Hickory has been appointed by developer Hanave as builder for the highly anticipated Randle St Hotel in Sydney’s Surry Hills.
Located at 7-15 Randle Street, the hotel will revitalise the iconic Henderson Hat Factory, which was damaged by a fire in 2023, into a landmark hospitality destination. Designed by architects Tonkin Zulaikha Greer (TZG), the 11-storey hotel will feature 124-keys, two restaurants, two bars and a new pedestrian link connecting to Sydney’s Central Station.
Privately owned project consultancy and management company APM Services has been appointed to manage the project.
Key heritage features of the original factory will be repurposed during the build, including salvaged brickwork, ensuring the character of the original site is reflected in the evolving fabric of the precinct.
The Randle St Hotel is one of five projects Hickory is currently delivering in Sydney, including the $275 million, five-star Florin Hotel on Kent Street in the CBD. With 30 years of expertise backing them, Hickory entered the New South Wales market six years ago and now boasts a project workbook valued at $735 million across residential and commercial sectors within New South Wales.
Michael Kouknas, NSW State Manager at Hickory, said the Randle St Hotel project represents a strong alignment with the company’s capabilities in delivering complex, city-shaping buildings in Sydney’s CBD.
“We’re thrilled to be appointed as builder of the Randle St Hotel, a project that plays to our deep technical expertise delivering sophisticated projects in the living and hospitality sectors,” said Mr Kouknas.
“We cut our teeth in Sydney delivering the 264-key Ace Hotel, a 19-storey, heritage-led project in Surry Hills that has reset the blueprint for contemporary hotels.
“Since then, we’ve taken a considered approach to growing our presence, building a strong local team and capability. This appointment and our broader workbook is a reflection of the trust we’ve established in the market.”
Hickory continues to invest in its New South Wales leadership. John Rusak joins as Construction Manager from John Holland, bringing a 20 year track record, while Luke White joins as Data Centres Project Director from Canberra Data Centres, deepening Hickory’s specialist capability in one of its key growth sectors.
George Abraham, Managing Director at Hickory says these two new leaders demonstrate the company’s dedication to growth in the state.
“Our pipeline in New South Wales has nearly doubled in a relatively short period of time, reflecting both the strength of the market and confidence in Hickory’s value engineering and repurposing expertise.
“The appointments of John and Luke, who both bring deep sector experience, will support the delivery of an increasingly robust and technically-complex pipeline.”
The Randle St Hotel is slated for completion in May 2028.
