Old Stanmore fire station being sold with approved plans for a boutique hotel

“This one is definitely going to be a landmark sale – it’s going to be a real feather in the cap,” said selling agent David Giezekamp, from Callagher Estate Agents.

“I’ve been in real estate for 30 years and I haven’t had anything even remotely close to something as stunning and unusual as this.”

With a total land size of just under 900 square metres, the building currently includes six bedrooms and eight bathrooms along with room for six cars in the old fire engine loading dock.

The huge property also includes a resort-style swimming pool featuring glass imported from New Zealand and an entertainment area with a commercial kitchen.

Planning applications to transform the old fire station into a 13-bedroom boutique hotel have also been approved.

Mr Giezekamp said he had already had interest from buyers looking to use the property entirely as a home, as a business headquarters or even as student accommodation.

The property has been used as a private residence, since it was bought by the current owner in 2006. Photo: Supplied

A winery company has also shown interest in using the site as a headquarters and as accommodation for international clients.

“The property has seen a collage of different buyer profiles,” he said.

“We’re going to wait and see exactly what will end up being the next buyer’s profile. It’s quite interesting.”

The fire station was originally built in 1886 and operated as the Marrickville Fire Station. It was the first station built for the Metropolitan Fire Brigade. The original building was half the size that it is now, and was at first surrounding by farmland.

Extensions were soon made to the building, making it the second-largest station in the state.

In 1914 it was renamed as the Stanmore Fire Station and passed on to Fire and Rescue NSW. In the same year the current facade, with the three signature cart and engine bays, was constructed.

The historic site was the first suburban and district fire station to be permanently manned and until its closure in the 1990s was the oldest continuously operating fire station in NSW.

The station is heritage listed by the state, and much of the original design and facade still exists.

There are approved plans to turn the building into a boutique hotel. Photo: Supplied

After it was decommissioned in 1991 the building was bought by Mastertouch Piano Roll Company and was used as a box manufacturing plant and storage facility. The company was the only piano roll manufacturer operating in Australia, and its collection of equipment is now owned by the Powerhouse Museum.

In 2006 the building was acquired by Scott Feneck, the current owner, who invested in a number of developments and renovations that transformed the fire station into a residential and business building.

Mr Giezekamp said that Mr Feneck had now decided to move to the Central Coast.

“It’s an end of an era for them. He feels like it’s a bit wasted now – there was a dream of taking it to a certain level but life takes different tangents,” Mr Giezekamp said.