$1bn plan for Double Bay InterContinental Hotel approved
Australia’s most famous celebrity hotel, is set for radical $1bn overhaul to bring it back to its former glory.
Approval has been given to transform one of Sydney’s most famous hotels into a $1bn ‘lifestyle destination’.
The consortium behind the revamp of the InterContinental Hotel site at 33 Cross St, Double Bay — led by leading Sydney developers Eduard Litver of Capitel Group and Allen Linz of Rebel Property Group — has just won the DA from the NSW Government’s Sydney Eastern City Planning Panel.
Many will remember the hotel as being where celebrities always stayed. And sadly, 28 years ago, when it was known as the Ritz Carlton, INXS frontman Michael Hutchence was found dead in a room at the hotel.
A year earlier, the late Princess Diana had stayed there. She died in 1997, four months before Hutchence.
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The existing six-storey hotel will be demolished. This is an artist’s impression of the new hotel.
The new building will be an eight-storey construction.
The approval enables the demolition of the existing six-storey hotel and the construction of a new eight-storey COX Architecture-designed landmark building featuring high-end retail and dining, boutique accommodation, commercial offices, a wellness centre, a limited collection of luxury residences along with public domain improvements.
The new building will set the stage for the revitalisation of the landmark site and the ongoing evolution of Double Bay’s retail and lifestyle precinct.
Rebel Property Group Managing Director Allen Linz said the approval was the culmination of a collaborative and constructive planning process.
“We welcome Woollahra Municipal Council’s decision and thank them for its constructive and professional approach,” Mr Linz said.
“This approval marks a major milestone for Double Bay and reflects a shared commitment to
see the village continue to evolve.
“We look forward to contributing something that will enrich the community and strengthen its appeal as Sydney’s premier harbourside destination.”
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Michael Hutchence, pictured with Kylie Minogue in an undated photo, was found dead at the hotel when it was known as the Ritz-Carlton. Picture: Mick Hutson/Redferns
Capitel Group Managing Director Eduard Litver said the project would make a lasting contribution to Double Bay’s future.
“This site has long been part of Double Bay’s identity, and this approval allows it to play an even greater role in the community’s future,” Mr Litver said.
“The project will deliver new retail and hospitality spaces that support local life and business,
contributing to the ongoing vitality of the village.”
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Diana, Princess of Wales, leaving the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Double Bay in 1996.
Having led the project team on behalf of the owner consortium throughout the planning and approval process, Metis Group Director Arian Galanis said the focus now turns to delivery.
“With the project now green lighted, our focus turns to delivery,” Mr Galanis said.
“We’re working closely with the design and consultant teams to bring the vision for 33 Cross
Street to life.
“We’re excited to deliver a project of enduring quality that will stand as a benchmark for mixed-use, lifestyle-led development in Sydney.”
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