Local developer Harridan is seeking to turn its Woolloongabba apartment project into the first stage of a broader transformation of Burke Street, using a new 16-storey mixed-use building to establish a greener pedestrian connection toward the rapidly evolving Boggo Road transport and knowledge precinct.

The South East Queensland developer has filed plans for 154 apartments on the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/4-burke-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">southern side of Burke Street</a>, where its proposal has been designed alongside a wider vision by LatStudios for the street.

That vision positions the southern side of Burke Street for buildings of 15 storeys and above, while envisaging lower-rise development of up to five storeys on the northern side to transition into Woolloongabba's existing character housing. It also proposes wider pedestrian verges, deep planting, new street trees and upgrades to the pedestrian approach to Boggo Road Station.

The Harridan development itself has been designed by Brisbane-based Arqus Design and will comprise 154 apartments across 16 storeys. The mix is weighted heavily toward two-bedroom apartments, with 121 proposed alongside 10 one-bedroom and 23 three-bedroom residences. There will typically be around 14 units per floor.

A lower-ground car park and three podium levels will accommodate 156 resident parking spaces, along with visitor and commercial parking. There will also be 154 resident bicycle spaces and 40 visitor bicycle parks.

&nbsp;

Harridan is a family-owned developer and part of the Holmwood Highgate Group, with more than three decades of development activity across South East Queensland. Its portfolio spans residential, commercial and industrial property, with current residential projects including Riverbank on Byron in Bulimba, Esperance Residences in Carina and The Precinct at Kinross Road in Thornlands.

Wooloongabba has been popular for apartment developers, particularly since the announcement of the 2032 Summer Olympics games in Brisbane.

While there have been a lot of development applications, it has failed to materialize into real supply.&nbsp;

Sarazin has been the major player in the area. They are under construction at Murcia Residences, on the fringe of East Brisbane and Woolloongabba. They have just launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-stanley-residences-woolloongabba-8-trafalgar-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">The Stanley Residences</a>, in Woolloongabba on Trafalagar Street. They also have Nuage coming soon on the nearby <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nuage-woolloongabba-14-wellington-road-woolloongabba-qld-4102">Wellington Road</a>.

Joel Robinson

First look: Harridan plans Burke Street transformation beside Boggo Road transport hub

IN BRIEF

<ul>
	<li>
	Just three double-storey Sky Homes sit at the top of The Waterline, each with its own private marina berth and rooftop terrace.
	</li>
	<li>
	Construction on The Waterline is complete, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.
	</li>
	<li>
	Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and are priced from $3.65 million.
	</li>
</ul>

<hr />
Lewis Land has opened the first completed sky home for inspection at Harbour Shores, giving buyers their first opportunity to step inside one of just three double-storey residences crowning The Waterline.

Each sky home comes with its own private marina berth, rooftop terrace and Broadwater views, combining the scale of a larger home with direct access to the boating lifestyle that underpins the wider <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/harbour-shores-biggera-waters-564-oxley-drive-biggera-waters-qld-4216">Harbour Shores</a> masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366708]

Lewis Land Head of Development Michael Long said the inclusion of a berth with every Sky Home had become increasingly valuable as marina access across the Gold Coast tightened.

“Marina berths are becoming increasingly difficult to secure across the Gold Coast, so including one with every Sky Home makes this a genuinely rare offering,” Long said.

“The private 70-berth marina will accommodate boats up to 12 metres in length and is positioned just 2.5 kilometres from the Broadwater, placing the open ocean only 15 minutes away.

“Being able to step out of your home onto your boat is a rare luxury, and it’s something residents here can look forward to when it opens later this year.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366709]

The display opening comes as construction completes on The Waterline, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.

The three Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and each feature three bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive kitchens with butler's pantries and large balconies taking in the Broadwater outlook.

Each residence also has three secure basement car spaces and additional storage.

“This is the first opportunity the Gold Coast has had to step into Harbour Shores and see, touch and feel what we’re bringing to life here,” Long said.

“There are only three Sky Homes within The Waterline, ranging in size from 282sqm to 367sqm, with each residence featuring three large bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive custom-built kitchens with butler’s pantry, and large balconies capturing Broadwater views.”

<img alt="Harbour Shores" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bab65e10-4fab-45e1-92d8-fc56e2ab98ff" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-25%20at%202.00.16%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=XT8q76LsPkw3cYTsvN3JfFDaPLud90PN" />

Residents of The Waterline will have access to a private pool, along with Harbour Shores' wider collection of amenity including a lagoon pool, social clubhouse, tennis court, gym, yoga facilities and sauna.

Lewis Land partnered with Studio Collective to furnish the completed display, with the interiors designed to demonstrate how the residences could function as permanent homes rather than simply as show apartments.

Studio Collective Director Melissa Park said the surrounding waterways informed the interiors, but in a more restrained way than a traditional coastal scheme.

