<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/collingwood-vic-3066">Collingwood</a>’s northern edge continues to sharpen its reputation as one of Melbourne’s most compelling cultural precincts, where established creative institutions, leading hospitality, and independent fashion converge within a tightly held inner-city neighbourhood.

Set within this evolving pocket, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/derby-street-by-milieu-collingwood-4-derby-street-collingwood-vic-3066">Derby Street by Milieu</a> draws on a location that balances proximity to some of the inner north’s most influential destinations with the quieter, tree-lined character that defines the streets edging East Melbourne. Positioned just moments from both Smith and Gertrude Streets, the address sits on the periphery of Collingwood’s cultural core, offering immediate access without the intensity of its busiest frontages.&nbsp;

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Gertrude Street, in particular, anchors the area’s identity as a destination for Melbourne’s leading food, art and fashion. Within a short walk, venues such as Marion, Cutler &amp; Co, IDES and the Builders Arms Hotel define a tightly curated dining scene with enduring citywide appeal, complemented by a strong fashion and retail presence including Havn, Le Labo and a selection of independent boutiques.

Nearby, institutions such as the Australian Print Workshop and Collingwood Yards sustain a constant rhythm of exhibitions, performances and creative output, embedding art and culture into the everyday fabric of the neighbourhood.

Smith Street, running parallel, extends this offering with a broader mix of hospitality and nightlife, maintaining its status as one of Melbourne’s most active inner-urban strips.

Beyond these high-energy streets, the immediate surrounds shift in tone. Derby Street and its neighbouring blocks are defined by low-rise heritage terraces, mature trees and a settled residential character. Fitzroy Gardens and Carlton Gardens are both within walking distance, alongside the Royal Exhibition Building and Melbourne Museum, bringing together green space and cultural landmarks within minutes of home.

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Connectivity remains a key advantage. The CBD sits within easy reach, accessible by tram along Smith Street in around 20 minutes, while also remaining close enough to walk or cycle, supported by the inner north’s established bike network.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/milieu-property">Milieu</a>’s long-standing connection to Collingwood underpins the project’s approach. With a portfolio that includes multiple nearby developments across Bedford, Peel and Napier Streets, the developer brings a sustained understanding of the area’s character and evolution. Derby Street continues this trajectory as a collaboration with award-winning Melbourne-based <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/studio-bright">Studio Bright</a>, marking the practice’s first multi-residential project in the inner north and reflecting a shared focus on design integrity and contextual response.&nbsp;

Balancing connection to the neighbourhood with a sense of seclusion and refuge, Derby Street by Milieu embodies a level of care and craft typically reserved for single residential projects. Comprising 22 residences across six storeys, with two to four-bedroom configurations priced from $1.15 million, the project is currently under construction with completion expected in late 2027.&nbsp;

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Joel Robinson

Derby Street by Milieu, at the top end of Collingwood

A rare new apartment development in the Blue Mountains is the latest in a string of State Significant Development Applications submitted through the New South Wales Government's Housing Delivery Authority.

A total of 270 apartments are being proposed for the 1.16-hectare site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/blue-mountains-alpine-retreat-142-150-narrow-neck-road-katoomba-nsw-2780">142–150 Narrow Neck Road in Katoomba</a>, a parcel of land adjoining the former Katoomba Golf Course. The site was acquired for $3.85 million in 2021 by private developer VDM Prime.

The apartments, comprising a mix of serviced apartments, affordable housing, and traditional build-to-sell product, will be spread across eight low-rise buildings, along with a separate building for a new restaurant, arranged around a green spine that leads to a central park.

<img alt="Katoomba" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ee9a2072-f465-44f1-9076-80c9c8ecca02" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-22%20at%209.20.21%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4bT0vQ7j_syl65wcrJmHGm3m5pTvwrY_" />

The Urban Design Report by Atlas Urban says the vision is to create a "contemporary mountain precinct that is responsive to its escarpment landscape, heritage character, and community context."

"The development responds to the current housing supply and affordability challenges identified under the NSW Housing Delivery Authority (HDA), providing a balanced mix of standard, affordable, and short-stay accommodation," the report noted.

"By introducing a variety of dwelling types and tenures, the proposal supports intergenerational living, local workforce retention, and greater housing choice within an area constrained by topography, heritage, and environmental protections."

Of the 270 units proposed, 52 will be serviced apartments. The remainder will comprise 54 studios, 121 one-bedroom units, 39 two-bedroom apartments, and four three- to four-bedroom residences.

<img alt="Katoomba" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f704508d-1bdf-4170-955d-0256652402a7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-22%20at%209.56.49%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=TzarHMO4gTOsblCqsbJQkvMqWj9nu2Au" />

The Design Report, by VDM Prime and appointed architect Antoniades Architects, noted that the design seeks to "provide a built form outcome that is highly considered, respectful and contextually fitting, whilst contributing positively to an evolving precinct."

"The site offers three frontages and the opportunity to provide a meaningful interface with the public domain environment. the design has a sympathetic response to streetscape and the green open space that surrounds the site."

