The final apartments in the most recently completed new development in Balwyn present some of the largest and most exclusive ever delivered in one of Melbourne’s most established and character-rich neighbourhoods.

Boutique developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/wulff-projects">Wulff Projects</a>,&nbsp;alongside partner <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pga-group">PGA Group</a>, has just finished <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/threadneedle-balwyn-1-5-threadneedle-street-balwyn-vic-3103">Threadneedle</a>, 17 home-sized residences designed completely for the owner-occupier.

Named after its location on Threadneedle Street, the new project has been shaped by the heritage fabric of Balwyn. It offers two low-rise buildings of eight and nine apartments respectively, designed to emulate traditional standalone homes.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27816 project_image_fid=355582]

John Scaramuzzino, Director at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bruce-henderson-architects">Bruce Henderson Architects</a>, explains the design intention.

“Given the quiet residential character of the street with many homes dating back to the 1930s and 1940s, we approached Threadneedle wanting to appear less as a collection of apartments and more as a traditional residence. This led to creating not one but two buildings that could “breathe” with larger garden-based apartments functioning more like small homes.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27816 project_image_fid=355605]

The north-facing residences are nestled among extensive landscaped gardens by Ben Scott Garden Design, with over one-third of the site dedicated to greenery. The resulting setting is one of calm seclusion, where architecture and landscape work in tandem to offer immediate liveability.

With construction now complete, the final apartments include a top-floor, single-level penthouse residence priced from $2.8 million. This home offers three bedrooms, a dedicated study, two bathrooms plus powder room, and three car spaces with an oversized storage room.&nbsp;

Interiors prioritise spatial comfort and natural light, with three-metre-high ceilings, oversized internal doors and a full-width terrace oriented to the north, east and west.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27816 project_image_fid=355604]

Floor-to-ceiling double-glazed windows ensure thermal performance across seasons, supported by automated external blinds, zoned heating and cooling, and a fireplace for added ambiance.

Each apartment has been individually designed to maximise privacy and garden outlooks. Kitchens combine refined finishes with practical considerations: stone benchtops, butler’s pantry, full-height joinery and concealed rangehoods.&nbsp;

The inclusion of dedicated home offices responds to contemporary living patterns, while bathrooms feature sculptural bathtubs and brushed nickel fixtures.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27816 project_image_fid=355590]

Threadneedle also integrates best-practice sustainability measures, achieving a 7 Star average NatHERS rating. Initiatives include solar PV systems, rainwater harvesting for toilet flushing and irrigation, and high-performing building insulation. These elements enhance daily comfort while reducing ongoing maintenance and energy demand.

"We believe Threadneedle sets a new standard of design excellence and building quality for Balwyn,"&nbsp;Scaramuzzino added.

"It’s an architectural response we’re particularly proud of, and one we’re sure residents will be equally proud to call home."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=27816]

Staff Writer

Final homes remaining as Threadneedle, Balwyn completes construction

Joel Robinson

Sydney's top 15 new apartments developments set to launch in 2026

Developer-builder <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/dasco-australia">DASCO</a> has pushed beyond the now-standard inclusions of rooftop pools and landscaped podiums at its recently launched new Epping project, Senso.

It has laid out over 4,000 sqm of resident-only amenity in a move designed to compete directly with low-density housing on livability, not just density. The result is a development that supports genuine daily use through purposeful spaces distributed across its five-building, 479-apartment precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4396]

Two rooftop pools form the anchor of Senso. One is a 27-metre lap pool adjoining a heated spa, designed for everyday fitness rather than just summer leisure. The second sits on a lower podium, allowing different buildings to share in vertical access and reducing crowding during peak times.

