A heritage-listed building in Sydney’s Surry Hills that was destroyed in a major fire on Thursday was the proposed site for a new boutique hotel.
The seven-storey building, which once served as a Henderson Hat factory, was intended to be transformed into a vibrant inner-city hotel according to plans designed by architects Tonkin Zulaikha Greer.
Owners of the Randle Street site, Hanave Pty Limited, had lodged a development application with Sydney City Council in 2019 to build a 123-room hotel at an estimated cost of AU$38 million.
Tonkin Zulaikha Greer outlined project plans on its website saying the “handsome building” would be transformed into a “vibrant hotel”.
“The New Hotel in Randle Street transforms the handsome Henderson Hat manufacturing warehouse building into a vibrant hotel that acts as a catalyst for connecting and reactivating the surrounding public domain,” the project description reads.
“Located in a bustling urban environment, noise and privacy has been carefully considered in the design of the hotel.”
Given its close proximity to Central Station, the proposed hotel was expected to benefit from increased footfall resulting from the new Metro railway.
HM has contacted Tonkin Zulaikha Greer for comment.