The report states that the buildings are broken up to establish an appropriate bulk and scale, emphasised through height and setback strategies and defined through articulation that supports the transition of precinct granularity. It also notes that a central communal open space is established through the site to enhance the social dynamic and access to amenity, including natural ventilation and light to the apartments. The east and west frontages receive solar access during the morning and afternoon, whilst maximising views to the green open space.

The site adjoins the recently completed Yarrabee Katoomba development, comprising 24 duplexes that were completed last year and sold through McGrath Projects.

The relatively new Housing Delivery Authority pathway established by the NSW Government allows developers to submit State Significant Development Applications through a fast-tracked state process, effectively reducing reliance on local council approval pathways and aiming to accelerate housing delivery across New South Wales.

First look: Nearly 300 apartments pitched on former Katoomba golf course site

In Melbourne’s established inner east, the qualities that define a traditional house, width, height, and access to open ground, are increasingly difficult to replicate in new residential developments. Larger landholdings are scarce, and with them, the ability to create apartments that extend beyond compact, internalised layouts.&nbsp;

In <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/kew-vic-3101">Kew</a>, where the residential fabric is shaped by generous setbacks and mature tree canopies, that tension is especially visible.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ricdanic-investments-pty-ltd">Ricdanic</a>&nbsp;is bringing forward a boutique collection of just 13 residences across two buildings at 9–11 Wimba Avenue, Kew. Comprising six homes at No.9 and seven at No.11, the project sits on a quiet, tree-lined street just off Cotham Road.&nbsp;

Each apartment has been planned with a level of independence more commonly associated with standalone dwellings, balancing privacy with the efficiencies of apartment living.

Architect Chris Idle, who has been practising for over two decades, says projects like this don’t come along often.

“There are very few opportunities to do these kinds of developments in leafy, established suburbs,” he explains. “To get this level of amenity, natural light, and architectural freedom in such a setting is extremely rare.”

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The internal planning begins with width. Living areas extend beyond five metres, allowing furniture, circulation, and glazing to sit comfortably within the same zone without compression. Ceiling heights shift from three metres through to five metres in select areas, changing the sense of scale as you move through the apartment. These proportions are paired with double-glazed windows and fully electric systems, balancing volume with performance, supported by a 7.2 NatHERS energy rating.&nbsp;

From the main living space, the apartments open directly outward. Large sliding doors connect to private gardens averaging 125 square metres, with some residences also incorporating balconies of around 60 square metres. Rather than acting as secondary outdoor zones, these areas sit flush with the internal floor level, extending the usable footprint of the home and allowing for multiple modes of use, whether for quiet daily routines or larger gatherings.&nbsp;

The landscape, led by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/john-patrick-landscape-architects">John Patrick</a>, reinforces this relationship. Across the site, 23 different plant species have been introduced, including a mix of native and established varieties, arranged to maintain privacy while preserving sightlines and light access. Gardens are not treated as decorative buffers but as functional extensions of the apartments, shaped to accommodate movement, seating, and informal use over time.&nbsp;

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Architecturally, the project draws from Kew’s historic residential language. Handmade bricks by Krause define the exterior, grounding the buildings within the material palette of the suburb, while interior finishes, stone, timber flooring, and restrained detailing, continue this approach internally. Architect Chris Idle describes the intent as long-term rather than stylistic: “We wanted it to feel timeless.”&nbsp;

This emphasis on durability extends to how the buildings are accessed and secured. Entry is managed through keyless systems, with a double-gated basement incorporating number plate recognition for vehicle access. Each residence is paired with a private lock-up garage accommodating two to three cars, alongside storage, while all entry points are monitored continuously. These measures sit alongside EV readiness and fully electric infrastructure, aligning the project’s operational systems with its long-term design outlook.&nbsp;

The setting remains central to how the development is experienced. Located within walking distance of Kew Junction and close to established schools including Carey Grammar and Xavier College, the address benefits from existing infrastructure while maintaining a residential quietness that is increasingly difficult to find at this scale.&nbsp;

Construction is being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/sinjen">Sinjen</a>, with a 10-year structural guarantee, with completion targeted for mid-2027.

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Inside Wimba Ave, Kew’s garden-scale residences designed for space and permanence

High-end Sydney developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen-group">Abadeen</a> has secured approval for one of its latest Mosman projects, one of the first developments approved by Mosman Council under the NSW Government’s Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy.

The approval represents an important step in delivering well-considered housing next to established village locations on Sydney’s Lower North Shore, in line with the intent of the Low and Mid-Rise zoning framework. 
&nbsp; 
There are currently 13 other sites lodged within Mosman Council under the policy, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/27-29-heydon-street-mosman-nsw-2088">Heydon Street</a> among the first to receive development consent. 
&nbsp; 
Abadeen Founder and Executive Chairman Justin Brown said the project reflects a considered and appropriate response to its planning context. 
&nbsp; 
“This approval demonstrates how carefully considered, design-led development can align with the objectives of the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy," Brown said.

