Towers set to change the face of Regent St
A BOOM in high density housing is set to transform Redfern.
Plans for three new, 18-storey mixed-use commercial and residential buildings to be built near the train station would add more than 370 units.
Two are planned for Regent St and one at Lawson Square, on the exist- ing site of the Group Colleges Austra- lia towers.
Managing director of Milligan Group James Milligan who, together with Thirdi Group, plans to build the 88 on Regent building (pictured) said the area was rapidly expanding.
“Redfern needs a bit of new life breathed into the whole precinct. It’s a little bit tired. Regent St, it’s a pre- dominant street and it deserves a predominant building,” he said.
“I think that the area obviously is a fantastic location, Redfern has gone through a lot of gentrification in the past, but some of the developments have not been executed extremely well.”
Plans for the building at 80-88 Re- gent St comprise 80 premium units, a communal rooftop garden, a child- care centre catering for up to 75 children and a ground-floor retail space, with plans to add a high-end food and drinks operator, subject to approval.
Under the plans, existing two-level retail buildings on the site will be de- molished, but their shopfronts re- tained and incorporated into the design.
“We think it will set a bit of prece- dent for that area and have a roll-on effect down the street.”
Plans are already in the works for the nearby site at 60-78 Regent St. Ac- cording to plans on the NSW Depart- ment of Planning and Environment website, the $39 million student ac- commodation building will have 134 units and the capacity to house up to 370 students.
Additionally, the old TNT towers at 1 Lawson Square, most recently used by the Group Colleges Australia, will be converted into two 18-storey mixed-use buildings.
The site also en- compasses Redfern police station.
Under plans for the $35 million de- velopment, one tower will be split use, with levels one to five as com-
mercial space and levels six-17 resi- dential. The other tower will be residential with ground-floor retail.
The area will also see a commer- cial revitalisation when Common- wealth Bank staff move to the Australian Technology Park, leasing the site from Mirvac.