“We drew inspiration from the canals and coastal surrounds, but our approach was to interpret that subtly through layered materials and a grounded palette of earthy tones, rather than literal coastal references,” Park said.

“We introduced hero moments of green and teal to reference the surrounding waterways, while mirrored elements help reflect natural light.

“The result is a residence that feels elevated yet comfortable, somewhere buyers can genuinely imagine themselves living, entertaining and unwinding.”

Sky Homes are priced from $3.65 million.

Lewis Land is also offering private marina berths with The Residences, its limited collection of three and four-bedroom villas positioned directly along the Harbour Shores waterfront boardwalk.

Three-bedroom villas are priced from $2.99 million, while four-bedroom residences start from $3.19 million.

Harbour Shores is being marketed by Colliers International.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=113271]

Lewis Land opens sky home display as The Waterline completes at Harbour Shores

St Vincent de Paul Society Housing Australia has filed plans for a major mixed-use housing precinct on the southern edge of the North Sydney CBD, adding another significant proposal to a pocket around North Sydn​ey Station that is quickly becoming one of the LGA's busiest development zones.

The State Significant Development Application covers a 5,990 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/1-19-mackenzie-street-lavender-bay-nsw-2060">1-19 MacKenzie Street and 211 Blues Point Road in Lavender Bay</a>, immediately south of Nor​th Sydney Station and between the commercial core and the lower-rise Lavender Bay Heritage Conservation Area.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal would deliver a new residential tower comprising 88 build-to-sell apartments and 19 affordable apartments, alongside a separate co-living building with 57 rooms and a building manager's studio.

It would also see the significant restoration and upgrade of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, the adaptive reuse of the former school building, new parish facilities, retail, a new public square and around 1,000 sqm of publicly accessible open space.

<img alt="Vinnies North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d5dd7f87-a617-463e-b577-17541e01f0e9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.13%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4R8TsFN3P_LrrXO2HswTOIrx2blil8lh" />

The project is seeking a concurrent rezoning of the site to R4 High Density Residential and an increase in the maximum building height to allow a tower reaching RL120, or up to 20 storeys. The proposal was progressed through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The build-to-sell component will be weighted toward larger apartments, with just six one-bedroom apartments compared with 31 two-beds, 43 three-beds and eight four-bedroom residences.

The 19 affordable apartments will comprise two studios, 15 one-bedroom apartments and two two-bedroom apartments, taking the total apartment component to 107 residences before the 58 co-living rooms are included.

<img alt="Vnnies" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7d568ca5-cb90-4e18-96c6-d9795dba0c56" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=GY2R5M9VtQh0EKy1vajaea19PSLOPuRD" />

Wardle's design for the Vinnies site has sought to negotiate that emerging high-rise context while retaining the lower-scale character of MacKenzie Street and the adjoining heritage conservation area.

The main building adopts a three-storey podium and tower arrangement, with the podium aligned to the ridgeline and front setback of St Francis Xavier Church.&nbsp;Wardle has designed the podium with colonnades, seating, recessed entries and active ground-floor frontages, with sandstone-toned precast concrete and face brick referencing the materiality of the existing church.

The tower then steps back eight metres to the south and six metres to the north before rising in a sculpted form comprising four interlocking quadrants. Wardle has also introduced rounded forms and chamfered corners to reduce the tower's perceived bulk and improve view sharing with neighbouring development sites.

Resident facilities and outdoor areas are planned at the separation between the podium and tower at Level 3, oriented toward Sydney Harbour and the CBD skyline.

The tower itself will feature a glass reinforced concrete facade, with recessed balconies and deep reveals used both to provide shading and privacy and frame views toward the harbour and city. The lower levels take a different architectural approach, using brick and sandstone-toned finishes intended to establish a stronger relationship with St Francis Xavier Church. The Church itself will be conserved and upgraded for its continued use, while the former school building will be adaptively reused as part of the co-living component.

<img alt="Lavendar Bay" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2d4418ad-90aa-4d49-af93-c80b140aea80" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.09.47%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Kv4gzbsACaGvZSRuaqcfGC54jEJRXIDJ" />

&nbsp;

The proposal adds to an increasingly concentrated pipeline of residential development around Blue Street, MacKenzie Street and Lavender Bay.

Just west of the site, Central Element lodged plans earlier this year for one of the most significant residential developments proposed in Lavender Bay in recent years.

Central Element's SJB-designed scheme at 64-66 Lavender Street and 3-7 Middlemiss Street would deliver 163 apartments across two towers rising 23 and 32 storeys, replacing five existing apartment buildings containing 32 homes. The project also forms part of the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-central-element-reveals-lavender-bay-apartment-plans?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">First look: Central Element reveals Lavender Bay apartment plans</a>

Immediately around North Sy​dney Station, another two significant proposals have emerged at 5 and 15 Blue Street.