"The scheme has been designed to respond sensitively to its village setting, with a built form, scale and level of amenity appropriate to its local context. The determination reflects a balanced and considered planning outcome, with Council recognising the capacity for this site to accommodate additional housing within a well-located and established precinct.”

<img alt="Abadeen secures first approval under low and mid-rise housing policy for Heydon Street, Mosman" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="92811ce3-02e8-44fc-996e-c61ae039bd3e" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Heydon%20Street%20Aerial.jpg?VersionId=ZHJVuWQT64QcdrFJx963pFWFzTX7lI2I" />

The Heydon Street approval followed extensive consultation with Mosman Council, with Abadeen working closely with Council throughout the assessment process.

The approved scheme comprises 27 residences, with only four per floor, creating a low-density living environment. The building will include four half-floor penthouses designed to capture views across Middle Harbour, Sydney Harbour and the surrounding district.&nbsp;

The project is expected to appeal to downsizers and owner-occupiers seeking house-like proportions, privacy and local convenience. There will be north-facing Middle Harbour views from the second level upward. It is also just a flat 100-metre walk to Bridgepoint Shopping Centre, which will appeal to owner-occupiers and in particular downsizers.

Two-bedroom residences are expected to be priced from $1.99 million when sales launch later this year. 
&nbsp; 
Joe Tack, CEO at Abadeen, said the outcome reflects both the quality of the site and the broader need for well-located housing. 
&nbsp; 
“This is a highly considered site within a highly established local setting, offering elevated views and strong connectivity. The project has been designed to respond to that context, delivering a scale and quality of housing aligned with both the planning framework and evolving market demand.” 
&nbsp; 
“This approval is particularly significant in the context of Mosman, where new housing supply has historically been limited. While it represents the first approval of this scale in Mosman to be achieved in over 50 years, it is importantly located within a well-established residential location, in close proximity to the established commercial amenity of Spit Road and Mosman Village. It reflects strong confidence in Abadeen’s approach to design, delivery and community integration, while contributing to the delivery of much-needed housing in a highly constrained market.”

Abadeen has an established track record across Sydney’s Lower North Shore, with recent completions including KOYO in Crows Nest and ENSO in Neutral Bay.

In Mosman, Abadeen recently completed The Hampden, with Mosman Residences on the corner of Spit Road and Clifford Street scheduled for completion later this year. Construction has also commenced at Burran Residences, comprising three full-floor ultra-premium homes positioned just 50 metres from Balmoral Beach, with residences expected to achieve prices in excess of $20 million. Two further projects are also progressing through planning within the local government area.

Abadeen secures first approval under low and mid-rise housing policy for Heydon Street, Mosman apartment development

Apartment developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/martello">Martello™</a> is one of the latest entrants to the Gold Coast development market, with its debut project set to be one of the most boutique offerings on Chevron Island in recent years.

Martello has unveiled <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aere-chevron-island-18-20-mawarra-street-chevron-island-qld-4217">Aere Chevron Island</a>, a collection of 33 large-scale two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartments across an 18-storey building on Mawarra Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143932 project_image_fid=367517]

The developer has placed a strong emphasis on wellness, briefing architecture firm Raunik Design to embed this philosophy into the project. It is a direction <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/martello">Martello™</a> plans to carry through its future developments along the coast.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/martello">Martello™</a> has positioned Aere as a continuation of its human-centric development approach, with a focus extending beyond amenity to the fundamentals of layout, natural light, and spatial planning. Promax Construction has already been appointed to deliver the project, with construction expected to commence in the coming months as part of the group’s broader expansion into South East Queensland.

Rising above the low-rise fabric of Chevron Island, Aere’s design emphasises generous internal proportions and uninterrupted outlooks, with residences oriented to capture coastal, skyline, and waterway views. Interiors prioritise open-plan living, with large-format glazing and carefully considered transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143932 project_image_fid=367508]

The upper levels are dedicated to larger-format homes, including four-bedroom residences designed as half-floor offerings. These layouts prioritise separation between living and sleeping zones, along with increased privacy and storage, features more commonly associated with detached housing than traditional apartment product.

Aere’s private resident amenity spaces centre on wellness. A rooftop level will incorporate a heated swimming pool, sauna and spa, alongside a residents’ lounge, dining areas and barbecue spaces, while additional shared facilities throughout the building include a gym and yoga area.

The inclusion of both social and quieter retreat spaces reflects a broader shift in higher-end apartment design on the Gold Coast, where developers are increasingly responding to owner-occupier demand for buildings that support long-term living rather than short-stay use.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143932 project_image_fid=367814]

Aere is positioned within walking distance of Chevron Island’s village centre along Thomas Drive, as well as the HOTA cultural precinct via the Green Bridge, connecting residents to parklands, galleries, and event spaces.

For <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/martello">Martello™</a>, Aere represents the first in a series of planned Gold Coast developments, with the group also exploring opportunities in other coastal precincts, including Kirra and Palm Beach.

The move north comes as sustained population growth and infrastructure investment continue to reshape South East Queensland, with developers increasingly targeting boutique, design-led projects in established lifestyle pockets. Aere’s relatively small scale and emphasis on spatial quality position it within this emerging segment of the market.

