Gold Coast developer Azzura unveils 108-storey Southport supertower

THE SOUTHERN hemisphere’s tallest building will rise on the Gold Coast as an all-in city, where you can be born, live, learn and grow old.

A CRADLE-to-grave vertical city is planned for Southport where residents could be born, learn and grow old in the Southern Hemisphere’s tallest building.

Azzura Corporation has lodged an application to build the 108-storey tower as the centrepiece of its Imperial Square.

SPECIAL REPORT: CITY’S 2020 VISION

First look at the Imperial Square supertower project at Southport.

The supertower would sit on a six-level podium featuring 50,000sq m of floor space for a university or college, libraries, eateries, and a shopping centre. By comparison, The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre has about 6000sq m of exhibition space.

GOLD COAST’S 103-LEVEL RECORD-BREAKING TOWER

Once complete, Imperial Square would be a self-contained suburb with its own church, hardware store, service station, emergency services, unspecified “tourist attraction” and retirement home.

The massive landmark would be flanked by two other towers of 48 and 68 storeys.

$1.2B SURFERS TOWER BEGINS ITS RISE

When complete, the main tower would be the tallest in the Southern Hemisphere, beating the recently announced Orion Towers, a 103-level complex planned for Surfers Paradise.

A ground view of the high-density project. Source: Gold Coast City Council.

COAST SUPER-TOWERS SET TO RISE

Orion

103-storey

Proposed by developer Orion International Group. Before Council for approval

Spirit

89-storey

Proposed by developer Forise. Under Construction.

Orchid Ave "casino" tower

65-storey

Proposed by developer Centa Surfers. Approved by council, yet to begin construction.

Main Beach "sci-fi" tower

47-storey

Proposed by developer Winten Property Group. Approved by council, yet to begin construction.

Star of the Sea

More than 50-storeys

Multi-tower development put forward by developer Huixin Real Estate Group. Final design not yet determined. Project has preliminary approval from Council.

Q1, at 78-levels, currently holds the record but it is set to be surpassed by the Spirit tower which is under construction on the Surfers Paradise foreshore.

Azzura is headed by veteran Gold Coast property identity Robert Badalotti who built the Surfers Paradise Azzura Resort tower and Hope Island’s Azzura Greens.

Earlier this year Dreamworld owner Ardent Leisure held talks with him about developing a $100 million hotel next to the theme park.

SUPERTOWERS TO BEAT GAMES HANGOVER

IMPERIAL SQUARE WOULD INCLUDE:

Hospital, childcare, library, higher education. research and technology, place of worship, shopping centre, eateries, theatre, gym, hardware, service station, emergency services, hotel, student accommodation, indoor sport and recreation, “tourist attraction”, retirement home

The Gold Coast City Council is due to vote on the ambitious proposal later this year but the first stage of Imperial Square was signed off in December 2016.

This includes a 20-level, 210 room hotel and 420-room student accommodation complex.

International hotel group StayWell has been appointed operator of the Hotel Imperial Square.

The Imperial Square Azzura Hotel.

StayWell operates the Leisure Inn and Park Regis brands throughout Australia, Asia, India, the Middle East and the UK.

DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS AT RECORD HIGH

In a statement to the Bulletin, Azzura said the hotel would be an “exciting new millennial style, Gen Y brand”.

The project is earmarked for a site on Meron Street, Southport.

“This captures Australia’s two largest non-resources export sectors — education and tourism,” the developer said.

DEVELOPER ASF CONSORTIUM PROPOSES BEACH CLUB

“The towers will include an extension of the podium education facility by way of a vertically integrated education campus complimented by a medical centre, apartment accommodation, additional student accommodation, gyms, theatres, and a five-star hotel complex.

The proposed layout of the site. Source: Gold Coast City Council.

“This project makes the Gold Coast competitive in the education sector.”

Azzura has launched an international expression of interest campaign to select a student accommodation operator and the university or college.

The Council last year announced p lans to relax infrastructure charges for developments which provide student accommodation as part of an “education kickstart” programs to stimulate the billion dollar industry.

The courtyard in the middle of the project. Source: Gold Coast City Council.

Azzura says this program will be important to its development going ahead and would help make the city more competitive in the education sector.

Southport councillor Dawn Crichlow backed the development.

SCI-FI INSPIRED MAIN BEACH TOWER

“They already have approval for the first stage and it is a really nice site which is within walking distance of the light rail,” she said.

“It would certainly add something to Southport and I get really excited when things start happening.”

The hotel’s “funky” design.

UDIA state president Stephen Harrison said developers with larger land holdings were looking at building social infrastructure to support residential units.

“Larger applications for projects such as these are being submitted and this is happening because it is understood infrastructure and services are needed to compliment the residential components,” he said.

$440 MILLION HOTEL PLANNED FOR MAIN BEACH

“If lots of people are going to live there, it is important that social and commercial elements such as food, conveniences shops, healthcare and other features are included on the ground levels.

“This is a smarter way of preparing developments of this nature in locations such as Southport.”

The site today. Picture: Jerad Williams