A new 18-storey residential development on Gibbons Street in Redfern, which has been built on the former site of the City of Sydney depot, has 40 social and 120 affordable housing units ready for occupancy.
The residential tower is under St George Community Housing (SGCH), which will also establish its new office on the Redfern site.
Centrally located near shopping centres and transportation depots, the SGCH community housing has received an 8.3 rating with the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme. Designed by DKO Architecture, the dwelling offers mixed one, two, and three-bedroom units with 27 homes for people with disabilities.
Because of the location of the residential tower, 25 percent of the units are also meant for Aboriginal families. To reflect the cultural and historical significance of the location, the Gibbon Street building has incorporated the work of Joe Hurst, an Indigenous artist who is aligned with the Boomali Aboriginal Artists Cooperative.
The tower has a rooftop garden for residents to enjoy the view as they gather and socialise. A playground on the ground floor enables the kids to have plenty of outdoor time in a safe and secured environment.
The development, however, doesn’t have any parking spaces since it’s within walking distance to the Redfern train station. There are 92 bike spaces directly outside the lobby.
Gibbons Street is environmentally sustainable with a 50kW solar array, roof-mounted fans in all apartments, and double-glazed windows that can adapt to changing thermal qualities throughout the year.
“I have watched Gibbons Street being built from the ground up and from the start of construction, it’s been really heart-warming knowing that people from my [Aboriginal] community might be placed there,” Tevita, one of the residents said.