I thought I might start a thread for this one here as nobody else has.

Proposed Highgate Apartments
Townsville CBD
Floors: 20
Height: 66m
Type of Building: Residential High-Rise

Facts:
If built, will be Townsville's Second Tallest, Townsville's Third if another proposal gets approval.
Will be built on the site of the former Wintergarden theatre.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v376/Oriolus/WintergardenTower.jpg

Enjoy.

Thanks Gertzy - I wouldn't be suprised if we never hear about this one again. The developers City Breeze Developments dont seem very well known (the only matches on Google is when we've mentioned them on here) and with the construction industry like it is at the moment I doubt they'd have what it takes to make this happen. They've also proposed knocking down Central City Motel across the road for this but it hasn't happened yet (thank goodness):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v376/Oriolus/201SturtSt.jpg

But we can hope anyway.

Okay, Maybe not then, City Breeze do have themselves a nice Tower though, would be a bit of a shame to see this one down the drain.

Photo of the site - the vacant lot and the left hand side of that yellow pole

http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/2856/1001808s0gh.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I've never really notice the back of highpoint before, looks pretty good.

Okay, but you could probably still get away with saying Wintergarden Site.

Will be built on the site of the former Wintergarden theatre.That's the impression I've always been under, but it appears not. In the last pic in the link below, of the Wintergarden Theatre under demolition in 1991, you can see the same yellow pole. So it was actually located on the vacant land just next to the Highgate site.

http://www.angelfire.com/film/wintergarden/craig.html

I don't know how that happened, I saw your post and then replied after, but mine comes first though for some reason, anyway.
Tony Raggatt had a mix up between the sites of Altitude and Wintergarden in the paper, he said that altitude was on a vacant site next to the Police Station.

^^lol, Yeh I stuffed up my post so I deleted it and started again, but in the meantime you posted a reply.

Tony Raggatt's Business Desk Column is located here (http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,16963121%255E14790,00.html). Here's what he said:

The Cairns region's Benchmark Developments will next week launch its luxury unit project, Altitude, proposed for a vacant site next to the Townsville police station.I'm assuming it's actually Altitude that is to be launched next week, not Highgate.

I saw a 'for sale' sign on that site yesterday. So I'm assuming 'another one hits the dust'. I never liked the look of the building anyway.
To me it was typical boring highrise, high density living. Something you see on the outskirts of Melbourne that is public housing,

^^That's probably actually good news for Highgate. I never thought this City Breezes mob could make it happen. Now there's a chance someone else will buy the site and build the tower.

Actually is this even approved yet? A havn't heard anything.

Actually, now that Jeffro mentioned it, It kinda does look like a Shoddy, Public Housing High-Rise you see in Melbourne.

When I drove past the site yesterday morning, there was a Markwell excavator onsite with a boring arm attached. No idea what it ended up doing (could well have unloaded here and gone to another site (like T1)) - but it was unusual to see given the "For Sale" signs have gone back up.

^^
Interesting!!

Sounds interesting anyway, but possibly it might not be anything of a coincedence.

I saw a 'for sale' sign on that site yesterday. So I'm assuming 'another one hits the dust'. I don't think the 'for sale' sign is for the Highgate site - it's on the fence to the right of the yellow pole (see photo in post 4) whereas the Highgate site is only to the left of that pole. So it might still happen although I don't think it's even approved yet?

OK, I take back what I said. I thought it was one site, not two. I should read the thread a little more carefully. :)

If it does go ahead it might look OK. I know I said it looked like something from a housing project. However a couple of other projects have ended up looking better than what I thought from the initial picture.

However if something like Gateway on Palmer gets bogged down, with its great location. I don't see this project going ahead.

We will probably see projects get the can in the future so i guess we should be warned if it does.

Construction fencing has now gone up at the Highgate site.

Maybe something might happen after all...

^^
This is really strange because we haven't heard anything about it??

I'd be suprised if something started soon. The project might be trying to get in before some other large projects around town. Maybe they are going to build it, then sell it. Rather than sell it, then build it.

Then again, Gateway on Palmer has had fencing up for how long??

What wezza is saying is pretty true, I might go and check up on it the next time I am in the City for a meeting.

The thing that occured to me is that that site is used as a carpark for the Central City Motel guests (pretty sure CCM is owned by Highgate developer City Breeze???) - they wouldn't fence it off without a good reason would they?

But I'm going to try not to get too excited about construction fencing (Portofino, Gateway...)

Drove past the site today, on the construction fence, there is a "danger construction site" sign. Also written on the sign is what the development is. It says something like 20 storey & 60 apartments etc. There is also a sign saying who the managment is. Interesting.....

Well Highgate is definately alive!!! I want past the site this morning and there is a sign on the fence reading:

DANGER
CONSTRUCTION SITE
Development: 20 storey, 60 apartments
Developer: Babtour Pty Ltd
Project Manager: Impero Management Group
KEEP OUT

There's an ad for Impero next to it. No actual construction yet but looks like there's a chance something may actually happen fairly soon.

Lol
Beat ya to the crunch Oriolus!! ;) You had more detail than me though, so we're about even........ :D

So maybe something is going on After all, but though something that surprises me is that they haen't marketed units or set up a display centre yet.

