This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
PROLIFIC developer Tim Gurner has lobbed $800 million plans for a luxury apartment tower on Melbourne’s St Kilda Road, designed by the architects that drew up One World Trade Center in New York and Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.
He has now submitted plans with the City of Port Phillip for circa 200 apartments over 19 levels, with a focus on large two, three, four bedroom and two double-storey penthouse offerings, alongside a comprehensive amenity offering.
Following an international design competition, Gurner has turned to Chicago-based, international architecture firm SOM, in the pair’s first collaboration.
SOM was formerly Skidmore, Ownings, and Merrill LLP, and was founded in 1936.
“The design of 424 St Kilda Road has taken design cues from the rich history of St Kilda Road’s old-world mansions through its elegant masonry façade, and will focus on high-end residences with a secret Porte Cochere arrival experience and lobby underground,” Gurner said.
It will also include a ground-floor retail and food and beverage offering and extensive wellness offering.
The site, which has three frontages on the corner of St Kilda Road, Toorak Road and Queens Lane, will offer uninterrupted views over the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain precinct and Albert Park Lake. It will boast walkability to Anzac Station, Albert Park Lake, the Royal Botanic Gardens and Fawkner Park, and be in easy proximity to South Yarra’s retail and dining precinct.
“We are looking forward to shaping such an important corner of Melbourne’s history; this site was once the famous Illoura House, which was sadly was demolished many years ago,” Gurner said.
He said the group would be taking the “high-end offering to a whole new level after the successful delivery of Saint Moritz which has set tone for our concept at 424 St Kilda Road”, a reference to his high-end development in neighbouring St Kilda that saw penthouses set new benchmarks for pricing in Melbourne.
Gurner chief development officer, Rob Clarke, said, “We are incredibly excited to be working with internationally renowned architecture firm SOM to design this landmark project and are privileged to be working with such a distinguished firm to breathe new life into this landmark site.
“With its prominent corner presence, this site requires a certain elegance in its design and reimagining of its use to unlock not only its value as a significant residential asset, but a design monument in its own right.”
In December, Gurner recruited high-profile former CEO of Australia Post, nab/MLC and Latitude Final, Ahmed Fahour to run his $14.6 billion development empire.
Gurner also closed out the year with its specialist platform with Qualitas partnering with Malaysian developer OSK Property to develop and operate a build-to-rent tower within the $2.8 million Melbourne Square precinct on the edge of the Melbourne CBD.
That followed Gurner striking a partnership with Kennards Self Storage aiming to redevelop the former Australia Post site in the Adelaide CBD into a $1 billion mixed-use precinct.
