This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
A JOINT venture between developer Billbergia Group and non-bank lender Metrics Credit Partners plan to develop two 80-storey skyscrapers in Sydney’s Midtown after acquiring the major site from offshore developer Han’s Holding Group.
The JV have finalised the acquisition of one of the largest sites in the CBD for about $500 million, spanning eight individual properties consolidated between 2015 and 2019, comprises 245-247 and 249-253 Castlereagh Street, 324-330, 332-336 and 338-348 Pitt Street, and 126 Liverpool Street.
The new $3 billion mixed-use development will comprise 600 luxury residences and premium hotel accommodation above a podium building complete with a ground-floor civic plaza and new retail space.
The towers will be amongst the tallest in the Sydney skyline once complete.
The project is Billbergia’s first foray in the Sydney CBD.
“Our vision will transform this underutilised city block into a cutting-edge urban community with luxury residences supported by premium amenity, quality public domain and active placemaking. This mixed-use development is Billbergia’s first in the CBD and heralds the renewal of the Midtown district,” said Saul Moran, development director at Billbergia.
Following an international design competition in 2018, the project will be designed by the winners, high-profile architects fjcstudio, in collaboration with Trias Studio, Aileen Sage and Polly Harbison Design.
“Our design proposal has a distinctive and forward-looking form but is also restrained, elegant and reinforces the geometry, urban structure and maturity of Sydney. Fundamental to the urban character of the design is the fine grain orthogonal structure of the public domain and streetscape. The small footprint tower forms nestle into a network of through site links and intimate public spaces addressed and activated by a variety of low scale buildings – a city in microcosm. The podium design is led by fjcstudio in collaboration with Trias, Polly Harbison, and Aileen Sage,” said Richard Francis-Jones, design director at fjcstudio.
