel Creek, extensive water systems, well-maintained improvements and a five-bedroom homestead built in the 1980s.
No price has been disclosed for the sale of Natue Station, but Sam Triggs told The Land that grazing land in the Booligal region was typically selling between $250-$375/ha ($100-$150/ac) depending on the standard of improvements. 
It represents a portfolio of three pastoral stations which have been held by a single family for over 130 years. 
Natue Station, the headquarters of the aggregation, accompanied by Box Creek Station and Fairleigh Station form to provide critical mass and economies of scale with close to 60,000 acres of renowned Riverina grazing country.  
The Natue Station aggregation is offered 'As-A-Whole' and in three parcels, including:
- Natue Station: 9,685.6 ha (23,933.11 ac)*
- Box Creek Station: 9,150 ha (22,609.65 ac)*
- Fairleigh: 5,142 ha (12,705.882 ac)*
- Total area: 23,977 ha (59,248.64 ac)*
The grazing land, with Lachlan River and Merrijameel Creek frontages, was suitable for sheep and cattle with scope for irrigation development.
"Seldom does the opportunity to secure a large scale, fertile and long held Riverina pastoral holding," said Sam Triggs at Inglis.
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Natue Station sold to Anthony Crichton-Brown

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GUEST OBSERVER
Proposals by the NSW government to make it harder for foreign investors to buy housing will only slow down housing supply. 
The proposals by NSW Treasury to impose a 1.5 percent surcharge on land tax on foreign investors in housing will be a disincentive to invest in NSW.
It seems that the aim is to match the surcharge in Victoria which will remove the point of difference that NSW has.
The Sydney region needs 33,200 new homes a year according to the Department of Planning but last financial year only 27,348 were built leaving a shortfall of nearly 6,000 homes. We must do all we can to boost housing supply and foreign investors have been contributing to this particularly through new apartments. To send a message that these investments are not wanted in NSW can only reduce the flow of capital into new housing.
Foreign investors often help make development projects become feasible by underpinning the pre sales with up to 15% of purchases and this helps local purchasers buy into a viable project.
The argument for the surcharge seems to be to free up more housing for first home buyers by reducing the number of purchasers but this can only lead to less new homes being built. With an undersupply already pushing prices up a further reduction in supply is likely to only increase home prices.
There has been a slow-down in housing approvals in NSW over the last 6 to 8 months and an additional tax on foreign investment in housing will only lead to a further slow-down. Already Sydney has the council amalgamations causing some concerns over planning and discussion about adding value capture levies to new development beginning to affect confidence in the market so the possible extra levy on foreign investment will further erode industry confidence.
Chris Johnson is chief executive officer of property development industry group Urban Taskforce and can be contacted <a href="https://www.urbantaskforce.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=97&amp;Itemid=126#.Vdaart55dFI" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Foreign investment in housing helps with much needed supply: Urban Taskforce

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A church conversion trophy home near Daylesford, Victoria is under offer.
Built in 1884 by Giacomo Sartori, it comes with a striking adjoining building next to the conversion.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-daylesford-122570214" target="_blank">2 Righetti Lane </a>property is a former Catholic church that closed in 1993, then fell in to disrepair at Yandoit.
A local builder purchased and restored the property to its original grandeur, and added a two storey wing.
He retained the original features including gothic windows and high-beam ceilings.
The extension has three bedrooms and a handcrafted floating timber and steel staircase.
A large deck looks over the 2000 sqm land parcel.
The property is under offer through hockingstuart agents Mark Smith and Mark Timmins.
It was advertised with around $980,000 price expectations.
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Trophy church offering at Daylesford under offer

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A beach shack in Surfers Paradise was passed in at $800,000 at recent auction.
The estate on 405 sqm is 150 metres to the beach. 
It was advertised as a development opportunity.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-surfers+paradise-122422534" target="_blank">204 Surfers Parade</a> has two bedrooms and one bathroom.
The property hasn't been traded in over 30 years, when the current owners paid $40,000 in 1984.
McGrath Broadbeach agents Greg Washington and Elizabeth Taylor.
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Surfers Paradise beach shack yet to sell

