Melbourne Square: Sky high concrete shell has $23m price hopes
A concrete shell penthouse where the buyer will spend upwards of $1m fitting it out to their hearts content is hitting the market. Picture: David Caird
A concrete shell at the top of one of one of Melbourne’s biggest developments has hit the market with an eye-watering $23m asking price.
The 1200sq m of real estate perched 67 storeys high covers the two top floors of the $2.8bn Melbourne Square precinct in Southbank.
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With exposed concrete floors, walls and ceilings — it comes with a commanding, 360 degree view that looks down on Melbourne and Port Phillip Bay. And for now, that’s it.
The trade off, whoever buys it can let their imagination run wild rather than accept what developer OSK Property thought they wanted.
The Melbourne Square towers where the concrete shell is located 67 storeys high. Picture: David Caird
The developer’s sales and marketing director Scott Jessop said he’s expecting the buyer will add their own vault, wine cellar, lobby, multiple kitchens big enough to accommodate a 10m island bench, up to eight bedrooms and even live-in accommodation for a driver or nanny.
They might even be able to add their own bowling alley.
“There are no internal walls, there’s just a concrete top and bottom and a few structural elements in place,” Mr Jessop said.
Cabinet maker Frits Themistoklis looks out at the view from the huge penthouse windows. Picture: David Caird
“There’s a provision there to have staircases or even a spiral staircases, depending on what the buyer wants between the two levels.
“And they get to specify every little piece and item that goes in there.”
The developer is throwing in a $1m consultation and customisation package with interior designer Coco Republic to plan their home.
But building costs to add the rooms, stairs and other hard features could easily add another $2m to the cost, depending what the buyer wants to do.
Enjoy breathtaking city views.
The property is believed to be one of the biggest shell apartment offerings ever in the country.
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Mr Jessop said he believed it was one of the biggest concrete shell apartment offerings in Australia’s history, and that three groups had already inspected it.
With the blank slate now being advertised, prospective buyers are expected to come from overseas but have an existing connection with Melbourne — be it through business or family.
“And it may well not be a full-time home,” Mr Jessop said.
The Melbourne Square pool is already built.
Sales and Marketing Director of OSK Property stands up on the second floor in the huge penthouse. Picture: David Caird
Melbourne’s highest priced apartment sale on record is a $35m off-the-plan sale for a double-storey sub-penthouse at Melbourne’s future tallest tower STH BNK.
The penthouse at Australia 108, currently Melbourne’s highest residence, sold for $25m off the plan in 2015.
To date, the highest priced sale at Melbourne Square is an $8.8m amalgamation of five apartments.
The concrete shell apartment will be the last part of the Melbourne Square development’s first stage to be completed. It includes a full-line Woolworth’s supermarket and an expansive park and pool which have already been built at the site.
Outside the Melbourne Square building.
The view from the ground.
There are another four stages to go including two more residential towers, a hotel and an office tower.
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nathan.mawby@news.com.au