Apartment king urges council to back ‘Manhattan’ project.

 

Meriton boss Harry Triguboff has called on Sydney’s city council to support the idea of converting CBD office blocks into apartments.

 

As the country’s largest high-rise apartment builder, Triguboff told The Australian that Sydney needs to adopt the ‘Manhattan’ model, which features residential apartment blocks intermixed with office towers.

 

The 88-year-old developer wants to target the northern end of the Sydney CBD, which now has empty offices and struggling retailers but which also has the appeal of being close to the harbourside tourist precinct 

 

As a first step, Meriton is planning to convert 20 of its serviced apartment complexes on the east coast of the country into apartments, arguing that the demand for rooms by tourists — foreign and local, as well as business travellers, has become too volatile because of the pandemic.

 

Triguboff is urging councils to fast-track council approvals. “We can’t wait for three years for approvals, they must be given within three months,” he said.