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/57114/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
The suburbs were the urban living format that defined Australian cities in the 20th century. Inevitably they’ve had their champions and detractors. Suburbia now has a new format in the medium-to-high-density residential spaces that are being rapidly built in previously industrialised areas.
This new urban ecology will bring with it new rhetorical possibilities for reverence, disgust, indifference and interest. The Green Square urban renewal area, which encompasses Zetland and Waterloo along with parts of Alexandria and Rosebery, is a paradigm in this sense. It is tipped to become the most densely populated area in Sydney by 2030.
The once-dominant industrial infrastructure of Green Square now has a less odorous, brighter and more glossy feel, which caters to a new demographic. The cultural history typical of the dominant mix of Anglo and European migrants in the Sydney suburbs of the 20th century is no longer the norm.
While English is still the most common language spoken at home, 45.7 percent of residents in Green Square and City South Village speak a language other than English at home. Chinese and “other Asian” languages make up 25.9 percent of this 45.7 percent.
The Federation cottage and its human equivalents are more likely to appear exotic in these contexts than the generically flashy apartment blocks with their red-brick simulacrum, coloured feature walls and laser-cut cladding.
Residents are unlikely to have a long history in the area. As a result, they lack the nearby family and neighbourly connections to care for children and animals.
This in part explains the pet barns and soon-to-be-opened daycare centres that are standard in the area. Rather than getting maintenance kicks by attacking the lawn with a mower, the area’s inhabitants are more likely to be found going to work on their physique in one of the many late-night gyms.
<h2>Subtle variations relieve the sameness</h2>
Although Green Square might seem homogeneous from the window of a passing car, repeated walks through the area allow key differences to emerge from the background of sameness.
The area surrounding Alexandria Park, north of McEvoy Street and west of Wyndham Street, is thoughtfully scaled and features the natural amenity of a long-established park with its large fig trees and exemplary combination of formal and informal recreational spaces.
The area to the east, approaching South Dowling Street in Zetland, Waterloo and North Rosebery, is a different story. Zoning restrictions on building height creep up from 12 metres to 18 metres. Some sections bordering South Dowling are zoned at 24 metres. It’s a subtle but significant shift. The taller buildings lack a sympathy of measure with the trees and open space set aside for public usage.
Despite the difference in vertical profile, some of the garden city principles central to the development of 20th-century suburbia are preserved in these new developments. The City of Sydney ought to be commended on setting aside areas such as Tote Park, Mary O'Brien Reserve and Joynton Park. These feature a variety of public amenity and sensitively landscaped gardens with native plantings.
Considering the fragile balance between large buildings and open space, it’s imperative that any design decisions about the future of these parks are made with the residents' interests in mind. Likewise, the avenues of mature lemon-scented gums along Wolseley and Morris Groves have a positive impact on the visual amenity of the area that, in such a context, is disproportionate to their physical size.
<h2>In with the new, so what becomes of the old?</h2>
The rapid increase in new housing has made heritage a matter of concern for the City of Sydney. It has released a comprehensive study of the area’s industrial heritage and proposed 62 new listings. The listings will have a lasting consequence not only for the history of the area but for its character as it continues to develop.
The majority are buildings that date back prior to 1970, with Harry Seidler’s Q Store on Bourke Road the most recent. Red brick buildings in Art Deco and Functionalist styles fare particularly well. These will now, in all likelihood, outlast many of the post-1970s warehouses and showrooms currently in use.
Perversely enough, ruins can be among the most resilient types of architecture. In the future, this unusual combination of older red brick facades with the new residential developments emerging from their shells might be subject to yet another set of heritage orders to ensure their postmodern aesthetic contradictions are maintained for future generations.
While at first glance it might look like the ideal city, on closer inspection the Green Square urban renewal area reveals many different shades. Its legacy awaits the telling of a multitude of stories.
Tom Lee is lecturer, Faculty of Design and Architecture Building, University of Technology Sydney and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tom-lee-7002" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Move over suburbia, Green Square offers new norm for urban living

