The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Joel Robinson

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
</section>
</section>

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Brisbane

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A new franchise agreement will see a 226 room Holiday Inn Express hotel built in Brisbane's Spring Hill.
The first Holiday Inn Express property in Brisbane, the hotel is the second in the 15-strong portfolio of Holiday Inn Express hotels developed by Pro Invest under a $150 million fund. Their first Holiday Inn Express hotel will open next year at Macquarie Park in North Ryde, Sydney.
Situated close to Brisbane CBD's "Golden Triangle", the Holiday Inn Express hotel will be accessible form Brisbane airport, catering to corporate visitors and holidayers.
The Brisbane Holiday Inn Express will have two meeting rooms, on-site parking and a breakfast area dubbed "The Great Room".
Matthew Tripolone is head of development for the InterContinental Hotels Group's (IHG) Australasian division, which signed the deal with Pro Invest. He said the Holiday Inn Express brand is one of the group's fastest growing brands.
“The development of the new Holiday Inn Express in Brisbane is a significant milestone for IHG as it marks our return to the city with the entry of our largest and one of our fastest growing brands into the market," said Tripolone.
"As the third most populous city in Australia, Brisbane has immense growth potential as it sees steady increase in the number of domestic and international travellers. This hotel will cater to the growing demand for hotel accommodation in the Spring Hill district, offering a great guest experience to smart, savvy travellers regardless of whether they are visiting for business or leisure.”
Pri-Invest Group chief executive Ronald Barrott said the group sees "a lot of potential for the brand in Australia", following previous international Holiday Inn Express projects.
"With the construction of our Macquarie Park property commencing in the coming weeks and this second property now signed, we are on track to developing the 15 hotels under our partnership as we actively scour the country for strategic locations to expand the presence of Holiday Inn Express."  
In Australia, IHG operates under three brands: InterContinental Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn. The group has 27 hotels operating nationally.
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jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

Brisbane's first Holiday Inn Express hotel to be built in Spring Hill

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A Queensland seafood restaurant and function centre in Scarborough, Brisbane is up for sale.
The award-winning Morgan’s Seafood Restaurant is going to market through Ray White Commercial Brisbane Northside, along with the Sunset Blue Function Centre at Bird O’Passage Parade.
Being marketed through agents Robert Rey and Ellie McGovern on behalf of the Morgan family.
“Rick Morgan has built Morgans into one of the most revered seafood restaurants in Queensland,” Rey said.
The restaurant, and its Teppanyaki Room, opened in 1992 and specializes in Australian sourced, grown and produced seafood.
Sunset Blue is a function and wedding centre seating 50 to 200 people, explained McGovern.
“The centre offers a spectacular location on the stunning Scarborough Boat Harbour overlooking Moreton Bay and the Glasshouse Mountains,” she said.
The property is available via tender campaign, which closes at 4pm on 29 August.
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jduke-EHk3XBmHkn

