A long-stalled Mermaid Beach development site opposite Pacific Fair, previously earmarked for a twin-tower project, is set for a fresh development push with plans for a major mixed-use residential tower.&nbsp;

Billionaire garbo Ian Malouf's development company, REMI Residences, is proposing Project Elegance, a 44-storey tower with over 270 residential apartments and 88 short-term accomodation units at&nbsp;2065 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach, on the corner of Mermaid Avenue.

Malouf paid $23.76 million for the 3,783 sqm site in 2022, six years after it traded for $34.1 million when it was bought by Hubei United Investment Group.

 
<img alt="First Look: REMI Developments plans major mixed-use tower with 360 apartments at stalled Mermaid Beach site" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" data-widget="image" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Mermaid%20Beach%20da%20podium.png?VersionId=yRYSSPItvCA5ZeQ49LlwkQYVn7OhEqIC" /><img alt="" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" draggable="true" height="15" role="presentation" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" />

&nbsp;

The design statement by DKO says Project Elegance "represents a holistic response to its coastal and urban context. It draws upon site, climate, and landscape to create a composed architectural outcome that prioritises occupant experience, public interface, and long-term viability via vibrant and active uses."

They say the subject site&nbsp;occupies a distinctive island parcel with three street frontages and prominent visual exposure to passing visitors.

"This unique position allows the development to form a panoramic dialogue with water and city, setting the foundation for a climate-responsive, site-specific architectural expression.&nbsp;The podium base, inspired by the region’s sandstone headlands and coastal setting, and adopts a sculpted and grounded character that provides a stable counterpoint to the slender tower above."

&nbsp;

<img alt="First Look: REMI Developments plans major mixed-use tower with 360 apartments at stalled Mermaid Beach site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4f088e10-6493-49d4-83cd-10fc039318ac" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Mermaid%20Beach%20da%20tower.png?VersionId=Sbglj0tNBqyvY5V_DlVH.bvjXi8kBbfl" />

Residents and guests would have access to multiple communal recreation levels. Plans include a shared recreation deck on level six, with a pool and three padel courts. There will be a residential-only pool on level seven, and an upper-level communal space only accessible by those buyers towards the top of the tower.

&nbsp;

Ground-floor commercial spaces are proposed to operate between 5am and midnight, contributing to an activated street frontage along the busy Gold Coast Highway corridor.

The site sits within the High Density Residential zone and a Light Rail Urban Renewal Area, where planning policy encourages higher-density development close to transport infrastructure and services. The planning report states the project aims to “ensure the efficient reuse of this centrally located property” and support the transformation of inner-city areas into “more vibrant, compact, interesting, connected and active” precincts.

&nbsp;

The proposal marks the latest attempt to unlock the high-profile parcel, which previously carried approval for the “Elegance” twin-tower development, a project that included more than 500 apartments but ultimately stalled after sales activity ceased in 2019.

REMI Developments has been increasingly active in the Gold Coast property market, with the Malouf-led group positioning itself around premium residential and lifestyle-focused projects as the region continues to attract both interstate buyers and international interest.

Malouf is one of Australia's most impressive entrepreneurs, having sold his waste business fore more than $500 million, having started only with a small truck at 18 years old.

Joel Robinson

First Look: Billionaire Ian Malouf plans Mermaid Beach tower

A State Significant Development proposal from Ecove Group could see two high-rise residential towers developed above an ALDI-anchored retail podium in Gordon.

The 28-storey towers, dubbed Eight 10, would become the tallest in the sleepy Upper North Shore suburb, which has been stirred by changes to the Low to Mid-Rise Housing Policy aimed at triggering greater density around transport hubs.

Ecove Group’s plans for 810 Pacific Highway, a 2,357 sqm site around 400 metres from Gordon railway station, include 180 apartments, 39 of which would be dedicated as affordable housing.

Architecture firm PBD said in its Design Report the site "presents an exciting opportunity to positively contributes to the surrounding context, enhances the overall urban experience."

