You don’t need an excuse to try out the new Sydney Metro City line. Hop aboard for the sheer joy of frequent, reliable and super-speedy public transport.
Travelling largely underground between Tallawong in Sydney’s north west via Chatswood and the CBD to Sydenham in the inner west, this new metro service doesn’t just have commuters in its thrall. It’s luring passengers from all walks of life looking to complete daily tasks, from shopping and lunching to exercise and appointments.
And if you really want to dial up the convenience, there’s now the opportunity to live directly over the Crows Nest metro station, in the only project positioned above the new line.
Developer Thirdi is launching Elevate, the first stage of the Hume Place precinct, a master plan designed to inject new life and energy into Crows Nest.
Thirdi director Luke Berry says he’s been blown away by the interest in the project and says the metro is a huge part of Elevate’s appeal. He estimates he’s had 30 per cent more enquiries in the early days of the campaign compared to previous developments.
“People have gone on the metro and gone, ‘Wow – I can get into the city in 10 minutes with no traffic and no parking problems,’ ” he says.
Positioned 200 metres from Thirdi’s Hume Street office, the metro has had an instant impact on foot traffic in the area.
“Pedestrian activity has changed completely since it opened,” says Thirdi development manager Anna Limnios, who can spy on the surrounding streets through the office windows.
“The metro is working smoothly and we’ve heard really great feedback. There’s a lot of locals as well as people who are in the surrounding suburbs and would like to live here.”
Limnios says Crows Nest is already a vibrant village and will only become more inviting as the Willoughby Road upgrades are completed.
“We’re really spoiled for choice here,” she says. “You can get pretty much everything you need and there’s lots of food stores, cafes, restaurants, bars, gyms and hospitals.”
While it’s incredible to be building above a metro station, Limnios says she’s also excited by the project’s sustainable attributes.
From designing a fully electrified building with the inclusion of winter gardens, to solar generation and a hybrid car share service, Hume Place will continue Thirdi’s quest to build as sustainably as possible.
Limnios is working closely with building consultants, the council and the Department of Planning to move the project forward, with the design currently being finalised before submission.
“It’s quite an exciting time,” she says. “We’re not only making a lot of key decisions for the project and getting ready to launch, we’re also building a display suite.”
Berry says the display suite is due to open on-site on October 19, just before the annual Crows Nest Fest. He’s expecting to see a mix of investors, rightsizers and first home buyers vying for the 130 one, two and three-bedroom apartments.
Importantly, buyers will be able to see first-hand that Hume Place won’t take away from Crows Nest’s beloved village vibe.
“Crows Nest is arguably one of those rare villages on the lower north shore that will retain this diverse village setting,” Berry says.
“From a development point of view, it’s got an enormous amount of restrictions on changing the heights around the Willoughby Road precinct, which I think will endear it in the future.
“But it’s also going to benefit from investments like ours that are on the edge of the village.”
The very same edge where you’ll find the super-duper new metro.
“We’re hopeful that our work locally will help educate people about the value that is going to be captured by owning a piece of real estate above a once-in-a-generation piece of infrastructure.”