Kincrest Acquires Second Essendon Site After Sellout

Residential | Leon Della Bosca | Thu 18 Sep 25

Kincrest has acquired a second development site at Essendon after its 37-residence Watson project sold out before completion.

The Watson finished in June. All of its apartments are now occupied and The Happy Apple premium neighbourhood grocer has moved into the 1000sq m ground-floor retail space.

The developer has now scooped up 1009-1013 Mount Alexander Road, three doors down from The Watson, and filed a town planning application for a project dubbed Hollick Place.

The proposal is an eight-level development comprising 37 residences plus ground-floor hospitality space.

Kincrest director Tom Howgate said the vendor approached the developer directly about the sale.

“We were very pleased and somewhat fortunate to have sold out prior to completion,” he told The Urban Developer.

“We have worked hard on our brand and having landlords approach you to sell new sites coupled with a fully sold-out development is a great reward.”

The project is entering Victoria’s Fast Track Planning Program, which supports increased density in key locations including North Essendon. The suburb was among the first four activity centres announced by the state in 2024.

Howgate said construction on Hollick Place should commence in the second quarter of 2026, with an open market launch planned for early 2026.

Kincrest’s mixed-use building on Mount Alexander Road comprises luxury apartments above premium grocery retailer space.

Designed by award-winning architects Carr, Hollick Place (pictured top and below) would feature three levels of basement parking, ground-floor hospitality, communal wellness facilities and eight residential levels on the 1500sq m site.

“We see the strength in the Essendon market, and we love working with our purchasers here,” Howgate said.

“We have experienced a demand for significantly sized residences in North Essendon. It is a very parochial neighbourhood and what we have found is that people want to stay close to where they have lived a long time and often grown up.”

He said a customised approach had resonated with buyers.

Rendering of the ground-floor entrance and landscaped communal areas of the proposed 37-home North Essendon development.

“We allow people to create their home off the plan. We gave them the canvas and they painted the picture,” Howgate said.

Meanwhile, Kincrest has also chalked up another success this week on its The Osment development at 3-7 Grattan Street at Prahran, where the Stonnington Council approved the facade strategy filed as a standard permit condition late last month.

The developer has sold half the development to date, including a $10-million sub-penthouse.

Ireland Brown Construction has begun building The Osment—the fifth collaboration with Kincrest, four of which are currently under construction.

Article originally posted at: https://www.theurbandeveloper.com/articles/kincrest-hollick-place-north-essendon-development