Award winning Scarborough, Brisbane seafood restaurant up for sale

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GUEST OBSERVATION
When the powerful gather for the G20 summit in Brisbane this November, the core mandate is to discuss measures to support global economic growth, including trade liberalisation, investment and infrastructure development.
These discussions are very important for tourism – an industry that relies on the free movement of people and goods. Issues such as lifting visa restrictions are central to the mandate of agencies such as the United Nations World Tourism Organisation. In fact, at a time where we believe that people can travel freely wherever and whenever they like to, an astonishing 110 million international tourists – or 17% of all international arrivals – still require paper visas to be able to visit G20 countries.
Reducing barriers through visa requirements is essential for international tourism. Research commissioned by the <a href="https://www.wttc.org/site_media/uploads/downloads/Impact_ASEAN.PDF" target="_blank">World Travel and Tourism Council</a> (WTTC) in 2014 showed that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) would gain between 6 to 10 million additional international tourist arrivals by 2016 if they facilitated and improved visa processes.
Tourism relies on safe destinations and political security, something that cannot be emphasised enough in the light of current <a href="https://www.globalconflictmap.com/" target="_blank">“conflict hotspots”</a> globally (including the Middle East, Ukraine, and the South China Sea). <a href="https://www.iipt.org/" target="_blank">Some</a> even point to tourism as a force for peace as it fosters inter-cultural understanding and friendly exchange between nations.
Directly, the summit leads to travel of those participating in it. What could be coined <a href="https://www.uper.org/UPER-martinotti.pdf" target="_blank">“political tourism”</a>, political meetings and conferences induce substantial amounts of travel. For the G20 in Brisbane it is expected that there will be about 4,000 delegates (some of whom will arrive with their families), 3,000 media, and 5,300 police from interstate and New Zealand.
Business tourism is often overlooked when we discuss tourism, but the <a href="https://www.wttc.org/research/policy-research/business-travel-research/">WTTC</a> established a compelling link between business travel and global trade: one third of growth in trade globally over the last 10 years can be attributed to business-related travel and resulting increases in corporate productivity. WTTC’s analysis also shows that if business travel was reduced by one quarter for two consecutive years, global GDP would be 5% lower than if travel continued as normal.
The average business tourist in Australia spends A$280 per night, compared with a holiday visitor who spends $162.
Research on the economic benefit of G8 and G20 summits valued the 2009 and 2010 US and Canada summits at US$135 million and US$95.4 million respectively. The benefits measured include the immediate spending of participants and longer-term effects of increased investment, infrastructure and training. Similar numbers have been advanced as an <a href="https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/study-shows-g20-hosts-reap-the-economic-benefits-20131202-2ym6j#ixzz34IbfpFoa" target="_blank">estimate</a> for the Brisbane summit.
How is Australia performing?
Eleven out of Australia’s top 20 international markets are G20 members. Amongst these are key markets such as China, the US, Japan, Korea and the UK. Other G20 countries, such as Russia, Brazil or Saudi Arabia, are not yet in the top 20 markets to Australia, but are seen as promising “emerging markets”.
Considering many of the traditional markets to Australia have been stagnating since the global financial crisis, and emerging markets are experiencing fast growth, increasing destination awareness in these countries represents a significant opportunity.
But focusing on one event, and dedicating tourism infrastructure to it, may also crowd out other forms of tourism, for example leisure tourists. Research on sport mega events has found that peaks in arrivals due to the event can be followed by a “low” in visitation, because participants or spectators time their visit for the event. This may be less relevant for political summits. However there might be other risks associated with political tourism. Hosting a political summit always bears the risk of “counter-summits” and activism that might undermine the destination image.
From a research perspective, major events have been analysed mainly with a focus on mega-sport events, for example Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and FIFA World Cups. Political summits have received very limited attention (with <a href="https://www.cuc.ac.jp/eng/gpac/papers/snu/SNUtourism.pdf">some exceptions</a>).
Research to establish whether political events are different from other events, perhaps because of their political nature and the types of delegates, is yet to be undertaken, and the Brisbane G20 provides an excellent opportunity to research the economic impact of the summit, and compare it to other events hosted previously in Australia.
Susanne Becken is professor of sustainable tourism and director Griffith Institute for Tourism at Griffith University.
This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>.
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po-LsXgBTHBmX

Hosting a World Cup is nice, but the G20 could prove more lucrative

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A triple tower residential, hotel and retail precinct in Fortitude Valley has been approved by Brisbane City Council, and is seeing international interest.
Perth-based development consortium Twin Ocean Group and Sunfire Asset are behind the creation at 188 Wickham Street, adjacent to Chinatown Mall, which will be of an end value of approximately $250 million.
The site has been static for more than two decades, and the new development on 3,000 square metres will include two residential towers, a high-rise hotel and a ground floor retail arcade linking the buildings. In total, 520 residential apartments and hotel rooms will be built.
<img src="/images/2014/07/11/188WickhamSt_3tower_view2.jpg" alt=""><img src="/images/2014/07/11/188Wickham_Pool_GymPodiumlevs2%20copy.jpg" alt="">
International hotel chains have enquired about the 25-level hotel, which will include 198 apartments. A formal marketing campaign has not yet begun.
Meanwhile, overseas, local and interstate investors have submitted expressions of interest for the residential apartments. The first stage, which includes 187 apartments, will begin in the third quarter of this year.
In this stage, one-bedroom apartments will be available for purchase from $375,000 to $450,000. Two-bedroom apartments will cost $555,000 plus.
Twin Ocean Group managing director, Tim Jones, said that they have been planning the project for more than 18 months.
“Our award-winning architects, Nettletontribe have drawn on their intimate knowledge of designing world-standard mixed use projects and the result will be an attractive investment for apartment buyers and retailers looking to live or do business, less than one kilometre from Brisbane’s CBD,” Jones said.
“Being located on Fortitude Valley’s southern perimeter, 188 Wickham Street will not only be a landmark development but act as the focal gateway into the Valley and Chinatown Mall. Our location is also very convenient being within walking distance to Brisbane’s business district and within a 200-metre radius of bus and train networks.  It will be an attractive proposition for Brisbane’s professional rental market.”
 