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Martello™ enters Gold Coast market with wellness-led Chevron Island development Aere

Justin Hemmes

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Justin Hemmes hospitality giant Merivale has revealed its latest acquisiton.
They've bought The Duke of Gloucester Hotel in Randwick, affectionately known to locals as The DOG.
The heritage-listed building on the cross section of Frenchmans Road and Clovelly Road cost Merivale around $32 million.
It was sold by hospitality operator Good Beer Co, who in 2018 kept Paddington's Four in Hand as a hospitality venue when it was listed with having the potential to be converted to a residence, much to the dismay of locals.
Good Beer Company is headed by George Azar and run by his nephew John. Good Beer Co retain the Keg &amp; Brew in Surry Hills.
No announcement yet of Merivale's future plans for The DOG, just that they get the keys in January 2021.
The DOG joins Coogee Pavilion, Hotel Centennial, The Royal Bondi and The Paddington in Merivale’s growing Eastern Suburbs pub portfolio.  
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Merivale buys Randwick's The DOG, Duke of Gloucester Hotel

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Billionaire hotelier Justin Hemmes is further diversifying his portfolio.
Quiet in the local Sydney pub scene for a while, Hemmes has acquired the Allawah Hotel, one of Sydney's biggest gaming pubs near Hurstville.
The Australian reports he has paid around $34 million.
The hotel was first listed this time two years ago by the White family, with price expectations of more than $30 million.
The Feros family's JDA Hotels arm bought The Allawah Hotel in 2007 before selling it to the White's for $28 million.
Hemmes, who offloaded the <a href="/expert-insights/investing/justin-hemmes-sells-longtime-potts-point-retail-building-pre-auction">family's oldest asset in Potts Point earlier this year,</a> only has two other reported purchases in 2019.
Last month he quietly paid $4,872,500 for Rozelle's 3 Weeds pub.
He plans to open a new Totti's Italian restaurant in part of the property, according to The Australian.
In April he spent <a href="/news/billionaire-hotelier-justin-hemmes-buys-7-5-million-dover-heights-home-for-ex-partner">$7.5 million on a home in Dover Heights</a> for his ex-partner Kate Fowler.
Late last year Hemmes bought <a href="/news/hotelier-justin-hemmes-buys-office-block-redevelopment-next-to-his-ivy-nightclub">the office block next to his Ivy nightclub</a> with grand $1.5 billion redevelopment plans in the pipeline.
 
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Justin Hemmes buys The Allawah Hotel in Sydney's south west

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The Fish Shop at Potts Point is closing its doors after seven years.
It's set to be replaced by Lotus 2.0, to be steered by chef Dan Hong, according to GoodFood.com.au.
The Fish Shop had been the venture of the late chef Jeremy Strode within the Merivale that has decided to launch a pop-up in the space instead.
Hong, who heads up the nearby Ms G's and Mr Wong in the city, was previously at the helm of Lotus when it originally opened in 2002 when the Hemmes family returned to the site they previously operated.
It ran for around six years.
The site was once Moran's, before owner Matt Moran moved on to Aria at Circular Quay.
It was then the restaurant Goldfinger before becoming Lotus.
The restaurant will be an updated version of the former Lotus restaurant.
Hong told GoodFood he remembers auditioning for the Lotus gig, creating 12 dishes in 45 minutes for Hemmes and other Merivale executives.
It will have the hot fudge sundae's he served on the day, as well as Lotus classics such as the tuna with sweet wasabi dressing.
<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/2019/6/4/Fish2.jpg" alt="">
The current space that has been home of popular The Fish Shop.
"The bar at the back is still there, it's [currently] covered in wood," Hong said.
Lotus 2.0 is likely to open in September and trade for up to a year, given the recent sale of the building.
The popular eatery sits within Wirrara, the Macleay Street building offloaded by Justin Hemmes.
It was <a href="/expert-insights/investing/justin-hemmes-sells-longtime-potts-point-retail-building-pre-auction">bought for around $13 million</a> by developer Tony Benjamin who "just wanted a trophy asset," according to selling agent Jason Boon.
Benjamin owns the two star Holiday Lodge Hotel a few doors down the heritage row.
Wirrara was one of the Hemmes family's longest held assets, having being bought by family patriarch, the late John Hemmes, for $1.428 million in 1988.
The building at 61-63 Macleay Street comprises The Fish Shop, Arida clothing retail outlet whose formal lease expires in August, and four apartments above that have been rented to Fish Shop staff.
The Fish Shop is set to close on June 16.
Restaurateur and chef Kylie Kwong is closing her Macleay Street restaurant Billy Kwong in the coming months.
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Justin Hemmes to replace The Fish Shop at Potts Point with Lotus 2.0

