Aria Property Group has released its reimagined $181m Mooloolaba Beach five-star hotel project

A new beachfront five-star hotel and apartment project with an infinity pool overlooking the ocean has undergone a $181m Covid-inspired redesign.

Hotel rooms have been beefed up and permanent apartments trimmed back as part of a Covid-19 inspired reworking of a $181m five-star resort proposal set to change the face of Mooloolaba.

Aria Property Group this week lodged a minor change application to its 1 The Esplanade proposal with artist’s impressions revealing the rooftop feature proponents say will put the beachside town back on the world stage.

As part of the reworked project the number of apartments was cut back from 66 to 46 and hotel rooms increased from 139 to 151.

Carparking has also been ramped up more than 150 per cent with 334 spaces proposed under the latest model.

Retail and restaurant space was trimmed back from 1729sq m to 1181sq m while health and wellbeing areas and amenities spaces were significantly increased.

Aria’s initial $250m plan for the prominent site was given the green light in September, 2019.

Architectural renders of the slightly-revised plans for Aria's 1 The Esplanade development at Mooloolaba. The rooftop pool space was inspired by the famous Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

The proposal included a fitness centre and rooftop restaurant and bar as well as public and private access to the infinity pool.

An economic assessment report carried out by Urbis revealed the new building would take two years to construct with up to 670 full-time equivalent jobs to be created in the peak year of construction.

Once operational it was expected the project would create 144 direct full-time equivalent jobs and 41 indirect roles.

Analysts forecast the new hotel and luxury apartment development would add about $17.9m of value to the Queensland economy each year.

Aria Property Group development director Michael Hurley said the ongoing coronavirus pandemic had driven a “complete review” of the project over the last 12 months.

How the 1 The Esplanade project could look from ground level.

He said market research had indicated a stronger demand for larger hotel rooms and units and greater focus on “natural ventilation, sustainability and health and enhanced wellness features”.

New designers were engaged in renowned architecture firm Koichi Takada.

Mr Hurley said the increase in hotel rooms and reduction of residential units showed the group’s commitment to delivering a five-star, international standard hotel and the carparking increase was in response to the strength of the drive market and to counter local concerns about parking.

Aria development director Michael Hurley in Mooloolaba.

Mr Hurley said once the minor change application was approved they would shift to full design and documentation and then run a tender process for construction.

“If that all continues on schedule, we could bring the residential unit component to market in the second half of 2022,” he said.

“We are in talks with several major international brands and operators.

“The hotel-operator landscape has changed significantly over the last year because of Covid-19 and the long-term effects are still unknown.

“The hotel component has been redesigned to ensure the requirements, features and amenities required for major international standard five-star hotel brands of the future would be achieved.”