Mark Carnegie seeks tech space offices to replace his residential 1926 Darlinghurst church conversion

Mark Carnegie seeks tech space offices to replace his residential 1926 Darlinghurst church conversion
Jonathan ChancellorDecember 7, 2020

The Sydney investment banker Mark Carnegie has joined forces with Cornerstone Property Group's Michael Grant to convert his concerted Darlinghurst church home into a high-end tech space.

A $13.1 million development application has been lodged for the former 1926 First Church of Christ Scientist on Liverpool Street.

The adaptive use plans by SJB Architects seek an office building with open-plan shared spaces, nine basement care spaces and a rooftop terrace.

Mark Carnegie seeks tech space offices to replace his residential 1926 Darlinghurst church conversion
A rendered image of the level one auditorium

Grant's high-end conversion projects have included the Griffiths Teas Building, Surry Hills and the nearby residential-converted 1912 historic warehouse at No 1 Lacey.

The heritage home reportedly has a permit for conversion, approved by the City of Sydney in 2015 with prospect of having four apartments over ground floor office spaces and artist studios.

Mark Carnegie seeks tech space offices to replace his residential 1926 Darlinghurst church conversion

A rendered image of the lower ground floor, formerly the Sunday School.

The latest plans for the adaptive reuse propose a two-storey addition, rather than the four proposed.

Carnegie and Grant will lease out the property.

Mark Carnegie seeks tech space offices to replace his residential 1926 Darlinghurst church conversion
Another rendered image of the lower ground floor. 

Carnegie purchased the 2080 sqm property in 2010 for $8.75 million and refurbished it in 2011 into an award-winning home.

Described as a light, raw, freestanding lightweight structure, Carnegie’s inner-Sydney contemporary abode is a 519-square-metre private residence.

The architectural desire was to leave the existing fabric untouched in the 1926 monumental Beaux Arts building designed by church member S. George Thorp from Peddle Thorp and Walker after the 2,080-square-metre Liverpool Street site was bought in 1923 for £9,000.

Mark Carnegie seeks tech space offices to replace his residential 1926 Darlinghurst church conversion

The faith was established in Sydney in 1900 and recognised by the mother church in Boston in 1902. The first services at the new premises were in July 1927.

The building, including the pipe organ, cost about £30,000. The Beaux Arts style was usually applied to financial institutions to express wealth and stability. The church had an auditorium for 1,000 people. In the 1950s the congregation bought carriage lights from the old Sun-Herald building and installed them on the outside walls.

Architectural firm BatesSmart oversaw the project which was built in 14 weeks.

Jonathan Chancellor

Jonathan Chancellor is one of Australia's most respected property journalists, having been at the top of the game since the early 1980s. Jonathan co-founded the property industry website Property Observer and has written for national and international publications.

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