Toowoomba CBD: $250m arts, culture, business and conference precinct planned for city centre

Residents have been given the first look at a proposal for a $250m arts, culture, business and conference precinct that could transform the Toowoomba CBD. Watch the video here.

The proponents of a conceptual $250m arts, culture, business and conferencing precinct in the heart of the Toowoomba CBD believe the project could be “catalytic” for the city’s growth — but it needs council’s support to make it a reality.

The Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce’s CBD Revitalisation Advisory Committee (CBD-RAC) has unveiled an ambitious 12-storey proposal to the general public, featuring nearly 80 new units, a 1800-person conference centre, 300 underground car parks, a new hotel, restaurants, bars and cafes, urban parkland and 4000sq m of modern office space.

The precinct, depicted in new renders and a video by Aspect Architects and Project Managers, is slated for both council and private land (currently for sale) fronting Annand and Neil streets.

The 1.3ha of land is currently occupied by the council’s two Neil St car parks and the Betros Bros warehouse.

Concept art for the proposed $250m arts, culture, business and conferencing precinct in Toowoomba CBD. Courtesy of Aspect Architects and Project Managers.

Along with the physical aspects, the precinct has been designed to create public thoroughfares connecting Kwong Sang Walk and Ruthven St to the Empire Theatre, as well as complement existing infrastructure like Carnival Lane, Walton Stores, the Burke and Wills Hotel, Oaks Toowoomba and the future Heritage (now People First Bank) headquarters.

Aspect Architects has put the value of the build at upwards of $250m, but the figure could be as high as $350m depending on a final detailed design phase.

CBD-RAC member and Gelatissimo owner Gary Wilson said the proposal could be transformative for a CBD he believed was constrained by several issues.

Concept art for the proposed $250m arts, culture, business and conferencing precinct in Toowoomba CBD. Courtesy of Aspect Architects and Project Managers.

“There’s already been a move in the past to give the (car park land) to a buyer to generate something for the community, but this has been a festering sore in the realignment of the CBD,” he said.

“Every regional city in this country has had to reinvent itself and we’ve managed to put that together here – it ticks all the boxes.

“We actually need more residential living in the CBD, and carparking is a massive problem.

“The carparking will integrate with the buildings, so they all complement each other.

“Finally, we’ve culminated that into one model.”

The project is partially the brainchild of Ray White agent Peter Marks, who said it would take both council’s support and private investment to realise it.

“There’s no doubt that private enterprise will build it, it’s just (what needs) to come together (with that) is the council and their willingness to be involved in it,” he said.

“As for developers, there have been people who have said they’d love to build a hotel here and from previous experience, we’ve missed out on so many conferences in Toowoomba.

“This facility provides a conference space, income from office spaces and rentals, and it also has living accommodation.

“What it will do is create the opportunity for more events in Toowoomba.”

Concept art for the proposed $250m arts, culture, business and conferencing precinct in Toowoomba CBD. Courtesy of Aspect Architects and Project Managers.

The project is a culmination of the Toowoomba Chamber’s advocacy on CBD revitalisation, with a recent economic profile on the city centre revealing its $867m annual value to the region and numerous potential weaknesses.

Chamber chief executive Todd Rohl said both mayor Geoff McDonald, councillors and executive leadership had been contacted, with the hope of TRC partnering with the proponents to secure federal grant funding for a detailed design report.

“We’ve provided them with three options – they could fund the detailed design for the site themselves, or they could work with us to do a grant application to the federal government for up to $500,000 for stage one, and if you’re successful they put money into construction,” he said.

“The third option is they don’t help us with the grant but provide a letter of support.”

Mr Rohl suggested the office space could also become the council’s new administration space, referring to the organisation’s work to build a new multimillion-dollar civil building next to City Hall.

Mr McDonald was contacted for comment.