Darling Harbour sees return of Hyatt Regency to Sydney

Multiplex has completed M&L Hospitality’s redevelopment of 161 Sussex Street in Sydney's Darling Harbour.

The former Four Points by Sheraton Sydney was rebranded earlier this year to Hyatt Regency Sydney, marking the Hyatt Regency’s return to Sydney.

The redevelopment included refurbishment of the existing hotel; the construction of a new 3,667 square metre convention centre; and a 25-level tower including 13 new hotel levels and 10 levels of A-grade high rise commercial office space.

The additional 25-storey tower has added 222 new guest rooms to what was already Australia’s largest hotel, bringing the total number of rooms to 892.

David Ghannoum, regional managing director at Multiplex said the challenges involved building over an operating freeway and in a live hotel environment.

A significant amount of construction took place over the top of the Western Distributor Freeway, a major feeder road from the Sydney CBD to the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Construction was completed with minimal disruption to the 80,000 vehicles using the Western Distributor daily and the 600-700 guests staying at the hotel each night.

Work commenced in December, 2014 and spanned a two year period.

The project generated approximately 2,250 jobs during construction.

Construction saw some 11,500 cubic metres of concrete poured and 635 tonnes of steel installed to create the building’s structure, and over 1,388 glass panels installed to form the hotel’s façade.