Accor chooses site for maiden Australian Hoxton
Accor will launch its Hoxton brand in Australia within a brick and glass tower, part of the redevelopment of the Bryant & May match factory site, in Melbourne’s trendy inner-east Cremorne.
First visitors should be accepted in 2027, according to developer Alfasi Group, which this week won permission from Heritage Victoria to repurpose the 9715 square metre block, 560 Church Street, as a $600 million mixed-use village.
The 13 level, 198-suite guesthouse will rise beside a nine storey, 23,500 square metre office.
Both structures will flank 2015 sqm of retail – including a food and dining precinct and microbrewery.
The Brymay Hall administration building will be kept.
About 3000 sqm of the site is earmarked for public use including a plaza around a red brick boiler house and chimney.
Denton Corker Marshall penned the project; branded Matchworks, its design followed a competition.
Lovell Chen is the heritage consultant.
Construction is set to start October.
Oculus will carry out landscaping.
A 6-star Green Star certification and 6-star NABERs rating is being targeted.
The Hoxton is a boutique arm Accor formed with Ennismore in 2021; renowned for its focus on ground floor and rooftop dining, there are now 16 bases.
A recently opened Vienna facility includes a basement speakeasy.
Hoxtons are also scheduled in Edinburgh, Florence and Oslo (story continues below).
“Our guests and brand followers have long been asking for a Hoxton in Australia, and we’re thrilled to finally make it happen in a brilliant building steeped in history and started life as a matchstick factory,” Ennismore co-chief executive officer, Sharan Pasricha, said of the brand.
Bryant & May redevelopment
Cremorne is one of the pricier precincts outside of Melbourne’s CBD and immediate fringe to rent of buy office space.
Alfasi managing director Gill Dvir said Matchworks will also include a wellness centre.
The developer in 2022 paid Alan Hamilton, the son of race car driver Norman, c$80m for the Commercial 2 zoned property – a component of the factory completed in stages from 1909 and where Redheads matches were made.
Norman held the property since the 1980s – utilising most of the 7634 sqm of showroom and commercial space as a Porsche dealership and repair shop.
It was later converted to a commercial investment; high profile former tenants include Fitness First and Nick Scali – the latter which recently relocated to nearby 658 Church St.
The Matchworks approval comes two years since Alfasi completed a nine level office at nearby 510 Church St, with 18,559 sqm (an asset sold down during construction).
The group will be competing for office tenants with National Basketball League owner Larry Kestelman, who in June bought the Venus packaging site at 549-555 Church St, Richmond, to replace.
The same developer is also behind a Green St, Cremorne, office, construction of which is set to begin.
Earlier this month meanwhile, we reported Fortis bought a Swan St, Richmond, block – it is speculated, for a residential project.
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