Zurich Australian Insurance Properties is seeking to adaptively reuse its longstanding commercial building at 5 Blue Street, directly above North Sydney Station, rather than demolishing the structure.

Its SSDA proposes converting the building into a 14-storey mixed-use development with 62 apartments and 86 co-living rooms, together with ground-floor retail and a major refurbishment of Blue Street Plaza. The application is currently at the Response to Submissions stage.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-zurich-targets-north-sydney-office-conversion-with-148-unit-proposal-above-metro-station">First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station</a>

&nbsp;

First look: Vinnies files for 20-storey Lavender Bay apartment tower as North Sydney housing pocket heats up

When the opportunity arose for South Australian developer Palumbo to return to Kent Town, where it had previously delivered East Park Apartments and the East 
Rundle Apartments, it wasn't one the longstanding developer-builder was going to pass up.

The decision was quickly vindicated, with more than 30 apartments sold within the first month of launching <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/royal-apartments-kent-town-2-8-north-terrace-kent-town-sa-5067">Royal Apartments</a> to the market.

The 206-apartment development, which will bring significant new supply to Adelaide's tightly held eastern city fringe, also gives <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/palumbo">Palumbo</a> the opportunity to bring new life to one of Kent Town's most recognisable watering holes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376073]

Royal Apartments incorporates the historic Royal Hotel, a venue Palumbo Managing Director Daniel Palumbo said has a longstanding connection with the local community.

"Everyone in the area has history with the Royal Hotel," Palumbo told Apartments.com.au.

"It was quite an active pub and social gathering place for locals. We want to bring it back to its former glory."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376072]

The wider development will comprise two residential towers alongside the restored hotel, sitting on North Terrace opposite the Adelaide Park Lands.

For Palumbo, the project also marks a return to familiar territory.

The developer completed East Park Apartments next door more than a decade ago and jumped at the opportunity to develop in Kent Town again when the Royal Hotel site became available.

"The opportunity emerged, and we moved to secure the site," Palumbo said.

"We were approached by the previous landowner, who said they had extensive commitments in Sydney and weren't in a position to deliver the project.

"We took over the site and within six months recut the design scheme to be more in keeping with the type of development we want to bring to Adelaide.

"Now we're on the market and those changes have really resonated with local buyers."

That has translated into a strong start to sales, with 33 apartments transacting in the project's first 35 days.

Palumbo said the early purchaser profile had been consistent with the group's traditional focus on owner-occupiers rather than investor-led apartment stock.

"Local owner-occupiers have always been our market," he said.

"There are always some investors, but we've never developed what would be called traditional development stock. Owner-occupiers are very much our market."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376068]

The buyer mix has been diverse so far, with downsizers and younger professionals both accounting for a significant portion of early sales.

South Australia's current stamp duty settings, which allow&nbsp;eligible homeowners in South Australia aged 60 savings of up to $103,830 on stamp duty when they downsize to a new property valued at up to $2 million,&nbsp;have helped encourage downsizer activity, while younger buyers in their late 20s and early 30s have been attracted to the opportunity to live immediately outside the CBD while still being able to walk into the city.



Location has been a major part of the proposition for both buyer cohorts.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376075]

Royal Apartments sits on North Terrace directly opposite the Adelaide Park Lands, with residents able to walk through the parklands toward the East End, Rundle Street and Rundle Mall.

Apartments have been positioned to capture views across the parklands, Adelaide skyline, Botanic Gardens and Adelaide Hills.

Palumbo believes the scarcity of developable land along this section of the Park Lands makes the site particularly difficult to replicate.

"There's very few allotments on that side that can be developed," he said.

"If this location was in New York and you were sitting on Central Park, you'd be talking about a $60 million apartments."

Royal Apartments will offer a broad mix of residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments through to four-bedroom sub-penthouses and penthouses.

Current listings include one-bedroom apartments from $680,000, while larger three and four-bedroom residences are priced around $2.5 million.

Residents will have access to a swimming pool, gym, barbecue and recreation areas, residents' lounge and dining space, and a communal deck.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376067]

The apartments will feature generous balconies, while secure parking, bicycle storage and storage cages will also be provided.

A porte-cochère-style arrival and drop-off area has also resonated with buyers, particularly those attracted to being able to walk into the CBD during the day while retaining secure vehicle access at home.

Palumbo is acting as developer, architect and builder on Royal Apartments, continuing the vertically integrated model it has used across its South Australian portfolio.

The group was also behind the $150 million Sofitel Adelaide, the 251-room five-star hotel and residential tower which opened in 2021.

Palumbo said Royal's launch had come at an interesting time for the broader Adelaide apartment market.

Buyer confidence had initially been impacted by uncertainty surrounding the Federal Budget and broader economic conditions, but Palumbo believes sentiment is beginning to improve against a backdrop of significant investment flowing into South Australia.

He pointed to increased activity across defence and resources, including Olympic Dam, as potential long-term drivers of the state's economy and housing market.

