Mark Carnegie sells Darlinghurst church conversion
Venture capitalist Mark Carnegie has sold his converted Darlinghurst church.
The unconfirmed buyer is the Paul Ramsay Foundation who will convert the residential space into offices.
Carnegie purchased the 2080sqm property in 2010 for $8.75 million and refurbished it in 2011 into an award-winning home with modern art throughout. Carnegie recently joined forces with Cornerstone Property Group’s Michael Grant to seek approvals for the SJB Architects office plans for the grand old classical church that closed in 2010.
It had been the First Church of Christ Scientist.
Described as a light, raw, freestanding lightweight structure, Carnegie’s inner-Sydney contemporary abode was a 519sqm private sanctuary. It was set in the 1926 monumental Beaux Arts building designed by church member S. George Thorp from Peddle Thorp and Walker on the 2080sqm Liverpool and Forbes street corner site.
The faith was established in Sydney in 1900 coming from the mother church in Boston. The first services at the new premises were in July 1927.
The building, including the pipe organ, cost about £30,000 with the Beaux Arts style usually fancied by institutions wishing to express wealth and stability.
Carnegie, who studied science at the University of Melbourne, majoring in zoology since he wanted to be a marine biologist, joined the business world taking a summer job in the mid-1980s on Wall Street at a venture capital firm set up by James Wolfensohn.
He is preparing to host an F. Scott Fitzgerald 1920s themed house moving party in December.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.