The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Joel Robinson

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

The Rocks

The near 500 sqm in The Harrington Collection, the development in The Rocks by Golden Age Group and Hannas, has hit the market for $40 million.

The Harrington Collection consists of 58 premium apartments and terraces, as well as the 483 sqm penthouse, which spans two levels, gazing upon iconic views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and Circular Quay.

The penthouse also includes its own 140 sqm private rooftop terrace. Construction on the project wrapped at the end of 2021.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5946 project_image_fid=195399]

The sprawling penthouse features three-bedrooms, all with their own ensuite, plus a multipurpose room on the upper level with the ability to be customised as a media room, home office or fourth bedroom according to the buyer’s desire.

The living spaces are equally generous, encompassing an expansive lounge area, dining space and fireplace, kitchen complete with premium Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances and full butler’s pantry, and a private lift to carry residents up to their private entertainment space where a wet bar, barbecue, landscaped gardens and a spa awaits.

The $350 million Harrington Collection by Hannas and Golden Age Group is one of the only large scale mixed-use residential projects to have gained government approval in the precinct in the last eight years, offering buyers a vanishingly rare opportunity to secure contemporary luxury in one of the city’s most esteemed pockets.

Highland has been appointed as lead sales agents on the jaw-dropping penthouse which officially hits the market on Thursday the 14th of April.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5946 project_image_fid=195402]

“We are very eager to open the doors to The Harrington Collection penthouse so that prospective buyers can experience first hand the level of luxury and vantage on offer,” David Highland said.

“This penthouse is the absolute pinnacle of luxury apartment living actualised among world class views. Never again will a product of this calibre be delivered to such an iconic Sydney destination, positioning the Harrington Penthouse as one of most exclusive residential addresses Sydney was ever welcomed,” he added.

Designed by international design firm FJMT, The Harrington has been influenced by the&nbsp;heritage elements of the Harrington Street site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5946 project_image_fid=195403]

The $350 million Harrington collection encompasses 58 one, two and three-bedroom apartments atop a ground floor collection of terrace homes delivered in two design collections – a contemporary Manhattan Soho range, and a historic collection of refurbished terraces that originally occupied the site.

A selection of the display apartments within the development have been furnished and styled by Australia’s leading interior designer, David Hicks.

“This spate of high-end apartment sales that we have facilitated really underpins the rising trend towards luxury apartments as a primary residence,” Highland added.

“When you pair premium location with the highest standard of residential design, it becomes hard to conceive a better home than The Harrington Collection penthouse. This particular address merges seclusion with connectivity in a way that few projects can offer. The Rocks is a bustling area filled with character, without the raucous nightlife. The Harrington Collection is perfectly positioned so that its residents can slip in and out of the nearby amenities in complete privacy.”

Construction on the Harrington Collection is now complete, with 75 per cent of the 58 residences already sold to a blend of local business entrepreneurs and holiday homemakers.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta: project_id=5946]

The Harrington Collection consists of 58 premium apartments and terraces, as well as the 483 sqm penthouse, which spans two levels, gazing upon iconic views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and Circular Quay.

alisonwarters@gmail.com

Inside Hannas and Golden Age Group’s The Rocks’ $40 million penthouse 

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A penthouse in the Harrington Collection, the luxury off the plan development in The Rocks precinct in Sydney, has hit the market with a $39.8 million price tag.
The Harrington Collection by Hannas and Golden Age Group is one of the only residential projects to have gained government approval in the precinct in the last eight years.
Designed by Australian design studio Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp, the four-bedroom penthouse boasts a total area of 485sqm.
Of the 485 sqm, 140 sqm is a dedicated rooftop terrace with views of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House.
The apartment's kitchen features a butler's pantry and a stone island bench. 
In the apartment is a wet bar, spa, fireplace and movie room.
Laver Residential’s Dennis Vertzayias and Sam Elbanna <a href="/buildings/the-harrington-collection-75-85-harrington-street-the-rocks">are marketing the apartment</a>.
“The architectural design and quality of the finish represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”, Vertzayias said.
The project includes more than 1,000sqm of commercial office space, as well as eight retail and hospitality spaces.
Both local and offshore interest is expected for the luxury residence.
The property is due for completion in mid-2021.
For the Harrington Collection brochure, click here.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Near $40 million dollar penthouse in Sydney's The Rocks listed