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The risk of a recession - or even depression - has been raised as a potential outcome by opponents of Labor's negative gearing property policy.
It is a pity the policy is just 94 words. It is a pity the worthy debate sits within the election campaign.
But these forecasts have come from property veterans who've seen the residential markets through its many cycles over decades. They know all too well the herd mentality into and out of property.
It was industry leader, Mark Steinert, the Stockland boss, who first expressed his fear of recession earlier this month. 
Mark Steinert, chief executive of Australia's largest residential property developer, Stockland, believes Labor's housing policy has the potential to destabilise the entire economy – to the extent of risking a recession.
He suggested governments cannot deal with the affordability issue by de-stabilising the largest asset in the country.
These fears were echoed by veteran mortgage broker, Aussie John Symond who has long been concerned about any tinkering with the preferred investment vehicle of mum and dad investors.
Symond has warned of a potential recession if Labor's plan to limit negative gearing to newly constructed dwellings goes ahead after July 2017 should Labor win government at the July 2 election.
The founder of Aussie Home Loans predicted a slide in the value of all home prices under Labor.
"It is frightening and it will frighten others . . . and it creates this stampede."
His concern is that there could be a glut of properties come on the market, force the prices down, and then "all of a sudden it could be Armageddon with the housing industry that's propped up the Australian economy the last four years."
Mark Steinert actually went further than suggesting a recession. "It will be a depression," noting that property is such a major force driving Australian growth, that even a small change in sentiment flows through the entire economy. 
"It becomes the new dinner party conversation.... people feel poorer. 
"They buy less in the shops and people employ less ....that is how markets work."
Australia has avoided for recession for so long now many press commentators have no context for considering what happens to property markets in a recession.
Glenn Stevens, the outgoing RBA governor, recently noted shocks are inevitable.
"One way or another the human condition is characterised by things happening that were not well predicted and for which we are sometimes less prepared than we might, in hindsight, have wished to be."
I am old enough to remember the last few recessions, with property crash, but recent generations of buyers aren't. 
While it was not a recession there are still plenty of buyers who got caught out in the last big 2003/2004 apartment property boom bust - and some of these buyers are still underwater.
Since then there have been a rollercoaster series of dips, the biggest after the global financial crisis which triggered extraordinary government incentives to boost the property and related industries.
More recently we have had the backdrop where Chinese buying of apartments has enabled Australia avoid going into recession following the dramatic decline in Australia's mining investment industry.
Though some buyers have in recent times been struggling to get their money back after paying crazy prices, but any recession will see much wider suffering for even the more considered acquisitions.
Thankfully first home buyers haven't been big participants in the recent market, rather mature SMSF property investors and family home upgraders with record low mortgage funding.
Hopefully their circumstance might be better able to weather any downturn.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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Risk of recession raised as potential Labor policy outcome

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The value of every Australian home is at risk if Labor wins the Federal Election, given their negative gearing policy, according to John McGrath.
He warned it would affect every single person who owned or rented a home, not just investors.
Property values would drop and rents would go up, he said.
Mr McGrath, on the Gold Coast for his 19th Australasian Real Estate Conference, warned of the “clear danger of curbing negative gearing and the capital gains tax buffer”.
“It will affect every single Australian who owns a home, their biggest asset is at risk.
"People are saying numbers like 20-30 percent falls in value.
"I don’t know what number is right but there will be a material drop in value to the downside by 5-10-15-20 percent, of that I am sure,” Mr McGrath told News Corp papers.
“This is a not a political statement.
"But Australia will go to bed one night and wake up on July 3, and someone’s property will have gone from being worth $600,000 to $540,000 in value and that’s a horrible thing.
“The other 30 percent of people (who are not owners or paying off a home) are tenants will be in trouble too.
"If they think the current supply is short it is going to get worse and landlords are going to be focused on getting better returns as the CGT will be of less benefit so negative gearing will no longer be a deduction so rents will rise.
“Property prices will drop materially and rents will skyrocket materially, and whether or not that’s 10 to 30 percent, only time will tell.”
Under Labor, negative gearing will be restricted to “newly constructed homes”, and capital gains tax discount reduced from 50 percent to 25 percent.
Both measures would come into force from July 2017.
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Labor election win puts Aussie home values at risk: John McGrath

Nature Based Cities (NBC), the not-for-profit organisation focused on improving biodiversity and nature outcomes in urban development, has launched its latest industry design guidelines and accreditation framework, this time targeting precinct-scale residential communities.