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The hotelier Justin Hemmes has sold his family's longstanding landmark building, Wirrara in Potts Point ahead of tonight's auction.
The corner building had been listed for sale with an $11 million plus guide through Allan Levy from Metro Commercial inconjunction with the local R&amp;W office, but Hemmes was actually hopeful of $13 million, which would reflect a 4 percent yield.
The building's listing coincided with the lease of Arida formally expiring this August.
Through the years, as the Hemmes family expanded their fashion and restaurant business, they also started buying up the buildings in which they operated their different businesses. His parents opened a Thai tea café within their Sydney CBD fashion building in the early 1970s.  
One of their first Merivale coffee shops was this one in Potts Point.
Justin Hemmes' late father, Mr John bought the property at 61-63 Macleay Street for $1.428 million in 1988.
The offering was a rare offload by the hotelier.
Set in the corner of Macleay Street and Challis Avenue, the mixed-use freehold investment located features four large apartments and two retail shopfronts. 
It boasts Merivale’s Fish Shop at street level and the Arida clothing retail outlet next door. 
<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/2019/5/8/Hemmes2.jpg" alt="">
Justin Hemmes, who hosted Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s campaign fundraiser at his Vaucluse estate on Monday night, has acknowledged the Potts Point premises needed some rectification works.
But the hotel baron will soon have his hands full with a mooted $1 billion redevelopment of his recently expanded Ivy, George Street site in the CBD.
He has not lodged any plans, but intends to redevelop the site with an office tower and a hotel, in partnership with investors.
There is current $520,950 total rental income with $328,550 from the Potts Point shops and $192,400 from the four upstairs units per annum. 
The luxury retailer of international clothing brands and distinctive interiors has been on a five year lease at $158,000 a year.
It has been trading there, in one name or another, for almost two decades.
The neighbouring Hemmes-run restaurant The Fish Shop has been on a $170,000 a year lease which Hemmes could continue subject to the next owners' wishes.
It has been many restaurants through the decades including Juillet's, Moran, Giraffe, Clochemerle, Lotus and Merivale.
At one point the building was leased by Thelma and Terry Clune, the gallerists, who are best associated with the adjacent acclaimed Yellow House. 
The total internal 741 sqm area comprises 300 sqm of the ground floor. 
There are $10,000 estimated council rates, $93,000 water rates and $55,000 land tax. 
The property is part of the Santa Fe row of 1905 Queen Anne style terraces that once ran from 45 to 63 Macleay Street.
It is part of the surviving half of a set of 10 terraces, designed by architect Maurice B Halligan, some of them demolished to make way for the Chimes.
One of the terraces, also in a neglected state, is the Holiday Inn, which is owned by the Benjamin family.
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Justin Hemmes sells longtime Potts Point retail building pre-auction

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Hotel baron Justin Hemmes has bought the office block adjoining the Ivy, his prime Sydney CBD hospitality venue.
Hemmes, the CEO of the family founded hotel giant Merivale, bought the Westpac site at <a href="https://www.commercialrealestate.com.au/property/312-318-george-street-sydney-nsw-2000-2014470995" target="_blank">312-318 George Street</a>, which sold with a lease pre-commitment from St George Bank for the entire retail footprint.
Hemmes is reportedly seeking outside investors to back the project for the first time in Merivale's six decade history, according to The Australian which broke the story.
The sale came with approved plans for a 16 storey, 195 room hotel with ground floor and mezzanine level retail (above).
It's expected the hotelier is not likely to follow through with the plans however, instead slating a mooted $1 billion redevelopment of the expanded site.
<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/2018/12/13/Hemmes1.jpg" alt="">
"It is not imminent and we have not lodged any plans, but it was always my intention to redevelop the site with an office tower and maybe a hotel,'' Hemmes told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Hemmes said it would probably be at least a three-year process to get approvals.
<div class="_1665V undefined">
"We will start from scratch and given Sydney's strong demand for office space, an office tower would be a viable option, but I've not decided on the final outcome," Hemmes said.
"The redevelopment and upgrade of George Street, Sydney is a major opportunity and we will work to get investors and developers on board."
</div>
The building is rumoured to be 55 levels, including a number of hospitality outlets as well as an expansion of Ivy.
McVay Real Estate agent Sam McVay sold the property directly opposite Wynyard Station to Hemmes, who paid around $10 million more than the price expectations.
It's a change in focus for Hemmes, who has been quiet on the hotel purchasing front this year.
In 2017 he went on an inner Sydney pub spending spree, snapping up <a href="/expert-insights/investing/merivales-justin-hemmes-adds-hotel-centennial-to-portfolio">Hotel Centennial</a> at Woollahra, Enmore's <a href="/expert-insights/investing/justin-hemmes-merivale-buys-enmores-vic-on-the-park-hotel">Vic on the Park</a>, the <a href="/expert-insights/investing/sydneys-beachfront-collaroy-hotel-sold-to-hemmes-owned-merivale">Collaroy Hotel</a> and an $8.95 million <a href="/expert-insights/investing/hotelier-justin-hemmes-secures-commercial-kitchen-to-services-his-venues">commercial kitchen in Marrickville</a> to service his venues.
He also focused on his residential portfolio, <a href="/news/justin-hemmes-buys-a-bit-more-of-south-coast-berrara-hamlet">expanding his footprint in Berrara</a>, a small inlet on the South Coast, and <a href="/news/sunroom-pavilion-slated-for-harbourside-hemmes-vaucluse-mansion-the-hermitage">adding a sunroom</a> for the family's iconic Vaucluse mansion The Hermitage. 
It's a return to the CBD for Hemmes, who's ancestors began their venture into hospitality in the city when they opened a Thai tea café within their Sydney CBD fashion building in 1970. 
 
