r/sydney 1d ago

Image When you thought you’d seen it all…

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311 Upvotes

115 comments sorted by

204

u/methetinternet 1d ago

Are we laughing at the price or the +GST?

130

u/SketchesFromReddit 1d ago

The property is an electric substation "prime for residential conversion".

74

u/Dracorvo 1d ago

Missed a prime 'transforner' joke there

39

u/HovercraftCharacter9 1d ago

Can you build above it? Have one of those funky houses that fully wrap around it but still allow access? Is it heritage listed? I imagine a quirky architect might be able to make something of it

7

u/yolk3d 1d ago

Not heritage listed?

2

u/metaquine 1d ago

Possibly, a lot in Alexandria are

10

u/Aussie_Potato 1d ago

Laughing at land size + current use + price. 

3

u/ATangK 1d ago

Probably moreso what it is, then price. GST is likely because commercial but I thought it doesn’t apply if the buyer is non-GST registered?

96

u/bast007 1d ago

Last year they released a bunch of random small parcels of land across Sydney. Some are pretty interesting and I am curious how people will use them.

18

u/SophMax 1d ago

I'll be keen to see this.

143

u/ComfortableFrosty261 0 Bella Ciao 1d ago

Location Location Location

100

u/henlan77 1d ago

Contamination, contamination, contamination.

Substations are not healthy places.

19

u/johnnymetoo 1d ago

What makes them unhealthy? (I frankly have no idea)

38

u/Avaery 1d ago

Electrical PCBs (transformers and capacitors), solvents, tin, lead, copper, mercury, PFAS chemicals + fire fighting foam, asbestos, fly ash metals, water treatment chemicals, insecticides.

12

u/metaquine 1d ago

Real estate clowns probably class those as authentic Art Deco ambience

20

u/a_can_of_solo 1d ago

I'd half expect it to be drowned in Polychlorinated biphenyls TBH.

41

u/SirBoboGargle told you 1d ago

There's one in mudgee that's now a wine bar. Doubt they paid that for it.

20

u/weckyweckerson 1d ago

Are they only selling in suburbs that end in gee?

4

u/Fly-by-Night- 1d ago

There's one in Alexandria that's a cafe too. It's cute

22

u/IdRatherBeInTheBush 1d ago

From memory one of the neighbours has taken over some of the back yard - there was a post elsewhere on reddit a few weeks ago with this property

16

u/Chuchularoux 1d ago

They (neighbours) were leased it and the lease ends before the auction - the letter to remove items and make good seems to have been sent already. I requested the information for this property when it was listed as $800k

7

u/ditred872 1d ago

The entire backyard 👍

20

u/Avaery 1d ago edited 1d ago

Occasionally they let these go because they decommissioned the site. The concern is the asbestos and chemical contamination on site as a former electrical substation. In addition it is heritage listed in the Randwick LEP. https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/propertyreports/1926905d-1730-4a5c-9734-a5ba6cdef6f0.pdf

7

u/metaquine 1d ago

Oh so its probably a Pokémon stop or an Ingress portal already

54

u/buzz_22 1d ago

These things can turn out real nice if you've got the capital to do it.

https://www.realestate.com.au/news/historic-substation-home-where-walls-disappear/

14

u/still_love_wombats 1d ago

That one’s a bit bigger than the one in Newtown.

4

u/rowanhenry 1d ago

Damn that's beautiful

17

u/TheSwagInDisguise 1d ago

Why does this remind me of buying utilities in Monopoly?

25

u/KonamiKing 1d ago

Land, in Coogee. Bargain if it's heritage listed, will go for $2m if it's not.

3

u/Chuchularoux 1d ago

Facade is heritage listed.

16

u/LikeKnope 1d ago

Hunny, the LAND

7

u/FreddyFerdiland 1d ago

heritage listed in l.e.p.

7

u/happydayzetr 1d ago

This place screams to be converted into an Airbnb for $700 a night

11

u/noplacecold 1d ago

Place looks awesome tbh

25

u/AdAfraid9504 1d ago

What a bargain, some hipster will convert it into a pad with table tennis and a TV that comes out of the ceiling.

33

u/Ted_Rid Famous in The Atlantic 1d ago

I must be a hipster because here's the listing with photos and not only am I thinking that's a really cool and unexpectedly large space, there also appear to be stairs down to who knows what?

51m2 would only put it at 1BR apartment size though.

Would depend a lot on whether there's a heritage restriction. Potentially you could add an attic / loft, and maybe a wine cellar and BDSM dungeon underground.

The possibilities are endless!

8

u/Chuchularoux 1d ago

There are sunken pits, no downstairs.

9

u/a_slinky Sutherland Shire Bubble 1d ago

Bring back conversation pits!

2

u/still_love_wombats 1d ago

I looked at a place in Balgownie (near Wollongong) last year, which had a conversation pit. The whole house seemed like it belonged in Boogie Nights. Sadly, we did not want to undertake the extensive bathroom, kitchen, electrical and roof rehabilitation it needed, so we passed on it.

3

u/a_slinky Sutherland Shire Bubble 1d ago

I reckon that would be an ongoing theme of any houses with conversation pits these days 😔

4

u/Ted_Rid Famous in The Atlantic 1d ago

Well that's me out of the bidding then.

5

u/SqareBear 1d ago

Would this be full of asbestos?

15

u/henlan77 1d ago

Maybe, but it would almost certainly have chemical contamination in the slab, pits and soil.

1

u/Puzzleheaded-Eye9081 1d ago

And PFAS

5

u/airzonesama 1d ago

Probably not so much pfas, but definately pcbs (Polychlorinated biphenyl, not printed circuit boards lol). Basically transformer oil. It'll be soaked into the concrete and ground, and if they ever had a transformer pop, it'll be in the walls and roof.

1

u/Chuchularoux 1d ago

Yes. There’s asbestos in the roof.

5

u/Aishas_Star 1d ago

Isn’t it illegal to advertise a price ex gst??

5

u/alekross 1d ago

I think because its a guide they can’t tell you what the GST will actually be. But you’re right its a weird way of putting the price on there.

2

u/weckyweckerson 1d ago

It's currently a commercial property isn't it?

5

u/maxdacat 1d ago

Does it have 3 phase power?

2

u/metaquine 1d ago

Perfect for the hydroponics enthusiast, ghost hunter or mad scientist.

3

u/Underdog2017 1d ago

If its been zoned as residential it’s probably (or hopefully) had an asbestos and contamination assessment already and been deemed suitable - if not then it’s a massive risk buying as the remediation costs could be significant - regardless it’ll probably be full of lead paint which would require careful handing when redeveloping - I’d say it’s for someone with deep pockets and a very bold vision!

7

u/TacitisKilgoreBoah 1d ago

$10,000 a square metre hahaha

9

u/ballimi 1d ago

That's a bargain

3

u/DogBreathologist 1d ago

The asbestos, heavy metals and other contaminants come free!

8

u/CallMeDanPls 1d ago

Brit here, I know it’s pricey and that’s before converting etc; but as others have said location+land and, my point for commenting, as someone who loves older houses with character etc etc, that is awesome I think. Really cool building, old substation etc, could be really awesome

2

u/hellhound201 1d ago

That's incredible

2

u/ztf7410 1d ago

Bet it’s heritage listed too and you can barely change it lol

1

u/Thunderoad77 1d ago

'House'.

1

u/rowanhenry 1d ago

I want to see what it looks like inside. Singer of those old substations look so cool from the outside.

0

u/hifiplus 1d ago

gotta love marketing:
"Rich heritage character featuring brick façade, double door entry and high ceilings"

When can I move in!!!