It is the secondary spaces that start to distinguish Senso from other large-scale suburban projects. A rooftop cinema is integrated into a landscaped terrace, offering open-air screenings with natural ventilation and passive cooling.&nbsp;

The inclusion of a “sensory walk”, an elevated boardwalk that threads through the site, suggests a rare investment in non-commercial, non-essential amenity: space for quiet movement that doesn’t double as access or traffic circulation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4402]

The gym and wellness centre, often relegated to a small ground-floor room in many builds, takes on more substance here. Residents have access to a fully equipped gym, as well as outdoor yoga areas and meditative zones that integrate greenery and natural light.&nbsp;

The Club Lounge is similarly designed to support multiple use cases, with a private dining terrace, kitchenette, workspace, and lockable wine storage. These aren’t superficial additions; their scale and spatial allocation indicate serious intent for frequent resident use.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4391]

Importantly, Senso’s amenities are embedded within a site that spans more than 10,000 sqm, allowing for better separation between spaces and reduced noise spillover, a critical but often overlooked factor in high-density developments. This spatial generosity also enables multiple alfresco kitchens and communal terraces without compromising individual privacy or usable space.

While many developments make claims about lifestyle, few back it with this level of built infrastructure. Senso’s mix of dedicated fitness, wellness, social and passive green spaces suggests a conscious response to the post-pandemic shift in housing expectations, especially among owner-occupiers.&nbsp;

DASCO is one of several leading developers who have taken out Resilience Insurance's Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing buyers with a 10-year structural and waterproofing warranty, and giving them the ultimate peace of mind.

Senso is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134954]

The outdoor amenities elevating life at Senso, Epping

Following the proposal by the Minns Labor Government to rezone Parramatta Road to create up to 8,000 new homes, prominent developer Ceerose has gone to the NSW Gov to increase the density of its new mixed-use residential building in Leichhardt.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/ceerose">Ceerose</a>, founded by Edward Doueihi nearly three decades ago, has filed plans for 154 apartments above ground-floor retail at 307-315 Parramatta Road, a key corner site near Norton Street, the main high street strip in Leichhardt.

It's an upsize from the previously approved scheme of 63 apartments across a seven-storey building.

<img alt="Ceerose" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ba1ae75b-5f08-43fb-b8d5-3de6d9f6ef71" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-04%20at%2010.31.39%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=yA3hBBLPH4ev7MsAE0_hieXeqiFqBUb7" />

The project is being advanced through the State Significant Development (SSD) pathway, with concurrent rezoning sought to facilitate the proposal. The 10-storey development would rise over a four-level basement and deliver two retail tenancies, one a larger-format offering and the other a smaller “hole in the wall” space, addressing the Parramatta Road frontage. 21 of the apartments are dedicated as affordable housing.

According to the Urban Design Report by Architecture AND, the scheme includes a podium and tower configuration, with a fine-grain, two-storey parapet street wall that references the traditional shopfront rhythm along the corridor. “An elegant tower form is proposed, combined with a characterful two storey frontage... articulating it as two related buildings, providing consistency with the rhythm and grain of Parramatta Road,” the report notes.

The residential component is split across two slender towers set back from the street edge, a design move aimed at preserving solar access and reducing perceived bulk. This massing strategy also seeks to improve residential amenity by focusing scale toward the quieter northern interface, away from Parramatta Road’s noise and pollution.

<img alt="Ceerose" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="347f2f8f-5d36-4388-b40a-2e77380b9c19" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-04%20at%2010.31.02%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=xvyUE2ujT1lzivXTo.mHBJFF4SmfgLtz" />

Architecture AND has worked with Ceerose on previous Inner West projects, and cites a deep familiarity with the local character. Their design draws heavily on context, heritage, and sunlight access considerations, and engages with the Inner West Council’s “Our Fairer Future” strategic planning framework.

The site spans 2,712 sqm and is located near key intersections with Catherine Street, Hay Street, and Redmond Street. It adjoins a public carpark to the north and is within walking distance of Stanmore and Petersham stations. It is also flagged in state and local planning strategies, including the Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy, as a suitable candidate for increased density.

Ceerose recently completed The Alex Collective on McEvoy Street in Alexandria, Abbie's Lane in Annandale, and the award-winning Munro House in Elizabeth Bay.

The Parramatta Road corridor is coming to life with the proposed rezoning which is serviced by a significant number of bus, light rail and train routes.

