Prominent Prahran Commercial Property to be Redeveloped Into Apartments

CHAPEL Street wasn’t always about designer brands and snootily staffed cafes.

Up until five years ago, one remnant of the street’s working class origins – the massive three level furniture emporium once known as Horderns and later, Rabenault, traded proudly on the south-east corner of Chapel and High streets.

For a century the retailer would strap mattresses to its beautiful but at times derelict shopfront.

Pine bunks and student desks would spill onto the Chapel Street footpath, giving pedestrians very little room to read the “butchers style” window signage, promoting that week’s special.

Many migrants and baby boomers furnished their first homes with budget furniture sold from the emporium.

But with the new century, comes change.

Now, the upstairs internal areas of the former showroom will be reconfigured as high-end New York Style loft apartments. A vacant tract of land fronting High Street will also be developed into flats.

In all, the H on Chapel project will include 12 units, starting in price at $340,000 for a one-bedroom flat, of which there are 11.

Look Property Group director Bryce Patterson is marketing the development.