JQZ Moves St Leonards Apartment Scheme Ahead

Construction on the Park Avenue Residences at St Leonards South has advanced, with excavation complete and concrete pouring under way. The development at 26-50 Park Road, 27-47 Berry Road and 48-54 River Road —developed by JQZ and designed by DKO Architects—is part of a $550-million investment transforming the area into a high-density urban precinct. It comprises four buildings from four to 10 storeys that will deliver 314 apartments in a mix of studios, one bedroom, two bedroom and larger family-oriented options. There are 63 apartments designed for accessibility. DKO director Nicholas Byrne said the site’s location at the western edge of the St Leonards South Precinct, next to established suburban housing, informed much of its design. “The uniqueness of that site as opposed to everything else in St Leonards South is the fact that it’s kind of bordered by Park Road,” Byrne said. “We’re really the only one that has been done at this stage that has an interface to low-density residential ... it’s a lower scale base and then the building steps up.” A central feature of the design was a “green spine” running through the middle of the site, reflecting the area’s leafy North Shore character. “On the northern side we don’t have any car parking. It will foster biodiversity, it will make sure that there is substantial landscaping that actually happens through there,” Byrne said. ▲ A render by DKO of one of the four Park Avenue Residences buildings. “And when I say substantial, you’re talking over time there will be an ambition to have large mature trees in that site. “As you go further south, the southern block will have recreation facilities, pools, all those sort of things in it as well but again, a really heavy landscape character.” Byrne said the site’s topography also posed challenges, describing it as “probably the steepest site in the precinct”. “The setback controls are based on height, so every time we had to go and look at a part of the building we realised that you have to kind of set back at a different spot as you go down the street,” he said. The project includes communal spaces such as rooftop gardens and recreation facilities. ▲ A render of Park Avenue Residences shows the site’s ‘challenging topography’. Cultural heritage and sustainability were also central to the project’s design. Inspired by the Cammeraygal people, the architecture incorporated ochre tones, native plants and totems. Sustainability measures included a minimum NatHERS 6-star energy rating, rainwater harvesting for irrigation and landscaped areas designed to foster biodiversity. Although the project was approved relatively quickly—within six months of lodgement in 2022—it required strict compliance with the Lane Cove Council’s development control plan. The council was clear in their instruction to “just comply”, Byrne said. Park Avenue Residences will be part of the transformation of St Leonards South into a transit-oriented, high-density residential precinct. Close to St Leonards Station and the coming Crows Nest Metro, the development will contribute more than 3500sq m of communal open space. Construction of the Park Avenue Residences is expected to be completed by 2026.

JQZ Moves St Leonards Apartment Scheme Ahead

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JQZ Moves St Leonards Apartment Scheme Ahead

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