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Hotelier Justin Hemmes buys office block redevelopment next to his Ivy nightclub

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The Urban Taskforce has announced hospitality trailblazer Justin Hemmes as its 2018 Property Person of the Year. 
“Justin Hemmes has revolutionised Australia’s hospitality industry by bringing a new level of sophistication, creativity and ingenuity to Sydney’s dining and entertainment landscape”, says Urban Taskforce CEO, Chris Johnson. “His innovative properties, like Establishment, ivy, Coogee Pavilion, The Collaroy and The Newport offer unique, memorable and internationally renowned experiences, and have transformed Merivale into a peerless hospitality powerhouse”. 
The Urban Taskforce represents the development industry’s risk-takers and Justin Hemmes has been an outstanding entrepreneur in the way he has acquired old hotel sites and venues across Sydney and turned them into must-visit destinations. 
Since taking the reins of his family's fashion business in 1997, Justin has made a major mark on commercial property development in Sydney, dominating the hospitality sector and expanding the Merivale portfolio to include a host of the country's most ambitious and successful hospitality transformations. his Merivale portfolio now includes over 70 venues that have galvanised their local cultural economies and magnetised tourists from around the world.
The redevelopment of Hotel CBD in 1995 was one of the first projects fronted by Justin. Taking a true hands on approach by working on site as a brickies labourer for a year and a half, Justin drove the design and refurbishment to turn what was a bookstore and commercial space into a multi-story hotel. Hotel CBD pushed societal boundaries by reimaging the concept of pubs as a predominantly male domain to places where both men and women could happily socialise for any occasion. From this, the first multi venue pub was born; presenting a variety of different spaces for people to make their own. 
In the mid-nineties he purchased the Slip Inn and redesigned the original pub and its four adjoining terraces to accommodate beautiful bars and the Chinese Laundry nightclub, completely reinvigorating a desolate pocket of Sydney’s CBD. In 2000 he opened Establishment in the burnt-out ruins of the former George Patterson House on George Street; creating a nine-story entertainment complex now home to fine dining, a boutique hotel, private event places and the award-winning 240-seat Cantonese restaurant Mr Wong. 
In 2007, Merivale launched the ambitious $160 million ivy project to create an urban oasis in the heart of the city. This 20,000 square metre mixed-use development is home to 12 boutique shops, 18 bars, nine restaurants, a rooftop pool, a garden atrium and a large ballroom. He also had the foresight to create and activate two surrounding laneways, providing Sydney with the way of life enjoyed in European cities. A sanctuary in the middle of the CBD, ivy quickly became the destination, helping shape Sydney into a truly great global city. 
Ivy has won a host of awards including: 
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National Hotel of the Year at 2014 AHA National Awards for Excellence 
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IDEA09 Interior Design Excellence Awards - IDEA09 Overall Winner and Hospitality Winner and Multi-Residential, Highly Commended
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Australian Institute of Architects National Awards 2009 - Harry Seidler Award for Commercial Architecture and National Award (Urban Design)
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Australian Institute of Architects (NSW) 2009 - Lloyd Rees Award for Outstanding Urban Design and Commercial Architecture Award.
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Justin’s enthusiasm for designing, building and operating exciting venues does not stop. After his developments in the city, he has reinvigorated the top end of Oxford Street with the Paddington, Fred’s, Charlie Parker’s and The Chicken Shop. He transformed the derelict beachfront Coogee Pavilion from a pub into a dynamic lifestyle destination and re-envisioned the landmark Newport Arms Hotel as The Newport. New ventures have increased Merivale’s footprint across Sydney even further, from Queens Hotel and Vic on The Park in Sydney’s thriving Inner West to The Royal in Bondi, Tennyson Hotel in Sydney’s South-East and The Collaroy on the idyllic Northern Beaches. And he’s also forecasting an even bigger redevelopment of the ivy site. 
Urban Taskforce Chair Peter Daly says “We are amazed at what Justin has achieved across Sydney in a manner that has set new standards for every project. His innovations always cause ripple effects that have added energy to surrounding buildings and areas that were previously degraded. He is a very worthy winner of Property Person of the Year award for 2018 and he joins distinguished former winners that include Harry Triguboff (twice), Lang Walker, Bill Moss, Greg Goodman, Wal King, Bob Rose, Garry Rothwell, Ross McDiven, Tony Perich, Steve McCann, Iwan Sunito, Joe Khatter and Sarkis Nassif.” 
The 2018 Property Person of the Year Award dinner appropriately will be held at Justin’s landmark venue, ivy, on 28 November. A crucial motivation for these annual events is to raise funds for the two charities supported by the Urban Taskforce: Warrah Homes and St Vincent’s Prostrate Cancer Research. The Urban Taskforce has raised more than $4million for these charities over the past 17 years. Justin and Merivale also support various charities— including Ronald McDonald House, the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Royal Hospital for Women. 
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Justin Hemmes named Urban Taskforce Property Person of the Year