The site will include a residents’ lounge with Wi-Fi hot desks, a gym and a pool deck.
The first of the three towers to be built is the 30-level residential building with three podium decks, 187 one- and two-bedroom apartments and rooftop terrace.
The retain arcade expects to see international brand name retailers, dining areas and green walls.
The 25-level hotel will include 198 studio rooms, and the 24-level residential tower will include 135 apartments. These will be one- and two-bedroom offerings.
The project is expected to be complete in 2016.
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Brisbane’s triple tower Fortitude Valley development sees international interest

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Brisbane went the closest for many months to recording the weekend's top national auction sale.
It was almost a photo finish, according to the APM results:
<ul>
<li>$2,790,000 - 11 Ludgate St, Concord NSW 2137, 7 br house, Georges Ellis &amp; Co</li>
<li>$2,605,000 - 106 Villiers St, New Farm QLD 4005, 5 br house, RW - New Farm</li>
<li>$2,350,000 - 21 Clancys La, Doncaster VIC 3108, 5 br house, Jellis Craig Doncaster</li>
</ul>
The five bedroom New Farm property (pictured above) - marketed as one of the most exceptional addresses of the year - is set on Teneriffe Hill.
The 380 square metre block which cost $1.175 million in 2008, now comes with 480 square metres of living.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-new+farm-117172127" target="_blank">Matt Lancashire of Ray White</a> said the entire top floor had been designated as a superb master suite which sets a new standard in luxury.
The street's previous record was $2.2 million for a <a href="https://lockyerarchitects.com.au/news/?p=352" target="_blank">Lockyer Architects-designed house</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

 New Farm mansion with whole floor master suite sells for $2.6 million

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The now commenced Brisbane City Plan 2014 offers up a number of lessons that could be applied to Sydney Metropolitan Strategy, according to Urban Taskforce CEO Chris Johnson.
The new plan for Brisbane aims to provide a multi-centred city, with elements of a corridor city. The idea is to plan development around transport nodes and keep suburban areas intact.
“The 2014 plan responds to increasing population growth by focussing new development in the city centre, the inner city, around employment hubs, major shopping centres, around transport hubs and along nine growth corridors with rapid transport routes,” said Johnson.
Brisbane City Plan allows for more code assessment, to reduce planning timeframes.
“Clearly Sydney and New South Wales will be left behind if Brisbane has a simpler planning system that encourages development. Only a month ago Plan Melbourne was released by the Victorian Government which also included code assessable approaches to encourage new development,” he said.
He also pointed to Brisbane’s new interactive mapping service that allows buyers to simply understand planning constraints on any site.
“A few weeks ago Gold Coast City Council released its new city plan which went even further in support of future growth. Many areas are proposed to have unrestricted heights and density particularly along light rail and public transport corridors,” he said.
“The recent activity in city plans from Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast demonstrate the drive these cities are undertaking to encourage growth within their cities.”
Unfortunately, he said, Sydney’s strategy began as a discussion paper in May 2012 and “seems to have become a victim of the failed NSW planning reforms,” he said, noting it is making Brisbane and Melbourne better organised to accommodate growth.
{module Do you think Sydney should use some of Brisbane’s planning reforms?}
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Should Sydney mirror Brisbane’s City Plan 2014?