"Money is starting to flow into Adeliade, significant amounts as Adelaide bucks the trend of the rest of the country.," Palumbo said.

"There's a lot of activity in the economy over the next decade. I think more investment will come into this market."

Early works on Royal Apartments are expected to commence this year, with major construction activity and cranes anticipated on site from early next year.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6109]

Palumbo's return to Kent Town strikes early chord with buyers

Go-to builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/graya">GRAYA</a> is continuing to bulk out its already impressive and diverse apartment portfolio across South East Queensland. Their latest milestone is securing development approval for Silk, its boutique riverfront apartment development in St Lucia.

The approval clears&nbsp;the way for the team to begin construction planning for the 22-residence project.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/silk-st-lucia-16-18-sandford-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">Silk</a> will rise 15 levels from an 810 sqm site at 16-18 Sandford Street, occupying a prominent bend of the Brisbane River with a prized northern aspect across Orleigh Park toward the Brisbane CBD.

The approved scheme will comprise 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences, continuing GRAYA's move into larger-format apartment developments targeting Brisbane's prestige owner-occupier market.

The project has been designed around the site's broad river frontage and dual-direction views, with GRAYA prioritising larger residences, privacy and outlook over apartment yield.

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa5c2349-f96c-4914-a812-1f2cd6827af8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=WY0vEU_7vYjeRJKQHiCwFdMxu8PvFh52" />

GRAYA Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Rob Gray said the project had been shaped around local homeowners wanting to remain in St Lucia without maintaining a traditional family home.

"St Lucia is one of those suburbs people do not want to leave," Gray said.

"They know the river, the trees, UQ, the golf course, Toowong and Indooroopilly, and that familiarity is hard to replace.

"True riverfront opportunities here are exceptionally scarce. What we have designed at Silk is a way to stay in the suburb people love, with the scale and privacy of a private home and far less to maintain.

"This is not typical apartment product. It is a proper home on the river, and that is exactly what this market has been missing."

The approval comes as new apartment development continues to increase across the St Lucia and neighbouring Toowong corridor, although direct riverfront sites remain considerably more tightly held.

GRAYA Co-founder and Managing Director Andrew Gray said securing the approval had removed a significant element of development risk from Silk.

"Genuine riverfront sites of this quality in St Lucia are not something that comes up regularly," Gray said.

"The approval removes a substantial layer of execution risk, and the location underwrites demand in a way very few inner-city sites can.

"The fundamentals here are as strong as anything we have assessed in Brisbane."

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d0f3d734-65e1-48e8-8ed3-2e0715ffcdd9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sOLSs_jdHkXLWbBKzRyayf5BfTb2vPsD" />

Silk will see GRAYA return to a stretch of the Brisbane River where it already has recent construction experience. The vertically integrated group recently completed ARC in neighbouring Toowong as builder for developer Spyre, delivering the riverfront project on a constrained site.

GRAYA will take a different role at Silk, controlling the project from design and development through construction and aftercare under its vertically integrated model.

The development will include a gym and resident leisure areas at ground level, integrated with the river's edge.

Silk joins a growing pipeline for GRAYA across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, which includes Enclave, The Gallery, Coral and Ripple.

The developer-builder has also recently lodged plans for its largest project to date, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-silo-19-chester-street-newstead-qld-4006">The Silo</a>, a proposed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/graya-buys-frasers-newstead-site-plans-the-silo-between-james-street-and-gasworks-precincts">$700 million mixed-use development</a> in Brisbane's James Street precinct.

Silk is expected to predominantly target local owner-occupiers and prestige buyers seeking a permanent riverfront home in Brisbane's inner west.

Registrations of interest are now open, with further details on the project and construction program to be released as it progresses.

<hr />
<h2>SILK PROJECT FACTS</h2>

Developer-builder: GRAYA

Project: Silk

Location: 16-18 Sandford Street, St Lucia

Apartments: 22

Built form: 15 levels

Site: 810 sqm riverfront holding

Mix: 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences

Status: Development approved

Next step: Construction planning underway

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152168]

