In keeping with its reputation for quality boutique residential development projects, Hamton Property Group today announced the purchase of a unique heritage building at 125-139 Rathdowne Street, Carlton.

Hamton purchased the Edwardian building from a private vendor for $2.41 million in February last year.

Hamton intend to develop the former hospital building into 18 boutique apartment dwellings across four levels and averaging approximately 90sqm in size.

The heritage listed façade, in excellent condition, will be entirely retained while the interior conversion will include retention of the original timber floor boards and will boast ceiling heights on some levels up to 15 feet.

An early 1990’s single-level addition at the rear of the original building will be demolished to make way for a new six-level contemporary structure.

Internally the new extension will integrate seamlessly with original building creating a unified feeling throughout the development.

Interior spaces will be designed with treatments, fittings and fixtures of the highest quality while designs will complement the buildings heritage beauty with classic tones and colour schemes throughout.

Hamton Joint Managing Director, Steve Buxton, said the location and aspect of the building is close to perfection.

“ The building looks across the magnificent Carlton Gardens (home to the annual Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show), is immediately opposite the Melbourne Museum and the only site in Australia to carry the World Heritage Listing - the Royal Exhibition Buildings.

“ The building is ideally positioned in Carlton and is an easy stroll to the centre of the city, and is a beautiful building to boot.

“ We have worked closely with the architects to create internal living spaces that are classic and simple in design, working with both the old building and the new.

“ At Hamton we are concerned with purchasing and developing boutique projects that will stand the test of time and are a cut above the rest,” Mr Buxton said.

The building was originally constructed in 1907 and was home to the Children’s Hospital Nurses Home - a component of the Free Hospital for Sick Children, (now known as the Royal Children’s Hospital) until 1958.

After the nurses were transferred to the current hospital site in Parkville, the building housed an out-patients clinic, dental clinic and doctor’s rooms until the Mental Health Authority purchased the site in 1963.

The building was then known as the St Nicholas’ Hospital a live-in facility for children with intellectual disabilities until 1985 when the site was purchased and redeveloped into the office and residential complex ‘St Nicholas’ Place’.

Since the site purchase in 2005, the building has been tenanted by well known lawyers, FB Rice and Co who have recently relocated to 200 Queen Street in Melbourne.

Further apartment and price details will be released upon announcement of sales expected in the coming months.