Surry Hills Village: ‘Why I bought a penthouse off the plan during a pandemic’

Ask Mary-Jane Salier — known simply as ‘MJ’ — why she and her husband, Kris Gale, have bought a penthouse off the plan in the Surry Hills Village development during a pandemic and she’s matter of fact.

“Yes, it’s a tricky time, but I’m an optimist at heart,” she said. 

 “TOGA [the developer] does have an excellent reputation for delivering a quality product and I feel as though we know what we’re getting.” 

And MJ, who leads the international regulatory team for US-based communications company Verizon, and Kris, who presents Fire Up! on FBi Radio, aren’t the only “optimists”. 

The original eight penthouses sold out in record time*. But we are pleased to introduce the last remaining penthouse has been re-released by the developer. Available now (click to view)

*This original article has been abridged & updated with current 2022 information

Life in lockdown - Making your home more important than ever

One thing is certain during these strange covid times – home is of the most paramount importance. Many of us have now been staring at our own four walls for so many months that the cracks are both literally and metaphorically starting to show. I believe that the increasingly urgent desire to upgrade our home and location is largely what is fuelling the property market at present. More and more of us are wanting to find a home that works for us on many different levels – as a beautiful, well-designed, flexible, conveniently located place to be. A place where we can engage with our community even given the current restrictions. A place where we feel safe and sound and happy to spend the days/weeks/months inside that these lockdowns dictate.

It is incredible how the aesthetically beautiful and architecturally sublime can lift the spirit. Perhaps it is this reason why luxurious, beautifully finished properties are in high demand at present. Increasingly, buyers are choosing properties that are a pleasure to inhabit, that feature intelligently designed spaces that allow us to thrive now work is increasingly becoming the office and school room. 

Purchasers are increasingly seeking out new, state-of-the-art homes that are a pleasure to inhabit. Light, natural tones with bursts of colour create harmony while lifting our mood. Things around the home that function well make life easier and give us more time to focus on what’s important. Where only a few years ago, homes we could renovate proved all the rage, now the prospect of renovating a home seems overwhelming to many. Many are now looking for streamlined, beautifully crafted and flexible properties, driving off-the-plan property sales. Another added benefit of off-the-plan is these properties allow us to plan, prepare and save more while only requiring a 10% deposit. And anything that helps us to stress less is of benefit at the moment.

Properties that offer everything we need all in one place are also proving incredibly popular at present. Properties that are close to public transport and in burgeoning, exciting and popular locations attract buyers who are yearning for a sense of community and looking to the future when lockdowns will be a thing of the past. Masterplanned precincts in coveted or burgeoning locations are proving incredibly popular, as residents have an instant village with excellent restaurants, cafes, boutique shopping, gymnasiums, and common work and landscaped spaces at their immediate disposal.  

So, if you are looking for a newer, better way of living - a gorgeously designed home where you can have all the amenity of urban life while enjoying a village atmosphere - check out our superb properties below. Surry Hills Village offers a full dining precinct, exquisitely landscaped residential park and commercial precinct featuring gym, yoga, work spaces, art and cultural hub.

The apartment precinct - The future of apartment living

Apartment Living Chronicles Part 3

It is expected that Australia’s population will expand to more than 35 million citizens by 2050, with a large percentage of its inhabitants living in urban centers. The existing infrastructure and public utilities that were set up to accommodate an urban density model of 8 to 15 detached dwellings per hectare are now largely unsustainable. 

However, the advent of the apartment to replace detached houses has tended to bring with it certain setbacks of their own. They have tended to eat into public space, been heavy consumers of energy and offered lonely, characterless corridors as the only common areas.  And this is not to mention their aesthetic value or lack thereof on our urban landscape. So, what does the future of apartment living look like, and will we remedy the errors of the past?

Progressive architects are looking to design spaces that not only provide dwellings, but also create community infrastructure in sustainable, medium density developments that embrace and nurture the social aspect of community. Rather than limiting their design to purely residential, many cutting edge architects are developing vibrant precincts within apartment complexes for both residents and the public to enjoy. This type of urban development has long been seen in Europe, where communities seem to have the social and leisure aspects of life down pat. So, it is almost inevitable that Australia’s largest cities adopt this successful urban design for the future.

Never has the home and its relationship to community been more important than in the current climate. The best upcoming developments not only provide homes, but also contribute positively to our cities in a sustainable way. Private foyers are becoming public spaces and provide infrastructure and services often lacking in the local community. This not only serves the community at large, but also residents. Additionally, it creates a sense of vibrancy and a buzz of activity for the people living in the apartments connected to these precincts. This supports residents’ wellbeing and creates spaces where neighbours can connect with each other. 

Precincts allow residents a village way of life that reduces carbon emissions and means they are able to live small and shop local. The on-hand convenience of having a trendy restaurant, café or boutique shop a lift ride away, means residents have more time up their sleeve. And the best apartment precincts are close to transport corridors, shops and services. Ideally, precincts have their own green space that not only beautifies the immediate area, but also offers a readily accessible space for leisure and recreation. 

