Fitzroy North's Haddow House warehouse conversion sells for more than $3.5 million
The award winning Haddow House sold for $3,571,000 at auction last weekend, a rare feat for Fitzroy North.
Nelson Alexander sales agent Arch Staver, who marketed the property with Rick Daniel, says the sale "really did test the market".
"North Fitzroy is not full of warehouse conversions," Staver told Property Observer, noting that renovated industrial sites are more common in the neighbouring Fitzroy, or the inner-eastern suburb of Richmond.
"It really was a stand out property".
The six bedroom home at 11 Tucker Place in Fitzroy North certainly does stand out, even among its fellow warehouse conversions.
The vendors commissioned Belgian architect Daniel van Cleemput to design the renovation of the home for their blended family. On the 545 square metre former factory site, van Cleemput designed the cleverly structured house, surrounded by gardens. Its design saw the home awarded the ARCHITEAM 2012 award for Best Design, Residential, New, and featured in architect and commentator Stuart Harrison's 2013 book New Suburban.
When van Cleemput was commissioned, the warehouse had no roof, just external walls.
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The house, while offering flow between both the interior living spaces and between the interior and exterior, also provided privacy for its residences.
The home's enclosed bedroom spaces are all on the upper level, with the teenagers and the two adults living in separate parts of the building, connected by an outside deck. The parent's retreat includes a hydraulic-doored "pod" with a kitchenette, wardrobe and study, and opens directly to the hilltop garden. Meanwhile, the children's area has five double bedrooms, each with a view to the gardens, two shower rooms and a separate toilet.
On the lower level, there are open plan living, dining and kitchen areas, with full height sliding doors opening the interior to the surrounding gardens. The exterior is further invited in through translucent walls, which draw in the natural light. The outdoor spaces include a landscaped garden "hillside", a spa and deck and plant covered high walls.
Despite the house's connection with nature, it still retains many industrial features, including raw finishes and a structure exposed by its translucent panelling.
At Saturday's auction, there were around 200 observers, with three active bidders. Bidding for the warehouse conversion off a cobbled laneway began at $3 million with a bid from the eventual buyer, and came onto the market at $3.4 million. The $3,571,000 result makes it the most expensive known sale of a warehouse conversion in Fitzroy North, with the second highest known to Property Observer being a brick double fronted single level home at 7 Tranmere Street, which sold for $1,105,000 in October 2013.
According to CoreLogic RP Data, Fitzroy North houses recorded 10.3% capital growth over 2014, with a median house price of $1.5 million in January 2015.