Southport looms...

[CULWULLA]

scanned this pic from this weeks GC bulletin. The story is about the booming Southport which was known as "sleepy hollow" in comparison to the Surfers Paradise area.Property devlopers are investing heavily in the precinct as the boom shows no sign of slowing!
The pic is a few weeks old as Pivotal Point is now full height @ 40storeys. The others uc in pic are Meritons SHORES at left and Nexus twin towers at right. There are over a dozen projects about to take off also.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/126southport.jpg

its great to see Q rising in backgrd
--------
pic by defec taken from south looking north

http://server4.vnpages.net/~one/gc/shores05.jpg

[JayT]

I was down the Gold Coast last week and on Monday - the whole place reminds me of Singapore now. It has a very "asian booming" kind of feel to it - its also become very international. Its a great city and we are lucky in australia to have it.

jt

[finn]

That's a really cool angle of the Gold Coast skylines! :)

[JayT]

BTW - the office tower on the far right of the pic (middle distance) now has "ANZ" logos on it. I suppose we should call this tower ANZ tower.
jt

[CULWULLA]

heres a pic of pivotal point completed without nexus.
http://img.domain.com.au/img.aspx?src=3683/2003827263_S_1_1.jpg&size=640x640

heres a pic with Nexus completed without pivatol point
http://img.domain.com.au/img.aspx?src=3683/2003821318_S_1_1.jpg&size=640x640

heres a diagram i did a while back showing new developments
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/502/126southportpanoramdiagram.jpg

[Sharma]

HOLY GUACOMOLE

Well done CULWULLA

what a skyline...

[Adam BK]

AMAZING....what a great angle, I remember staying at Southport the first time I went to the Gold Coast. It felt so empty back then but looking at the work going on now, its mindblowing.

[newy]

yeah southport is in a boom, there are soo many cranes there compared to before. Nice Diagram Culwulla, it really shows how much work is being done in Southport.

[Trances]

is a great angle looks like two great cities there

[Macca-GC]

They really need to fix up the Southport Foreshore. Make it a Southbank style thing. Except not as tacky

[newy]

yeah good point Toadman, that would look way better.

[Macca-GC]

Get rid of the Broadwater Car Park. That would halve the number of cars confiscated from hoons. And besides, it's an eyesore. And they should renovate the Southport pool, put in some slides, make it family friendly. PUT IN SOME DECENT LANDSCAPING. That sort of stuff. And it wouldn't cost the Earth either.

[back_in_pog_form]

Get rid of the Broadwater Car Park. That would halve the number of cars confiscated from hoons. And besides, it's an eyesore. And they should renovate the Southport pool, put in some slides, make it family friendly. PUT IN SOME DECENT LANDSCAPING. That sort of stuff. And it wouldn't cost the Earth either.

Many problems with your proposals.

-City rates are way too low, council doesn't have enough money to finance growth, just to pay for the cost of servicing the city now.

-If rates were to increase, the stupid people mass (voters) would complain and make a big issue of it, despite the fact our rates are among the lowest in the region if not country.

-Money the council does have gets consumed by other parts of the GC.

-There was talk of building a new sports stadium where the broadwater carpark is (rather than upgrading carara, the worst place for a sports stadium. ever.). Transport department was very oppositional of such a plan, despite the fact that its their own bloody fault in shitty management and lack of vision that our city's population is so reliant on cars in the first place.

-I think that carpark was also one of the possible locations for the convention centre aswell, but you know, there wouldn't have been that, big victorian based gambling company to finance and run it, you know, cos were poor.

-There was a proposal to develop the manmade wavebreak island in order to FINANCE the renewal of the foreshore (like you proposed) and the fixing and maintaining of the broadwater, including setting up a body to look after this entire area into the future. However, the people who call themselves greenies and environmentalists, were extremely vocal in opposing this plan, because they didn't like the idea of developing the "pristine" and "natural" wavebreak island. How incredibly dumb and uninformed people can be, little do they realise that the fact wavebreak and all the massive sandbanks are there in the first place is a result of wasteful and destructive management of the broadwater, and from the upstream processes of human settlement over the decades.

[Danubis]

will that bridge going south from southport to surfers need to be upgraded in the future? is it only one lane either way... cause i reckon if they need to build a new bridge its a great position for an iconic bridge for the gold coast. we can dream.

[Macca-GC]

It's two lanes each way. It does need to be upgraded, because it's a bigger carpark than the broadwater car park there.

