Wollongong's Crown Street Mall could be lined with trio of towers

The Mercury understands that the Bank Chambers building and the Royal Bank building have been bought by a local developer with plans to redevelop the site.

Read more: Millions of city council dollars to go into building West Dapto

The off market transaction occurred late last year and a settlement is expected in the coming months.

No price has been disclosed.

The property at 131 Crown Street was last sold in March 2012 for $3.1 million.

Currently, one of the ground floor tenancies is for rent, the former NRMA branch, while the other shopfronts are rented out. Leasing agent WHK Property is currently offering leases of up to two to three years, as the owner is not intending to immediately redevelop the site.

The site would include the Bank Chambers facade facing Crown Street as well as the former Royal Bank Building and Government Savings Bank at 133 Crown Street. This property is listed in the Wollongong Environment Plan as being of local significance as possibly the most intact example of a Federation-style commercial building above the awning level in Wollongong.

The recently completed Lang's Corner contained a similar heritage facade, which was entirely reconstructed as part of the development of the 11 storey office tower.

Sidling up next to Lang's Corner will be Wollongong's next major commercial development.

At 111-119 Crown Street, the development from Triple One Crown Pty Ltd and architect Angelo Di Marino, will include 12 storeys above Kembla Chambers, with 11 floors of office space and a ground floor shopfront.

The $43 million project will add to Wollongong's growing stock of A-grade office towers, along with Lang's Corner, Gateway on Keira Street and the IMB Bank building.

Mr Di Marino owns architecture firm ADM Architects, the firm behind a number of significant Wollongong commercial projects such as the iAccelerate building, Lang's Corner, IMB Bank and the NSW Ports Maritime Centre in Port Kembla, as well as residential projects dotted throughout Wollongong.

Artists' impressions show the tower rising from behind the reconstructed Kembla Chambers heritage facade, and would involve the demolition of the four storey office block at 111-113 Crown Street, which would be replaced by a brick facade similar to that of Lang's Corner.

The Southern Regional Planning Panel approved the project in August 2020 on advice from Wollongong City Council, allowing an increase in floor space ratio above what is set out in the development control plan, as well as permission for the building separation to be less than what is required, due to the continuity between Lang's Corner and the proposed Kembla Chambers building.

It is not yet clear when construction will begin.

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