Inner City Commercial Property News

Office investors are swooping on sites around the country that were once destined to become apartment developments, with the latest play on St Kilda Rd likely to end hopes of a luxury block designed by the late star architect Zaha Hadid being built.

Businessmen John Singleton and Geoff Dixon have called last drinks at Balmain’s iconic Unity Hall Hotel, following a decision to sell the pub.

The site of Sydney’s first kosher butcher’s shop — set up by Holocaust survivors — is set for auction with $10 million price expectations.

The former La Strada premises in Potts Point have been listed for sale by Giovanna Toppi, the restaurant family matriarch.

Two Asian-backed investment groups have tied up deals to buy two of Sydney’s most distinctive buildings, with developer Lendlease reaping more than $100 million from selling the Kengo Kuma-designed The Exchange at Darling Square and a hospitality complex on Barangaroo South’s waterfront to separate parties.

Heavyweight pairing Mirvac and John Holland are leading the race for Sydney’s next over-station development, with the pair favoured to win the Waterloo Metro Quarter project.

A Sydney-based investor has paid $20.2 million for the Westpac bank branch in The Corso in Manly.

Malaysian entrepreneur Boon Lee Tan is tapping into the lack of inner-city Sydney hotels, developing a boutique property in Pyrmont branded as a Cititel X via the conversion of an existing serviced apartment complex.

A parklike block of land in Kew that sold for $16 million last year is back on the market after the sale fell through.