Reviving one of Sydney's 'great' neighbourhoods

“We’re working together to revive and renew one of our great neighbourhoods,” City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said at the launch ceremony to kick off the project. “Like many neighbourhoods, it suffered during COVID and, before that, with the impact of the lockout laws.

“But it had a great past, and now we’re celebrating a great future. This is the first major refurbishment to these heritage buildings in more than 25 years, and we believe it will bring the area back to life for its residents, businesses and visitors. We’re encouraging cultural and creative uses, particularly around LGBTQIA cultural resources and services.”

Oxford Street is today a pale version of its former lively presence as the 44-year home of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, routinely attended by hundreds of thousands of people from around Australia and overseas. Many of its shops, cafes, restaurants and businesses are now shuttered after the NSW government’s lockout laws slapped strict limits on evening entertainment and the pandemic followed.

But now the first major commercial office and retail development in the precinct is underway to preserve the buildings’ heritage features but also rework them and add to them, including with a stepped-back rooftop extension, to provide 9200 square metres of commercial space for creative, tech and new businesses, 2300 square metres of retail and a 75-room boutique hotel.

Called Oxford & Foley, the aim is also to reinvigorate and activate the parallel street behind Oxford Street, Foley Street, to turn it into a vibrant arts and eating laneway with outdoor dining and entertainment.

Developer TOGA Group is behind the project, in partnership with commercial investors AsheMorgan, with the design masterminded by architects FJMT and Growthbuilt appointed the builders.

While the build will cost between $70 million and $80 million, TOGA managing director Allan Vidor said the result with be worth $300 million plus. “It is wonderful to be involved with a project like this in such an iconic area that will change Sydney dramatically,” he said.

“The quality of the commercial and retail spaces will really make this a success, and we hope the transformation of these buildings will be a catalyst for other developments along the street. The site will combine the rich heritage of Oxford Street with a modern feel, helping to reinvigorate an area that is close to the hearts of many locals.”

Among the commercial and retail tenants already signed up to take up residence in Oxford & Foley when it finishes in late 2023 are the croissanterie Lune, the research start-up Dovetail, Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Music Publishing and music distributor The Orchard.

AsheMorgan principal Mendy Moss said the challenge was always to bring day-time workers back to the area after it evolved into more of a night-time and weekend hub, but there’s been strong commercial and retail leasing interest in the development.

“Before, it was hard for retailers to survive during the week, so our aim is to bring back the nine-to-five workers as well as the vibrancy of the evenings and weekends,” Moss said.

“Surry Hills has always been a commercial destination, but Darlinghurst never had the right amount of office space of the quality that was needed. Part of what we’re doing here is to get that mix right, and we’re very excited to be doing this.”

Growthbuilt co-founder and director Colin Rahim said he was also thrilled to be involved as his company was started 17 years ago with the $34,000 refit of a commercial office in one of the same buildings and the repair of its leaking roof. From there it’s grown to a business with a $300 million turnover, with recent heritage adaptations, including the Juanita Nielson Community Centre in Woolloomooloo and the Griffiths Tea Building in Surry Hills.

“This is a huge project, but we all love working on these kinds of projects that preserve the heritage while refurbishing the buildings as part of the whole rejuvenation of Oxford Street,” he said.