Justin Hemmes shoots for city skyscrapers above new city Metro station, alongside Lendlease, Mirvac
Two new skyscrapers have been proposed to rise above the Sydney Metro Hunter Street Station, thanks to billionaire publican Justin Hemmes alongside developers Lendlease and Mirvac.
Billionaire publican Justin Hemmes is heading a roster of high-profile developers looking to secure the rights to build two skyscrapers above the planned metro station in the heart of the Sydney CBD.
The towers would rise above the Sydney Metro Hunter Street Station and the publican is working with big name developers Lendlease and Mirvac, as well as landowner Coombes Property Group, on a scheme.
A rival bid has been lodged by Canadian giant Brookfield, which developed the towers above Wynyard station, and the scale of the new buildings could match that development.
Industry players said Brookfield had indicated to the NSW government that it could undertake works on a series of stations along the planned metro lines, and the above ground developments, on the basis that it would underwrite them so the multi-billion dollar project would not be exposed to blow outs.
But the most excitement surrounds the prospect of the local billionaire entertainment tsar transforming the ground plane with a swag of new restaurants, bars and hospitality offerings at the doorstep of the metro station.
New venues could be integrated with his Ivy party palace and lock in his position as the central business district’s entertainment king even as new precincts open up at Barangaroo and Circular Quay.
The billionaire in May also bought the Kings Green development site for about $200m, where a previous developer’s plans for a $1.8bn office skyscraper will now make way for one of his trademark high-end bar and restaurant precincts.
The NSW government on Monday short-listed the two consortia to tender for the delivery of the landmark station, and two buildings above, in the heart of the Sydney CBD.
NSW Minister for Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney David Elliott unveiled the shortlist at a Sydney Metro West industry briefing and said the new station, part of the Sydney Metro West project, would revitalise Sydney’s CBD.
“This is an exciting visionary project creating a seamless interchange for commuters travelling into George St with connections to light rail, train services at Wynyard and the new Sydney Metro City and Southwest station at Martin Place,” Mr Elliott said.
“There’s an opportunity with the new Hunter Street Station to create a world-class transport precinct which will become a gateway to jobs, business and tourism,” he said.
In July plans were unveiled for the new station, with two towers just shy of 270m to be built over the new transport hub. The towers, dubbed Hunter Street East and West, will be slightly different to each other, with the east tower to front Bligh, Hunter and O’Connell streets while the west tower will corner George and Hunter streets.
Choosing a successful tenderer will include consideration of how they will improve the local area and create a vibrant precinct and a sense of place, not just a station.
The two successful short-listed consortia were the Brookfield Consortium, comprised of a series of Brookfield entities, and The Metropolis Consortium, comprised of private Hemmes companies, Mirvac’s office development arm and Lendlease development entities.
Sydney Metro chief executive Peter Regan said the Hunter St Precinct development partner was a first-of-its kind model that ensured the best precinct and value for money outcomes given the project’s significance.
“The short-listed consortia have already been through a competitive procurement process, and now will get to work on detailed proposals that maximise place making outcomes and show how they will integrate the precinct and the station,” Mr Regan said.
The contract is expected to be awarded in 2024.
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