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Prominent Sydney hotelier Justin Hemmes has been included in this year's Rich List.
Hemmes and his family have amassed a $951 million fortune via the ownership of 70 pubs, hotels, restaurants and venues in and around Sydney, including The Ivy on George Street in the heart of the CBD. No reason for their recent absence from the list was readily offered.
He joins the biggest group of Rich Listers, property magnates, who account for 51 of the 200 names. The family retains property dating back to 1972 when it bought the Angel Hotel for $500,000 on Pitt Street, Sydney.
Hemmes just misses being among the record 76 billionaires on the Financial Review Rich List.
They include billionaire Meriton's Harry Triguboff.
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Most of the property names on the list are in the booming residential sector.
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<div>The 45-year-old Hemmes is among 12 new names in the 2018 edition which will be published tomorrow.</div>
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Hemmes' late father John and mother Merivale jointly appeared on the BRW Rich List in 1984 with a net wealth of $12 million, the first edition of the list in its current form.
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Thirty-five years ago, BRW Magazine compiled the first annual list of the 200 richest people in Australia, a year after the first BRW 100 was printed in 1983.
Last year, the list became the Financial Review Rich List. There are 15 names on this year's list that where in the 1984 edition.
John and Merivale Hemmes' 1984 Rich List entry attributes their wealth to their John and Merivale clothing chain that was started after John moved to Australia in 1952. He then met, and married, Merivale, a milliner.
They set up a clothing chain, one of Australia's leading fashion chains in the 1960s and 1970s, the cash flow from which they bought property holdings.
Apparently John and Merivale Hemmes had once been evicted from a rented property in central Sydney and swore they would never pay rent again.
The Hemmes family properties include the Establishment Hotel on George Street, which cost $9 million to buy in 1998 and the CBD Hotel on York Street, which John Hemmes bought in 1993 for $3.1 million. 
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Those two properties are worth at least 50 times more, the Rich List suggests, and along with The Ivy, where a 55-storey-hotel is now planned, form the foundation of Justin Hemmes and his family's wealth.
In recent years the empire has expanded to include the Coogee Pavilion, Enmore's Queen Victoria Hotel and The Newport.
Sydney's beachfront Collaroy Hotel was bought by the Merivale group in an off-market sale, with market chatter putting the deal at around $21 million.
The Centennial Hotel in Sydney's eastern suburbs was a recent purchase.
Hemmes also recently spent nearly $9 million on a commercial kitchen to service his growing portfolio.
He has also spent millions on personal properties including on the NSW south coast town.
His home is the heritage harbourside Vaucluse manor house, The Hermitage.
The Hermitage, one of the earliest mansions in Sydney's east, is of the Victorian Rustic Gothic style, built in an era when the curtains were drawn. 
It was bought in 1975 paying $500,000 in a 1970s credit squeeze fire sale when it was sold by Dick Baker following the 1974 collapse of his company Mainline.
It was in 2011 when Justin Hemmes, the chief executive officer of the Merivale hospitality group, moved back into his family home.
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Hemmes hotelier family return to Rich List 

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Hotelier Justin Hemmes has bought the Centennial Hotel in Sydney's eastern suburbs as his commercial property splurge continues.
The reputed $15 million purchase comes after recent acquisitions of the Royal Hotel in Bondi, the Vic on the Park in Marrickville and Collaroy's beachfront hotel.
Hemmes also recently spent nearly $9 million on a commercial kitchen to service his growing portfolio.
Ray White's Asia Pacific director of hotels Andrew Jolliffe secured the off-market sale of The Hotel Centennial without formal price disclosure.
Jolliffe has now sold in excess of $1.75 billion in hospitality assets in the past five years.
Jolliffe has long espoused the view that market conditions for A-Grade hospitality properties enjoy strong favour and tightening yields.
"We've been both liberal and robust in our view over the past 24 months that the spread between cost of funding and yield for A-Grade hospitality assets is well placed to contract further next year" he said.
"The fundamentals are all pointing to this outcome, and the argument supported by astute hotel investors, by virtue of deed, is illustrative of this market response" Jolliffe concluded.
The Hotel Centennial is a landmark double storey Eastern Suburbs Hotel occupying a 780 sqm Oxford St location opposite Centennial Park.
lt was sold by the Medich family, who recently sold the Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel, The Woolwich Pier Hotel and Mosman's Buena Vista Hotel.
The Medich family, via their Halcyon Hotels vehicle and headed by Anthony Medich, acquired the hotel in 2014 and undertook substantial renovations; consequently attracting clientele from both the broader Eastern Suburbs; as well as the design, art and fashion industry.
"Like a handful of other iconic hotels, The Hotel Centennial is a very valuable piece of Sydney commercial property, and for decades has been a favoured meeting place for local residents and visitors to the area," Jollifee said.
"We are delighted to have again enjoyed the Medich family's trust with such a valuable asset, and feel equally pleased to have matched this famed property with such an appropriate suitor in Justin Hemmes."
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Jolliffe was announced the 1000 office Ray White Group's number one agent internationally in 2017.
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Merivale's Justin Hemmes adds Hotel Centennial to portfolio

