Historic former Chippendale dance school twirls onto market

A historic warehouse in Chippendale, which once housed a renowned Sydney dance school, has made its debut on the market this week.

Now known by another theatrical moniker, “The Warehouse off Broadway” at 18 City Rd the period property is just a sashay away from the hustle and bustle of inner city Broadway’s shops, education campuses and eateries.

Once the Bodenwieser Dance Centre (currently home to dance school The Hub Studio) the address was where many of Australia’s premier post-war performers trained.

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A look inside the special property.

Named after Gertrud Bodenwieser, a dancer, choreographer and teacher from Vienna, the school dates back to the 1940s. Ms Bodenwieser had fled Austria for Colombia in the build up to WWII with a handful of students, eventually settling in Australia.

Bodenwiser’s teaching produced some of the most important Australian choreographers and dancers including Anita Ardell, Keith Bain, Shona Dunlop-MacTavish and Margaret Chapple.

Students from the acclaimed school toured Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Rhodesia and India during the 1940s and 1950s.

The amazing penthouse.

Celebrated Sydney-based photographer Max Dupain, who also had a studio in Chippendale at the time, worked regularly with Ms Bodenwieser both in and out of the inner city space.

The building, which is on a total of 503sqm with a prime 12m corner street frontage, features 250sqm of commercial space downstairs and now also houses an open plan two-bedroom New York Style penthouse apartment upstairs with a rooftop area that overlooks both Victoria Park and the city.

Listing agent, David Hickey of Savills Sydney CBD, said the rare mixed-use investment offered a diverse tenant mix with strong annual income and its substantial existing improvements provide added value.

Plenty of interest is expected.

“This is a prominent, highly sought-after and strategic location within the booming city fringe and fast developing cosmopolitan suburb of Chippendale,” he said.

“We expect interest from owner occupiers, local and offshore investors, student accommodation developers, mixed-use developers and value-add investors,” Mr Hickey said.

The commercial premises and residential apartment have separate entrances and the potential for parking via a side lane (STCA).

According to Savills marketing material, the property has the approximate earning potential of $180,000 a year.

There is room outside as well.

Hickey says they are unable to give an indication of a price guide before the property’s first inspection on Saturday.

According to CoreLogic data, the most recent whole building transaction on City Rd was the sale of the Landsdowne Hotel in 2016 for $10.25 million.

The warehouse is set to go under the hammer on Friday, May 3 at noon.

This article from Central Sydney originally appeared as “Chippendale warehouse that once housed a renowned dance school hits the market”.