Former Demon Andrew Leoncelli is behind Kilburn Mansion’s $87m East Melbourne redevelopment, including an 843sq m penthouse expected to carry a $22m guide.
Former Demon Andrew Leoncelli is behind an East Melbourne penthouse expected to ask $22m, decades after walking from Simpson St to the MCG.
The 146-game Melbourne midfielder lived in Simpson St during his playing career and passed historic Kilburn Mansion almost every day.
He is now managing Abadeen’s $87m transformation of the property into nine residences, including an 843sq m penthouse overlooking the ground.
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The penthouse is being held for a later release and is expected to carry a $22m price guide.
Its footprint comprises about 481sq m internally, 193sq m outdoors and a 169sq m private garage accommodating five cars.
It will also have direct lift access, wraparound terraces and a private rooftop garden, with major living and entertaining spaces facing the MCG.
The development will restore the Victorian and Edwardian buildings on the corner of Simpson and George streets. Its eight other residences will start from about $4.5m, with completion expected in 2028.
Andrew Leoncelli, No. 36, in action for Melbourne against West Coast in 2003, his final season of a 146-game Demons career. Picture: Robert Cianflone/
One of Kilburn Mansion’s lounge rooms, part of the historic East Melbourne property being transformed into nine residences.
Leoncelli, who played for Melbourne between 1996 and 2003 including in the Demons’ 2000 grand final side, said he could never have imagined being behind such a project during his football career.
“My life’s journey has been amazing and I’ve been so open to opportunities and to learning post football,” Leoncelli said.
He said living in East Melbourne meant he could walk from home to play at the MCG.
“I lived on Simpson St when I played for Melbourne and used to walk to the ground to play,” he said.
“I just loved the tranquillity and the proximity that East Melbourne provided. It’s a sporting fans ultimate location.”
A chandelier and fireplace feature in one of Kilburn Mansion’s period rooms as the historic property undergoes an $87m redevelopment.
A bathroom at Kilburn Mansion, where the redevelopment will create nine residences including an 843sq m penthouse overlooking towards the MCG.
But Leoncelli said Kilburn Mansion’s heritage architecture, rather than the football connection, had initially drawn him to the project.
“The facade of Kilburn Mansion was the real hook,” he said.
“Looking out from the penthouse captures such captivating MCG views, it’s certainly an added bonus.”
Andrew Leoncelli at Melbourne training in 2001, during a Demons career that stretched from 1996 to 2003 and included 146 games.
One of Kilburn Mansion’s hallways, with artwork and seating inside the East Melbourne property expected to be completed as nine residences in 2028.
Leoncelli said he remembered walking past the mansion during his playing days.
“When I lived on Simpson Street, I would walk past it every day before grabbing a coffee and having something to eat at the George Street cafe,” he said.
“It became synonymous with my life as a footballer.”
A kitchen and dining space at Kilburn Mansion, where prices for the eight residences outside the penthouse will start from about $4.5m.
The development also brought back memories of Melbourne’s 2000 finals campaign.
“All of the finals we played were such special times,” Leoncelli said.
“When I see the freshly cut lawns, the blossoms beginning to bloom and the sun shining longer, I fondly remember my career – it’s such an optimistic time of year.”
Paul Salmon is an East Melbourne local, with Andrew Leoncelli joking he regularly spots the former football star “pounding the pavement” nearby. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos
A wardrobe space beneath Kilburn Mansion’s roofline, part of the heritage setting architect Pete Kennon said could not be replicated in a conventional apartment building.
Leoncelli said there had been no AFL inquiries about the penthouse so far, though one former star was already a familiar face nearby.
“Paul Salmon is a local and a great bloke, so I often see him around pounding the pavement in East Melbourne,” he said.
“He’s a local superstar, both in life and the game, but he’s not about to buy!”
Architect Pete Kennon said the MCG was “a gravitational force” in the penthouse design, influencing how its living and entertaining spaces connect to the ground. Picture: Instagram
A distinctive yellow checkered interior detail at Kilburn Mansion, where the heritage character is being incorporated into the redevelopment.
Architect Pete Kennon said the MCG had been central to the penthouse design.
“The MCG is a gravitational force,” Mr Kennon said.
“For those who know Melbourne, they understand its pull and the energy it brings to the city.”
A living space designed as a lounge, library and entertainment room will face the ground and open directly onto a terrace overlooking the MCG lights.
Mr Kennon said Leoncelli’s football history had also entered discussions about the design.
The MCG is a short walk from Kilburn Mansion, with Leoncelli recalling walking from his Simpson St home to play there for Melbourne.
Kilburn Mansion on the corner of Simpson and George streets in East Melbourne, where Abadeen is undertaking an $87m transformation into nine residences.
“Andrew knows the feeling to play on the big stage, and that history naturally entered the conversation,” he said.
The second living room and rooftop terrace will have the strongest connections to the MCG, with the rooftop including a spa, barbecue and outdoor dining area.
“On a warm September evening, it would be difficult to imagine a better place to experience the atmosphere of the ground,” Mr Kennon said.
“Whether you walk to the ground or stay home, the siren and the roar of the crowd remain present beyond the television.”