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Justin Hemmes now has so many hotel venues, he's gone out and spent $8.95 million on kitchen premises at Marrickville to supply them all.
His hotel acquisition trail has intensified over recent months and years.
Justin Hemmes, who has been Merivale CEO since 1997, has spent $175 in the past three years, his biggest outlay The Newport which cost $46 million.
The Merivale group owns a growing portfolio of more than 65 restaurants, bars, pubs and hotels across Sydney.
The proposed kitchen space is just around the corner from Vic on the Park in Marrickville, his most recent purchase which cost around $20 million.
In the immediate vicinity are the Merivale owned Tennyson Pub in Mascot, the Queens Hotel in Enmore and the nearby Vic on the Park.
LJ Hooker Commercial Sydney City Fringe agent Jim Marinos sold the kitchen space property that last had traded for $2.75 million in 2010.
He sold the building at public auction, but Hemmes wasn't in attendance.
His empire includes the Coogee Pavilion, The Newport Arms Hotel and The Beresford.
Hemmes trading in the commercial space has always taken priority over his residential holdings, but that's seen some acquisitions too.
All on or close to the water.
Last year he expanded his holdings in the small hamlet of Berrara, down near Jervis Bay.
He has spent over $11 million on property in the area, dating back to his first $665,000 purchase in 2006.
Hemmes also has a 60 hectare rural retreat further down the south coast, the $7.5 million Glasshouse Rocks estate retreat at Narooma.
His Pittwater waterfront acquisition came last year when he bought the waterfront of one of Australia’s most distinguished production designers, Laurence Eastwood.
His family home is the harbourside Vaucluse mansion, The Hermitage.
The Hermitage was built in the Victorian Rustic Gothic style and is one of the earliest mansions in Sydney's east.
Hemmes grew up in the home that belonged to his parents, mother Merivale, his late father late John Hemmes and his sister Bettina.
His most recent move was to submit plans for a sunroom pavilion.
Landscaper Michael Bates recently undertook a makeover for The Hermitage garden, which he dubs an entertainer’s garden. The garden comes complete with an outside bathtub, and the de rigour fire pit too.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
 
 
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Hotelier Justin Hemmes secures commercial kitchen to services his venues

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Hospitality group Merivale has snapped up Vic on the Park Hotel in Sydney's Inner West, adding to its pub portfolio.
The deal value was not known immediately, but is estimated to be between $22 million-$25 million.
The latest transaction follows another hotel deal by the Justin Hemmes-led Merivale in August.
Sydney's beachfront Collaroy Hotel was bought by the Merivale group in an off-market sale, with market chatter putting the deal at around $21 million.
The Vic on the Park is Merivale's second pub in the area after Hemmes' purchase of the Queen Victoria hotel on Enmore Road in 2015, according to the <a href="https://www.goodfood.com.au" target="_blank">goodfood</a> website.
"We have a self-imposed mandate to grow this wonderful business both deliberately and responsibly, and wherever we see property backed opportunities for us to create unique experiences for our loyal client base" said Merivale CEO Justin Hemmes in a media release.
The Vic on the Park Hotel is a large format, 1,247 sqm hotel site on the corner of Addison Road and Enmore Rd in Sydney's Marrickville. 
It has 25 electronic gaming machines and the venue generates more than $7.46 million in annual sales.
“Vic on the Park has long been at the heart of Marrickville, a vibrant community hub where people of all ages and walks of life can come together”. “We have loved being part of the Inner West since opening Queens last year and can’t wait to take on what is undoubtedly an important and cherished venue in the area” Hemmes concluded. 
The hotel was sold by the Australian Pub Fund (APF), the seventh such sale of an A-grade freehold hotel by the Carnegie, Singleton and Dixon private equity joint venture vehicle over the past 12 months. 
Ray White and CBRE were running the international expressions of interest campaign closing September 28.
"We employed a strategic and very public sales campaign involving both national print and digital media levers, and the response was consistent with our expectations for an A-grade property holding of this commercial complexion" said Ray White Hotels' Andrew Jolliffe. 
"Our guidance throughout the campaign was between $22m and $25m, and that is ultimately what we achieved for our client," he said. 
CBRE Hotel's Daniel Dragicevich added that the mixed development momentum within the precinct the hotel is situated generated lot of enquiries from hoteliers and developers. 
The Vic was part of their Australian Pub Fund portfolio, a private equity group currently exiting strategic hotel investments to recycle equity, goodfood said.
The APF also sold Newtown's Marlborough Hotel to Matt Moran and Bruce Solomon's Solotel group in April.
The Vic is popular for its live music, sports, bistro dining and a carpark that hosts outdoor gigs, record fairs and even the odd basketball game.
Merivale will receive the keys to the Vic on November 13. The pub will trade as per usual.
 
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