Top Pad In A Very New Landmark

The Age

Saturday May 20, 2000

MELBOURNE

301A/299 Queen Street

Taking up the entire 30th floor of the Republic tower, this penthouse is surrounded by balconies. The building's soaring steel-clad columns frame 360-degree views. The vistas encompass a bird's-eye view of the CBD to the Docklands, Port Phillip Bay and out to a dark silhouette of mountain ranges on the horizon.

Completed six months ago, the Republic has become a landmark on the corner of Queen and La Trobe Streets with the tower's dynamic design, the art hoarding at street level and the recently opened cafe and restaurant.

A foyer with walls ribbed in pale travertine marble provides a separate entry to the apartments. Residents are able to use the Republic's well-equipped gymnasium, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the docklands, and the lap pool and sauna on the top floor.

The building's two lifts open directly into this apartment's private lobby with gleaming black granite floors. Large plate-glass doors open at either end into the penthouse's separate living and bedroom wings. The ellipitical floorplan has a 40-metre-long space that flows from sitting and dining areas around to a more informal living room and big kitchen. Sliding glass doors open out each area on to the balconies. A breakfast bar of solid granite can seat 10 and divides the silky oak kitchen from the living area.

The penthouse has three bedroom suites, each with its own bathroom. The main bedroom has two dressing areas as well as an ensuite with a Japanese pebble garden. Nonda Katsalidis bathrooms are always stylish and these include his trademark glass salad-bowl hand basins, black ceramic tiling and granite finishes.

A library with a built-in wet bar adjoins the study/third bedroom. The penthouse has a powder room, audio-visual intercom and a lock-up store room and four spaces in the car park.

Auction: 10.30am Saturday, June 3, by Marshall White (9822 9999) and BCI International (0418 828 884).

Inspect: by appointment from 3.30-4pm.

Expect: $2 million-plus.