PCYC site: Units proposed for 12 Hassall St, Parramatta

It was once home to the popular PCYC in the middle of Parramatta for decades and now bold plans for an apartment tower to house 328 units and public art have been revealed.

Joanne Vella

@Parramatta_News

2 min read

December 14, 2021 - 7:11PM

Parramatta Advertiser

NSW

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Plans for a $450 million 62-storey apartment tower with more than 300 apartments units and public art have been revealed for the former PCYC site at 12 Hassall St, Parramatta.

The slender block will be built above a four-storey podium with cafes, shops and an indoor recreation facility, and two levels dedicated to offices.

The Gurner and Qualitas developers will also have six levels of basement carparking for residents of the 328 units, which will comprise 60 with one bedroom, 235 with two bedrooms and 33 with three bedrooms.

A development application has been lodged with Parramatta Council but the Sydney Central City Planning Panel will ultimately determine the project.

Toplace initially lodged plans but Gurner and Qualitas have taken over the site and released images on how the tower and retail podium will look, subject to approval.

Artist impressions for a 62-storey apartment tower at 12 Hassall St, Parramatta.

Public artwork will grace the development and “contribute to a vibrant and meaningful public art landscape in Parramatta’s public spaces”.

“The development of 12 Hassall Street will activate the life of the street, operating as a node and meeting point for the surrounding buildings,’’ plans state.

Artists will be short-listed to create the art carrying on the theme of river, sands and migration, and must represent diversity in their submission.

Once home to the PCYC, Hassall St is where Western Sydney University will open its $300 million Engineering Innovation Hub in

Business Western Sydney executive director David Borger said retail that met community needs was essential for the development’s podium level.

“I think it needs some good retail — retail that meets the needs of the local community,’’ he said.

The tower will dwarf its neighbours if approved.

“Harris Park’s just across the block and now you’ve got university students coming into the precinct, they’ll be living in these apartments so I think it will be a buzzing community but it needs the retail to centre it.’’

Mr Borger said he had witnessed the transformation of the street.

“Hassall St’s unrecognisable from when I grew up as a kid,’’ he said.

“I used to go to the PCYC and do boxing with mates. You couldn’t afford to go to the gym so went to the PCYC to do some exercise.

“It used to be full of cottages, now it looks like it could be any city in the world.’’

Subject to approval, the Toplace tower will be built alongside street mainstay the Commercial Hotel and be around the corner from NSW Police Headquarters.

The PCYC vacated the premises in 2016 and is now in George St but is planning to relocate to CommBank Stadium.