Young-gun developers fight council over trendy Teneriffe apartments

A pair of young developers are fighting Brisbane City Council in court after it rejected their plan for a trendy six-storey apartment building with shops and offices.

A pair of young-gun developers are fighting the Brisbane City Council in court after the council rejected their plan for a trendy six-storey apartment building with shops and offices.

Forme Three Pty Ltd, owned by developers David Calvisi, 36, from New Farm and Byron Griffith, 39, a former commercial property agent from Teneriffe, filed a notice of appeal in the Planning and Environment Court in Brisbane in a bid to overturn the council’s October 27 refusal of a proposed Teneriffe building.

The building is currently the two-storey corporate headquarters of Get Parked Qld Pty Ltd, but Forme Three are planning to turn 31 and 31A Doggett St into 22 up-market apartments with a residents’ only rooftop pool and entertaining terrace.

The existing building at 31 Doggett Street, Teneriffe.

Their plans also include 550 sqm of ground-level retail space, and a first-floor showroom and office space spanning 670 sqm.

Council refused the development application claiming the proposed building has “a significantly larger bulk and scale” than those surrounding it, it overlooks neighbours and “contributes to heat island effects”.

The council also noted that the lower level shops “are oriented towards Midvale Lane (a narrow residential laneway)”.

The building has been designed by the same architect behind the Calile Hotel on James St, and it sits right next door to Forme’s headquarters at 33 Doggett St.

Mr Calvisi and Mr Griffiths, through their company Forme, have completed two apartment blocks in Burleigh Heads, and other residential developments in Palm Beach and Miami as well as the Tugun Market Company.

Architectural renders for the proposed apartment building at 31 Doggett Street, Teneriffe.

Their current projects include an office and retail development at 75-85 James St Fortitude Valley and a Burleigh Heads residential high-rise.

Mr Calvisi is the grandson of the Merlo coffee founder, and a second generation developer.

Forme Three submits in its notice of appeal that the building “transitions sensitively” to the surrounding residential areas and it “achieves a cohesive streetscape” and its size is “tailored” to its location.

“The proposed development does not result in adverse impacts to adjoining properties,” the appeal states.

The appeal states that the redevelopment is a “higher density” than its current building, which is consistent with the aims of the Brisbane City planning scheme.

The case is due in court for its first directions hearing on February 1.

The Courier-Mail has approached Forme Three for comment.

Originally published as Young-gun developers fight council over trendy Teneriffe apartments