Sydney Grammar’s $39 million inner-city expansion plans revealed

One of the state’s oldest all-boys schools, Sydney Grammar, is planning to expand into a second inner-city campus after purchasing a three-storey converted commercial warehouse for $39 million.

In a letter to parents, headmaster Richard Malpass said the school had bought 1-19 Hargrave Street in Darlinghurst, a large office block east of the CBD that was once Sony Australia’s headquarters.

“This acquisition will provide our school with a major opportunity to extend the delivery of a Grammar education at our senior campus, including significantly enhancing our capacity to provide indoor sports facilities and recreational space close to College Street,” Malpass said on Wednesday.

Sydney Grammar has purchased 1-19 Hargrave Street, Darlinghurst, for just over $39 million.Credit: Nick Moir

The selective private school settled on the building on October 8, purchasing it from Canberra-based property developer, Doma Group, which bought the site from Mirvac in 2007 for $14 million.

Sydney Grammar’s main senior school has held a prime position on College Street since 1857, while it also has preparatory school campuses in St Ives and Paddington for kindergarten to year 6 students.

Malpass said the additional Hargrave Street site had “extraordinary potential value and historical significance” to the school, with the almost 1500 square metre building about 300 metres from its main College Street campus.

The school has separately been planning its controversial $54 million Rushcutters Bay Weigall Sports Complex, which was referred to the Independent Planning Commission after receiving 102 submissions, including 50 objections.

The Weigall proposal sparked fierce backlash from dozens of nearby residents, including about 100 public housing tenants concerned about overshadowing and loss of views.

Malpass told parents that the new Hargrave site would deliver “some of the functions originally planned for Weigall” in addition to other academic and co-curricular facilities.

“The acquisition will enable us to preserve Weigall as the focal area for outdoor sports,” he said, with the school set to develop a new tennis centre and practice cricket nets at the Rushcutters Bay site.

Sydney Grammar did not elaborate on any revisions for its plans for the Weigall facility.

Malpass wrote that the Hargrave Street building had “long played an important role in the Darlinghurst precinct”, and the site had been “on the school’s radar” before it came up for sale in June.

“The school places great store on providing holistic education for our pupils, including physical health and wellbeing. We are also mindful of the unique inner-urban nature of our campuses and the logistical and financial challenges this can present,” he said.

Multiple high-fee Sydney private schools are planning major sports and performing arts centre upgrades, including MLC School in Burwood, which has lodged a proposal with the Department of Planning for a $108 million performing arts, sports and aquatic centre.

Malpass said the Hargrave Street purchase was assisted by a “generous starter donation” but said the school would need more donor support from families and alumni to develop the new campus.

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