... Man this would of been great to see on its feet - Pitty the article leaves me with no reassurance that it will proceed..

http://i52.tinypic.com/2u72atu.jpg

Bold trail of wreckage

TONY RAGGATT | April 14th, 2011 | Townsville Bulletin (http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2011/04/14/223191_business_desk.html)

MCLEOD Group International at Townsville was to be the world headquarters of a bold new venture in design and architecture to support the development and construction industries.

Its offices at 112 Denham St in the city were opened amid much fanfare last August with those officiating including Townsville Deputy Mayor David Crisafulli and Queensland Liberal Senator Ian Macdonald.

The Townsville office, it was said, would focus on designing stadiums, high-rise towers and large commercial buildings.

One of its first projects was to be an unnamed new stadium in Germany.

Another was an ambitious twin-tower project for Townsville, each tower of 27 storeys, which the company's website described as the "Forbidden Fruit for Townsville" and a "potion that will turn the base metals into a legendary structure".

The company, it was said, had offices in London and Manchester in the United Kingdom and another was set to open in Lima, Peru.

But just three months on, on December 16 last year, the company closed its doors, leaving its staff unpaid, a trail of debts believed to amount to as much as $1 million and its main players embroiled in a bitter dispute over the development of a "benchmark six-star green-star rated" 27-unit building at 6 Carter St, North Ward.

"McLeod Group Intl today has closed its doors due to Ergon Energy turning of (sic) the power for an overdue amount on our account of $1044.34," a December 16 email by the company's principal, James Edward McLeod, states.

The email goes on to blame its clients, Carter St property owners Dennis Fry and Bruce Shackelford, for the company's "situation" - a claim the clients "absolutely" reject.

Mr Fry said James McLeod had approached them last year and the parties had contracted to gain a development approval for Carter St.

However the issue has ended in dispute with Mr McLeod arranging for a caveat to be placed on the property.

"It's been quite scary ... a nightmare," Mr Fry said of the dealings. McLeod Group International staff, among them some of the city's leading architects and engineers, have complained to the Townsville Bulletin that much of their wages owed for the period of the company's operation remain unpaid.

Suppliers to McLeod Group International have also confirmed their services have not been fully paid, including rent and sign-writing on the company's offices. Rent is also owing on a plush new apartment Mr McLeod rented in the Dalgety building, while about $600,000 in orders for Audi vehicles, including a top-of-the-range $250,000 A8 Audi, lodged by Mr McLeod have not proceeded.

Checks by the Bulletin found that the addresses listed by the company for its Manchester office was incorrect or did not exist, and that the London address was the office of another architecture firm, Foster and Partners.

When approached by the Bulletin yesterday, Mr McLeod declined to comment although he did confirm the McLeod Group International office had closed.

When asked about complaints over debts, Mr McLeod said: "(I have) no comment on that."

He also declined to comment on the company's UK operations.

LINK (http://www.mcleodgroup.com.au/category/projects/environmental) to Project.

Can someone change the title to "The Elixir", more info on the project here (http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:HpvXCmCz1SEJ:www.mcleodgroup.com.au/2010/11/the-elixir/+Forbidden+Fruit+townsville&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au&source=www.google.com.au).

The Elixir

A twin tower with 27 Stories of Residential, 27 Stories of Hotel with entertainment facilities and a 3 level 30,000 square meter retail space for the heart of Townsville.

The Elixir represents the quintessence of life and the 5 elements. It is the “Forbidden Fruit for Townsville“, the potion that will turn the base metals into a legendary structure, one that awes the masses and brings pride to Queenslanders hearts.

The Elixir purpose is to bring life and exuberance to the Townsville CBD while attracting a new found energy with significant retail names and prestigious hotel operators.

The Elixir will be a timeless icon that will stand the test of time, enchanting the CBD and leaving those who see, live, work or play in The Elixir with a sense of social enrichment.

Wow, this is all a little bizarre. I'll change the title, and think I'll change the status to "Vision" - this was never going to be built. The "forbidden fruit"??? Was there going to be an Apple Store in the retail space? :) I'm not sure that that is the right photo you've got there - what site would that supposed to be - doesn't look like anywhere in Townsville. I also found this article from September (http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2010/09/03/167521_business.html), which seems to be about another pie in the sky McLeod proposal for a cruise ship terminal, described as:

The McLeod Group concept comprises a fish-shaped, four-level terminal building to allow access at a range of tide heights and with facilities only at ground level, and a 28-level cone-shaped high-rise with a 120-room hotel, serviced units, and facilities, including gymnasium, spa, pools, restaurant and cinema. The building will feature a concave facade on one side with an external glass tube lift offering panoramic views of the city, the coastline and Magnetic Island.

I could only imagine the conservative approach the locals would have taken if they were opposed to a 40m building let alone a 28 storey high rise on the strand..

Would have been nice to have seen the initial concepts planned for both the port development and Elixir.. Interesting quote for the name of the building:

Elixir of immortality and sometimes equated with the philosopher's stone, is a legendary potion, or drink, that grants the drinker eternal life or eternal youth

Geez there are some dodgy business people around, so glad I don't have to deal with such types anymore. You'd come across say 50 of them, 49 would crash and burn never to be seen again, and a single one would succeed and brag about their success - without realising they were simply the 1-in-50 that bought + sold at the right time/place through sheer luck.

That aside it was clearly a project that would never happen, and the Townsville Bulletin have been guilty many times for reporting visions and dreams rather than realistic ventures.

wow thats hektik as looks aroung 90m tall thats not to high compared to the others!