Estate agent buys Redfern Uniting church

A Newtown estate agent outbid several religious groups to secure the 145-year-old church in Redfern at auction yesterday.

Jim Markakis, the principal of Richardson and Wrench Newtown, bid $3,725,000 for the former church as an investment for his family.

The price was $725,000 more than the reserve price for the 360-square-metre property, which came with heritage listing.

He will put it to tender to work out who’s the best tenant and the best use for the building.

There were nine groups seeking the 1872 Victorian, Gothic-style church that was offered by the Uniting Church.

The property at 118 Regent Street, Redfern has been used by the Tongan Parish for more than 20 years.

The congregation had moved to a new church in Marrickville.