Biggest WA Heritage Project Planned for 1920’s Woolstore

A $110-million adaptive reuse project would transform Fremantle’s historic Elders Woolstores into Western Australia’s largest heritage redevelopment project.

The mixed-use projoect, proposed by Human Urban (H-U) directors Adrian Fini and Kyle Jeavons, would repurpose two structures comprising the former woolstore site, which has been vacant for more than 40 years.

The project would deliver a mix of apartments, heritage townhouses and co-living spaces, plans now before the City of Freemantle show.

The development would retain and restore the 1927 state heritage-listed building, adding three storeys to create a seven-level structure on the site at Elder Place Spur and Cantonment Street.

A 1950s northern addition would be elevated by up to two storeys, and its facade materials repurposed throughout the development.

The residential component put forward includes six townhouses of three storeys integrated with the original heritage facade.

The development would also include 33 boutique apartments comprising seven one-bedroom, eight two-bedroom, and 15 three-bedroom homes as well as a trio of three-bedroom penthouses.

And in a first for Fremantle, the plans propose a 174-unit co-living component, which would operate under a centralised rental model focused on community building.

Residents would have access to shared recreation zones, communal kitchens, dining areas, wellness facilities, and work-from-home spaces.

Flexible leasing arrangements would cater to longer-term residents, students, and visitors.

A landscaped internal mews-style street would service the residential community within the 1950s building footprint. Ground floor activation includes a tavern, cafe, restaurant and retail outlets.

The commercial component would deliver 6600sq m of office space within the heritage-listed building and retain original timber beams, columns and soffits, with a third-floor garden terrace behind the original stucco heritage parapet.

“Throughout our design process we have always understood that this project is uniquely Fremantle, and we have a special responsibility to make sure our plans benefit the city,” Jeavons said.

Fremantle-based spaceagency architects has been appointed to the project.

Subject to approvals and a pre-sale campaign, construction is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2026 ahead of completion by mid-2028.

The site was acquired by H-U in February of 2022. The development team’s previous projects include the State Buildings in the Perth CBD and Victoria House at Shenton Park.

Fini’s portfolio includes established eateries Bread in Common and Coogee Common, the heritage residential redevelopment of 49 Phillimore Street, and hospitality venues Ode to Sirens, Vin Populi and Common Bakery.

Plans in the works include the former P&O Hotel on the corner of High and Mouat street at Fremantle.

The Elders Woolstores project adds to the Fremantle development pipeline that includes two significant proposals recently approved by the Metro Inner Development Assessment Panel.

EVT-owned brand Lylo has secured approval for a four-storey, 247-pod capsule hotel at 19 Essex Street, incorporating the adaptive reuse of the heritage-listed former Mills & Co Building.

Meanwhile, Stockland has received conditional approval for a 72-home development at 100 Clontarf Road and 73 Naylor Street in Beaconsfield, featuring three-bedroom townhouses with one-bedroom ‘Fonzie-style’ apartments above garages.

The project forms part of a larger masterplanned community set to deliver 206 homes across 158 lots on the former woolstores, bus depot and storage site.