<img alt="First Look: Ecove lodges State Significant Development plans for dual-tower “Eight 10” project at 810 Pacific Highway, Gordon" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e50141fa-fb0b-44b3-bf9b-c6d87b993c3b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Eight%2010%20podium.png?VersionId=YTgQPBxNnmQwr6x2AJSpVZ1COqa.9oLQ" />

The site previously received approval for a development comprising 56 apartments above retail in 2018.

PBD noted in its report that the planning&nbsp;context for the site has "evolved significantly since the original consent was issued."

In April 2024, the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) identified the site as being located within a Transport Oriented Development (TOD) precinct. In parallel, Ku-ring-gai Council progressed a preferred planning framework for Gordon Town Centre, including proposed amendments to the Ku-ring-gai Local Environmental Plan 2015 (KLEP 2015).

<img alt="First Look: Ecove lodges State Significant Development plans for dual-tower “Eight 10” project at 810 Pacific Highway, Gordon" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cf65fb26-a163-41ea-a4d3-8ddbeabd67e4" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Eight%2010%20MAP.png?VersionId=vrQJzXSg3xRH.APBmtth5mA2adPmUPjc" />

PBD said the proposed development "responds to the amended KLEP 2015 and, in addition, seeks to utilise the floor space ratio and height incentives available under Chapter 2, Part 2, Division 1 of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021."

Late last year the first project in Gordon through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority was approved. That was for 106 apartments across two connected seven to eight-storey buildings.

Ecove plans 28-storey apartment towers in Gordon

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/graya">Graya</a> has set its sights on one of Brisbane’s scarce remaining riverfront development opportunities.

They have spent $17 million on an 810 sqm site across 16-18 Sandford Street, where it is planning SILK, a 15-storey apartment tower with just 22 apartments.

Planning documents outline a single tower designed to take advantage of the site’s northerly outlook toward the river and Brisbane CBD.

There will be eight two-bedrooms and 14 three-bedroom apartments on offer, each either half- or full-floor.

<img alt="Graya" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="059e1aa4-695c-4556-bafa-e8b5970c06f5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-03-12%20at%203.07.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=tEqwv_m8HYhrXSCStOMFHvGZZ5WgKfEx" />

&nbsp;

According to the Town Planning Assessment, the proposal "showcases a high quality architectural and landscape design outcome that is enhanced by the amenity of the Brisbane River… and provides a subtropical design response that celebrates Brisbane’s climate and lifestyle.”

Ground level includes landscaped communal areas facing the river alongside a gym and outdoor garden space, while the rooftop terrace will feature multiple leisure amenities like swimming pools,&nbsp;dining and barbecue facilities, as well as outdoor relaxation and yoga spaces.

<img alt="Graya" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="93982dbb-9f27-409b-a319-bd6f458f9ea7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-03-12%20at%203.09.05%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=gCaaW82pEBxMvXkVkEm4TC_o7_UXA82p" />

Architecturally, the tower form draws inspiration from the movement of water along the river edge. Design documentation describes the building as “a form sculpted by flow, shaped by shifting water,” with curved forms, varied materiality, and sculptural elements used to soften the building’s visual bulk. Sandstone, an iconic material throughout St Lucia, is reinterpreted through a mix of refined and split-face textures across the façade.

The Sandford Street frontage is intended to present an articulated façade featuring vertical landscaping and sculptural architectural elements, helping the tower integrate with the evolving high-density character of the riverfront strip while maintaining visual interest from both the street and river corridor.

Graya has continued to expands its footprint across South East Queensland, with projects under construction across both Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

GRAYA unveils plans for SILK in St Lucia

Less than five months after submitting plans to redevelop the former Cadbury office on St Kilda Road into a luxury apartment tower, development giant <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/dexus-property-group">Dexus</a>&nbsp;has been given ministerial approval to push on with the project.

Apartments.com.au <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/first-look-dexus-joins-st-kilda-road-apartment-ranks-with-gateway-tower-proposal">revealed the plans in October last year</a>.

