Australia Joins Global Surge in Branded Residences
Australia’s luxury apartment sector is tipped for expansion, with developers and global brands eyeing opportunities as demand for prestige living rises.
2 min
Australia’s fledgling branded residences sector is poised for growth, according to McGrath Estate Agents and Knight Frank’s newly launched Residence Report.
The global branded residences market has surged from 169 schemes in 2011 to 611 today, with forecasts of more than 1,000 by 2030. Locally, the concept gained prominence with Crown Residences at One Barangaroo in Sydney.
Adam Ross, Associate Director of Prestige and International Sales at McGrath Estate Agents, said developers and buyers alike were showing strong interest.
“We have seen strong interest among developers to deliver branded schemes as well as huge demand from buyers off the back of the Crown Residences sales at One Barangaroo in Sydney,” he said.
Ross noted that design, identity and services are key.
“While an emphasis remains on providing a range of services and amenities to serve wealthy but time-poor individuals, developers are investing in globally renowned architects, place makers and interior designers to create an identity for their project, community and the surrounding environment,” he said.
Michelle Ciesielski, Head of Residential Research at McGrath Estate Agents, said demand is building.
“There’s growing demand in Australia, but nothing comparable to One Barangaroo has been greenlit yet. For developers, it’s that ideal combination of timing, cost and the right site,” she said.
Ciesielski added that the sector is expanding beyond hotels.
“Today, hotel serviceability only forms part of the branded residence concept. As this market has evolved, developers have widened their scope with brand collaboration with increasingly more being delivered with non-hotel brands.”
Brisbane, Melbourne and the Gold Coast are emerging hotspots. Projects such as Seafarers by Riverlee in Melbourne and the Mondrian Residences on the Gold Coast highlight the sector’s potential.
“The sites are there, the desire and demand are there; the only uncertainty lies with finding builders with space on the books to deliver. The race is on,” Ross said, pointing to activity in South-East Queensland ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
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The new Brooklyn Tower, a mix of luxury condos and rentals, rises from the historic Dime Savings Bank building.
3 min
Listing of the Day
Location: Downtown Brooklyn, New York
Price: $16.75 million
Boasting 360-degree panoramic views across New York City, this new 92nd-floor penthouse is the highest residence in Brooklyn.
The full-floor apartment stands atop the new Brooklyn Tower, which encompasses 143 condos and 398 rentals in the heart of downtown Brooklyn, said Katie Sachsenmaier, senior sales director, Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group.
The condos begin on the 53rd floor, and the penthouses begin on the 88th floor. This one, Penthouse 92, is the only full-floor penthouse.
“The building is coming into its own now,” she said. “It feels very busy when you step into the lobby.”
Developed by Silverstein Properties, the building at 85 Fleet Street rises from the historic Dime Savings Bank building, according to a news release.
It was designed by SHoP Architects with interiors curated by Gachot Studios, and it is the borough’s only super tall skyscraper.
Penthouse 92 features custom interiors by Brooklyn-based Susan Clark of design firm Radnor, Sachsenmaier said. “Her selections have made it really beautiful. It feels very warm and inviting.”
Architectural details include 12-foot ceilings, European white oak floors in a custom honey stain, mahogany millwork, bronze detailing and floor-to-ceiling windows.
The eat-in kitchen features Absolute Black stone countertops, an island with seating, oil-rubbed bronze Waterworks fixtures and integrated Miele appliances, according to the listing.
The primary en suite bathroom showcases large-format Honed Breccia Capraia marble. There is also a separate laundry room as well as a wet bar and a butler’s pantry.
The views are spectacular, Sachsenmaier said. “If you’re standing in the living room, you take in the Statue of Liberty and all the way up through Midtown. On a clear day, you can see the planes take off at LaGuardia (Airport).”
Photo: Sean Hemmerle
Moving around the apartment, you see south over the harbor and then north and east over the whole city, she said.
From the front door, “you’re immediately greeted with the expansive living room and the view,” she said. “It’s really the first thing you see.”
The primary suite features a dressing room, multiple walk-in closets, two bathrooms (one with a cedar sauna) and southwest-facing windows, Sachsenmaier said. “You get those really beautiful harbour views.
The amenities will be ready by the end of summer, she said. A Life Time club will occupy the entire sixth and seventh floors, and an outdoor pool deck wraps around the dome of the bank building.
Stats
The 5,891-square-foot home has four bedrooms, five full bathrooms and one partial bathroom.
Amenities
Residents will have access to over 100,000 square feet of exclusive indoor and outdoor leisure spaces.
Fitness company Life Time will manage an array of amenities that include a 75-foot indoor lap pool, outdoor pools, a poolside lounge and atrium, a billiards room, a library lounge, a conference room, a theatre with a wet bar, a children’s playground and playroom and limited off-site parking.
The Sky Park offers an open-air loggia with a basketball court, foosball, a playground and a dog run.
Photo: Gabriel Saunders
Neighbourhood Notes
Downtown Brooklyn is at the centre of a number of neighbourhoods, including Fort Greene, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill and Brooklyn Heights. The tower has access to 13 subway lines, 11 commuter trains, the city’s ferry network and 22 Citi Bike stations.
“You can walk to Fort Greene Park in less than 10 minutes,” and Dekalb Market Hall, which has a Trader Joe’s, a Target and a food hall, is “right next door,” Sachsenmaier said.
Agent: Katie Sachsenmaier, senior sales director, Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group
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