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Forestville RSL Club Listed for Sale to Modern Remix for $77 Million

Posted on by L. Dreeye
Forestville RSL Club Listed for Sale to Modern Remix for Million

A typical suburban bowling alley and RSL club will be demolished to make way for a new site, with seniors living under $77 million plans now before Sydney’s Northern Beaches Council.

Plans for an RSL club in Forestville are the latest to be unveiled as NSW clubs look to diversify away from gaming.

The two-phase development of Forestville RSL Club will begin with a new 2,263 sq ft clubhouse. m and underground parking near the bowling alley.

The existing clubhouse will then be demolished to make way for 39 individual residential units (ILUs) in a low-density housing development on the site at 22 Melwood Avenue, Forrestville, approximately 15km north of the Sydney CBD.

Homes and a new club planned on a 9,014 sqm plot. m, were designed by Quattro Architecture.

Forestville RSL Club chief executive Ian Thompson said they had looked at what other clubs were doing to create a more financial, operational and sustainable future for the club.

The future RSL club in Forestville features a curved façade, landscaping and underground parking.
▲ Rendering of planned detached housing units, which a BBF Town Planners report says will fund the redevelopment.

“High interest rates and cost of living pressures at all levels of society are also creating challenges for business, especially in the ever-changing hospitality sector,” Thompson said.

“Two other local clubs, DeeWhy RSL Club and DeeWhy Builders Club, have recently announced new property projects focusing on new ILUs.

“Dee Why RSL has flagged a new development that will significantly complement their existing independent living development, where they have a “waiting list” of over 200 people.

“The Builders Club project will see the construction of a new clubhouse and approximately 50 ILUs on existing land in Dee Why.

“These clubs join many other NSW clubs that have embarked or are currently pursuing similar business proposals as clubs look to diversify their revenue streams and move away from their dependence on gaming.”

low-density apartment buildings at dusk, showing people walking around the site and illuminated windows.
▲ The planned senior apartments are two- and three-bedroom apartments in three buildings with walkways throughout the area.

A movement to modernize aging RSL clubs has swept across New South Wales, and while seniors’ apartments have been the most common approach, some developers have been considering other options.

In July 2022, the Parramatta RSL club sold its car park at 7 Macquarie Street for $25.3 million to Marrapacca, which intended to build a co-living tower.

Meanwhile, Cronulla RSL, in partnership with Suburbanite, was looking to develop its seafront land.

Castle Hill RSL plans to create a huge landscaped car park, creating a memorial space, next to a $340 million, 321-apartment seniors’ housing complex.