GRAYA greenlit for riverfront St Lucia apartment development, Silk

The Block

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Bold Living has welcomed stars of TV show The Block, Will and Karlie Bethune, to the team, with the Queensland medium home builder naming the Brisbane couple as brand ambassadors.
Will and Karlie, who pocketed $815,000 in winning the 2016 series, will represent Bold Living.
They will participate in master-class style workshops and display home open days, as part of the new partnership.
Bold Living director Brett Boulton said the couple’s design flair and passion for the industry were a suitable fit for the fast-growing builder.
“We were delighted to host Will and Karlie at the recent launch of the Evolve Design Studio – our design showroom that is a one-stop-shop for anyone planning a new home build,” he said.
“Not only were we impressed by their natural style, but their energy, warmth  and ability to ‘think outside the box’ - qualities that match the team at Bold Living.   
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/07/03/Brett%20Boulton%20with%20Will%20and%20Karlie%20and%20Arlia%20Rubin%20at%20the%20Evolve%20%20Design%20Studio1%203.jpg" alt="">
They said they can’t wait to share our design ideas to enhance their building experience.
"We’re big fans of coordinating a neutral base palette with pops of colour, greenery and clever lighting design for a classic and modern look.”
Bold was established in 2010 by Mr Boulton and has grown exponentially in key growth areas across South East Queensland, with the company now building more than 200 new homes each year.
Bold Living has been awarded Queensland Medium Professional Builder by peak industry body - Housing Industry Association (HIA) - for the past two consecutive years, demonstrating excellence in all areas of home building.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/07/03/LTR%20Brett%20Boulton%20and%20Arlia%20Rubin%20with%202016%20Block%20winners%20Will%20and%20%20Karlie2.jpg" alt="">
The Evolve Design Studio – the largest design showroom of its kind in Queensland - is open at 49 Flinders Parade in North Lakes. 
For further information call 1800 462 653 or visit <a href="https://www.boldliving.com.au" target="_blank">www.boldliving.com.au</a>.
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The Block winners join Queensland home builder Bold

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The Blocktagon apartment in South Yarra designed by The Block's most controversial contestant Suzi Taylor has sold for $2.35 million.
The sale comes after the three bedroom apartment was passed in at $2 million when auctioned early last month when it had a reserve price of $2.35 million.
The apartment sold for $1,829,000 under the hammer. It's the first resale in the block since the 2015 finale of the Channel 9 renovation show.
<div>
Suzi Taylor and Yvonne ‘Vonni’ Cosier pocketed $349,000 after they renovated the fourth floor of the derelict former hotel.
</div>
RT Edgar agent Nikki McCarthy said the property would earn buyers a great rental return with a permanent $1800 a week tenant or as a $485 a night short stay, as it came with most of the furniture from the show.
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<div>
<div>This article first appeared in The Weekend Australian's Mansion Australia section.</div>
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Suzi Taylor Blocktagon apartment sold

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<div class="story-intro">
The Blocktagon, South Yarra apartment designed by The Block’s most controversial contestant, Suzi Taylor was passed in at $2 million when auctioned on the weekend.
It was offered with $2 million-plus price hopes and had a $2.35 million reserve.
The three-bedroom pad last sold for $1.829 million. It is the first resale in the block since the 2015 finale of the hit renovation show’s eleventh season.
Suzi Taylor and Yvonne ‘Vonni’ Cosier pocketed $349,000 after they renovated the fourth floor of the derelict former hotel.
</div>
Gold Coaster Suzi controversially danced topless on a boat after Oaks Day, collapsed on set and was admitted to hospital during the series.
RT Edgar agent Nikki McCarthy said the property would earn buyers a great rental return with a permanent $1800 a week tenant or as a $485 a night short stay, and came with most of the furniture from the show.
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Black is a feature colour throughout the home. 
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<div class="image-frame"> </div>
<div class="image-frame">This article first appeared in the Sunday Telegraph.</div>
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Blocktagon unit of Suzi Taylor passed in at auction

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Serial renovators Dea and Darren Jolly, stars of two series of Channel 9 show, The Block, are back at it again.
They picked up the keys on Thursday to a charming unrenovated Sorrento cottage on Melbourne's pricey Mornington Peninsula coastal playground.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/01/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-01%20at%2012.46.05%20PM.png" alt="">
It sold for $1.8 million through Sotheby's International agents Rob Curtain and Danielle Vains.
Dea's instragram has been peppered veiled references to the beach house acquisition including plans by Jane Merrylees, her architect, showing the proposed day bed on the verandah that looks out towards Port Phillip Bay with just a glimse of blue waters.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/01/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-01%20at%2012.46.48%20PM.png" alt="">
The character-filled 1900 four bedroom residence boasts an array of traditional features including a wrap-around porch, impressive 3.5m-high ceilings, fretwork, sash windows and more. There are two original fireplaces one in the lounge room and another in the kitchen.
"There is enormous potential to renovate and create a truly exceptional period home or rebuild to capture stunning water views from across the road," the marketing suggested with it just moments from the sand and bay trail track.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/01/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-01%20at%2012.47.35%20PM.png" alt="">
The purchase comes six months after they pocketed a nice gain from the sale of their Kew East rebuild with $2.908 million.  
They'd spent a year and about $1 million rebuilding their 1920s Kew East California bungalow after purchasing it in a rundown state for $1.395 million in June last year.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/01/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-01%20at%2012.48.14%20PM.png" alt="">
The renovation landed the Jollys in court with the couple’s building and design company DJJ Promotions placed, without conviction, on a two-year good behaviour bond by the Melbourne Magistrates Court.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/01/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-01%20at%2012.48.48%20PM.png" alt="">
Dea and Dazza's acquisition is a side show to the main event, when the latest series in Elsternwick start filming this week.
Much like the former Swans and Pies ruckman Darren, Aussie model Elyse Knowles is understood to have been enlisted as a celebrity contender for the new season.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/01/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-01%20at%2012.49.26%20PM.png" alt="">
Sydney Confidential understands Elyse will be renovating with her partner Josh Barker, however the couple won't be holed up with the other contestants for the full two months of filming at the Melbourne job site.
After several seasons of renovations in apartment blocks, the series will involve restoring houses that have been relocated to the suburban street. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/01/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-01%20at%2012.50.06%20PM.png" alt="">
The holding was once set to become a school, but neighbours including comedian Gina Riley, famous for Kath and Kim, campaigned against it.
Five time winner Sydney auctioneer Damien Cooley hasn't been signed up quite yet for the auctions later this year.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/01/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-01%20at%2012.50.55%20PM.png" alt="">
Channel 9 will then be staying in Melbourne for its 2018 series too having purchased the infamous Gatwick Hotel on the seedy Fitzroy Street, St Kilda strip.
The Spanish Mission 64 room hotel cost around $15 million with the Block in the process of relocating its permanent occupants.
This article first appeared in the Daily Telegraph.
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The Block's Dea and Darren Jolly buy in Sorrento