Deicorp is progressing with its $1.8 billion <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kings-bay-village-five-dock-53-75-queens-road-five-dock-nsw-2046">Kings Bay Village</a> precinct on Parramatta Road in Five Dock, as is <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/toga-to-push-on-with-five-dock-mixed-use-masterplan">TOGA further down the street</a>. Those two projects alone will bring nearly 2,000 new homes to Parramatta Road.

First look: Ceerose plots mixed-use Leichhardt development on Parramatta Road

North Sydney's landmark 'SBS Building' on Alfred Street is set to be demolished to make way for a new mixed-use residential tower in the booming North Sydney.

Commercial property group FiveX is behind the plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/275-alfred-street-north-north-sydney-nsw-2060">39-storey tower</a>, the latest project to advance under the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

They are proposing 184 apartments above retail spaces, which will replace the existing 20-storey commercial building. FiveX was set up more than five decades ago by Joshua and Marko Berger. It is currently led by Joshua's son Lesli.&nbsp;

<img alt="First look: Fivex plans 39-storey residential tower at 275 Alfred Street, North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2efa0980-53fa-4cca-9f9e-9c3c845d4746" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29%20%281%29_0.png?VersionId=y_YyPMq3NQLfYRs84pP4os9UgWiMLp75" />

According to the Architectural Design Report by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fjc-studio">FJC Studio</a>, the slender tower form has been deliberately designed to respect the site's transitional setting at the southern gateway to the North Sydney CBD, where high-rise towers give way to lower-scale residential precincts.

"The slender tower form and articulated podium establish a respectful relationship with nearby heritage and low rise buildings, including the Whaling Road Heritage Conservation Area,” the architecture firm noted, adding that the tower “completes a missing link in the urban fabric” while enhancing the Alfred Street streetscape.

The proposed building will include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, with 15 percent of the gross residential floor area allocated as affordable housing. There is an agreement already in place that those apartments will be managed by Evolve Housing.

The project aligns with broader state housing objectives, including the National Housing Accord target of delivering 1.2 million new homes by 2029. The Scoping Report filed with the State Significant Development Application (SSDA) suggests the site "presents no impediments to rapid delivery,” with construction able to commence within 12 months of receiving consent.

North Sydney has been one of the most popular suburbs in Sydney for new and off the plan apartment development, but hasn't had the supply to keep up with demand, until recently.

AURA by Aqualand was, for a long time, the only off the plan apartment building on the market. That completed last year, and has sold the majority of its 386 luxury apartments. Recently ALAND launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-173-179-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> on the same street, selling over $100 million within just a few hours of its launch, while developer CASA also launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-mclaren-north-sydney-45-mclaren-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The McLaren</a>&nbsp;in the same precinct.

First look: Fivex plans 39-storey residential tower in booming North Sydney

The Gatwick

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Both of The Block Gatwick penthouses have been listed for rent.
They were both bought by the same person, Melbourne construction digital entrepreneur Rob Phillpot, at the live auction in late October.
He spent $2,859,000 on the penthouse renovated by Brisbane couple, radio presenter Jess and her husband Norm, then followed up the purchase buying the adjoining apartment of the netball duo Bianca and Carla for $2,991,000.
Phillpot, who only inspected the apartments two days before the auction, has now listed the penthouses for short-term stays.
Despite spending less on their apartment, Phillpot is asking $681 a night for Jess and Norm's apartment (above), more than the $623 a night for Bianca and Carla's (below).
<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/2019/1/18/bianc1.jpg" alt="">
There have been 170 views of the property in the past week on the <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/VacationRentalReview-g255360-d15663928-Doesn_t_get_better_than_this_The_BLOCK_Penthouse-St_Kilda_Port_Phillip_Greater_Melbou" target="_blank">TripAdvisor listing</a>, however there are yet to be any reviews.
It advises that pets and smoking aren't allowed. 
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Despite holding the best positions in the building, Bianca and Carla finished fourth in the competition, taking home $301,000 in prize money.
Jess and Norm finished last with only $209,000 of prize money, nearly a third less than winners Hayden and Sara's $645,000 total winnings.
Phillpot, the co-founder of Aconex, didn't watch a single episode of the show. 
 
