The Merivale juggernaut has awakened with plans revealed for a major hospitality precinct, set to be created within historic adjacent buildings around Hemmes’ cornerstone Hotel CBD.
Representing years of planning, the group is poised to submit a development application next month for the ambitious plans, to include assorted hospitality offerings, a boutique hotel, wellness facilities and premium office spaces.
It is proposed for five heritage buildings within King, York, Clarence and Barrack streets, aiming to retain, preserve and celebrate a block of the CBD formerly known as Kings Green, transforming it to become an interconnected, mixed-used, 16,300sqm hospitality precinct.
The precinct will have public access via connections throughout the five buildings and patrons will be able to freely move between the various offerings.
Anchoring the development will be Merivale’s Hotel CBD, in conjunction with another building on King Street, two on York Street, and one on Clarence Street – all purchased in 2022. The central CBD location is ideally proximate to public transport and existing retail spaces.
According to the proposal, the buildings’ heritage features will remain, and their heights and footprints will not change. There will be no major demolition or reconstruction. The structures were previously a mix of under-invested residential, commercial and retail spaces.
The application also calls for a change of zoning, to be a cohesive licensed food and beverage premise.
Merivale owns and operates scores of venues across Sydney, NSW and Victoria, employing over 5,000 workers, and this development is slated to create hundreds more jobs.
The group has begun engagement with the community and stakeholders. CEO Justin Hemmes describes the long-awaited opening of the Sydney Metro as a “new and exciting era” and hopes a facility offering “quality and accessible” entertainment, food, beverage and accommodation will contribute to Sydney being a vibrant and globally renowned 24-hour city.
“We want to build on the heritage and memories of our Hotel CBD venue, which we built and have operated since 1995,” offers Hemmes.
The precinct qualifies for the international accreditation of a Purple Flag zone; a program recognising that an area meets standards of excellence in safety, vibrancy and diversity.
“Our plans will support the NSW Government’s revised 24-Hour Economy Strategy and Vibrancy Reforms, by creating vibrant and coordinated precincts and places accessible and appealing to visitors and residents alike, as well as supporting nighttime economy workers with greater choice and access to food, beverage and entertainment amenity,” furthers Hemmes.
The submission augers well with the Minns administration’s desire to add tens of thousands of new hotel rooms throughout the state, toward its goal of a $91 billion visitor economy by 2035.
Alex Greenwich, Sydney MP, believes the development would “wake up and activate” the central city, and joins former AHA NSW CEO now executive director of Business Sydney, Paul Nicolaou, in applauding Merivale’s ambition.
“This is exactly the confidence-building big thinking that our wonderful city needs and it will have a cascading effect in encouraging other developers to invest in the CBD economy,” says Nicolaou.
Should the plan be granted approval, Merivale says it will open each venue and area as completed, before the ultimate precinct is fully realised.
