Sirius irony: The elites who have bought into the landmark former public housing block

As a couple of mining moguls, the son of billionaire Lang Walker and a venture capitalist trophy homeowner from Mosman take the keys to their flash new apartments in the Sirius building, the irony of the whole development is as obvious to many Sydneysiders as the brutalist landmark itself.

After all, the Tao Gofers-designed block is arguably the most famous public housing complex in the country, even after the state government sold it in 2019 for $150 million to developer JDH Capital to be refashioned into 75 luxury apartments. Think gentrification on steroids.

The Sirius brutalist landmark has gone from most famous social housing block to home to a who’s who of elites.Credit:

Among the high-profile buyers - undeterred by gawking drivers passing by on the Harbour Bridge - is mining industry boss Mark Lochtenberg who has purchased an apartment for $7.8 million in a company name.

Centennial Coal founder Bob Cameron and his wife Paula are also buyers, but for a more subdued $3.65 million in a company name.

The Whale Beach-based Mark Lochtenberg has bought a city pad in the Sirius building.Credit: Jessica Hromas

Venture capitalist Brendan McAssey has also shown up, care of his corporate interests, as a $6 million buyer with his wife Elizabeth Ong. Maybe a city pad away from their Balmoral residence?

Chad Walker, the son of the late billionaire real estate developer Lang Walker, was another early buyer at $3.85 million off-the-plan. But no sooner did he settle on the two-bedder than it was put up for sale with a $4.5 million guide through PPD’s Jason Pantzer.

For the building’s top sale price look to Jean-Dominique Huynh, who heads up JDH Capital, and who claimed the penthouse as an in-house purchase for $35 million. It’s now on offer for $50 million.

Chad Walker, director of corporate relations at Walker Corp, has relisted his Sirius apartment.Credit: Domain

Huynh’s business associate Garrett Jandegian, a former co-owner of the alkaline water business Aqualove, is another buyer with his wife Stephanie. Their corporate interests paid $4.2 million for an apartment.

Jean-Dominique Huynh heads up JDH Capital, which bought the Sirius building for $150 million.

Another reseller is Peter Kensey, whose interests paid $4.2 million for a two-bedder in 2021. It is now on offer for $5 million to $5.55 million.

Kensey isn’t the most well-known buyer in the building, but his corporate interests indicate he is one of the best connected, far beyond being a co-director of Huynh’s Sirius Developments.

Among his corporate associates are Gina Rinehart’s chief financial officer of Hancock Prospecting Jabez Huang, as well as her daughter Hope Welker, and Peter Harding, the US-based chief and founder of AI specialist Kelvin.

Former Queensland grazier Victoria Horne was a cash buyer for $14.75 million, offering a city base from her Southern Highlands Invergowrie property she bought from former Liberal leader John Hewson in 2016 for $6 million.

Moana lands buyer

Moana is the historic beachfront home in Collaroy of NRL legend Des Hasler.Credit: Domain

The Collaroy beachfront home of NRL legend Des Hasler sold on Thursday within its guide of $9 million to $10 million. Lucky for him, it didn’t sell in 2021 when it was an off-market listing for $8 million.

Des Hasler is based in Queensland after he took up the role of head coach of the Gold Coast Titans last year.Credit:

The absolute beachfront house known as Moana was built in 1890 for the stockbroking Minnett family and was previously home to former LJ Hooker boss Grant Harrod before Hasler purchased it in 2014 for $2.82 million.

Insta-ready digs

As glow-ups go, that delivered to the Palm Beach house La Palma by corporate headhunter Jason Johnson is a good one given the estimated $400,000 a year it rakes in from holiday rentals and photoshoots.

La Palma is the Palm Beach holiday home rental of recruitment boss Jason Johnson.Credit: Domain

BJ Edwards, of LJ Hooker Palm Beach, let slip the rental return detail alongside its guide of $13.5 million.

Johnson commissioned a redesign by Yasmine Ghoniem, of YSG Studio, after he bought it in 2020 for $9.17 million from Emlen Bell, former wife of stockbroking legend Colin Bell.

Designer do-up

Still with the high-end redesigns, the Woollahra house owned by medico entrepreneur Dr Glenn Haifer is up for $17 million with Ray White Double Bay’s Riki Tawhara after a glamorous do-up by Blainey North.

Blainey North has undertaken a redesign of the Woollahra home of Dr Glenn Haifer.Credit: Domain

Haifer is a long-time fan of North’s work. He commissioned her to redesign his Point Piper home Deauville before he sold it – half completed – for $39 million to luxury car importer Neville Crichton and his wife, Nadi.

Haifer is now in Darling Point, where in 2022 he bought on the waterfront for $60 million, fresh from the sale of his $303 million bioanalytical lab Agilex.

Medical entrepreneur Dr Glenn Haifer bought his Darling Point home for $60 million.

But if there is a cautionary tale for the high-end renovator, let it come from Simon Cohen, director of CohenHandler but better known to reality TV types for his starring role on Luxe Listings.

A year after the lavishly renovated home of Jacqueline Bailey became the toast of Paddington when it sold for a record $14 million Sotheby’s Maclay Longhurst has resold it for between $12 million and $12.5 million.

Last year’s buyer, art consultant Richard Thompson never settled on the purchase, freeing it up for Cohen to make his own.