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It comes as no surprise that <a href="https://www.walkscore.com/AU-NSW/Sydney" target="_blank">Walk Score's list</a> rates Sydney as the most walkable large city in Australia. 
The waterfront city has also been deemed <a href="https://images.arcadis.com/media/0/C/0/%7B0C0BECF6-FA5B-49B2-B332-900D50833DEE%7DAAP_MOBILITY%20INDEX_spread.pdf?_ga=2.141593266.1201163471.1579477286-416334874.1579477286" target="_blank">the second most transit-friendly</a> in the country behind Brisbane and in-front of Melbourne. Sydney provides a wide range of transport with ferries, trains, metro and the recently welcomed light rail amongst the many options available. 
Opportunities to cycle have also risen as the city's biking infrastructure has improved in recent years. Significantly more councils have bike lanes with <a href="https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/explore/getting-around/cycling/dockless-bike-sharing" target="_blank">stationless shared bikes</a> located and accessible across the city.
<a href="https://mobike.com/au/download" target="_blank">Mobike</a> and <a href="https://www.li.me/en-us/home">LimeBike</a> operate in multiple suburbs and can be tracked and paid on their website and app. LimeBike have, since late 2018, provided <a href="https://www.li.me/electric-assist-bike" target="_blank">electric assisted bikes</a> which has helped encourage more users. 
Sydney is also diverse, home to nearly 200 nationalities, and offers a unique cultural experience with its range of cuisine, museums, galleries, and beaches. 
These are all of metrics Walk Score takes into account when deciding the rankings for each of Sydney's neighbourhoods. Without further ado, here are the <a href="https://www.walkscore.com/AU-NSW/Sydney" target="_blank">top neighbourhoods</a>. 
<h2>1. Haymarket </h2>
Walk Score: 99 | Population: 5,365
"Haymarket is a Walker's Paradise", states Walk Score. "Daily errands do not require a car in Haymarket Sydney." 
Adjacent to Darling Harbour, Haymarket includes much of Sydney's Chinatown, Thaitown and Railway Square localities. 
<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/2020/1/20/1_HAYMARKET%20PADDYS.jpg" alt="" width="557" height="338">
Amongst the neighbourhood's many perks, the proximity of restaurants, bars and coffee shops is highly regarded. There are about eight restaurants, bars and coffee shops, and people in the area can walk to an average of two restaurants, bars and coffee shops in five minutes. 
<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/2020/1/20/2_Haymarket.jpg" alt="" width="557" height="338">
Source: WalkScore 
<h2>2. The Rocks </h2>
Walk Score: 98 | Population: 683
This neighbourhood of historic laneways in the shadow of Sydney Harbour Bridge, has a diverse cluster of people. Interaction mainly takes place at the open-air Rocks Market where street food and handmade items are sold. 
<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/2020/1/20/2_THE%20ROCKS%20MARKET.jpg" alt="" width="553" height="336">
Source: <a href="https://www.timeout.com/sydney/things-to-do/the-rocks-night-markets" target="_blank">TimeOut</a>
The Rocks is home to Sydney's oldest pubs and many upscale harbour-view restaurants. 
This hub of culture is an urban stage of buskers who perform live along the harbour front promenade. The Museum of Contemporary Art offers local and international exhibits. 
<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/2020/1/20/2_Rocks.jpg" alt="" width="555" height="337"> 
Source: WalkScore 
 
<h2>3. Sydney </h2>
Walk Score: 98 | Population: 14,287
<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/2020/1/20/3_Sydney.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="334">
Source: WalkScore 
 
<h2>4. Ultimo</h2>
Walk Score: 98 | Population: 7,106
Located in the inner-city suburb of Sydney, Ultimo is only 2 km south-west of CBD. Broadway is amongst the many attractions of the neighbourhood as well as a range of heritage listed buildings. 
The corporate headquarters and Sydney studios of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) are located in Ultimo Centre which houses an auditorium and recording stood. TCS, NITV and Aurora are also located at Ultimo Centre. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/1/20/3_Ultimo.png" alt="" width="552" height="335">
Source: WalkScore 
 
