North Sydney’s Tallest Tower Nears Completion for Billbergia

Billbergia’s 50-storey mixed-use tower at 88 Walker Street is almost complete as the reinvigoration of Sydney’s second CBD continues. 

The $350-million tower has been catalytic for the area in North Sydney, spurring Stocklands $1.3-billion 110-112 Walker Street and Lendlease’s $1.2-billion Victoria Cross developments. 

The Fitzpatrick+partners-designed tower will comprise 19 levels of Citadines Hotel and 24 levels of premium office space, which have been acquired by LaSalle Investment Management. 

The cantilevered design unlocks the airspace above the former North Sydney Fire Station, now known as the Firehouse Hotel. 

The signature cantilever enables the to sit suspended above the heritage-listed pub, increasing the floorspace from around 4000sq m to more than 22,800 square metres.

About 20 per cent of the office space has been pre-leased at rates believed to be more than $1300 per sq m, a record-breaking rate for North Sydney’s commercial office sector. 

“We are delighted at the completed tower, delivering such a substantial innovative project and contributing to the on-going transformation of North Sydney,” Billbergia development director of planning and design Saul Moran said. 

“The site provided just 617sq m of terra firma, so delivering a development
of this calibre required us to develop innovative solutions. 

“We were also limited by the amount of onsite storage and the site’s proximity to neighbouring buildings.”

▲ The innovative cantilevered design utilised the air space above a heritage former fire station.

Underpinning 88 Walker’s cantilevered structure is 20,000 cubic metres of concrete, 4000 tonnes of reinforcement, 425 tonnes of structural steel, and a 14,500sq m glazed curtain wall.

The newly completed tower would deliver critical new office and hotel space, contributing to the transformation of North Sydney, with $11 billion forecast to be invested in commercial and public infrastructure, in addition to the almost-complete Victoria Cross Metro station.

Fitzpatrick+partners architect Paul Reidy said the tower was a “vibrant and connected” development in North Sydney. 

“The building’s slender form is a new landmark on the CBD skyline,” Reidy said. 

“It marks the dawn of a new era for North Sydney and puts it on the map as a flourishing precinct befitting of a global city—88 Walker sits in stark contrast to the conventional and box-like forms of the older buildings that have characterised North Sydney.”

88 Walker’s hotel offering, the Citadines Walker North Sydney, is a 252-room hotel owned by Singaporean lodging operator, The Ascott Limited, a CapitaLand company. 

Surrounded by restaurants, bars and retail hubs, the contemporary Citadines Walker features a range of luxurious rooms, including four top-floor premier suites, according to The Ascott Limited Australia managing director David Mansfield. 

“We are delighted to launch our second Citadines hotel in Sydney. Citadines caters to all the new ways in which we work, live and play,” he said. 

“The prime North Sydney CBD location of Citadines Walker provides a powerful reinforcement of the brand’s growing relevance in the local corporate travel market, and represents a milestone moment for Citadines in Australia.”