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

The Block Gatwick penthouses both for rent

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The two penthouse apartments reigned supreme with the highest price per square meterage in the competition, however it was netball duo Bianca and Carla who scored the best.
Their $15,207.45 price per square metre, which generally doesn't include outdoor space, was secured by The Agency's Michael Paproth and Peter Kakos.
Both of the penthouse apartments were <a href="/news/melbourne-construction-digital-entrepreneur-rob-phillpot-scores-both-block-gatwick-penthouses">bought by digital construction entrepreneur</a> Rob Phillpot.
There was an even bigger difference when including the terrace in the price per sqm calculations. <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/5-34-fitzroy-street-st-kilda-vic-3182-2014552057" target="_blank">Bianca and Carla's apartment</a> cost nearly $1,000 per sqm more than second place and The Block winners Hayden and Sara.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/10/30/per-sqm.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge:
<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/2018/10/30/per-sqm.jpg" alt="">
Hayden and Sara, to everyone's surprise, <a href="/news/mcgrath-secures-surprise-block-gatwick-top-price">won the competition when their unit sold for $3.02 million,</a> the only apartment to clear the $3 million mark despite the penthouses being priced much higher.
The New South Wales couple took home $645,000 including the season 14 prize money.
 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

The Agency secure top Gatwick price per sqm

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The two sisters who previously owned and operated The Block Gatwick secured Courtney and Hans’ apartment for $2,770,000.
Hans and Courtney saw an opening $2.2 million offer from an absentee bid <a href="/news/the-block-st-kilda-apartment-to-use-online-auction-tool-gavl-on-finale-night">via the Gavl app.</a>
The <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/2-34-fitzroy-street-st-kilda-vic-3182-2014552033" target="_blank">2/34 Fitzroy Street</a> offering came with a $2.4 million reserve adjusted to $2.36 million with five registered buyers.
Courtney and Hans’ whose apartment sold for $2,770,000, some $410,000 over reserve.
<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/2018/10/29/Hans2.jpg" alt="">
It was their mother Vittoria Carbone or ‘Queen Vicky’, who is fondly remembered for her compassionate management of the hotel and her legacy was then carried on by her daughters Rose and Yvette.
"As this building has a significant value for the sisters, they were delighted to have been able to purchase this apartment as a beautiful piece of memorabilia," their buyers' agent Greville Pabst from PropertyDuo advised.
"The apartment will be leased out to struggling families, so in this way they’re able to keep the tradition alive of The Gatwick being a place helping the local community in need,"he added.
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Gatwick sisters return to secure Hans and Courtney's Block apartment

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In the first of the five Block Gatwick auctions, Kerrie and Spence sold for $2.85 million to an Australian lawyer based in Singapore who is planning on leasing it out and then living there when he moves back to Melbourne.
The dream kitchen worth $250,000 is what PropertyDuo buyers' agent Greville Pabst found to be very alluring in the apartment. It scored a perfect 30/30 from the judges in kitchen week.
<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/2018/10/29/spence2.jpg" alt="">
The <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/1-34-fitzroy-street-st-kilda-vic-3182-2014552025" target="_blank">1/34 Fitzroy Street, </a>offering had a $2.45 million formal reserve with a $15,000 adjustment based on a contestant winning discount which took the reserve to $2.435 million.
The formal price guidance had been $2.5 million to $2.7 million which attracted eight potential buyers who'd registered.
The opening bid at $2.4 million was taken by David Wood of Hocking Stuart with just the three competitive bidders.
Kerrie and Spence secured $415,000 in prize winnings above their reserve.
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Singapore based expat lawyer secures Kerrie and Spence's The Block Gatwick apartment