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Channel 9 has purchased the infamous Gatwick Hotel in Melbourne's St Kilda as the location for an upcoming series of The Block.
A caveat was placed on the property on Wednesday by a company owned by Nine Entertainment Group.
Channel Nine's The Block was keen to renovate the notorious Gatwick Hotel in Victoria despite its seedy location on Fitzroy Street.
It was originally advertised at $11 million plus when placed on the market in December 2015 through Lemon Baxter
Applications are now closed for a 2017 series with an Elsternwick property location in the mix.
The owners of The Gatwick Hotel, sisters Yvette Kelly and Rose Banks, have declined to confirm a sale of the boarding house.
Residents have been given four months notice of the need to move.
The Gatwick Private Hotel at 34 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda was constructed by 1938, one of a number of substantial apartment buildings or private hotels constructed in St Kilda during the inter-war period. It is a three-storey stuccoed building with three street frontages, executed in a restrained Spanish Mission manner.
The building is built to the property boundaries to the three streets.
The interior of the hotel is highly intact.
On the ground floor the reception office and a spacious (former) telephone booth feature Jacobean dark wood panelling with beveled glass lights above.
The former lounge has a large Adamesque ceiling centre in fibrous plaster.
The staircase has a wrought-iron balustrade with a lyre motif.
The Gatwick Private Hotel has been historically associated with the Carbone family who have owned and managed the building since 1977. Vittoria Carbone or ‘Queen Vicky’, in particular is fondly remembered for her compassionate management of the Hotel and her legacy is carried on by her daughters Rose and Yvette.
The 64 room hotel had been on the market for a year before being removed from the market in October 2016.
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The Block secures the Gatwick on seedy Fitzroy Street, St Kilda

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As Channel Nine officially start casting for the next contestants for season 13 of The Block, it is reported that St Kilda's grubby Gatwick Hotel could be the heroic site to renovate.
It looks like the show, who worked on the seedy Savills Hotel in season 11, are set to make the Gatwick their biggest layout in the show's history. 
The 64 room hotel had been on the market for a year before being removed from the market in October with an ambitious $11 million asking price.
It has been reported by the local papers that the producers of the reality TV series were in serious negotiations however it is yet to be formally apparent as a done deal.
It would be far and away the biggest price the Block will have paid for a development site and would be over double of the $5,025,000 they paid for the Port Melbourne soap factory for the last series.
The Gatwick Hotel traded for $3.04 million in 1998.
It could be renovated by a fresh batch of contestants, with the ad on <a href="https://www.castasugar.com" target="_blank">www.castasugar.com</a> only appearing in the last few days.
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The Block 2017 starts casting contestants as St Kilda's Gatwick Hotel tipped