<h2>5. Surry Hills </h2>
Walk Score: 97 | Population: 15,379
A constantly evolving area, Surry Hills is notorious for its in-trend scene and cafe culture.
Hip coffee joints, fashion boutiques and global eateries can be found in terraced houses on Crown and Cleveland streets.
<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/2020/1/20/4_SURRY%20HILLS%20CAT%20WALL.jpg" alt="" width="552" height="335">
Source: <a href="https://www.piqsels.com" target="_blank">Surry Hills Cat Wall</a>
This trendy neighbourhood is home to pubs, wine bars, galleries and the Surry Hills Library. 
There is a Surry Hills Market held once a month where street food and vintage goods can be found. 
 
<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/2020/1/20/4_Surrey%20Hills.jpg" alt="" width="553" height="336">
Source: WalkScore 
 
<h2>6. Chippendale </h2>
Walk Score: 97 | Population: 4,069
<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/2020/1/20/6_Chippendale.jpg" alt="" width="545" height="331">
Source: WalkScore 
 
Following shortly behind are the following:
<h2>7. Millers Point </h2>
Walk Score: 96 | Population: 1,742
<h2>8. Darlinghurst </h2>
Walk Score: 96 | Population: 10,096
<h2>9. Newtown</h2>
Walk Score: 95 | 14,142
<h2>10. Rushcutters Bay </h2>
Walk Score: 94 | Population: 2,378
 
 
 
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Sydney's most walkable neighbourhoods

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The New South Wales Government are selling the heritage-listed Science House in The Rocks.
They are selling it on a 99 year lease hold.
The historic seven storey property at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-nsw-the+rocks-503277002" target="_blank">157-161 Gloucester Street</a> was designed by Peddle Thorp and Walker and built by master builders John Grant and Sons.
It is a rare example in NSW of the Interwar Commercial Palazzo architectural style.
There are three classic bands over six storeys, a sandstone ashlar coursed base at street level and a top level marked by a strong cornice and ornamented frieze to both street facades.
<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/2019/8/6/Scien%20House%20The%20Rocks%20Two.jpg" alt="">
 
The building was built in the early 1930s, opened in 1931 and awarded the Sir Sulman Medal for architectural design in 1932.
It was used by three cultural institutions up until 1976 as a centre of learning and inquiry.
The building is now 95 percent leased to a number of tenants including the New York University which occupies most of the building for its only Australian campus.
There is 2,075 sqm of office space which fully leased would generate over $911,000 per annum.
Its current 95 percent lease generates around $840,000.
CBRE selling agents Kenny Duncanson and Harry George have the listing.
 
 
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Science House in The Rocks listed

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The former Rawson Institute for Seamen building has hit the market in Sydney.
The four level building at 100 George Street in The Rocks was built as a mariners' church in the 1850s.
It was a missionary effort by the Bethel Union which followed two similar sites in Darling Harbour and Circular Quay.
After initial success, the Bethel Union fell on hard times at the turn of the 20th century, and in 1895 the Church was leased to the Missions to Seamen.
Around two decades later the building was extended by Sir Harry Rawson, the former NSW Governor.
In 1981 the build became home to the Craft Council of NSW for nine years.
In 2011 it changed hands again and Bar100 took over as the tenant.
The property is currently home to Appetito Ristorante, and a number of the function rooms retain grandeur from a bygone era.
The Rawson Room has seven metre high pressed metal ceilings and sandstone walls. An 18 metre long brass bar draws focus to a marble centre piece which is shaped in a submarine fairwater.
The restored Chapel has maintained the cathedral ceiling and some of the original stain-glass windows.
Savills Australia’s David Hickey, Nick Tuxworth and Tom Tuxworth have been appointed to sell the heritage-listed building, suggesting the offering was highly exclusive.
“Vacant Sydney CBD buildings are as rare as hens’ teeth in the commercial property market so the owners have decided to take full advantage of the current market conditions and divest,” Hickey said. 
The ground floor is leased long term to Appetito Restaurant for 22 years and generates a total rental income of $614,937 per annum. 
Hickey said that buyers would have the flexibility in orchestrating multiple uses for the remaining three levels, while maximising rental income. 
<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/2018/10/16/rocks2.jpg" alt="">
“We feel the property provides a blank canvas for investors, alternative property syndicators and hotel operators, to reposition and activate the former Bar 100 into a venue or working space that the public is screaming for in The Rocks,” he said.
“The building underwent $16million worth of capital upgrades in 2010 and is fully fitted out for bar, restaurant and function centre purposes, with other options possible due to the substantial building area, including retail, office or childcare facilities.” 
Nestled at the foot of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Mr Hickey said the building enjoyed a prominent position within close proximity of the city’s infrastructure boom.   
“The northern end of the CBD is undergoing major infrastructure works, including residential, hotel, office and retail development, which will service strong trade and significant pedestrian foot traffic,” he said.  
“About 2.7 million international and domestic overnight guests visited The Rocks in 2017 and this building occupies 23 metres of frontage across George Street and 26 metres across Circular Quay Way, positioning it to really capitalise on the passers-by.” 
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Former Rawson Institute for Seamen building in The Rocks listed through Savills

