First look: Potts Point's Bayswater Road terraces to be reinvigorated with new $20 million mixed-use plans
Potts Point's historic Bayswater Road, lined with Victorian terraces and once a bustling nightlife scene, is set for a facelift.
Hamptons Property Services have filed an application to redevelop four sites between 28-38 Bayswater Road, currently home to a mix of residential and commercial spaces.
Vince Squillace, of the Surry Hills architectural and interior design practice Squlliace, handled the designs of the $20 million project, which will incorporate 22 apartments above extensive food and beverage spaces, and a handful of terraces.
"The vision for the site is to develop it into a mixed-use building with commercial activation to all three streets with residential apartments above," the design report put together by Squillace read.
"The existing terraces are to be retained and modified into single level residential units while the rest of the site will be redeveloped to enhance the residential offering to the precinct of Potts Point, due to its prime location in terms of access to local shops, entertainment, services and public.
The proposed design by Squillace. Image credit: Squillace
"The design approach is to break down the building forms into a series of vertical elements which draws inspiration from the verticality, scale, mass, and materiality of the architecture in the local area."
The apartments will focus around a central communal garden which will dissect the building. Further communal space will be located on the roof, where there will be a small pool and pool deck.
There will be a mix of one-bedroom apartments, with a study, and two
There will be plenty of heritage headaches before the project gets the green light.
28-30 Bayswater Road is a pair of mid-Victorian period terraces which are heritage listed. Thai Rock occupies the ground level. Next door, 32-34 Bayswater Road, is another two mid-Victorian terraces, which are considered to have heritage significance. Popular bar Eros currently occupies the ground level, while the upper level are commercial spaces.
A recent image of 28-30 Bayswater Road
36-38 Bayswater Road is a four-storey building on the corner of Ward Ave and Bayswater Road. Its current use is commercial premises. All subject properties are located within the Heritage Conservation Area as specified in the LEP.
The design report said the alterations and additions to the Bayswater Road terraces will restore the buildings to be more consistent with their original design.
The design for the new apartments takes inspiration from the proportions and materiality of the existing brick buildings common throughout Potts Point," the report added.
"The new development has been designed in such a way to accentuate the verticality and reduce the visual bulk of the development.
The original Bayswater Terraces
"A variety of different brick colours along with a series of different painted materials has enabled the development to present a much smaller scale to the urban context."
Potts Point, one of the most expensive apartment markets in Australia, has been subject to a number of new apartment development applications in recent months.
Melbourne developer Time & Place recently submitted long awaited plans for their redevelopment of The Chimes apartment building on Macleay Street.
The Macleay Street block dates back to the mid-20th century when it was designed by Hugo Stossel, a modestly well-known post-War émigré architect who designed a number of similar residential apartment buildings in Sydney’s inner eastern suburbs.
They're planning a brand new building designed by SJB, with a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments.
Read more: Exclusive first look: Time & Place lodge Potts Point apartment plans
Third.i and Toohey Miller submitted plans for a a new part six, part seven-level block with just 14 apartments.
There was community objection, given its location at 30A-34 Brougham Street was to block out the view from The Butler, a Potts Point institution for a number of years.
The joint venture partners recently filed an appeal to the NSW Land and Environment Court after the City of Sydney's council and planning committees failed to make a determination.