Level 33 Plots 546-Apartment Wollongong Shoptop Precinct

Plans for a 546-unit precinct in Wollongong, a significant upscale from previous proposals for the prime CBD site, have gone on exhibition. 

Level 33 launched its plans for the site at 221-291 Crown Street, 216-238 Keira Street and 86-90 Burelli Street after acquiring it from the development company of 96-year-old TV billionaire Bruce Gordon.

Of the apartments proposed for the amalgamated 13,088sq m plot of “underutilised land”, 414 are allocated as market units, with 132 affordable apartments above a residential lobby.

In total, there would be four residential buildings ranging from 16 to 38 storeys, sitting next to the Wollongong shopping centre, and 280m from Wollongong train station, which provides access to Sydney, 85km away. 

In addition to residential uses, the DKO Architecture-designed project details a 166-key hotel and an office tower. 

▲ The revamped project removes a planned cinema and ups the original number of 390 apartments.

The office building would be 10 storeys and deliver 10,009sq m of commercial gross floor area. 

The largest 38-storey building would retain the heritage-listed frontage of the existing Marcus Clark Building, which acted as the site of a drapery business from the 1880s (pictured at top). 

The buildings would be supplemented by a new public open plaza, with a 1510sq m supermarket and smaller retail occupancies for local businesses.

Level 33 said it would retain the site’s heritage significance, and “deliver a high-quality, contemporary, activated mixed-use precinct that supports housing, employment, retail and new footfall”.

The site was owned by Birketu Pty Ltd, the development company of Bruce Gordon, the television mogul behind WIN Corporation, who wanted to build a slightly smaller precinct, dubbed WIN Grand. 

▲ The development retains the 1880s facade of the Marcus Clark Building.

However, Gordon sold the prime Wollongong CBD site to Level 33 in 2024 for a reported $70 million. 

The development consent for the site was approved in 2022 for three residential towers of 390 units, a commercial building and creative and entertainment spaces. 

Level 33 appointed a new design team, and added affordable residential as well as amending the mix of retail and leisure uses, which it dubbed “sub-optimal”. 

The new developer said it wanted to “undertake a fresh approach” and identify opportunities to “optimise the provision of additional market and affordable housing”, and said the updated plans had a “much more considered approach to public realm and through site access”.

Wollongong has seen a surge of development in recent years as developers look outside their traditional Sydney heartland for opportunities. 

Developers such as Thermisto have tapped into its potential, submitting plans for a five-building precinct of 202 apartments, also on Burelli and Church streets.