A Brutalist office building in Sydney’s Lower North Shore, directly adjacent to a new Metro station, has been listed for sale with significant development potential. The property at 28-34 Clarke Street, Crows Nest, designed by Kerr and Smith in 1972, spans 1,236 square meters and includes 4,823 square meters of modernized office space across five levels, plus four basement levels with 50 car parks.
The site is one of only four in the block with direct access to the newly opened Metro station, which connects commuters to Martin Place in seven minutes. The listing follows 14 years under Prosper Group, and comes as planning reforms in Crows Nest allow for 5,900 additional homes under a Transport Oriented Development (TOD) rezoning. Current controls cap height at 62 meters (about 18 levels) with a 6:1 floor space ratio, but nearby properties already exceed these limits, with some pursuing State Significant Development pathways for taller structures.
A 42-story seniors housing scheme at 378-398 Pacific Highway demonstrates the precinct’s shift toward high-density development. The current office, now the Oxley Corporate Office Centre, remains fully leased with a two-year average lease expiry, though its location and heritage character make it a candidate for adaptive reuse. Agents suggest integrating the original façade, commercial space, and basement levels into a residential tower, differentiating it from standard apartment projects.
Sydney’s broader housing strategy targets 60,000 new homes across Greater Sydney over 15 years, with Crows Nest, just six kilometers from the CBD, as a key growth area. Over 3,000 apartments are already in the suburb’s planning pipeline, reflecting the state government’s push to accelerate urban intensification near transit hubs. The building’s proximity to the Metro station and its existing infrastructure position it as a prime candidate for redevelopment under the new zoning rules.
The sale marks a shift for the property, which was previously owned by GIO Property Services until 2001. While the current office space is fully occupied, the combination of planning flexibility, transit access, and heritage features creates a unique opportunity for a buyer looking to capitalize on Sydney’s expanding residential demand.
