New luxury hotel set to grace Sydney skyline
Another luxury hotel is set to grace the Sydney skyline after Holdmark Property Group lodged plans for a 59-storey tower in the heart of the city.
The news comes soon after mining and property magnate Andrew “Twiggy Forrest” bought the Waldorf Astoria hotel at Circular Quay, which is being developed by Lendlease.
Sydneysiders can also expect a different feel to the landscape with the opening of Capella Sydney in a couple of weeks and the expected October opening of W Sydney at Darling Harbour, which is being developed by Chinese-backed Greaton.
Holdmark has revived plans for a $700 million hotel and office complex at the site currently occupied by Bligh House. It purchased the site for $210 million from funds house Fortius, on behalf of Singapore’s SC Capital Partners.
Fortius undertook a major refurbishment of the office levels and had established plans for a hotel and commercial tower, which included a 421-room property.
Under Fortius, the property was likely to have been a Hyatt Andaz hotel: the project was derailed by the pandemic.
Holdmark will look to revive plans for the hotel and has already lodged a state significant development application for a 59-storey hotel and office tower. Plans include a 200-room luxury hotel, with a rooftop bar and eight levels of premium offices, meeting and event rooms, retail, restaurants, and bars.
The property would be designed by global architecture studio Woods Bagot.
The design seems to have the backing of City of Sydney director of city planning, development and transport Graham Jahn who said the design “displayed a masterful architectural clarity and precision.
“The slender hotel tower and infill podium will complement the extraordinarily rich setting of superb heritage-listed buildings that surround the site.”
The buildings include the Sofitel; the former CML Building by Emil Sodersten and former Qantas House by Felix Tavener of Rudder Littlemore & Rudder.
According to Holdmark chief operating officer Kevin Nassif the acquisition is “part of a diversification strategy for Holdmark, which started with residential projects in western Sydney 30 years ago but is increasingly moving into commercial, retail and hotel developments, including InterContinental Parramatta.”
Jonathan Jackson - 2-3-23