The approved project will see the 19-storey office building at 636 St Kilda Road replaced with a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bates-smart">Bates Smart</a>-designed tower delivering more than 400 new apartments at the prominent intersection of St Kilda Road and Queens Road.&nbsp;

The design responds to the site’s gateway position at St Kilda Junction, with Bates Smart describing the tower as a “refined and sculptural built form that mediates between the scale of St Kilda Road and Queens Road,” reinforcing a civic presence at the key intersection.&nbsp;

<img alt="First look: Dexus joins St Kilda Road apartment ranks with gateway tower proposal" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-10-06%20at%2012.52.37%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=Tq3yyOWe0e0klvy5j4TIjiZT7yd3f1Xk" />

The development will comprise 402 apartments, including 40 studios, 87 one-bedroom, 203 two-bedroom, and 66 three-bedroom residences, alongside six penthouses. The project will also incorporate active frontages, new pedestrian through-links and a landscape strategy designed to integrate with the boulevard character of St Kilda Road.&nbsp;

Public realm improvements form part of the approved scheme, including a 138 square metre linear park, extensive landscaping and approximately 188 metres of active street frontage intended to improve permeability and safety at ground level. Four basement levels will provide 449 car spaces and 120 bicycle spaces.&nbsp;

The project includes a $9.6 million contribution to the Social Housing Growth Fund, equivalent to three per cent of the project’s estimated development cost, supporting broader affordable housing initiatives across Victoria.&nbsp;

<img alt="First look: Dexus joins St Kilda Road apartment ranks with gateway tower proposal" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/St%20kilda%20rd%20site.png?VersionId=m_ZioKYhwkvekE3ZUF6y7bz.5_5yFPnZ" />

Wholesale Australian Property Fund (DWAPF) Fund Manager Chris Davitt said the residences are intended to appeal to a broad mix of buyers seeking proximity to the CBD and surrounding amenities.

“We’re excited about the potential of the project to contribute new residential supply to one of Melbourne’s most sought-after areas,” Davitt previously said. “The landmark site at 636 St Kilda Road is at the gateway to Melbourne’s CBD, offering sweeping views and exceptional connectivity.”&nbsp;

The site’s three street frontages, St Kilda Road, Queens Road and Queens Lane, allow for generous setbacks and a flexible built form, while its proximity to the ANZAC Station tram-rail interchange and the St Kilda Road cycling corridor positions it within one of Melbourne’s most connected inner-city precincts.&nbsp;

St Kilda Road has become one of Melbourne’s most active apartment corridors in recent years, with projects such as Victoriana, The Muse and St Boulevard already completed overlooking Albert Park Lake, while Gamuda Land continues construction on Fareham and several other developments are planned nearby.&nbsp;

Dexus secures ministerial approval for St Kilda Road apartment tower

Just a few months after launching to the market,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gold-partners-australia">Gold Partners Australia</a>&nbsp;has sold 75 per cent of the apartments at&nbsp;Harmony on Broadbeach, its debut Gold Coast apartment development.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/harmony-on-broadbeach-2797-gold-coast-highway-broadbeach-qld-4218">Harmony on Broadbeach</a>, which will rise 33 storeys on the corner of First Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway about 400 metres from the beach, will deliver a collection of two and three-bedroom apartments designed to appeal to a mix of local owner-occupiers, interstate buyers, and investors seeking newer stock in the tightly held Broadbeach market.&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/dbi">DBI Architects</a>, Harmony will home just over 100 apartments, with a typical floorplate limited to four apartments per level. The configuration allows for larger layouts and greater privacy compared to many higher-density coastal towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113098 project_image_fid=355608]

The residences comprise generous two and three-bedroom apartments with open-plan living areas, large balconies and floor-to-ceiling glazing designed to maximise natural light and capture views across the ocean, hinterland and Broadbeach skyline. Interiors feature natural stone benchtops, engineered timber flooring and Miele appliances, with finishes intended to reflect the coastal character of the surrounding area.&nbsp;

Amenities are centred on a dedicated wellness offering, including a 20-metre swimming pool, spa, sauna, gymnasium and yoga lawn, alongside communal lounges, private dining areas and outdoor barbecue spaces for residents. The building will also include a hospitality venue at street level, activating the ground plane along the Gold Coast Highway.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113098 project_image_fid=355611]

Olympus Property Group is handling sales for the development. Director Deanna Lockett said the project has resonated with a wide buyer pool drawn to the combination of location and pricing.