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The inaugural Block contestants Gavin Atkins and Warren Sonin, or 'Gav and Waz', are off to the Sunshine Coast hinterland having sold their Potts Point apartment.
The interior designer duo have secured a home overlooking <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-cooroy+mountain-123331294" target="_blank">Cooroy Mountain</a>.
It was serendipitous circumstances that they heard about the pending $2.7 million listing which they secured before it hit the market.
Riverdale, which adjoins lush rainforest, is a quality built hillside home that has generous proportions with soaring raked ceilings.
It is about 20 minutes to Noosa's Hastings Street and 25 minutes to Sunshine Coast Airport which will see them continue to service clients of their Sydney business, Designer Boys
They duo recently secured the quick sale of their two bedroom Altair apartment in Potts Point.
The 16th floor unit was about to get a serious redesign when they sold off-market having bought it in November last year for $2,325,000 from the former ABC TV director Paddy Conroy.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2016/12/18/Cooroy%20Mountain.jpg" alt="">
Their latest Sydney property foray came after they had sold Charltons, their Byron Bay hinterland estate of eight years, for $3 million in 2013. 
Charltons was a restored 120 year cottage on a hillside overlooking 24 hectares in the Byron Bay hinterland.
A Northern River’s farmhouse had been trucked to the property which underwent extensive renovations and a contemporary extension completed on a block that cost $610,000 in 2007.
It was 2003 when Sonin and and Atkins got their national profile as stars of the first series of Channel 9 reality TV show The Block.
Crazy John, the phone retailer, paid $670,000 after their makeover to the Bondi Beach apartment.
The article first appeared in the Saturday Telegraph
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Gav and Waz buy at Cooroy Mountain on the Sunshine Coast

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The Channel Nine television series, The Block is more about entertainment than real estate.
But there are always important takeouts from the stressfully quick renovation which concluded with the Sunday night showing of its rather laboured auction finale.
The location of this year's Port Melbourne offerings was brave, not because it sat in the capital city attracting negative headlines around the increasing potential of an oversupply in apartments.
The choice pushed the envelope because Ingles Street is still very much an industrial location, so a b-grade location in most buyers' mind.
For Sydneysiders it would be like flogging prestige apartments on say Canal Road, Tempe.
Notwithstanding the nearby rubbish tip, it will be a cosmopolitan suburb, but not in the immediate future.
Its massive residential development potential is only now kicking in.
Everywhere one looked from the heritage Block apartments, there's development which is potentially a good outcome, but also a poses a risk, and at least a disruptive period for potential buyers.
It will be many years before there is anything like a village atmosphere, so the art deco office apartment offerings were only ever going to appeal to a small number of owner occupiers.
Indeed four of the five apartments were sold to investors including the winning one fitted out very well by the young Queenslanders, Will and Karlie. 
Dan and Carleen Foley’s apartment was bought by a young family of owner-occupiers.
Will and Karlie's ground floor garden apartment sold for $2.6 million, some $715,000 over its conservative reserve. Remarkably the pair only had the ground floor apartment because they came last in a challenge among the contestants.
I am a huge fan of garden apartments as they are a rarity, so should typically always make for good prices and price growth.
With some 200 sq m internal space, plus alfresco deck and lawn, it was the biggest price any apartment on The Block has ever secured, beating the $2.47 million paid in 2014 for an apartment in the converted cinema complx in upmarket Albert Park.
All five sales did much better than the current price per square metre record for Port Melbourne that sits around $7,000. 
There's no doubting the depreciation benefits attracted the investors. 
Buyers secured likely tax deductions upwards of $80,000 in the first year, totalling more than $2 million after 11-plus years of ownership.
Investors were accordingly out in force, lured by the tax treat that investors receive from depreciation.
It was interesting the only criticism of the apartments came not from the posse of buyers' agents, but rather the Melbourne radio comedian, Dave Hughes who got inside by pretending to be a potential buyer. He turned up with his cheque book, and registered for the right to bid, though never raised his auction paddle.
His major issues centred around the height of the ceilings, noting the ground floor apartment, renovated by Karlie and Will, was his obvious preference due to the high ceilings, which then disappointed elsewhere in the apartment complex conversion.
He suggested the apartment won because the ceilings were really high, and as "you got up higher the ceilings get lower and lower."
The comedian was also critical of the parking facilities.
"You've got one car port and you've gotta walk quite a way to get to the car port.
"There's no parking people!"
The 1920s converted soap factory office was, he however acknowledged, "extraordinary."
This article first appeared in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Garden apartments are property winners

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GUEST OBSERVER
Washington Brown has crunched the numbers on The Block’s latest development in Melbourne’s inner-city bayside suburb of Port Melbourne, and something just doesn’t add up.
From a financial point of view the development, which consisted of transforming a 1920s art deco building into a luxury apartment block, was one of the worst I have ever seen.
While I understand the magic of television, Channel 9 have outdone David Copperfield in creating the illusion of a profit to the public!.
Let's look at the numbers:
According to reports Channel 9 bought the site for around $5 million, which allowed for 6 apartments. Only 5 were sold on TV and for calculation purposes let’s say the acquisition costs is $4.2 million.
The construction cost and depreciation allowances totalled over $11 million, for the 5 apartments.  
That’s $15.2 million alone in construction and acquisition costs.
It’s worth noting that under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 the initial vendor (ie. the developer) has an obligation to pass on the actual costs of construction to the purchaser, where the costs are known.
Let’s not forget there’s then a variety of other costs involved in buying and selling, and undertaking the development, including:
<ul>
<li>Stamp duty</li>
<li>GST on the sale</li>
<li>Demolition</li>
<li>Marketing</li>
<li>Agents’ fees</li>
<li>Legal fees</li>
<li>Interest</li>
<li>Rates</li>
</ul>
Whilst some of these costs may have been avoided due to contra deals, the bulk would have to be outlaid by Channel 9.
I estimate these additional costs to conservatively be $2 million, which brings the total cost to $17.2 million.
The Block’s<a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/the-block-2016-will-and-karlie-win-and-take-home-815000-in-prize-money-20161113-gsoefv/" target="_blank"> total sales </a>realised just a little over $12 million, leaving the development in the red by around $5 million, yet it has been indicated that <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/the-block-2016-the-auctions/" target="_blank">profits</a> of up to $715,000 were made by the contestants. 
That something David Copperfield would be in awe of.
You know it’s the peak of the market when reality TV shows are pulling rabbits out of a hat to show a profit.
Whilst the contestants may have walked away with some ‘profit’, if the numbers are to be believed as shown on the show that development was a stinker.
Tyron Hyde is director, Washington Brown, and can be contacted <a href="https://www.washingtonbrown.com.au" target="_blank">here</a>.
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How successful was The Block Port Melbourne as a development?

