How Sydney’s Green Square has gone from an industrial hub to a vibrant neighbourhood
Once an industrial heartland, Green Square has switched gears to become a dynamic and vibrant neighbourhood that’s arguably one of Sydney’s best-connected.
Now a sought-after address, the modern suburb is a stone’s throw from the city centre, airport and coastline. With everything at their fingertips, it’s little wonder that locals like to sit back and soak up the good life.
“Green Square is relaxed and easy,” explains local resident Helven Lee. “When I was a student, I lived in the city, and although it was convenient, it was too busy, and you feel really stressed. I feel very relaxed here and can still be close to the city.”
Before the neighbourhood became Green Square, this pocket of inner Sydney was part of the broader industrial hub that consumed neighbouring Zetland and Alexandria. Once peppered with brickworks, candle and soap factories, and pottery works, today’s towering apartment buildings show how far this urban neighbourhood has come.
“Most of the original industrial buildings within Green Square have been redeveloped, but what’s nice is that the design intent and the architecture reflect some of the area’s industrial heritage,” says Blake Schulze, national director of residential for Colliers.
“It’s great to see that the area is holding to its original form and heritage nature but still has a progressive and modern approach.”
With sustainability at its core, Green Square Town Centre earned 6-Star Green Star certification from the Green Building Council of Australia.
Then there are the 40-plus parks and public spaces, many of which are pet-friendly, including Green Square’s underground library (accessible via a glass pyramid), Gunyama Park Aquatic and Recreation Centre and Joynton Avenue Creative Centre, which was once a nurses’ quarters.
A swathe of on-trend cafes, global eats, cultural destinations and cycleways connect Green Square to the vibrant neighbourhoods of Surry Hills, Redfern and Alexandria.
“When I moved here in 2019, there weren’t many facilities, but now there is a library, aquatic centre, and they’re even building a primary school here. So, the facilities are new and modern, and we really like that,” Lee says.
The connectivity of Green Square is one of the area’s biggest drawcards. Trains and buses provide direct services to Sydney’s CBD in one direction and the airport in the other. At the same time, cycleways and walkways can take you into neighbouring suburbs within minutes.
“We were living in Ermington before we moved here, which is too far from the city and work, and we spent a lot of time travelling, especially to get to the beach,” says Lee.
“Here, you can go to the city, beach, Surry Hills, and The Grounds Café. Everywhere is close, and you can get everything in this area.”
With all this on offer, an increasing number of people are looking to Green Square as a place to call home, and it’s the new developments, like ALBA by Bridgehill, that provide that opportunity.
ALBA’s one to three-bedroom apartments and double-storey penthouses feature flexible living spaces with convertible apartments that allow residents to create extra living space, an additional bedroom or even a home office. A communal rooftop with native plants provides a spot for residents to sit and take in views of the area.
“Although we are seeing people from the eastern suburbs and the inner west buying into ALBA, the majority of buyers are people who already reside in Green Square,” says Schulze.
“They are so committed to staying in Green Square because they see the lifestyle benefits, the direct connection to public transport and the future developments, with the new school and a range of new retail in the years to come.”
Originally post by: domain.com.au