The move extends NBC’s influence beyond its initial focus on medium and high-density residential developments. Several projects have already achieved NBC accreditation since the launch of its Medium &amp; High-Density Residential Guidelines in early 2025.

The expansion into masterplanned communities and new residential precincts reflects the growing need for stronger nature-positive benchmarks as Australia’s outer suburban growth corridors continue to expand at pace.

Paul Hameister OAM, NBC Founder and the Executive Chairman of Melbourne developer Hamton who itself leans heavily into nature and biodiversity in its developments, says the&nbsp;nature-first approach to mitigate the effects of climate change has become standard in other parts of the world such as the UK, but Australia is lagging.&nbsp;Australia’s environmentally sustainable design (ESD) rating tools have no minimum mandatory requirements for living landscapes.

“We’ve always wanted to do more, and we know other developers who want to do more, but the ESD rating tools just aren’t there,” Hameister says. “In Australia, you can have a five-green-star rated building that’s concrete and glass with not a blade of grass. 
 
“The focus is on reducing emissions, which is laudable, but there hasn’t been enough attention paid to protecting and re-establishing nature. We need both for the health of the environment and for communities.”

He says that having now&nbsp;made good progress in supporting developers of medium and high-density residential projects, NBC is now looking to bolster better nature-based decision-making and recognise developers of greenfield projects in the outer ring and large inner-ring brownfield precincts, who want to champion nature and living landscape as a defining feature.

Since 2022, the not-for-profit has sought to remove the roadblocks preventing developers from incorporating nature and living landscapes into their projects, shifting the conversation from the reduction of emissions and grey infrastructure, toward recognising nature as an essential infrastructure.

The New Communities Design Guidelines and Scorecard arm developers with the tools needed to deliver a nature positive outcome for their new communities. Intended to be adopted at the outset of the planning process, the guidelines are designed to help create communities that are cooler, healthier and more resilient while also enhancing social wellbeing and long-term economic value.&nbsp;

New Communities developers seeking accreditation will be independently assessed across a range of key criteria including ecology, tree canopy, biodiversity, and walkability. Once the masterplan is complete and submitted for approval, the scorecard is formalised based on proposed outcomes. Projects that meet the NBC criteria will receive either Commended or Exemplary accreditation outcomes, creating a clear benchmark for nature-positive new communities in Australia.&nbsp;

Janis Fischer, Director at Tract and NBC Advisory Council member, said the development of new communities in our suburbs can have a substantial impact on nature and biodiversity.

"By incorporating nature-based design principles at the inception of a project, developers and their design teams can achieve nature positive outcomes that are good for both people and the planet.’’&nbsp;

NBC accredited New Community projects will gain access to NBC branding and marketing tools to help communicate their nature-based credentials to purchasers and the broader market.&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

Nature Based Cities: A new Australian benchmark for developing nature-positive new communities

Apartment buildings are increasingly being designed around how people actually live day to day, not just how they want a building to look.

For buyers, that shift is showing up in practical inclusions that respond to changing habits. Work-from-home spaces, EV charging, wellness amenities, secure bike storage and parcel management are becoming part of the broader apartment conversation, reflecting a move toward buildings that reduce friction in everyday life.

Online shopping has become one of the clearest examples of that change.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion online in 2025, with nearly one in four retail dollars now spent online. That has made parcel delivery a regular part of apartment living, rather than an occasional inconvenience.