“There’s been nothing new come to the market in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> at this price point for nearly a year,” Lockett said. “It hits the sweet spot of affordability, good sized apartments, in a great location.”&nbsp;

Broadbeach remains one of the Gold Coast’s most established lifestyle precincts, with residents within walking distance of the beach, dining along Surf Parade, Pacific Fair Shopping Centre, and the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. The suburb has seen limited new apartment supply over the past year, contributing to strong early demand for Harmony.&nbsp;

Construction is due to commence in Q2 2026, with completion targeted for late 2028, as Gold Partners Australia expands into the Gold Coast market alongside its established pipeline in New South Wales.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=113098]

Harmony on Broadbeach races to 75 per cent sold as Gold Partners Australia target construction commencement

Auckland

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International buyer enquires have more than doubled over recent weeks for apartments in The Pacifica residential tower, in Auckland’s CBD.
With much of the world in lockdown due to COVID-19, buyers are looking into New Zealand as a safe investment choice.
According to CBRE, who are marketing the building, international enquiries have risen by over 200% in recent weeks, with two types of overseas buyers looking at The Pacifica now: buyers looking at New Zealand as a safe haven to invest, and buyers wishing to seek residency.
“We are receiving enquires from expat Kiwis living in London, New York, Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore. Many of these buyers are looking back into New Zealand with a potential view to returning home. We have also seen a significant uplift in enquiry from across Asia and USA, with buyers seeking a safe ‘bolt-hole’ investment,” said CBRE’s National Director of Residential Projects in New Zealand, Gavin Lloyd.
The Pacifica was the first project among a handful of properties to gain an exemption certificate from the Overseas Investment Office to allow overseas buyers to buy apartments.
Lloyd added that since the lockdown $8 million in contracts have been issued for apartments in the building.
Last month the sale of one of the 235 square metre penthouse apartments was concluded, and an Australian buyer amalgamated two adjoining apartments for his New Zealand residence.
The 57-level tower will ultimately have 279 apartments, and will feature a heated lap pool, sauna, steam room, spa, gym, media room, residents’ lounge, library and barbeque terrace.
Construction on the building began in November 2017, and completion is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2020.
 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Pacifica tower in New Zealand sees 200% uptick in inquiries 

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A new InterContinental is set to anchor the 1 Queen Street development at Auckland’s Commercial Bay.
The $1 billion mixed-use development project also includes retail facilities and a 39-storey tower with 39,000 square metres of office space.
The hotel will reportedly have water views in 90% of the hotel’s 244 guest rooms.
InterContinental are partnering with IHG and Precinct Properties for the project which is set to open in 2022.
Scott Pritchard, Chief Executive Office at Precinct Properties said InterContinental Auckland will offer the "best views in Auckland".
“The addition of the InterContinental Life further solidifies Commercial Bay as a truly mixed-use precinct, and we’re very proud to partner with IHG to bring this flagship property to life,” he said.
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InterContinental Auckland to anchor Commercial Bay development

