Kay & Burton

May 25, 2023

Retail billionaire Solomon Lew’s family could be about to get some familiar new neighbours. The house next door to the Lew family’s Toorak pile has sold for $11.5 million to a corporate vehicle ultimately controlled by Melbourne accountant Daniel Allison and several of his colleagues at Daniel Allison & Associates. The house next door to the Lew family sold for $11.5 million. That’s the same accounting firm trusted by Solomon Lew during the 2014 takeover of upmarket department store David Jones. But the Lew camp were quick to scotch the rumours flying among prestige agents that he could have been behind the deal with a view to amalgamating both blocks. “He has not bought the property,” a spokesperson for Solomon Lew told this masthead. Loading Late last year a caveat was slapped on the title by buyer’s advocate David Morrell of Morrell and Koren, who at the time confirmed the property passed in to him at auction, and he then bought it. Contacted on Thursday, he said: “Solomon Lew is definitely not the buyer,” and added that the accounting firm acts for everyone at the top end of town. The 795-square-metre block was marketed as an opportunity to renovate or rebuild with a price guide of $9.75 million to $10.5 million. It attracted three bidders at its November auction and passed in on a bid of $10.6 million . Advertisement Marshall White director and selling agent Justin Long declined to comment on the identity of the buyer. The 1970s brick home is next to the grand residence on an oversized block of 6000 square metres owned by corporate vehicles whose directors include Solomon Lew, and with a lease on title to Rose Lew, from whom he is separated. Mr Lew has been linked to a luxury apartment on St Kilda Road since their separation. Well-heeled families living nearby include branches of the Waislitz family, the Smorgons and the Gandels. Toorak sellers have been showing confidence this autumn, bringing a range of top-end homes to the market. A Clendon Road mansion has price hopes of $42 million to $46 million, listed by Kay & Burton’s Andrew Sahhar and Marshall White’s Marcus Chiminello. The late Ron Walker’s family home on Albany Road in Toorak is looking for a new owner, and comes with a price guide of $55 million to $60 million through Kay & Burton’s Gowan Stubbings. And on the same street, the residence of late billionaire businessman David Hains is for sale, asking $39 million to $42.5 million, also through Marshall White’s Chiminello. Save