For apartment residents, however, the delivery process can be less straightforward than it is for detached homes. Parcels may be left in lobbies, redirected to Post Offices, missed entirely, or placed under the responsibility of building managers and concierge teams.

That is why secure parcel infrastructure is increasingly being considered alongside more familiar apartment amenities.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-VjjLwoViX0?si=A3k7ws9NX35Uac7_" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Australia Post Parcel Lockers offer one way to address the issue. When a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS, then collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN. The parcel is kept secure, accessible and removed from common areas.

The broader Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations across Australia, positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and other accessible locations.

For new apartment projects, the relevance is clear. A building’s amenity offering is no longer only about lifestyle spaces, but also about convenience, security and functionality.

As buyer expectations evolve, secure parcel delivery is becoming part of the same design conversation as flexible working, sustainable transport and resident wellbeing.

It is one less thing for residents to worry about, and another example of apartment design adapting to the way Australians now live.

Apartment design is adapting to the way Australians shop

While school holidays and trips to Europe tend to define the winter property market, there's been no cold snap at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-north-sydney-177-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> in North Sydney.

Developer-builder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aland">ALAND</a> sold more than $35 million worth of apartments throughout June, including a $6.8 million apartment that now ranks among the highest apartment sales ever recorded in North Sydney.

SRM Residential agent Ben Stewart said buyer demand throughout June reflected a mix of improving market confidence and longer-term thinking from owner-occupiers.

"We're seeing strong demand from owner-occupiers who are taking a longer-term view," Stewart said.

"Many recognise the opportunity to secure an apartment in an iconic building and premium location while values remain attractive. They may initially lease the property, but the intention is to eventually move in themselves, rather than purchasing purely as an investment."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=367129]

Located at 177 Walker Street, The Walden will deliver 161 one, two, three and four-bedroom residences across a 30-storey tower designed by Rothelowman. Every apartment occupies a corner position, maximising natural light, cross ventilation and views across Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, Sydney Heads and the northern districts.

Rather than a traditional balcony, the residences feature winter gardens that seamlessly extend the open plan living areas, creating versatile spaces for relaxing or entertaining throughout the year. Floor-to-ceiling glazing draws in natural light while showcasing sweeping views from the building's elevated Walker Street position.

Every apartment features high-end Calacatta marble, bespoke joinery, and fully integrated appliances.

The larger residences have been planned with distinct entertaining and private zones, with many master suites positioned on corners to capture natural light and harbour views. Walk-in dressing rooms, freestanding baths and refined stone finishes reinforce the house-like feel that has resonated with downsizers and owner-occupiers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6393]

Rothelowman Principal Ben Pomroy said the project was designed to make the most of its unique position overlooking the harbour.

"The Walden is a celebration of all things beautiful, curated for those who expect nothing less than exceptional," Pomroy says.

"Meticulously designed entertaining spaces and light-filled living areas that capitalise on capturing the natural beauty of Sydney's iconic harbour."

Residents will also have exclusive access to The Pavilion, a dedicated amenity building featuring a rooftop pool, wellness studio, gymnasium, sauna, concierge service, residents' lounge, private dining spaces and work-from-home facilities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6402]

The project marks ALAND's first major luxury apartment development in Sydney's inner-city market after more than two decades delivering residential communities across Greater Sydney.

Founder and CEO Andrew Hrsto previously said the rarity of the Walker Street site made it an opportunity the company could not overlook.

"This is a rare opportunity to bring a truly exceptional project to life in one of Sydney's most iconic locations, and to showcase our craftsmanship and design expertise at a world-class level," Hrsto said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6383]

The Walden has been introduced to the market at a time when demand for living in North Sydney is at an all-time high. Billions of dollars have been invested in infrastructure, including the recently opened Victoria Cross Metro station, located just 300 metres from The Walden, providing residents with direct access to the Sydney CBD in just minutes.

Private investment has also transformed the area through the arrival of new retail and dining destinations, elevating the lifestyle offering in what was once considered primarily a commercial precinct rather than an aspirational residential address.

