First look: Woolloomooloo set for huge mixed-use apartment and retail village
Allen Linz's Rebel Property Group is set to create a huge mixed-use precinct in the heart of Sydney.
Rebel Property Group, which Linz founded in the late 1990s and is behind some of the Eastern Suburbs most well known buildings, has submitted $161 million plans for a residential and retail precinct at 164-192 William Street, Woolloomooloo, a huge 6,400 sqm site.
There will be 229 apartments across the striking 10-level building, which will feature extensive roof gardens by landscape architects Ground Ink as the building tiers toward the top levels.
Local multi-disciplinary design studio Fjmt has handled what are the early designs of the project, suggesting that the characteristics of the site are well suited to residential use, due to the high level of sun access to the north and extensive views of Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, the Domain, and the Sydney CBD.
"It is well connected by public transport and represents an excellent opportunity to enhance Woolloomooloo village and help transform William Street into a city boulevard," the team noted in their submission to the City of Sydney.
The potential view from the development. Image credit: Fjmt
The 229-apartment building, which will also front Dowling and Forbes Street as well as William, will be broken down in to 20 studios, 23 one-beds, 105 two-beds, 73-three beds and eight terraces.
"The proposal responds to its context by stepping down in height from 35m at William st where it matches the height of adjacent buildings to 22m at Judge Lane to transition to the lower scale terrace house of Woolloomooloo village," Fjmt added.
"Two large communal courtyards with excellent solar access and outlook provide residents with the opportunity for passive and active outdoor recreation, ultimately improving their mental & physical health and productivity
"The proposal provides adequate building separation to enable access to sunlight & natural ventilation and ensure visual and acoustic privacy
"The apartments overlook the courtyards enabling passive surveillance of the communal open spaces. Similarly the terraces overlook the new through site link improving safety for pedestrians using this route."
A heritage review was undertaken for the four buildings currently on the site. There's a four-storey commercial building dating back to the late 1950s, Holden House Flats and Raymonds Flats, two groups of three-storey terraces dating back to the 1920s, and the two-storey warehouse, Holden House.
Rebel Property Group are prominent Sydney real estate developers, focused on the more high end of the apartment market.
Their high-profile projects include co-development of the $450m Pacific Bondi Beach into luxury residences, retail and hotel apartments, North at Milsons Point, The Bondi at Bondi Beach, and Top of the Town in Darlinghurst.