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The three level penthouse atop the Harry Seidler-designed The Cove in The Rocks has been listed for sale.
The Cove was one of the legendary architect's last Sydney residential projects.
The 2004-built skyhome, one of the largest penthouses in Sydney, has been owned by Europe-based businessman Graham Hellier, who paid $10 million in 2006 when it was sold by receivers after creditors foreclosed on the mortgage fraudster Kovelan Bangaru.
The apartment had been stripped back by aggrieved tradies who'd not been paid.
Hellier spent around $3 million refurbishing the space which comprising 485 sqm internal area and 180 sqm of terraces. 
Commanding a $7,500 a week rental in recent years, the 43rd floor glass wrapped lounge and dining zones offer 270 degrees views of the Sydney harbour backdrop. There's an imposing staircase up to four  bedrooms and a rooftop terrace with a spa pool.
McGrath Edgecliff agent Craig Donohue has the listing which has $30,000 quarterly strata levies.
Last year Magellan Asset Management executive chairman, Brett Cairns paid $7.5 million for the three bedroom sub-penthouse on the 41st floor.
This article was first published in the Weekend Australian. 
 
 
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firstname1-iYD4UYzvBa

Cove, Sydney penthouse listed for sale

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GUEST OBSERVATION
More people are becoming heavily indebted by buying rental properties and shared accommodation is flourishing, as third party tech platforms help people find a place without a real estate agent.
A new report from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute explains how the private rental market is changing over time for both landlords and tenants.
Over the 10 years to 2016, the number of renters grew 38% - twice the rate of household growth. More renters now are couples, or couples with children, so it seems the sector is shaking its image of unstable housing or perhaps these people are left with few other options.
Households by type, 2006 and 2016
The report analyses data from the 2016 Census, the 2013-14 Survey of Income and Housing and the 2014 Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. It also draws on interviews conducted with 42 people involved in all aspects of the private rental sector: financing, provision, access and management.
Rental property ownership also grew. We found the number of households with an interest in a rental property grew and the number that own multiple properties grew slightly as well.
But the typical landlord is still the conventional “mum and dad” investor. Two-thirds of rental investor households have two incomes, and 39% have children.
However they are also mostly high-income and high-wealth households: 60% are in both the highest income and highest wealth bracket. Interestingly, about one in eight landlords is themselves a private renter.
Housing finance ($A), 2000 - 2016
The biggest change in ownership is in finances: owners of rental properties are relying more heavily on debt.
Financing rental properties
The people we interviewed highlighted the Australian Prudential Regulation Authorities’ (APRA) guidance to lenders on loan serviceability calculations as having the greatest impact on overall investment levels and investor decisions.
Adding to the complexity is the proliferation of intermediaries, such as mortgage brokers and wealth advisers. These advisers are telling borrowers what lenders and loan products to use to maximise their borrowing power and negotiate lender and regulator requirements.
Houses are the most commonly rented in Australia, but everywhere rental markets are moving away from this and towards dwellings like apartments.
There’s now more diversity in rental properties too. For example the building of high-rise student accommodation, “new generation boarding houses” and granny flats.
These allow landlords to house more people in the one building, increasing revenue and making management more efficient.
The informal sector of shared accommodation appears to be flourishing, like improvising shared rooms and lodging-style accommodation in apartments and houses.
Finding a rental
People have moved from finding rentals in real estate agents’ high street offices and onto online platforms. New third-parties like apps and other digital platforms offer non-cash alternative bond products, schedule property inspections, collect rents, and organise repairs.
Even though these technological innovations avoid agents, they have in fact increased their share of private rental sector management. Agents themselves are use these platforms to change their businesses, and the structure of their industry.
