The Duke, Waterloo

There’s a certain expectation when it comes to picking the perfect apartment development these days.

The finishes must be of the highest quality, a communal garden or rooftop is usually a prerequisite, and the position should be in the heart of a thriving metropolis with plenty of bars, cafes and shops nearby.

It can be hard to find a development that ticks the boxes of all three top criteria.

But, ‘The Duke’ in Sydney’s Waterloo has managed to do just that.

Targeted at young professionals or students studying at one of the nearby universities, this development effortlessly blends sophistication with urban cool.

It’s built in to the existing heritage listed pub, The Duke of Wellington Hotel, and according to the mastermind behind the project there are grand plans in store for the site.

“We were able to preserve its heritage nature by keeping the old pub. And while downstairs will be retained as a retail space, we’re looking at getting a licensee in to set up perhaps a wine bar, or maybe a café,” Fiducia Development Director, Marie Doyle, says.

No matter which tenant eventually sets up shop, there’s no doubt The Duke will cement itself as an integral part of Waterloo’s social fabric.
“It’s really well positioned right near the Waterloo Station… And in terms of things happening in Waterloo and neighbouring Alexandria, it’s a Mecca for foodies, and people seem to be attracted to that,” Ms Doyle says.

“These days, there’s more interaction with these areas, people no longer feel they have to go to the city to go out. It’s more like a village down there, not dissimilar to the way Melbourne operates in the respect of little inner-city villages.”

As for the apartments themselves, there will be 19 all up, a mixture of studio, one and two bedroom options, selling through CBRE.

“The interesting thing about it is all the heritage rooms have been retained upstairs, and converted to beautiful loft apartments. And in the space out back we are constructing a 15-apartment complex. That’s a mix of urban, streamlined apartments, perfectly suited to the area,” Ms Doyle says.

The studio apartments will be unique with bespoke built in joinery ready to move into.

“We are doing long built in joinery storage so all you need to do is bring your bed, chairs, couch and everything is built in. It’s quite unique to have a smaller apartment fully equipped in terms of storage and functionality.”

In collaboration with BKA Architecture, the urban sleek, industrial chic vibe carries through the entire development, with exposed concrete ceilings, parquetry floors, black cabinetry and subway tiles.

At five levels high, the top floor will be a communal rooftop garden filled with greenery, with views spanning across Waterloo and Alexandria.
“We see this as a potential site for investors to get in and capitalise on a really good opportunity where innovation and urbane growth is happening in the community,” Ms Doyle says.

To learn more about The Duke, click here.