Sydney City Council has voted to progress a Lippmann Partnership proposal to convert a group of industrial warehouse buildings overlooking Hyde Park into a new hotel.
The site on Wentworth Avenue is currently occupied by a group of 4-7 storey early 20th century industrial buildings which currently provide the Stellar boutique hotel, commercial and educational uses. The proposal will consolidate these disparate tenancies into a single hotel which provides tourists with excellent connectivity to Hyde Park and the city centre as well as activation of the street and ground level.
Lippmann’s Planning Proposal involves the adaptive re-use of the existing masonry fabric with a new twelve-storey tower rising above the existing Stellar Hotel at the northern end of the site and a two-storey pavilion addition above the southern end of the site.
According to Lippmann, “The proposed building envelope combined with the extensive western orientation will create opportunities to develop the design of sun control strategies and articulation of the facades. This is expected to be one of the major determinants of the architecture and extended street wall.”
“The form of the building is a direct response to solar access rights of neighbouring residential buildings. The decision to extend the rezoning across the entire block reflects a wholistic vision of the urban environment,” says Lippmann
“Councillor Philip Thalis and director of Planning Graham Jahn have done an exemplary job of steering this proposal through a very complex process which will make an enduring contribution to the city.”
Wentworth Avenue is fast becoming Sydney’s fringe hospitality precinct with Travelodge and Veriu Central already on line and several other conversions including Key College and ACE hotel slated for construction in the near future.
The proposal will now progress to the department of planning for a public exhibition and consultation process.