Cramer have an exciting collection of apartments for sale by developers TOGA, who have really embraced the precinct concept for living and incorporated it into their outstanding apartments, retail and green spaces. Here is a selection of our fantastic listings in Surry Hills Village and Wicks Place on the Park in Marrickville, two of Sydney’s most creative, cool and cosmopolitan suburbs.

Why Surry Hills endures as one of Sydney’s most popular and desirable suburbs

With its five-star restaurants, uber chic cafés, thriving bars, bespoke designer boutiques and abundant culture, Surry Hills endures as one of Sydney’s most vibrant, eclectic and desirable suburbs. Its cuisine spans the entire globe, showcasing out the best of Japanese, Vietnamese, Middle Eastern, French, Mexican, Indian, Italian food in its multitude of restaurants. 

Ever-popular venues include Bills, Firedoor, Nour, The Dolphin Hotel, Poteno, Sang By Mabasa, Wyno x Bodega, Nomad Up The Road, The Clock Hotel, Gogyo, Osteria Emilia, Tokyo Bird, DOC Pizza and Mozzarella Bar, Poly, Nikkei, Bar Ume, Arthur, Bartolo, Yulli’s, Dead Ringer, Chin Chin, Maybe Frank, Medan Ciak, Izakaya Fujiyama, Bad Hombres, Spice I Am, Vacanza, Mark + Vinnies, Loluk Bistro, Toko, Mama’s Buoi and so many more. 

Its thriving café culture has also made Surry Hills one of the most popular weekend brunch destinations in Sydney, where many of the city's best baristas ply their trade at Four Ate Five, Single O, Reformatory Caffeine Lab, Sample Coffee and Artificer Specialty Coffee Bar. And don’t miss the Surry Hills Market, where you’ll find produce and products from some of the city's top artisans. Held on the first Saturday of each month at Shannon Reserve on the corner of Crown and Collins, it sells everything from vintage fashion and eco-minded beauty products to antique bric-a-brac and handmade ceramics.

Down the streets of this inner-city suburb, you'll find yourself spoilt for choice for sculptural homewares and funky, emerging labels sourced from Parisian ateliers and Scandinavian warehouses. Stop into the Standard, Collector and Provider stores and for a great read, Published Art and Title. Be charmed by the mounted police and their valiant stead’s, residing in the nearby Equestrian Centre on Baptist Street. 

As the oh-so-trendy heart of the Eastern Suburbs, Surry Hill’s location provides an effortless commute to the CBD and easy access to Sydney Harbour and some of Australia’s most famous beaches. The new L2 light rail provide an effortless connect to Circular Quay, QVB, Chinatown, The Entertainment Quarter, Randwick, the Royal Randwick Racecourse and UNSW. 

And if you are looking to live the Surry Hills life every day, you will be hard pressed to find a more desirable home than in the outstanding new development, Surry Hills Village. This fantastic development features architecturally superb apartments that have been finished to absolute perfection. Created by master developer and builder, Toga, Surry Hills Village offers all the amenity of urban life while enjoying a village atmosphere. Come and visit our display to see for yourself the new development that is taking the Inner East to new heights. 

Contact Emma Chappell of Cramer Property for more information.

Phone: (02) 8302 1500

Mobile: 0404 769 509

Email: emma@cramerproperty.com

A NEW VILLAGE EMERGES IN THE INNER EAST

Imagine a new village arising in Sydney, where the best of the old is combined with the most innovative concepts of well-being and lifestyle. Imagine no further, because Surry Hills Village is about to happen. Located in one of the Inner East’s most diverse, creative and vibrant areas, Surry Hills Village is a masterfully designed development creating an entirely new community within this historic area.

Featuring generous green spaces, a new public library and a retail and dining lane way inspired by European arcades, residents will get to enjoy the best of all worlds. Seductive archways add drama, as do the restored heritage-listed components of Surry Hills Village. The location already boasts the most hatted restaurants in one suburb, a brand new Coles supermarket and some of Sydney’s best cafes, bars and boutiques along nearby Crown and Dank Streets.

An extraordinary collaboration of multi-award-winning architects, interior designers and landscapers have united to preserve the rich cultural, urban and historical identity of the area and capture it within two stunningly beautiful interior schemes. Beautiful rooms are expertly proportioned and feature a flamboyant finishes that will take your breath away, with Venetian-style terrazzo, Corian and Marblo surfaces that sculpt and bounce light. Each property creates a private oasis of sophistication, comfort and beauty, just a heartbeat away from the village buzz. Whether choosing a lavish one bedroom, divine two bedroom or a sublimely glamorous penthouse, an apartment in Surry Hills Village will give you a home in the Inner East’s most exciting new address.