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Hindmarsh, a national property development company, has launched Zest, a Brisbane project in the Kelvin Grove Urban Village precinct that will bring 144 apartments to market.
Each apartment will have either an outdoor courtyard or a balcony with a 600 square metre rooftop terrace and views to the city. The <a href="https://zestkelvingrove.com.au/" target="_blank">Zest development</a> spans over 15 levels and is designed by NettleTribe. Twelve of the levels will be residential.
The 60 one-bedroom apartments are priced from $320,000, with 84 two-bedroom apartments from $375,000.
This comes as the cheaper option to CS Developments’ Kelvin Grove offering, Victoria Park Residences, with <a href="/news/kelvin-grove-to-welcome-cs-developments-third-project-victoria-park-residences">one-bedroom apartments from $343,000 and two-bedroom apartments from $469,000</a> – however, they are notably larger offerings.
A rooftop terrace will also be built in Zest including a seating area, BBQ facilities and an open-air pool.
Kelvin Grove’s Evoque development was <a href="/news/qld/no-gym-and-no-pool-a-selling-point-for-kelvin-grove-s-evoque">using the fact they had “no pool” as a selling point in February</a>.
Hindmarsh Queensland development manager Bill McClanachan said that the project includes glass balustrades and textured pre-cast panels.
“Zest has been designed to offer a modern, easy and convenient inner city lifestyle,” said McClanachan. 
“We have already received more than 60 expressions of interest from both investors and owner occupiers so the value and design appeal of Zest is evident,” he said.
It will include one and two bedroom apartments ranging from 50 to 82 square metres internally.
“Landscaping and a street-side park at the base of the building will create a restful fringe of green and enhance the outlook from the upper level balconies and podium-level apartment courtyards,” he said.
The apartments have been designed with the aim of keeping body corporate power bills lower, using sunshading, fresh air flows, thermal massing and glazing, with each apartment serviced by individually-metered gas hot water.
“Quality carpets throughout the bedrooms combine with the generous living and dining areas to give a feeling of comfort, while the expansive windows and glass doors to the balconies drench the rooms in natural light. When night falls, feature LED lighting in kitchens and bathrooms adds an energy-efficient touch of style,” he explained.
 All the apartments are cabled for wireless broadband, Pay TV, free to air HD digital TV, regular telephones and include TV, data and phone points installed to both living areas and the main bedroom.
It includes two levels of retail and commercial space, as well as a suspended level of parking and two basement levels.
The project launches on 5 July. It will be on the corner of Musk Avenue and Carraway Street.
According to the project’s marketing, Zest has the potential for “long-term capital gain” with prices outstripping the Brisbane average previously.
In Kelvin Grove, a notable 60% of the population rent, median rental yields throughout 2013 sat at 4.24% and rents increased by a median of 3.15% in the past 12 months. According to RP Data, the <a href="/news">median unit price in Kelvin Grove</a> is $499,475, with median advertised weekly rent of $450.
Correction: The photo accompanying this article has been updated since publication. The initial photo featured another development project in the same suburb.
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National developer launches 144-apartment Zest in Brisbane

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With 80% of the apartments already sold, Bowen Hills-located 228-apartment development Belise will soon see a tower crane on the site.
The $120 million<a href="https://www.belise.com.au/" target="_blank"> Belise project</a> has completion expectations for March 2016, and remaining in the development are one-bedroom plus study apartments, and two-bedroom apartments. Prices start from $477,000. Initially, there were one, two and three bedroom apartments, with prices from $405,000.
They have been advertised as "cash flow positive investments" from "year one". This would be for the after-tax outcome for a one-bedroom plus study with a 90% lend for assumed household income buyer of $80,000 to $180,000, at a $471,000 purchase price.
Breaking this down for a one-bedroom plus study shows that to get a substantial after tax cash flow, you would be renting it out furnished ($15,000 packages are available from the developer) or the positive cash flow is $1.63 per week after tax in year one. Adding the furniture package alters the numbers by slightly increasing the rent and providing more depreciation deductions. Interestingly, repairs and maintenance are kept equal for both equations. They make 5% annual capital growth rate assumptions. Body corporate is expected at $3,650 for year one and property management is estimated at 8% plus GST. You can see <a href="https://www.belise.com.au/assets/PIA/1-bed-+-Study.pdf" target="_blank">the full break down here</a>. A furnished apartment is projected as bringing in an after-tax positive cash flow of $84.20, according to their equations.
It was <a href="/news/a-lengthy-start-sees-constructions-begin-on-brisbane-belise-development">a slow start for the project, having launched in October 2010</a>, but in November 2013 was seeing traction.
RCQ Construction has been appointed to build the development, which is the creation of Reed Property Group and Group Kildey.
Reed Property Group managing director Ken Reed said that the area is high-yielding and experiencing a “boom in development unlike anything this precinct has seen before”.
“There is an undersupply of high grade property in Brisbane’s inner city suburbs and an oversupply of buyers demanding quality, which makes Belise the high-growth property investment that it is,” said Reed.
“Belise meets key investment criteria for both owner occupiers and investors offering close proximity to the CBD, the soon-to-be-opened Legacy Way Tunnel eastern connection, public transport, retail and entertainment options, parks, walkways and bike paths, and educational facilities,” he said.
The <a href="/developments/bowen-hills-qld-4006">median unit price in Bowen Hills</a> is currently $407,000, according to RP Data, with a $420 median advertised weekly rental price.
Group Kildey director Graham Kildey said that they wanted a five-star hotel feel and facilities.
It comes with a café, bar, recreation deck with heated pool, spa and sauna, a fully equipped gym and a sunset lounge on level 21.
“The layout of the apartments is open plan to create airflow and to award river or city views wherever possible,” said Kildey.  
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Brisbane’s "cash flow positive" Belise 80% sold after slow start

