Welcome to Sydney’s future: beautiful art deco mansion being demolished to make way for a boring glass apartment block
Furious Aussies have slammed plans to demolish an iconic Art Deco building to make way for a four-storey apartment block as an ‘act of vandalism’.
Locals from Sydney’s posh eastern suburbs are now fighting to save the 1930s art deco house at 68 Beach Road, Coogee, from being lost forever.
A development application for the full rebuild was submitted to Randwick City Council on November 9 and is still being assessed.
It plans to “demolish all existing buildings on the site and construct a four-storey residential apartment building consisting of six apartments with underground parking.”
Sydney-based construction company Orosi is behind the plans and has already completed similar projects in the nearby suburbs of Rose Bay and Bellevue Hill.
A side-by-side comparison of the current art deco building and the proposed modern apartment building quickly caught the attention of irate locals.
Coogee residents from Sydney’s posh eastern suburbs are now fighting to prevent the 1930s Art Deco house at 68 Beach Road from being destroyed forever
A rendering of the proposed apartment building that will replace the 1930s Art Deco home
“Demolishing a beautiful old building for something that has no charm or character,” said one.
‘Should be on the monument list. A disgraceful act of vandalism,” a second added.
“I’m not sure how the other houses on the street feel about this, but this certainly marks the end of Beach Street. And luxury, expensive apartments will not solve any housing crisis!’ a third stated.
“I’ve been in this. The stairwell is just beautiful. It is such a majestic building. More of Coogee’s character is gone,” said another.
The building dates from the 1930s and was originally built as a single house before being converted into a duplex.
The two-storey building has a facade of polychromatic brickwork and a large hall decorated with Art Deco motifs.
The six-bedroom home last sold on November 6, 2017 for $4.5 million.
The property offers beautiful ocean views and Coogee Beach and surrounding shops, cafes and restaurants are just 400 meters away.
The six-bedroom home last sold on November 6, 2017 for $4.5 million
The property offers beautiful ocean views and Coogee Beach is just 400 meters away
“Set high and proudly overlooking Gordons Bay, this grand five/six bedroom home is a design lover’s dream with its eclectic mix of Art Deco glamor and relaxed, beach-inspired luxury,” reads a description on realestate. com.
‘Perfect for the growing family, elegant curved lines take center stage, allowing the building’s traditional architecture to be complemented by fresh, coastal-inspired interiors and an airy indoor/outdoor flow with sunny terraced gardens.
‘This unique residence has level rear access via Beach Lane to a triple covered parking space and is literally meters from the beach.’
The proposed application to demolish the building has been referred to the council’s heritage planner, landscape officer, engineering and design review panel.
“The elegant development will replace the existing two-storey old residential houses with six modern residential units, in accordance with the site’s R3 Medium Density Residential zoning,” the plans say.
‘Importantly, the proposal includes three affordable housing units, which will complement the surrounding development and increase the available and affordable housing in the area.
‘The design integrates well with the existing and evolving streetscape and presents as a transition between the different building densities and architectural styles along Beach Street.’
An initial assessment of the application has yet to be completed.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Orosi for comment.