The Walden is currently under construction and is scheduled for completion in 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134323]

ALAND records $35 million in sales in North Sydney as The Walden bucks quiet winter selling season

The long-awaited redevelopment of the former Eastlakes Shopping Centre site has reached a major milestone, with Conquest's plans for a new mixed-use precinct officially placed on public exhibition.

The State Significant Development Application would transform the 1.7-hectare site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/19a-evans-avenue-eastlakes-nsw-2018">19A Evans Avenue</a> into one of Sydney's largest urban renewal projects, delivering 736 apartments above a new shopping centre anchored by Woolworths, alongside specialty retail, dining, commercial space and new public open spaces.

The public exhibition marks the next chapter for the project after <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/conquest">Conquest</a> acquired the stalled Stage Two development from Crown Group, who completed the first stage across the road prior to their voluntary liquidation.

<img alt="First look: Conquest unveils plans for 736-home Eastlakes Shopping Centre redevelopment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5fca22c5-d1ed-4e2c-8801-03f7df1eafc8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/eastland%20podium.png?VersionId=uomwr41nF8CmLUZRDcu3mHQechlbxucS" />

&nbsp;

Designed by DKO Architecture, the proposal comprises four residential buildings ranging from 14 to 18 storeys above a two-level retail podium. The development would deliver 736 apartments, including 74 affordable homes, 215 Build-to-Rent apartments and 521 market residences. Provision has also been made for dual-key apartments, which could increase the total number of dwellings to 877.

At ground level, the shopping centre has been designed as the suburb's new meeting place, anchored by a full-line Woolworths and complemented by a curated mix of fresh food retailers, cafés, restaurants, health services and everyday convenience shopping. Generous pedestrian links and landscaped public spaces will connect the retail precinct through to Jack Mundey Reserve, creating a more walkable and connected neighbourhood.

Conquest CEO Michael Akkawi said the redevelopment was about far more than replacing a shopping centre.

"Eastlakes has been overlooked for too long, and this is the community’s moment. We are building a shopping centre and homes, a genuine heart for the suburb, and we genuinely want locals to help shape it."

"We enrich communities through the creation of homes, places, and experiences designed for life, built to last, and owner for generations. That starts with listening, so we warmly encourage everyone with a connection to Eastlakes to view the plans and share their thoughts."

<img alt="First look: Conquest unveils plans for 736-home Eastlakes Shopping Centre redevelopment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="22f6fb20-54fb-4bd7-8a92-48fafdd00608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/eastland.png?VersionId=cugp7s9hrMHGJJdYzkeAkrFoQgnF4GXf" />

DKO said the design had been shaped by the site's landscape setting and surrounding open space.

"Our vision for the site embraces its unique Bidjigal identity by blending the residential living with generous landscaping and a material palette inspired by the Bidjigal locality, and celebrating the panoramic views to Botany Bay and the wetlands reserves."

"Taking cues from Country, we seek to harmonise built form with the landscape and lightly touch the earth. By reconnecting, retaining and regenerating existing ecology, and weaving in natural elements, we can deepen our connection to Country."

The landscape strategy extends across the podium and rooftops, incorporating communal gardens, children's play areas, lawns, community gardens, family gathering spaces and extensive tree planting. New landscaped links will also strengthen the connection between the precinct and Jack Mundey Reserve, while publicly accessible open spaces have been integrated throughout the development.

The proposal builds on Conquest's broader placemaking strategy for the site. Through an ongoing partnership, local artist Joe Rashbrook has been appointed Urban Art Curator, working alongside young residents to transform the project's site hoardings into a public art gallery that allows the community to engage with the redevelopment before construction is complete.

Conquest has rapidly expanded its development pipeline since acquiring the Eastlakes site, with more than $6 billion worth of mixed-use projects now in planning across Sydney, including Stanmore, Castlecrag and Waterloo.

Conquest CEO Michael Akkawi said the redevelopment was about far more than replacing a shopping centre.

