Toorak: $17m makeover in store for record-setting $74.5m heritage mansion – Beragampengetahuan

Blair House at 17 St Georges Rd, Toorak.

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The ex-tech tycoon who splashed $74.5m on a Toorak mansion is planning a swish $17m makeover of the historic estate.

Last year, Grant Rule’s purchase of the circa-1936 Georgian Revival-style home at 17 St Georges Rd made it the state’s second-most expensive house.

Victoria’s priciest home is the nearby long-vacant “ghost mansion” at 29-31 St Georges Rd which crypto casino co-founder Ed Craven snapped up for more than $80m in 2022.

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Mr Rule sold his SMS marketing technology company MessageMedia to Swedish telco Sinch for a $US1.3bn ($AU1.7bn) in 2021.

Known as Blair House, Mr Rule’s heritage-listed 10-bedroom Toorak pad is set on 7801sq m of botanic gardens featuring a tennis court, Victorian-era glasshouse and separate guesthouse.

Law and town-planning firm Planning & Property Partners have lodged a permit application with Stonnington Council on Mr Rule’s behalf seeking permission to build a basement at Blair House featuring 10 car parks, a laundry, powder room and internal lift.

A new living room, dining room, kitchen, study, garden room, bathroom and wraparound decking are proposed along with an outdoor pool and pool house.

The garden’s topiary is reminiscent of a formal European garden.

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The stately mansion’s owner Grant Rule. Picture: Supplied.

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Parts of Blair House including a sun room and living room would be demolished but the project would also involve conservation works such as repairs to the terracotta shingle roof tiles and gutters.

Mr Rule bought the stately abode from the family of late engineer Radovan Basil Nanut who died in 2004.

The deal was brokered by Marshall White Stonnington director Marcus Chiminello.

Since selling MessageMedia, Mr Rule has kept busy as director of the economic research organisation e61 Institute and the Susan McKinnon Foundation which he co-founded with wife Sophie Oh.

Designed by architects Hughes and Orme, the circa-1936 house was built on the site of Melbourne’s former Government House.

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The planning application is seeking to add a basement car park, wraparound decking and outdoor pool to the property, among other changes.

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Melbourne’s top end buyer’s advocate David Morrell said many well-heeled Toorak homeowners would consider $17m as “not much” to spend on house improvements, adding that Mr Rule’s reno might well end up doubling once other costs such as architectural and landscaping fees are added.

“While it’s $17m for structural purposes, there might well be another $1m in curtains and fittings,” Mr Morrell said.

Large windows and doors take in the sunshine.

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The application is now open for residents to provide Stonnington Council with feedback on.

A council spokesman said the formal advertising period would end on December 7 but objections can be lodged up until a yet-to-be-determined date when a decision will be made on the permit.

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