Andrew Lazarus Sees Real Estate Success Along Central Coast

Within the Sydney real estate industry, philanthropist and hotelier Andrew Lazarus is a well-known name. His work has included flipping hotels and major properties to improve parts of Sydney. This preservation has brought back to life modern and historical buildings alike.

His high-profile projects have garnered a lot of attention—and not all of it favorable. It’s taken some hard knocks to learn what changes are right for a specific venue in a given location, says Andrew Lazarus. Like any great professional, he’s taken the learning curve head-on and has spent more than 30 years gaining the necessary experience for highly successful ventures. Adapting to the industry has allowed him to flourish in the Australian hospitality industry.

Among his top contributions to his community is his charity work. His goal has been to give back to help make the Sydney and Newcastle areas stronger than ever before. In addition, he often uses his hotel ventures to participate in community activities that support the Australian locals. His goal is to get his hospitality projects to a place where he can do more of the charity work with a hands-on approach.

Andrew Lazarus: Major Real Estate Projects

After three decades of work, it’s not surprising that he has participated in several notable deals. With many major projects currently under his belt, some of his most recent major real estate acquisitions include:

Vaucluse Home

In 2018, the sale of the $8 million Vaucluse Home made notable news. Prior to the sale, the Lazarus family owned the home for two decades. Ready to move on, Andrew Lazarus sold the property off-market to Jordana and Roby Sharon-Zipser. Roby Sharon-Zipser is the Hi-Pages co-founder and CEO. This purchase was a big step up from the couple’s previous North Bondi semi that sold for $2.85 million in 2016.

This house included a cabana, swimming pool, outdoor entertainment area and more, seated on an 845 sq m property. The residential dwelling includes five bedrooms and four baths.

Macquarie Hotel

The $25 million Macquarie Hotel in Liverpool was already undergoing renovations when purchased by Lazarus. His goal was to jump in the development boom of Sydney in the outer west with the property purchase. The building is located on a 1,000 sq m block and was owned by JDA Hotels group for the past three decades before being purchased by Lazarus’s group.

Shoal Bay Country Club

Located along the water, the Shoal Bay Country Club offers a high-class, family-friendly space. Purchased for an estimated $18 million, Lazarus saw Shoal Bay Country Club as something that could appeal to visitors of all ages. By 2018, Lazarus had completed a $6 million renovation that gave the iconic venue a nostalgic design nod to the past and a family-friendly atmosphere. The location offers a pub, beautiful views, outdoor seating, seafood, bistro foods and live music.

Beach Hotel in Merewether

Purchased by Eastern Hotels Group in 2019, this hotel was in desperate need of an upgrade. Originally the Newcastle hotel—but known locally as The Beaches—this iconic hotel is located on Merewether Beach and operates as Newcastle’s only beachside pub. As a two-story beachfront hotel, the views are fabulous.

Andrew Lazarus says he doesn’t want to change the nature of The Beaches. Instead, he wants to renovate the building for improved structural integrity, estimating his project will run around $3 million. The Beaches was previously owned by the Bale and Twohill families for the past 45 years. In 2016, it underwent a renovation.

Lazarus believes the hotel’s legacy should live on, staying true to what it has offered the Newcastle area. Before making any changes, he spent 2020 learning how the hotel functions within the area and what the clientele finds most important about the spot.

Future Plans for Andrew Lazarus

Andrew Lazarus continues to look for real estate deals that will produce assets for his company. However, he says his sights are shifting north of Sydney more often than not. “The market in Sydney is just very expensive and very competitive,” Lazarus explains. “And now that we have the three hotels in relative vicinity up here in Newcastle and the Central Coast, this is a region I’m more focused on.”