Downsizing to upsize for life at Forestville
After 43 years in their Netherby home, seafood king Michael Angelakis and his artist wife Silvana are ready for a change. They’re among the early buyers at Forestville.
Michael and Silvana Angelakis’ impending move to a three-story townhouse in the upmarket Forestville development is about more than changing address.
When we met them at POMPOM in the Forestville Demonstration Space, they spoke about reimagining their lifestyle to create space for new experiences, unencumbered by the responsibilities of a big house.
“We were the youngest in that area when we first moved in,” Silvana said, reflecting on the Netherby home.
What started as a two-bedroom home on a sprawling 1800 square metre block grew with their family.
“We kept adding and renovating, adding more bedrooms and bathrooms,” said Michael.
“We haven’t shifted for 43 years, so we’ve never had to rationalise any of our stuff,” said Silvana.
The six-bedroom home has the accumulated possessions of family life, some merely sentimental and some, like original plans for her parents’ house, with a strong connection to the preceding generations.
“If we don’t move now, we won’t have the energy to do it,” she said.
The Forestville project, in the 3.6-hectare triangle of land between Maple Avenue, Leader Street and Anzac Highway, caught their eye with its considered design and lifestyle appeal, said Michael.
“We’ve been looking at other apartments and developments,” he added.
“But they don’t seem to match up to the quality and thoughtfulness going into this project.”
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He is keen to start with a brand-new canvas, with plans to jettison almost everything but the couple’s art collection.
“Silvana just came back from Japan and I said, I like the idea of maybe a Japanese inspired dining room or living room, just something different to what we’ve had,” he said.
The master-planned development is in a prime location just two kilometres south-west of the CBD, close to the Adelaide Showground Farmers Market and a stroll to Goodwood Road.
The Ashford Hospital and medical centre are also conveniently close by.
Giving up the car or driving less is a real option for people moving to Forestville, with the train and tram an easy walk away; key stops, apart from the beach, include the Entertainment Centre, the RAH, Festival Centre, North Terrace and the city’s East End.
“It’s about lifestyle more than anything…I’m a Glenelg girl, so we’ll be just 15 minutes from the beach and the Unley Swimming Centre is nearby,” Silvana said.
The couple is eagerly anticipating the launch of the upcoming Adelaide’s Finest Supermarket project.
“One of the biggest appeals is that the Chapleys [the family behind Adelaide’s Finest Supermarkets] are doing that,” Silvana said.
It is an offering that also resonates with Michael, whose family opened their seafood supply business, Angelakis Bros., in the Central Market in 1960.
“I grew up with that concept of the families, the people, the produce and what they’re doing is going to be complementary,” he said.
However, having retired ten years ago, he said, it will be nice to remain on the other side of the counter just enjoying it all.
Silvana hopes, when it opens in late 2026, it will follow the style of Adelaide’s Finest at Pasadena.
“We could have a glass of champagne and a dozen oysters if we feel like it without going out to a restaurant for dinner – that appeals to us more and more,” she said.
Forestville promises a European-style living experience with an open piazza-style market square, outdoor eateries, flower bar, wellness centre/day spa, and one-third of the site given over to landscaped open spaces for everyone’s enjoyment.
Work has commenced on the site and the first residents are expected to call it home from mid 2026.
The full project is anticipated to be completed by 2029 and will eventually comprise 219 high-quality apartments across four towers, 71 townhouses, 67 short-stay apartments to cater for tourism, corporate and wellbeing sectors, the Youth Inc urban green school, an urban rooftop farm and a 6-storey office tower.
Michael and Silvana’s three-storey Torrens titled townhouse will overlook a newly created park.
While the couple confessed to being less than “natural gardeners”, leaving the beautiful gardens of their Netherby home – where Michael planted trees to mark the births of their four children – will in some ways be bittersweet.
“We’re all creatures of habit, so we’re going to miss our house and looking out to the backyard,” Silvana said.
“We want some green space, but doing it this way, lets somebody else look after it.”
“I think next year there’s a lot more plans to travel,” said Michael.
“Just lock up and go, not having any responsibility for anything… and do it while we’re both fit to travel.
“I mean, we’ve travelled extensively around the world with our children, but this encourages you to get moving and do things and have experiences.”
Having fewer responsibilities is a big motivator for Michael, although he joked that in the absence of pets, he might install a “big aquarium that we can eat out of”.
For Silvana, a printmaker and painter, the move will prompt a hunt for a new studio space closer to Forestville.
Their grandchildren, aged six and nine, were factored in when choosing the development and townhouse over others, as Silvana said, “it’s so important that they have a place to stay” and green spaces in which to play and run around.
The townhouse represents more to the couple than just a space to relax; making the change to medium-density living will likely increase their sense of community and interactions with neighbours.
“I think that will naturally happen,” Silvana said.
“Where we live at the moment, people can drive in and out and we don’t see them for months at a time because the properties are so big.”
At Forestville, downsizing will deliver an upsizing of an easy, relaxed lifestyle across all levels of the townhouse.
Its generous footprint of 10 metres by 11 metres means the rooftop will become a fabulous second entertaining area with plenty of room for two large tables to host family and friends, typically around 20 people.
Michael has started planning the rooftop kitchen, including a mandatory inbuilt deep fryer for crumbed fish and salt and pepper squid.
It will likely mean their neighbours will drop past and introduce themselves sooner – but pity those aquarium pets!