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Over the years The Block contestants have pocketed some pretty impressive sums from their auction sales but it hasn't all been largely over the reserves and champagne celebrations.  
Here's how the Block winners have performed since the show's beginnings in 2003. 
Triple Threat (2015), South Yarra
Winners Darren and Deanne walked away with The Block's highest ever prize, winning a total of $935,000. The three-bedroom property at 4/27 Darling Street was sold by Jellis Craig's Andrew McCann and auctioned by Damien Cooley. The couple's $1.39 million reserve was dismissed with a starting bid of $1.8 million. An active market and growing house prices no doubt contributed to the record-breaking win.
Heritage Art Deco (2016), Port Melbourne
Most recently, Will Bethune and Karlie Cicero walked away with a massive $815,000, the second highest winnings earned by a team on The Block. Their ground floor apartment of the converted 1850s J.Kitchen and Son soap factory at 164 Ingles Street sold for $2.6 million at auction, $715,000 above the reserve. Despite not being a favourite with the show's judges, the art deco apartment was a win with the fans. 
The Blocktagon (2015), South Yarra
The Blocktagon winners Dean and Shay sold their penthouse apartment for $2.3 million, $655,000 over the reserve price. Along with the show's prize money, the couple walked away with $755,000 in total for their work on the old Hotel Seville in South Yarra. The luxury residence was also the third consecutive victory for Jellis Craig's agent Andrew McCann who also sold Dean and Darren's record-breaking Triple Threat apartment in 2015 and Simon and Shannon's winning Glasshouse apartment in Prahran. 
Fans V Faces (2014), Albert Park
Steve and Chantelle pocketed a total of $736,000 for their apartment on the show's Fans V Faves series. Their north-facing Albert Park apartment sold at auction for $2.47 million to a young professional couple with a baby on the way. The city and bay views no doubt helped the 1/47 O’Grady Street apartment sell for well over the reserve. 
The Block (2012), South Melbourne
The Block winners Brad and Lara pocketed $606,000 for their apartment in South Melbourne. The apartment was larger than the other contestant’s and sold for $1.62 million, setting a record for the show at the time.
Glasshouse (2014), Prahran
Glasshouse winners Shannon and Simon won a total of $435,000. The brothers sold their apartment for $1.9 million at auction. The Glasshouse apartment block was located on a main, high-traffic road and contestants had to convert old offices into residential spaces, contributing to the lower figure.
All Stars (2013), Bondi
Phil and Amity claimed the top spot in the show's All Stars series, walking away with a total of $395,000. Their Bondi townhouse sold for $1.67 million.
Sky High (2013), South Melbourne
Alisa and Lysandra won the show’s Sky High series with $395,000, the same amount as Phil and Amity in the All Stars series. Their first-floor apartment featured vertical gardens, an emerging trend at the time, and sold for $1.345 million at auction.
The Block (2010), Vaucluse
Josh and Nisha walked away with $305,000 for their upscale apartment in Vaucluse, Sydney. Only one of four apartments didn’t sell at auction, proving the show’s success was on the rise.
The Block (2003), Bondi
Contestants of The Block’s first season, Adam and Fiona, walked away with a total of $256,000. Having renovated three properties before entering the show, the married couple from Banksia, New South Wales had the most experience of all contestants competing at the time.
The Block (2004), Manly
Jamie and Andrew pocketed $178,000 when their Manly apartment sold for $868,000 at auction. Only two of the four apartments sold at auction making it one of the least successful seasons in The Block’s history.
The Block (2011), Richmond
Polly and Waz were the lowest earning winners ever in The Block series, walking away with just $115,000 in total prize money. Their Richmond apartment was the only one of the season to sell at auction thanks to a downturned market at the time.
The Block has been renewed for a thirteenth season, but aren't saying just where yet.
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