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<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
Rob Phillpot, the co-founder of construction software company Aconex, was the mystery buyer of both of the penthouse apartments in the The Block Gathwick for $5.85 million through PropertyDuo.
Using buyers' agent Greville Pabst, his first acquisition was when Norm and Jess sold their penthouse for $2,859,000 (top and below).
He had inspected the Gatwick only two nights before the auction.
The <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/4-34-fitzroy-street-st-kilda-vic-3182-2014552052" target="_blank">Fitzroy Street</a> penthouse offering came with a $2.65 million reserve with five registered buyers.
There was very cautious bidding after its $2.5 million opening bid from another buyers agent Frank Valentic.
Pabst thought the buy "was a very good value" for the south facing apartment with four-metre-high ceilings and massive terrace. Pabst indicated he was prepared to pay more, but there wasn’t competition.
<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/2018/10/29/norm2.jpg" alt="">
Norm and Jess took home $209,000 in prize money.
The next acquisition by Phillpot was the penthouse of Bianca and Carla (below) for $2,991,000, after a tense auction when the auctioneer refused to take a $2.7 million opening bid.
"This is worth $3.25 million," Damien Cooley suggested.
The <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/5-34-fitzroy-street-st-kilda-vic-3182-2014552057" target="_blank">5/34 Fitzroy Street</a> penthouse, which doesn't face Fitzroy Street, had a $2.7 million reserve.
<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/2018/10/29/bianc1.jpg" alt="">
The price guidance had been adjusted upwards during the campaign by The Agency to between $2.6 million to $2.8 million. 
Bianca and Carla took home $301,000 in prize money.
<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/2018/10/29/Bianc2.jpg" alt="">
It was in the late 1990s when Aconex was founded in a kitchen by the two Scotch College school friends, Phillpot and Leigh Jasper.
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In a deal, announced in December 2017, the company was sold to the global tech giant Oracle.
The friends had started thinking about ways in which the internet could help companies deal with large amounts of data and information.
At the time Jasper was at McKinsey &amp; Company, working in CEO strategy, and Phillpot was a project manager at Multiplex Constructions and was facing the challenge of handling thousands of documents on construction projects.
The takeover deal was the largest ever achieved by a listed Australian tech company and saw Jasper and Philpott walk away with approximately $94 million and $88 million respectively.
Phillpot's home town is Warrnambool.
He had not watched any episodes of The Block.
“I came and looked at the penthouses, and they were both amazing,” he said after the auctions.
“I couldn’t pick."
He had not yet decided if he would rent them to long-term tenants or look at short-stay options such as Airbnb. 
Experts have tipped the penthouses could fetch between $2000 and $2500 a night on Airbnb.
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Melbourne construction digital entrepreneur Rob Phillpot scores both Block Gatwick penthouses

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The Block has opened a pop up store opposite the St Kilda location for series 14 at 79 Fitzroy Street.
The shop opened with a party, attended by a host of ex-contestants, including Elyse (below, last year’s winner).
The Fitzroy Street premises will eventually be the Pride Centre where the council have spent $13 million to buy the former Monroe’s Restaurant site with plans to turn it, and the carpark next door, into the Pride Centre, based on San Francisco’s LGBT Community Centre.
The premises previously sold in 1978 at $365,000.
<img src="https://www.theblockshop.com.au/images/blog/The_Blockshop-184.jpg" alt="">
The Block Shop operators are Emma Garland and Sarah Armstrong, the partner of the television show producer, Julian Cress.
The shop launch was filmed as part of this year’s show.
The space had been a restaurant with a disco ball hanging from the ceiling.
The Block Shop Pop Up will service the contestants working across the road at The Gatwick.
It’s also open to the general public.
Having the shop open opposite The Gatwick is helping to regenerate a once tired and run-down stretch of street.
“Lots of neighbours come in, and they are in shock,” the store manager says. “They say, ‘We are so happy you’re around.’
“Hopefully we can give the street a bit of life back - they’ve asked us to stick around for as long as we can, which is nice.”
It’s been set up to service this year’s contestants, providing them with stylish homeware and interior options during filming.
The contestants are under no obligations to use anything in our shop.
Sharing the Block Shop space is Nood Co, the concrete homewares company set up by ex-contestant Matt Di Costa (of ‘Matt and Kim’ fame, The Block Sky High).
His gorgeous concrete sinks were featured in Ronnie and Georgia’s perfect-score guest bathroom last year.
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The Block opens pop up store opposite The Gatwick 