Our research found that revenue from an agency’s property management business (its “rent roll”) has become increasingly important. Some players in the industry are consolidating their businesses around it, to make higher profits from tech-enabled efficiencies.
However, the real estate business still depends on building personal relationships, particularly in high-end markets.
The new tech platforms of the private rental sector raise issues for tenants too, particularly in terms of the personal information they collect. For example, one of the online platform operators told us they looked forward to using applicants’ information to score or rank applicants. Another one of the new alternative bond providers uses automatic “trust scoring” of personal information to price its product.
These innovations may be convenient to use, and may give some tenants an advantage in accessing housing - but at the expense of others who are already disadvantaged.
Rental properties meeting demand?
If the private rental sector is going to meet the demand for settled housing, governments will have to intervene. This can’t be left to technological innovation, or higher income renters exercising their consumer power.
Federal or state governments could create public registers of landlords, or licensing requirements, to police landlords who are not “fit and proper” and exclude them from the sector.
There could also be stronger laws around tenancy conditions and protections for tenants against retaliatory action. The Poverty Inquiry in the 1970s set the basic model of our present laws and they haven’t changed much.
Tenants’ personal information also needs to be protected, to properly take account of the rise of the online application platforms; another is the informal sector, which is currently in a regulatory blindspot.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/94394/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">The popular emphasis on “mum and dad” investors diminishes expectations of landlords. Rental property investment should be regarded as a business that requires skill and effort. As for-profit providers of housing services, landlords should be held to standards that ensure the right to a dignified home life.
Chris Martin, Research Fellow, City Housing, UNSW
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/wealthy-landlords-and-more-sharehousing-how-the-rental-sector-is-changing-94394" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Wealthy landlords and more sharehousing - how the rental sector is changing: Chris Martin

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The eastern suburbs coastal couple, Channel 7 Morning Show co-host Larry Emdur and wife Sylvie have bought in the Sydney CBD.
They have secured a $3 million newly converted heritage apartment in The Rocks which suggests their sun seeking devotion to the clifftop Dover Heights lifestyle may soon come to an end.
The whispers are that they have received an unsolicited offer from someone knocking on their door at Dover Heights, and it was too good to refuse.
They have been in the pricey coastal suburb for over two decades, and at their $6.8 million clifftop mansion since 2011. They pocketed $3.89 million for their earlier home that had cost $770,000 back in 1994.  
Their new acquisition is quite a contrast as it is an inner city bolthole with an ultra contemporary fit out including a bath in the open plan bedroom. 
The couple settled on the $3.09 million apartment just before they jetted off to Italy for a break.
It is a Tanner Kibble Denton Architects designed conversion of a 1924 building that was once the Sydney depot for the Cadbury confectionary company.
The building, now transformed in to six luxury apartments known as Claremont House, was more recently utilised as the Lawson Menzies auction house.
TKD fused the original fabric of the building with a New York feel, creating the three bedroom, three bathroom apartment with much made of its exposed bricks.
Two of the three bedrooms come with en-suites not separated by a wall, just overlooked from the bed.
Ray White Double Bay agents Gavin Rubinstein and Cae Thomas sold the apartment.
Emdur has hosted Seven's The Morning Show alongside Kylie Gillies since 2007. The pair recently celebrated the show's 10th anniversary.
Emdur has been on our screens since the early 1980s when at 17 he became Australia's youngest national newsreader, presenting the overnight news for the Seven Network.
He switched to hosting gameshows after presenting Good Morning Australia. From 1993 he hosted The Price is Right for five years and returned to the show in 2003 and again in 2012.
Emdur, who grew up near the beach at Bondi, has been a keen surfer all his life. His outdoor's fitness pursuit well documented on his Instagram.
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Larry Emdur secures apartment in The Rocks

