Grand old Highgate home revived in million dollar makeover, ready for new life with a twist
THIS grand 1938-built Fullarton Rd house has been transformed into three luxury retirement apartments in a million-dollar makeover. But what’s next?
A GRAND 1938-built Fullarton Rd house has transformed into three luxury retirement apartments in a $1 million makeover.
Built originally as a house and doctor’s surgery, the building and land cost the first owners — a Dr Mundy and his wife — £300.
Another medical family, Dr Gerald McIntosh and his wife Betty, bought the home for £13,500 pounds in 1951.
Alabri Life Retirement Living bought the landmark local heritage-listed house, on the corner of Cross and Fullarton roads, in 2007, using it as student accommodation ahead of the retirement renovation.
Alabri director Darren Hogben said although the redevelopment was tricky in terms of maintaining the building’s heritage, it ultimately came up well.
“It’s a heritage-listed building so we had to keep the outside aesthetics as unchanged as possible,” Mr Hogben said.
“On the inside, however, we’ve really brought things up to modern standards.
“We’re absolutely thrilled with how it has turned out.”
Alabri have also fenced off the remaing land where a tennis court, pool and caretaker’s quarters used to be.
Plans for a further 20 retirement apartments on more than 3500sq m of land surrounding the house — as well as a lap pool, spa and community centre — have been lodged with the Unley Council.
“We had students living there for a while, mostly to deter vandalism,” Mr Hogben said.
“It was always the plan to make retirement apartments though.”
The three apartments costs between $595,000 and $995,000.
“We’ve had a lot of really good interest and it’s solid interest,” Mr Hogben said.
“It takes people a long time to make the move to retirement apartments because they are leaving their family homes, it is a big decision to make.”
