Property of the week: 23 Barr St, Balmain
An extraordinary warehouse conversion in the inner west delivers in spades on luxury living
3 min
Artist Sandra Leveson is known for her luminescent paintings and prints, embracing vibrant colours and abstract textures in her work. So it comes as no surprise that her private home and studio of the last four decades has been a grand converted warehouse brimming with natural light and oodles of open space.
The one-time chemical warehouse in Sydney’s inner west is an extraordinary urban transformation blending a raw industrial palette with a savvy floorplan to create a unique work-from-home experience. Simultaneously a home, a studio and a gallery, Leveson’s Balmain bolthole is a testament to her artistic legacy and creative mind.
Selling agent Danny Cobden of Cobden Hayson, who is taking the property to market with a $7 million price guide, said the rare listing is an opportunity for a buyer with vision.
“It’s such a truly unique offering for Balmain. Warehouse residences do come up, but they’re pretty rare and this particular one hasn’t been to market in about 40 years,” he said.
“This is certainly very liveable as is, but it’s also an extraordinary blank canvas for somebody new to come in and put their own stamp on it.”
Measuring 535sqm of internal living space, the residence sits on a 573sqm block incorporating ample room for outdoor entertaining, storage and parking. The former atelier features a striking 29m-long facade with a dramatic sawtooth roofline providing spectacular double-height vaulted ceilings and plenty of floor space. Elevated steel-framed windows, exposed steel beams and a contemporary mezzanine upper level layout are reminiscent of Manhattan’s coveted lofts but rarely seen in Sydney.
The vast open plan ground floor space is anchored by a huge L-shaped entertaining gallery and living room punctuated by a central fireplace. While the high roof line and cavernous space are showstoppers in themselves, the piece de resistance is the 11m by 3m pool and private sundeck sitting at centre stage in a rooftop terrace visible from almost every corner of the property. Under the pool, there is hidden storage, as well as a laundry.
The commercial-grade eat-in kitchen has stainless steel surfaces and appliances and the ground floor also houses one bedroom with an ensuite, plus a self-contained one-bedroom apartment.
Up on the second level, two open plan bedrooms overlook the gallery space with two bathrooms, a dressing room and a second living area.
Additional amenities include a secure lock-up garage with a 3m clearance and loading bay, off-street parking and a lush tropical entry garden. The quiet cul de sac position tucked behind Darling St is close to Ann Cashman Reserve.
The Balmain warehouse has a price guide of $7 million and is on the market with Cobden Hayson via expressions of interest, closing September 25. For more information contact Cobden Danny Cobden on 0411 144 210.
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A Central Coast trophy home with a habit of breaking records, Agave, returns to market.
2 min
Agave has a history of making headlines.
The luxury Wagstaffe weekender earned the prestigious HIA Australian House of the Year award in 2018 and then went on to reset the Central Coast price record two times over.
The Dennis Rabinowitz-designed waterfront residence was sold by the owner architect in mid 2020 for $9.5 million – at the height of the pandemic rush to the regions.
It then changed hands again only two years later for $16.2 million when it was snapped up by fallen Forum Finance founder Bill Papas.
Since then, Agave has operated as a high-end short-term rental appearing on Nine’s top 10 most expensive Airbnbs in Australia list; reportedly earning its owner more than $10,000 a night.
After briefly sitting on the market in 2024, the head-turning seven-bedroom two-storey property is now listed with a new agent and a fresh competitive price tag.
Mat Steinwede of McGrath Terrigal has put a $12 to $14 million guide on the glamorous beach house at a time when the Central Coast is tipped to recapture some of its post-Covid malaise.
Overall, Central Coast house values are approaching their 2022 pandemic-era high, according to Cotality data, with the median up 45.1 per cent over five years to reach a median price of $1.063 million as of November.
Sitting on a spacious 2188sq m block in the exclusive San Toy estate, Agave at 6 Bulkara St is in the sleepy hamlet of Wagstaffe 19kms south of Terrigal.
It has direct waterfront access to Brisbane Water and its north-facing aspect captures the best of the Central Coast’s coveted climate.
Created with a focus on free-flowing lanai-inspired indoor/outdoor living, the home features multiple terraces, a saltwater pool with imported Moroccan tiles, a private beach, a jetty, a boathouse cabana and a deep-water mooring suitable for a “super yacht”.
In total, the expansive layout includes 556sq m of internal living and 289sq m of alfresco space.
The sophisticated interiors include bespoke finishes crafted from natural materials, a contemporary kitchen with marble bench tops, as well as a fully-equipped butler’s pantry, wine cellar, and five ensuite bathrooms.
There is also an executive study and a palatial main bedroom suite located in its own ground floor wing complete with a walk-in wardrobe, and a five star hotel-inspired ensuite with bidet.
A second level houses six more bedrooms including a bunk room, ideal for multiple family getaways. All up, Agave can sleep as many as 14 guests at a time.
Manicured grounds are framed by established tropical gardens, and with secure entry gates plus an advanced security system, the residence is an idyllic private compound.
Additional features include total climate control, three separate living rooms, a double lock up garage and
The property is a short walk to Wagstaffe Wharf with direct ferry access to Palm Beach on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Agave is also close to Lobster Beach and Bouddi National Park.
Agave at 6 Bulkara St, Wagstaffe is listed with Mat Steinwede of McGrath Terrigal with a $12 to $14 million price guide.
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