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Peter Campbell, the Clarendon Homes founder, and wife Catherine have paid $12 million for a penthouse in The Rocks.
It ranks as the sixth most expensive apartment sold in the last financial year. It has quintessential Sydney postcard views across Campbells Cove to the Opera House and up towards the Harbour Bridge.
The Hickson Road apartment has a stellar provenance having first been owned by the late McDonald's chief Charlie Bell.
Bell spent $8,525,000 in 2003 after its refurbishment of the 1912 Metcalfe Bond building by Nettleton Tribe Architects for Tjeerd la Grouw's Amstal Property Group.
Qantas chief Geoff Dixon was another past owner though he sold it at a loss in 2014 for $7.45 million.
Set in the 1912 Metcalfe Bond building, the two level apartment has three bedroom and spans 328 sqm.
The two most expensive established apartments to sell in last financial year were both secured off market by downsizers.
The former Sydney Lord Mayor Nelson Meers and his wife Carole paid $16 million for a Point Piper whole floor apartment in the Alex Popov designed harbour front Buckhurst Avenue block.
Last traded for $11.6 million when new in 2011, the unit came with four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a temperature-controlled wine cellar.
LJ Hooker agent Bill Malouf handled the sale.
The couple had downsized from Bayview where they sold their five bedroom Tuscan style villa for $4.55 million last year.
Businessman Stephen Johns, most known for being the longtime chairman at Brambles, bought the Darling Point apartment of Silicon Valley software billionaire David Doyle.
Set in the Burley Katon Halliday block, the four bedroom penthouse comprises 456 sqm of internal space, 103 sqm of terraces and a 12 sqm rooftop garden.
It has a private gym, study, maids suite, home theatre and large terrace which takes in views of the Harbour Bridge.
Doyle, a software pioneer and backer of Neil Perry's Rockpool Bar &amp; Grill, paid $7.1 million for the lavish New Beach Road spread in 2000, a record breaking apartment sale in Sydney's eastern suburbs at the time.
Like the Meers, Johns has also downsized.
He and wife Michele Bender are waiting for a buyer for their long-held Bellevue Hill trophy Belhaven which has price hopes of between $25 million and $27 million.
The third most expensive apartment came in August last year when Rocco Lagudi and wife Frances, paid $13.5 million for a Point Piper apartment.
Aussie John Symond sold his Point Piper penthouse for $13.3 million, with a caveat lodged by Angela Teplitsky, wife of property developer Michael Teplitsky.
Ferrari Australasia chief executive Herbert Appleroth sold his harbourfront apartment in Pyrmont for more than $13 million, making it the fifth most expensive sale this financial year.
The five bedroom, four bathroom apartment amalgamation had been inspected by Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio in 2011 as a possible rental while he was shooting Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby. 
The top six sales of established units totalled over $80 million.
The top off the plan sales were considerably pricier, with two apartments in the new Circular Quay development the Opera Residences fetching $26 million and $27 million.
The third most expensive was a $17 million apartment in another off the plan Circular Quay development, Loftus Lane.
This article first appeared in the Daily Telegraph.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

$12 million paid for The Rocks penthouse

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Sydney's Pancakes on The Rocks are set to move to a new location at the top of The Rocks Centre on Argyle St as part of a $15 million NSW government initiative to renew and revitalise heritage retail tenancies.
Refurbishment works at The Rocks Centre include floors, ceilings, lighting and shopfronts with Pancakes on The Rocks eventually located on the upper level.
Dominic Perrottet, minister for finance, services and property said the government wants The Rocks to be a heritage precinct with great food experiences, contemporary shopping, and an atmosphere that keeps you coming back.
“Looking around the world, there are some fantastic, creative ways that heritage buildings are used as contemporary retail spaces, and this refurbishment program will help our retailers take The Rocks to that world-class level,” he said.
Other heritage shopfronts nearby will be refurbished including George Street retail spaces, as well as the Metcalfe Bond Stores. 
New tenants to The Rocks include Deciem, 7 RocksDeli, Cosmopolitan Jewelers, ATTY Design and Endeavour  Beer all set to move in, adding to a slew of recent arrivals over the last year, including Aesop, Uashmama, Ribs and Burgers, El Camino, Cosette and Gelatissimo.
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