First look: ‘Far more than replacing a shopping centre’ as Conquest unveils 736-home Eastlakes redevelopment

Abadeen has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for one of Mosman's largest apartment developments in recent years, seeking approval to transform the former Honeysuckle Garden and Midas site on Military Road into a 100-apartment mixed-use development.

The SSDA, lodged with investment partner Phoenix Property Investors, proposes around $230 million worth of new housing on the prominent <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/494-516-military-road-mosman-nsw-2088">494-516 Military Road</a> site.

The proposal comes as Mosman Council continues to progress its recently endorsed Masterplan, which identifies the precinct for increased housing density while maintaining the suburb's established character.

Designed by DKO Architecture, the development would comprise 100 apartments above ground-floor retail, with a rooftop wellness precinct including a gym, sauna, entertaining areas and landscaped communal spaces.

Rather than pushing to the full 12-storey height identified in Council's Masterplan, the proposal ranges between five and nine storeys, stepping down towards Hale Road. A tenth level would accommodate resident amenities rather than additional apartments.

The project has been designed to appeal to a broad range of buyers, from first home buyers and young professionals through to families and local downsizers looking to remain on the Lower North Shore.

<img alt="Mosman" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5dada03f-5b4c-43ba-ba62-2868add31440" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-27%20at%209.57.55%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=7LBy0B.Jo8_iWAFJsClcV7Q3UnXrv49r" />

Abadeen Executive Chairman Justin Brown said the apartments had been designed as genuine long-term homes rather than investor-focused stock.

"The apartments have been designed as genuine long-term homes, with efficient floorplans that maximise usable living areas, generous storage, natural light and strong connections between indoor and outdoor spaces," Brown says."

"We've focused on creating homes for a broad range of buyers, from first home buyers and growing families through to downsizers who want to remain in Mosman."

The rooftop wellness offering forms a key part of the proposal, with residents set to have access to a gym, sauna, outdoor entertaining spaces, communal dining areas, landscaped gardens and a multi-use recreation court overlooking Sydney Harbour.

<img alt="Mosman" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d37c2d6b-583a-4a0f-b7a9-9f46b893d2f4" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-27%20at%209.58.06%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=FPoa5FCm2RtzjhAh2w5FTWJbV6GHfY8D" />

DKO drew heavily on the site's natural and cultural history, undertaking a Connecting with Country process with local Aboriginal Elders to inform the architectural and landscape design.

Senior Associate Matthew Ritchard said the design sought to create a building that responded to both the site's landscape and its cultural significance.

"The architectural language of the project is a deep expression of Connecting with Country, where the materiality and colour palette serve as a bridge between the site's geological history and its future as a residential sanctuary."

The proposal also retains the site's established blue gum tree as the centrepiece of the communal landscaped gardens, while introducing activated retail fronting Military Road to strengthen the connection between Mosman and Cremorne villages.

If approved, the project would deliver 100 new homes within walking distance of shops, public transport, schools and local amenities, adding to the limited pipeline of new apartments on the Lower North Shore.

<h2>Project Snapshot</h2>

Project: Honeysuckle Garden Redevelopment

Address: 494-516 Military Road, Mosman

Developer: Abadeen and Phoenix Property Investors

Architect: DKO Architecture

Lead Architect: Matthew Ritchard

Value: $230 million

Residences: 100 apartments

Key features:

<ul>
	<li>
	Ground-floor retail
	</li>
	<li>
	Rooftop wellness precinct
	</li>
	<li>
	Gym and sauna
	</li>
	<li>
	Outdoor entertaining and BBQ areas
	</li>
	<li>
	Landscaped communal gardens
	</li>
	<li>
	Multi-use recreation court
	</li>
	<li>
	Retained mature blue gum tree
	</li>
	<li>
	Connecting with Country design process
	</li>
	<li>
	Harbour, CBD and Balmoral views from upper-level apartments
	</li>
</ul>

Abadeen Executive Chairman Justin Brown said the apartments had been designed as genuine long-term homes rather than investor-focused stock

Jonathan Chancellor

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