[citiboy]

just a note ------------- developer graeme ingles is poised to offload around $50 million of land in gold coast. a 54ha holding in coomera ----and ---the insignia site in southport worth $13 million he said he has so much land that "" I CANT DEVELOP IT ALL--- enough land in coomera to build over 2000 blocks over 8 years or so. ingles also owns the icon site in southport this site has approval to build ---but when ? insignia site has been on market since march 2004 for $17 million and owns another site in scarborough st as well

[SUNNI]

southport still needs more talls

[Macca-GC]

Icon was canceled a while ago wasn't it.

[citiboy]

the financial review on thursday said that----- the gold coast revival ---sales of new
apartments in the gold coast in the december quarter 2004 rebounded to $ 330 million highest level since september quarter 2003 .yes icon has been cancelled --so far

[fireflymairi]

Get rid of the Broadwater Car Park. That would halve the number of cars confiscated from hoons.

No, I think it would increase the number of cars confiscated from 'hoons'. The Broadwater Car park serves as a meeting place for many car enthusiasts on Saturday nights at the Gold Coast. Take that away and there are more of them driving around, potentially speeding and racing and doing all that illegal confiscatable-worthy stuff that the general population are so against. If you get rid of the meeting place it doesnt decrease the amount of 'hooning', it simply means there are more cars on the streets driving around, or parked at fuel stations, or racing at the lights, or doing convoy runs along the highway.

Whatever happens with that area along the waterfront at southport, I hope they keep a decent sized public carpark there. Development in the form of landscaping and general aesthetic and funtional enhancement is a great idea though as the area has so much potential and really needs a lift.

[RADULA]

It would be an awesome site for a stadium! Carrara sucks donkey dick.

[citiboy]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v437/citiboy/sites2007.jpg

[Redress]

oh

[Redress]

I was under the impression that there were plans to build a tunnel. Perhaps i am behind the times on this one. Is there a thread dedicated to this bridgeas it sounds very interesting?

[fireflymairi]

This is the most relevant thread I could find for this pic:

http://www.cmrdesign.net/towers/pivotal-point-top.jpg

[SUNNI]

thats the best shot of that gold facade i have so far ;)!!!!

[Muse]

Great goin' there fireflymairi!! :okay:

BTW FYI There is a Pivotal Point thread in the archived section if you would like to see our comments, pics etc.: Here (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=27119)

[fireflymairi]

Ahh there are archives!! I see! I wondered where all the old threads went... now the mystery is solved, thanks Muse. :)

[Trances]

gold is great there

[CULWULLA]

this was the tallest tower outside of Surfers since 1984. the 35stirey/116m Broadwater Tower at Runaway bay. which is the northern most point of the 30km skyline of Gold Coast!
http://img146.exs.cx/img146/5668/broadwatertower5ih.jpg

[Blue_Copper]

30KM HOLY MOLY it was only 20 last time i went!

[CULWULLA]

hey what happened to Southports boom? as i understand the only one uc is the 35storey Southport central?
i put so many on emporis a few years back but none have gone ahead.
I know the first new project was Pivotal Point then Shores & recently Nexus twins.
what about Icon, Insignia Tower,Metra,Centro,H20,and others?

[Oriolus]

Hmm, that's a shame.

Looks like the developer of Insignia (35s/114m) is trying to offload the development
See here (http://www.ljhooker.com.au/property_listing.php?id=1325605&type=land&category=buy)
http://images.ljhooker.com.au/PROPERTY/pictures/02285306.JPG

[CULWULLA]

^ its a great looking tower. At 114m high, its RL was 20m which = 134m above sea level, which is 4m higher then Pivotal Points Rl. shame if its gets shelved.

[fireflymairi]

There are other towers in the Brighton on Broadwater complex on their way, I think the next tower is Marina which will sit one site to the south and a little further west than Shores. I'm pretty sure it's just a bit shorter than Shores.

http://www.brightononbroadwater.com.au/

[CULWULLA]

bump

[DeejayT]

I wish the Insigna tower went ahead, it looks like a moder "focus" and definetly provide a focul point between the hospital and pivotal.

Southport is still booming at the moment, and allot of the "nerangatang" crowd is being forced out. Also Vic Corss tower should help to bring more young people into the area with the student hostel :D

[adamski]

Not sure whether you guys have this listed or not, but around feb this year there was an application submitted to council for cnr of Nerang St and Garden St - a 50 storey mixed use building with res apartments, restaurant, offices, 4 levels of basement... no idea how its progressing though...

[Locke]

50 level mixed use in Southport?!!! vas is das? That would be sweet.

How do you get to see what goes in to be approved adamski? Can you do this online somehow? Would be nice to see stuff as it goes in like Brisbane instead of when it goes off to be stamped by council.

