Mona's David Walsh lists Horizon, Darlinghurst penthouse after Coco Republic update
Tasmania's gambling arts patron David Walsh has listed his full-floor penthouse atop the Harry Seidler-designed Horizon, Darlinghurst tower. The proprietor of the much-admired MONA gallery and Moorilla Estate vineyard, can almost see home from his rarely used 43rd-floor vantage point.
The apartment was bought from property developer Lang Walker for $10 million back in 2002.
The contents will possibly even include select artworks from his private collection, including a watercolour triptych on paper by John Olsen, to sweeten the property deal.
It's being scheduled for early 2014 auction through Bill Bridges of Ballard Property Group after Coco Republic install some custom furniture with the aim of enhancing its appeal to Chinese buyers as a home and corporate home office suite.
Weekend News Ltd publicity put the penthouse price speculation at $16 million plus.
The 43rd-floor penthouse was bought by developer Lang Walker off the plan in 1998 for $5.62 million.
When it was sold in 2002 to the Tasmanian entrepreneur for $10 million through Bill Bridges, it exceeded Sydney's then $8-million penthouse record.
Walsh has made little recent use of the three-bedroom apartment that covers 660 square metres and has six car spaces.
Walsh briefly tried to sell in 2006 for $16 million, but at the time there was an accute oversupply of upper-floor stock in the landmark Forbes Street block. The property developer Bob Ell had his abode - four-bedroom, four-balcony, 565 square metre whole floor 40th-level apartment for sale as did the celebrity manager Harry M. Miller who was looking for a buyer for his 41st-floor, 470 square metres apartment.
So Walsh, widely remembered in Tasmania as being among a small group of students who used their mathematical genius to beat the Hobart casino in its early days and credited with repeating the same success with internet gambling, couldn't crack the prestige apartment oversupply market impasse.
Title Tattle recalls Walsh allowed his penthouse to be the 2008 venue of the 10th anniversary party. The guests included the 30 or so off-the-plan buyers who remained in the same units, including Harry Seidler's sister-in-law, Elizabeth Evatt.
One of those who sent their apologies was the then London-based Mr Paparazzi, Darryn Lyons, now the mayor of Geelong in his Victorian hometown, who still owns having paid $604,750.
Developer Elarosa's commissioning of Harry Seidler's 43-storey skyscraper was credited with taking Darlinghurst out of its damp terrace era.