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Cafe franchise The Coffee Club has been thinking outside the box, and inside a shipping container, as it opens three new stores at Brisbane Airport.
After its <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/growth/franchising/33209-australian-franchise-the-coffee-club-set-to-expand-into-malaysia">Asian expansion last year</a>, The Coffee Club is growing its Australian presence with the innovative new storefronts.
The chain opened two cafes from within the walls of old shipping containers outside the Virgin and Qantas terminals at the Brisbane Domestic Airport on June 14, with a third store due to open at the Brisbane Airport Service Centre later this month.
Franchisee George Drivas told SmartCompany the stores have been incredibly well received since they opened, with customers even stopping to take photos of the novelty storefront.
“A lot of people are asking questions. They ask, ‘are they real?’” says Drivas. “Of course they’re real!”
He says the idea arose after Brisbane Airport offered only a short five-year lease for the coveted location outside their terminals. 
“So we decided a shipping container would be great because you can pick them up and take them anywhere,” says Drivas, who has operated two other bricks-and-mortar Coffee Club franchises for the last six years.
“Because we are a grab-and-go coffee shop, we don’t need a full-size kitchen. Everything is at arm’s reach,” he says.  
Often incorporated in trendy bars, shipping containers have also been used as pop-up retail spaces in Christchurch, New Zealand, after the 2011 earthquake levelled many retail outlets.
Drivas says it is likely that the design will attract a younger demographic than those who are drawn to The Coffee Club’s suburban shopping centre stores.
“I reckon it will, it’s a funky place to be,” he says.
Despite operating within a traditional franchise model, Drivas says The Coffee Club was excited when he brought them the idea and they have been flexible around this new kind of store.
“Of course we still have the same signage and set up inside, it still has the same feel as a Coffee Club on the inside,” he says.
Drivas says he would highly recommend other franchises or independent retailers consider shipping container stores, and says the main benefits are portability and compact size.
“It’s very easy to run, easy to operate and it looks funky,” he says.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.SmartCompany.com.au" target="_blank">SmartCompany</a>.
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Thinking inside the box: Why The Coffee Club is setting up shop in shipping containers

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No Brisbane municipalities escaped losses for property sales during the March quarter, according to the latest <a href="https://www.myrpdata.com/" target="_blank">RP Data</a> Pain and Gain report.
All eight Brisbane council regions saw some loss making sales in the quarter.
Ipswich had the highest volume of loss-taking, with 19.2% of properties sold in the quarter securing less than their purchase price. In Ipswich, the median loss was $21,000. The proportion of losses was second highest in Moreton Bay, where the median loss was $25,000. 
The biggest losses were taken in Somerset, with a median $33,750 drop.
Profits outweighed losses in all Brisbane municipalities. The biggest typical profits were seen in the Scenic Rim region, with a median profit of $170,000, and the Brisbane municipality, with a $140,000 gain. 
Some 10.9% of Brisbane homes which re-sold over the March 2014 quarter sold at a loss, down from 16.6% at the same time last year. The proportion of loss-making re-sales is at the lowest level since the quarter to May 2011. 
Click to open in new window:
<a href="/images/2014/06/19/brisbane-june-19-chart.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2014/06/19/brisbane-june-19-chart.jpg" alt=""></a>
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