[DeejayT]

That's the old "Icon" site ... not sure 50 stories well get through. I liked the Icon design :( This desing would look good being 50 stories.

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/994/icon5xr.jpg

[Locke]

If Niecon got 50 storeys in in a 30 storey zone in BB then no reason why you couldn't do 60 with a great design in Southport. I reiterate as always the point that the defining criteria should be the design merit of the building. If you got a shit hot 50 storey building then for Pete's sake let it through!

Can't say I'm a fan of Icon Deejayt, so a 50 storey mixed use tower, hopefully with a fair bit of offce would be great, something like ANA would go down a treat:)

[CULWULLA]

whats wrong with little kermi.lol
i also havent heard of the 50st. must have gone under radar. bring it on.

[adamski]

i saw it in cordells construction database.... its an online service that tracks a lot of qld projects...

[Locke]

Hey adamski if that database shows DA's as they are lodged you should check if it shows anythign cool in Surfers, like Elite or the Lend Lease sites or stuff.

[CULWULLA]

its a great website alright.
http://www.cordellconstructioncentral.com.au/

[DeejayT]

I don't see any 50 story Southport porject on there. Is it on a different database?

[adamski]

yeah it might be a different database - i use cordell connect

locke: i havent checked surfers in a while, i'll do that today and see if theres any new info...

[CULWULLA]

the first southport central tower is now the tallest building outside of surfers! at 127m tall, eclipsing Pivotal point by 3m.
deejayt
http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/5615/img1667large5zf.jpg

citiboy
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v437/citiboy/IMG_0039.jpg

deejayt
http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/6939/img1843large8ij.jpg

[CULWULLA]

http://www.realestate.com.au/objects/props/7923/103387923ml1155521575.jpg

[BrizzyChris]

Looking good.

[DeejayT]

Seems relevant to post this article here aswell as in the S.C. thread. From today's G.C. Bulletin.

Tower shining light for future

28Sep06

DEVELOPER king Jim Raptis believes the opening of the first of three residential towers last night in Southport will make it as attractive to investors and unit dwellers as Surfers Paradise, Main Beach and Broadbeach.

Mr Raptis said the Southport Central tower project appealed to people who found the glitter strip too expensive.

"It costs a lot to live on the beach now and we're finding that Southport is becoming very popular because it is still close to the beaches but not as expensive," he said.

"Southport has been dormant for many years as people went for Surfers Paradise, Main Beach and Broadbeach.

"But Southport is waiting to happen. You've got the Sundale development and other big projects here and you will soon see it as the centre that it used to be.

"People will flock to these sort of developments because it is nice and new and fresh. We are part of the changing face of Southport."

Premier Peter Beattie last night officially opened the first 40-storey tower of the $700 million Raptis development.

About 400 of the city's movers and shakers attended the gala opening, which was moved from an outdoor area to the third floor pool precinct after rain.

Mr Beattie said Southport was undergoing a rejuvenation.

"There are a lot of jobs involved which is good for the community," he said.

"The construction phase alone is 1000 employees and 2500 residents.

"This development shows the Gold Coast economy is strong. The Gold Coast has come of age really."

Meanwhile, Mr Beattie rejected criticism that the Coast had been robbed of adequate Cabinet representation, after Tourism Minister Margaret Keech retained her role, but there were no additional local ministers.

"You never know your luck, there is talent here and over time you'll get a second minister," said Mr Beattie.

"Over the last few weeks I may as well have been living here.

"I think I'll have to buy one of Jimmy Raptis's units. We put a lot of money into the Coast and we have six seats here.

"The Gold Coast has provided more support for the Government than it ever has and they've supported me and I've supported them.

"I have returned that support in buckets.

"I want to hold these seats on the Coast for as long as we possibly can and we'll keep delivering to achieve that."

Construction of the second Southport Central tower has begun and is expected to be completed by February, 2008.

Mr Raptis said the triple-tower was the largest mixed-use development under construction in Australia.

He said the Gold Coast property market remained steady.

"It has come back ... 2005 and 2006 have been good steady years and I think it (the market) has held up very well," he said.

"Sydney and Melbourne have gone backwards but south- east Queensland has been good."

Tower One has 268 apartments with about 20 per cent of buyers being owner-occupiers.

When complete, Southport Central will have 730 new luxury apartments, ranging in price from $380,000 to $800,000. There will be 350 commercial office suites and 75 ground- floor retail tenancies.

[Locke]

Good stuff! Raptis is going great atm. I think once the Holiday Inn is painted and the apartments sold off you will see Raptis' next project go on the market - namely ANA of course. Hopefully around the traditional christmas/new years buying season.