Ewenton House, at 1 Blake St, Balmain, which was once bought by the Australian Centre for Languages for use as a school.
A grand estate that was once set to be converted into a school has hit the market with a $27.5m price guide, which would smash inner west price records.
‘Ewenton House’, at 1 Blake St, is Balmain’s largest estate, spanning 2,206sqm of waterfront reserve land, opening onto Ewenton Park by the shores of Sydney Harbour.
It’s home to a magnificent four-storey sandstone mansion dating back to 1854, amalgamating Georgian, Victorian, post-Colonial and Italianate influences.
Sitting amid beautiful established grounds designed by Myles Baldwin., Ewenton has five bedrooms, four bathrooms and 10 car spaces and an indoor heated pool.
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What an entrance!
The gardens are designed by Myles Baldwin.
Grand formal rooms.
The indoor pool is heated.
The vendors bought it for $1.3m in 1991.
It’s owned by Burwood cardiologist John Yiannikas and his wife Susan, who purchased it for $1.3m from the Australian Centre for Languages in October, 1991.
The school had bought it in 1987 and applied for alterations and additions to the property to use it as a school, which was refused by Leichhardt Council.
Even an appeal to the Land and Environment Court failed.
The current owners did extensive renovations and improved the garden.
Cobden & Hayson sales agent Danny Cobden, who will be launching the property to market next week with colleague Samantha Elvy, said in a press release sent to News Corp on Thursday: “Despite being just 10 minutes from the city by ferry, Ewenton House feels more like a Southern Highlands retreat.
“The history, the scale, the craftsmanship, the privacy — there’s really nothing that compares to it anywhere in Sydney.
It spans 2,206sqm of waterfront reserve land.
The owners have spent a fortune on renovations.
There are five bedrooms.
The property looks impressive at night.
“The current owners see themselves as the proud custodians of the property and speak of
the profound privilege and joy of residing in a landmark so integral to the peninsula’s rich
history.”
“The interiors have been meticulously restored by skilled artisans, with every detail
showcasing the precise original form, from the intricately carved timberwork to the ornate
fireplaces and the bayed and pediment windows.
“Contemporary comforts have been added for modern living.
“Accommodating five bedrooms, a host of formal and casual living spaces, parking for 10 cars and the luxury of a heated indoor pool, Ewenton House has played host to grand civic
events and countless family gatherings.”
The property is listed on the NSW State Heritage Register.
It’s for sale by expressions of interest, closing November 13.
The current inner west house price record is $21m, for the Louisa Rd, Birchgrove waterfront home Keba, which sold in July.
It’s a circa 1878 mansion on 1300 square metres, and has views across the harbour to UNESCO World Heritage-listed former shipbuilding site Cockatoo Island. It’s now owned by Ty Dincer, chief exec of MEC Global Partners Asia, and his partner, Mel Toluk, who bought it from University of NSW law professor and barrister Dr Peter Cashman.
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