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Net rental yields were mostly under 5% at Bayleys' recent auction of Auckland commercial properties.
The net yields achieved ranged from 6.11% on a medical clinic in Penrose that fetched $1,065,000, to just 2.66% on a $3.61 million house in Takapuna that had been converted to <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.bayleys.co.nz/1501322" target="_blank">legal offices</a> (pictured above).
The Bob Dey Property Report suggested it had more intensive development potential.
Most of the properties sold on yields between 4% and 5%, with prices ranging from $1,065,000 to $4.04 million.
The yields suggest commercial properties in Auckland can still be purchased for about the same price or less than the average price of a house in the region, but the commercial properties are likely to be providing investors with significantly better returns.
Other recent commercial property sales around New Zealand include a hair dressing salon in Hawkes Bay which sold for $815,000 providing a net yield of 5.61%.
A large industrial building in New Plymouth sold for $2.6 million providing its new owners with a net yield of 7.65%.
Another recent sale was 303-305 Great South Road, Papakura, an Asian supermarket a mixed use zoned site for $3,440,000 at a 4.73% yield. It was declared on the market at $2,800,000. 
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Auckland commercial property yields sitting under 5%

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The latest research shows that property sales have decreased over the past three months, according to CoreLogic’s Auckland Cityscope report.
In the three months to November 2016, there were 54 sales for a total of $200.5 million compared with 35 sales for a total of $239.8 million recorded for the three months to August 2016.
There is an increase from the 28 sales at a total of $107.6 million recorded for the three months to May 2016. 
The latest data brings the total sales for the 12 months to $906.4 million, a decrease from the $1.321 billion in sales recorded to the same time last year.
The table below shows sales recorded for the past eight updates of Auckland Cityscope:
<a href="/images/2016/11/30/Auckland-1.jpeg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/30/Auckland-1.jpeg" alt="">
Notable sales in November 2016 update of Auckland Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>450 Queen Street, comprising of a D-grade office building of five levels including a basement to Queen and Waverley Streets, built in 1974-75 and a four-level (plus two basement levels) extension with the entrance from Waverley Street; built in 1988; which was sold for $39 million;</li>
<li>Media Design Centre, a 20-storey building at 92 Albert Street, comprising 15 office levels and a two-level retail plaza, completed in 1988, which was sold for $36 million; and</li>
<li>43 High Street, an 11-level building including ground and basement retail space, completed in 1973, which was sold for $15.825 million.</li>
</ul>
<a href="/images/2016/11/30/Auckland-2.jpeg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/11/30/Auckland-2.jpeg" alt="">
Properties listed as for sale in the November 2016 of Auckland Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>VR Queen Street, at 401 Queen Street, a nine-storey octagonal building plus two basement levels for 27 cars and outside parking for seven cars, completed in 1986, which is available through Barfoot &amp; Thompson;</li>
<li>Newman Hall, two storeys to Waterloo Quadrant, four storeys down the slope to the rear, was built in 1863 as the Nathan family home, and originally known as Bella Vista, which is for sale by tender closing December 1, 2016 through Whillans Realty Group;</li>
<li>350 Queen Street, a nine-storey office building, built in 1982-83 by Mainzeal Construction to a design by the Walker Co-Partnership, which is for sale through a private treaty campaign closing December 6, 2016 through CBRE and Barfoot &amp; Thompson Commercial; and</li>
<li>Quantum Education Tower, a 13-storey building, built 1976-77 by Fletcher Construction Ltd and refurbished in 1989, which is for sale by private treaty closing December 1, 2016 through Bayleys Auckland Central.</li>
</ul>
Leasing opportunities in the November 2016 update of Auckland Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>IBM Centre at 82 Wyndham Street, a five-storey commercial building, completed in April 1999, which has office space of 2,579 square metres and 4,228 square metres available for lease through Colliers International and Bayleys Auckland Central;</li>
<li>ANZ Centre at 23-29 Albert Street, a 42-level reinforced concrete tower block originally built in May 1991 and extensively refurbished in 2013, has newly refurbished office space available for lease on levels 14 and 15 (available in February 2017) and levels 34 to 39 (available mid 2019) through Bayleys Auckland Central; and</li>
<li>SAP Centre at 67 Symonds Street, a nine-level office tower over a four-level basement car park (233 spaces), which has office space of 1,203 square metres on level 6 and  957 square metres on level seven available for lease through Colliers International.</li>
</ul>
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