The Urban Developer
AdvertiseEventsWebinars
Urbanity
Awards
Sign In
Membership
Latest
Menu
Location
Sector
Category
Content
Type
Newsletters
Interested in a Corporate TUD+ Membership? Access premium content, site tours, event discounts and networking opportunities
Interested in a Corporate Membership? Access exclusive member benefits today
Enquire NowEnquire
TheUrbanDeveloper
Follow
About
About Us
Membership
Awards
Events
Webinars
Listings
Partner Lab
Resources
Terms & Conditions
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Republishing Guidelines
Editorial Charter
Complaints Handling Policy
Contact
General Enquiries
Advertise
Contribution Enquiry
Project Submission
Membership Enquiry
Newsletter
Stay up to date and with the latest news, projects, deals and features.
Subscribe
ADVERTISEMENT
SHARE
print
Print
OfficeLindsay SaundersMon 19 Feb 24

Ad Man Singo Selling ‘Special’ Paddington Office Precinct

It was the scene of parties so memorable legend has it John “Singo” Singleton’s advertising empire owes it much of its success.

Now The Bonython, a three-level, five-building precinct in Sydney’s Paddington, has come to market, with a price expectation of $28 million, as the ad man divests himself of the asset he picked up for $300,000 in 1976.

Singo and Duncan McAllan bought the property from art dealer Kym Bonython, who had converted the 1890s factory into a gallery in 1967.

The property is hidden from the street by rows of terrace houses and includes the long-established Bonython Cafe, a 50-seat licensed cafe in the atrium courtyard.

Ray White Woollahra commercial executive Ben Vaughan said the property at 52 Victoria Street, Paddington, was one of Sydney’s most significant land opportunities.

null
▲ The Boython’s two pedestrian entrances—the complex is hidden behind terrace houses.

He said the building occupied 1452sq m of land, with three access points, 13 undercover car spaces with flexible E1 zoning.

The property is fully leased and houses 24 distinct tenancies, spanning creative, financial, IT and legal.

Notable past tenants include Microsoft, NINEMSN, Seven, Mojo Advertising (Allan Johnston, Alan Morris) and Documentary Australia.

Serviced by a dedicated concierge, it also features a boardroom available for private bookings.

Singleton said the “building has always been different”. 

“You walk in here and people think ‘wow’. It’s amazing, people work here. It’s such a great place to work,” he said.

null
▲ The property was converted from a factory to a gallery in the late 1960s and then to office by Singo and a business partner in the early 1970s.

“The legend was that most of our business was because everyone wanted an invitation to our parties on Friday night.

“And there is a lot of truth in that because it was a who’s who—Kerry Packer, Rupert Murdoch, Gerry Harvey, Jack Cowin [etc].”

He said the buyer would be someone who believed that taste and efficiency were not mutually exclusive.

“The reason so much creative work came out of here, in so many categories, is because when you walk in here, you all feel the same. It’s very special.”

Singleton has appointed Vaughan and Randall Kemp to market The Bonython via and expressions-of-interest campaign to close on March 20.

Officedo not useAustraliaArchitectureDeal
AUTHOR
Lindsay Saunders
The Urban Developer - News Editor
More articles by this author
linkedin icon
ADVERTISEMENT
TOP STORIES
One New Zealand Stadium BESIX Watpac
Exclusive

Rising to a Challenge: How BESIX Watpac Topped Australia’s Builders

Clare Burnett
7 Min
Exclusive

Rewards Outstrip Risk in SE Queensland Off-The-Plan Buys

Taryn Paris
7 Min
MONARK co-founders Michael Kark (CEO) and Adam Slade-Jacobson (CIO)
Exclusive

Finding the Sweet Spot: How Monark Built its $2bn Property Empire

Leon Della Bosca
6 Min
Exclusive

Sydney’s Fear of Heights Holding Back Housing

Vanessa Croll
6 Min
North Melbourne Craigieburn HB Land EDM
Exclusive

Tribunal Finding Cruels 1000-Home Melbourne Plan

Clare Burnett
5 Min
View All >
Residential

TW Projects Banks on Commuter Town Boom

Taryn Paris
Blackburne Plans $70m Swan River Tower in south perth
Residential

Blackburne Reveals $70m Plan for Blue-Ribbon South Perth

Renee McKeown
Build-to-Rent

BtR Platforms, Lease-Ups, Capital Go Under Microscope

David Di Marco
Unpack the state of play in build-to-rent delivery—who’s funding it, who’s building it and how projects perform at lease…
LATEST
Residential

TW Projects Banks on Commuter Town Boom

Taryn Paris
3 Min
Blackburne Plans $70m Swan River Tower in south perth
Residential

Blackburne Reveals $70m Plan for Blue-Ribbon South Perth

Renee McKeown
2 Min
Build-to-Rent

BtR Platforms, Lease-Ups, Capital Go Under Microscope

David Di Marco
3 Min
Aeon Residence Chatswood EDM
Residential

Shadows Lift as ‘Nightmare’ Chatswood Site Recast

Vanessa Croll
4 Min
View All >
ADVERTISEMENT
Article originally posted at: https://theurbandeveloper.com/articles/singo-paddington-bonython-for-sale-nsw