5 behemoth Brisbane CBD projects that will keep commercial developers busy in 2016

Proposal stage: 76 storey skyscraper at 545 Queen St

Property Development Systems Australia lodged a Development Application in late February to build a billion dollar skyscraper known as Queen's Tower that will encompass luxury residences, premium short-term accommodation and a new shopping and dining precinct on Queen St in Brisbane's CBD. The DA number for this development is A004333299.

Key takeaways:   

• "As the Brisbane urban landscape changes [with the Howard Smith Wharves precinct expected to open in mid-2017 and Queen’s Wharf to follow in 2022] and the population increases, Queen’s Tower will respond to that future need for quality inner-city living," says PDS Australia executive chairman Sameh Ibrahim. 
• A current ten storey commercial building would be demolished to make way for the new 76 storey Queen’s Tower
• Queen’s Tower will have Brisbane’s deepest basement – diving 17 levels below the surface. Because of this, the car park is only accessible by four car lifts
• 2,735m2 island site at 545 Queen Street, Brisbane (sits
  between Queen, Adelaide and Macrossan Streets at the north eastern end of the Brisbane CBD)
• 250-metre, 76-storey building featuring 891 luxury residential one, two and three-bedroom apartments (including 14 sub-penthouses) and three four-bedroom penthouses
• 100 serviced apartments, including 80 one-bedroom and 20 two-bedroom apartments
• Private open-space podium roof deck with swimming pool and lush landscaping
• Four ground level retail tenancies (approximately 2,500m2) as well as commercial space, including shopping, dining, a podium-rooftop café, gymnasium and function space
• 853 car parks, 71 motorcycle parks and 752 bicycle parks, with designated car park spaces for residents, their guests, serviced apartment guests and retail/commercial visitors
• Project team includes PDS Australia, Woods Bagot, Urbis, EMF Griffiths, TTM, Bornhorst + Ward,Certis, Bennett + Bennett and Butler Partners

Proposal stage: 25 and 32 storey towers at 97 Elizabeth Street

El Camino Priority I Pty Ltd submitted a new Development Application in December to build two towers (25 storey and 32 storey) for premium student accomodation on Elizabeth Street. The DA number for this development is A004280556.

Key takeaways: 

• towers would have combined total of 919 rooms 
• features of the proposal include ancillary areas such as level 24 outdoor terraces with barbecue, yoga and pool deck, recreational media and games rooms, multi-function rooms, and study space
• proposal incorporates an internal laneway network with ten retail tenancies which has the potential to adjoin the laneway currently only used for servicing for the adjoining sites to the west on Elizabeth Street
• retail component of development will be of high calibre and cater to the surrounding employees, permanent residential community of the Brisbane CBD and general visitors to Brisbane
• development incorporates a proposal for the redevelopment and revitalisation of the Elizabeth Arcade
• project is the CBD’s fourth purpose build student accommodation project after the Brisbane City Council’s

Proposal stage: 91 storey skyscraper at 240 Margaret Street

World Class Land, a leading developer in Singapore, has lodged a initial documentation to build a 91 storey residential building on Margaret Street. The tower would reach the maximum-height limit of 274 metres and would, in effect, be a twin to the adjoining Brisbane Skytower. The DA number for this development is A004329531.

Key takeaways:

• World Class Land was approved for another 91 storey tower at 30 Albert Street last December
• The development would feature 783 units, mostly one, two and three bedroom apartments
• The development would be divided into three precincts, determined by low rise, high rise and sky rise
• These precincts would be separated by community spaces that would feature pools, dining and kitchen rooms
• The maximum-height restrictions are in place due to shadowing, which would interfere with planes using Brisbane Airport
• A Brisbane City Council spokesman said initial documentation had been lodged by World Class Land, but a full application had not been formally received

Proposal stage: 80 storey skyscraper at 171 Edward Street

Brisbane-based Aria Property Group has proposed it’s first 80-storey residential tower in the Brisbane CBD, located at 171 Elizabeth Street. Soaring 80 storeys high, the new tower is planned for the corner of Elizabeth and Edward Streets, which currently the site of several luxury retail boutiques. The DA number for this development is A004280600.

Key takeaways: 

• Comprises of a 4 storey podium and 76 storey tower above
• The development proposes 653 units throughout the tower and 1,950m2 non-residential Gross Floor Area (GFA) with retail and commercial tenancies at the ground and podium levels
• Reaches Brisbane’s current maximum height (274m AHD) due to Brisbane Airport radar shadowing issue
• 6 level basement car stacker and 7 level podium car stacker system planned (384 car spaces)
• The proposal comes just after the Brisbane City Council’s announcement for a $11 million upgrade to Edward Street which aims to create an internationally renowned luxury high street