Set on an area of 1354.4m2, the site for The Hyde is situated in Sydney’s CBD, at the southern end of Hyde Park and at the nexus of several diverse precincts. The location of The Hyde at 157 Liverpool Street is unique, one of the only North facing sites in the central city with views over Hyde Park, the Royal Botanic Gardens, The Domain, Sydney Harbour and so many Sydney icons.

Construction of the original building began in 1969 and ended in 1972. The building consisted of 19 office floors, ground retail and a three level basement. The site was purchased in 1988 by Stockland, when Stockland was a smaller property development company, owned by Ervin Graf. The building has seen the company grow, becoming its corporate head office. In 2007, the 34 year- old building was then demolished and The Hyde construction commenced.

Hyde Park is bordered by Elizabeth, Liverpool and College Streets and Prince Albert Road in Sydney’s CBD. It is in the area reserved by Governor Phillip in 1792 for Sydney’s town use adjacent to the city itself. It is Australia’s oldest park.

The area was used for storage of firewood and animal grazing until its declaration by Governor Macquarie in 1810. Macquarie named it after the park in London. Hyde Park’s first use was for horse racing. By the 1820′s it had become a popular venue for cricket matches.

It was proposed by Governor Darling, in the 1830′s, to sell off the park for houses, however it was later re-declared as a park by Governor Bourke. College Street was built in 1832 which divided the park. The new section became Cook + Phillip Park. In 1837 a new water supply known as Busby’s Bore brought water to Hyde Park where a raised pipe was used to fill the town’s water carts. Named after the surveyor and civil engineer John Busby, the bore commenced at Centennial Park and finished at the Oxford Street end of Hyde Park. It was built mainly of solid sandstone by convict labour. It averaged 2.5m high and 1.2m wide and took 10 years to complete. Years later, part of the bore was later filled with sand to remove the risk of subsidence under the tram lines.

Also during the 1800′s Sydney College, Lyons Terrace and the Australian Museum were imposing buildings forming an eastern edge to the area and increased the importance for the park to remain as an open space as per the vision of architect Francis Greenway. It was not until 1854 when a Hyde Park Improvement Committee was established, the cricket ground was moved to the Domain and the park was landscaped with grass and trees. Civic monuments were also installed in the park. The first monument installed was in 1857, the obelisk facing Bathurst Street, which is actually a vent for the underground sewer. A bronze statue of Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, was erected in 1866 five years after his death. This statue was moved to the Botanic Gardens in 1922 and was relocated in front of Hyde Park Barracks in 1987. Another statue, erected in 1879, depicts Captain James Cook.

During the 1850′s Hyde Park became a place used for election meetings and political speeches. It was also used for official parades and gatherings. Its nineteenth century layout featured straight paths rather than curved ones, with the central avenue of Moreton Bay fig trees continuing the line of Macquarie Street. Elsewhere lawns were interspersed with clumps of trees and shrubs, water features and a bandstand. The park was handed to Sydney City Council in 1904. Prior to commencing an upgrade of the park, the city circle rail line was installed in the 1920′s. Trees were removed and the park upgrade was put on hold until construction of the rail line completed. Both St James and Museum stations were erected in the park. It was not until 1926 when the reconstruction of the park commenced.

Reconstruction through a design competition, much like that of The Hyde, was undertaken during 1926 and won by engineer Norman Weekes. Following the competition Weekes’ design was heavily modified while basic labour commenced such as soil replacement. More monuments were erected around this time; the Archibald Fountain and the Anzac War Memorial.