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/78681/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
The closure of the Gatwick Hotel in St Kilda represents a new front in the ongoing gentrification debate in inner Melbourne.
It highlights inconvenient truths about cultural appropriation, heritage as a driver of urban renewal, and the marginalisation of the city’s most vulnerable residents.
Gentrification taps into the fundamental urban planning and social issues facing Melbourne and other big Australian cities in coming decades. In particular, it has impacts on liveability, housing affordability, and social cohesion.
Gentrification has its benefits
Gentrification and the financial investment it represents can be a positive and transformative process for local communities. Better access to education and health services, as well as welcoming, attractive and vibrant streetscapes, are just some of the benefits of urban regeneration.
But, too often, the economic benefits of regeneration are separated from its social impact on existing residents. Rising property prices and rents are inevitable with gentrification. As a result, people on low incomes or who rely on social welfare are forced out as the wealthier middle class moves in.
The adaptive reuse or restoration of heritage buildings plays a key role in this process. Such developments can provide a sustainable and culturally sensitive solution to the challenge of increasing population density in our cities. Nonetheless, the debate on the role and value of heritage buildings is often paradoxical and divisive.
At its simplest, the divide is between those who passionately argue for preserving these buildings for their historical and cultural value, and those who see heritage as an unnecessary restriction on urban development.
Sometimes, the two sides align, as is largely the case with the Gatwick. Those in charge of the building’s redevelopment buy into the benefits of gentrification, with this development creating an opportunity to market luxury apartments at a substantial premium.
Trading on edginess and authenticity
The issues surrounding the Gatwick feed into a much more complex and potentially problematic debate about how we value our urban environment.
The threat to heritage is not destruction of the building itself. It’s the loss of a more intangible and hard-to-commodify aspect: the “collective memory” of stories, folklore and history. This forms the cultural fabric that contributes to the urban character and identity of an area.
The reality of life at the Gatwick was sometimes difficult. But, for decades, it provided a home for those most in need of shelter and safety. In the public consciousness, however, the Gatwick was a potent symbol of the inner city’s social problems: homelessness, drug addiction, prostitution and violent crime.
Local traders, residents and politicians all campaigned for its closure. Even the retail decline of Fitzroy Street was blamed on the hotel’s reputation.
It could be argued, though, that this very notoriety played a pivotal role in moving St Kilda along the path of gentrification. In recent decades, property developers have successfully marketed St Kilda as an edgy – but safe – place to live.
The area’s undeniable heritage, set against the backdrop of drugs, prostitution and a healthy dose of rock ’n’ roll folklore, knits together in an irresistible narrative that feeds the public appetite for “cultural authenticity”. In street after street, elegant but tarnished historic buildings have allowed investors to buy into this local mythology with relative ease.
Those who gave area its character lose out
The bitter irony is that this quest for authenticity has left long-term locals, such as the former Gatwick residents, vulnerable to the pitfalls of gentrification. The narrative, of which they formed an integral part, has moved on. New residents have co-opted the authenticity of St Kilda’s past while rejecting the challenging reality of how these social issues play out locally.
In effect, the very people who arguably contributed most to the local community’s cultural diversity and vibrancy are the first to be excluded. This pattern of appropriation, commodification and finally exclusion is replicated in historic suburbs across Melbourne and other cities.
The producers of Channel Nine’s The Block have bought the Gatwick. Under the TV spotlight, the gritty boarding house will undoubtedly be transformed into stylish and desirable apartments aimed at wealthy buyers.
But what does the future look like for its former residents? By ignoring the impact of urban regeneration on the homeless and vulnerable, are we acknowledging that closing the gap between our wealthiest and poorest residents is an impossible task?
Reducing urban regeneration to a system largely driven by the accumulation of personal wealth, with little or no thought for the profound social displacement that gentrification can bring, risks further marginalising those residents who already have little or no say in the future of our cities.
Gareth Wilson is researcher at the Australian Centre for Architectural History, Urban and Cultural Heritage, University of Melbourne and author for The Conversation.
He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gareth-wilson-378123" target="_blank">here</a>.
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The Gatwick

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The Gatwick

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Developments

New apartments

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The latest real estate & off the plan properties & news, delivered to your inbox.