With the population shift towards Townsville maybe they aren't worried about selling the units. There must be a huge demand for units in Townsville due to the amount of projects on the go. I think the best marketing ploy would be to have the actual building built so people can pay for it then move in right away.

I'd be p*ssed off if I was one of those people that invested in Gateway on the opening launch day and since have been waiting for something to happen.

Actually, thats not a bad Idea, I think thats how some of the gateway Investors want to see, but yeah, making it look like the Building is starting to go UC, would be an Excellent Marketing Ploy, And then after that, start Marketing.

With the population shift towards Townsville maybe they aren't worried about selling the units. There must be a huge demand for units in Townsville due to the amount of projects on the go. I think the best marketing ploy would be to have the actual building built so people can pay for it then move in right away.

I'd be p*ssed off if I was one of those people that invested in Gateway on the opening launch day and since have been waiting for something to happen.
LOL
My parents actually put a deposit on a unit in Gateway when it first launched. They've pretty much given up on it now i think.

Looks like we might have got excited for nothing. The is a story on the site in today's Townsville Bulletin about it being for sale, they are hoping to fetch $6 million for it!

http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,3600,5119608,00.jpg

^^The article's (read it here (http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,18386461%255E14787,00.html)) talking about the site next door to Highgate (Jeffro reported a For Sale sign there last year), although they've circled both sites on the front cover, which is a little misleading. In the article it says "Cairns and Atherton Tablelands group City Breeze Developments last year proposed a 20-level, 65-unit project on vacant land next door."

Highgate on the left of the yellow pole, the "$6m carpark" to the right:
http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/2856/1001808s0gh.jpg

Maybe they are going to build it, then sell it. Rather than sell it, then build it.Article in the Bully today (http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,18383983%255E14790,00.html) about rising construction costs makes a good point. Actually it was Hedley's David Row who said developers selling off the plan were making a 'fairly substantial punt' about maintaining margins once projects were complete.

It could be that City Breeze are going to build Highgate first (or at least get it started) so they will know how much they need to sell the apartments for to make a profit?

^^
Oops!! My bad!! Was in a hurry when i read the article. :D Thanks Oriolus.

Another angle of the "construction site", this one from the reservoir above Walker St:

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/2223/highgatesite22pu.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Walked past the site early yesterday morning on my way into the copshop to see if anyone had handed in my phone which i lost in town on Saturday night when i was a bit messy!! lol Anyway, thats another story, no action whatsoever in there yet.

I mentioned that there was a T1 proposed for Paris, well on a similar note, there are a number of Highgates around the world - Highgate Apartments (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=108330) in Sydney - built in 1994 at 28s/100m looks really good. Then there's a set average looking of twin towers in Toronto - Highgate 1 (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=132713) at 23s and Highgate 2 (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=112548) at 31s. New York has there own fairly bland version of Highgate Apartments (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=114098) at 29s. :)

At this stage I'd bet money that this'll never happen, but for the record it is infact approved (see TCC's list of approved developments here (http://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/services/plandevt/CBD_devt_proposed.asp)). It says that Highgate is "on hold":

Location: 222-230 Sturt Street
Developer: MacCallum and Partners Architects
Estimated Cost: $36 million
Timeline: DA Effective was May 2005. Currently on hold
Details: Proposal for 43 two bedroom and 23 three bedroom home units and shops

I am pretty sure I saw what looked like a pile driver on this site when I drove down Sturt St today, with about 5-10 workers there and the pile driver was in action.

Can anyone else vouch for this?

Could it be preliminary bedrock test drilling?

Surely they couldn't seek in like this and start such a huge project without us knowing. :)

Possibly. I'm not too knowledgable about construction machinery, but it was definitely something relatively tall and drill-like on the back of a truck.

What's happening??? Anyone been past the site in the last couple of days. Whatever happened to that webcam TCC were going to put on Castle Hill? If we had that we could zoom in on the Highgate site, check out the rig to see what it was or see if it was still there. And also watch constuction of T1.

Sorry mate, i'm away at the moment so i can't help ya there. The snow is calling me again this weekend, can't wait!! :D

^^You lucky bastard Wezza. With you away and Gertzy's computer broken it's pretty quiet around here.

Anyway as it happens I was in the city on Tuesday and the rig was gone. There were spots were it looked like the ground might have been disturbed so you might be right about test drilling Jeffro.

^^ Luckily, the computer is fixed and i can contribute to my ex regular pace.

Sounds promising, maybe we could hear an annoucement made by the developers soon.

There's a sign on site which indicates that the Highgate site is going to auction. Which is probably good news, hopefully the new buyer will have what it takes to actually make it happen.

http://i3.tinypic.com/262l7xi.jpg

Notice the render! Apparentely it's been completely redesigned. I think it looks much better than the original. Check it out:

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/1835/highgatenewpm1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Hey that looks pretty good, i like the roof feature. :yes: Would be nice to see it built. It could happen still, hopefully.

That render is so awesome, hopefully it still goes ahead, its much better than the piece of crap we called the old render. So much better in design, so awesome.

That new building has a lot more character. I hated the old one.

Found this on the listing for 222 Sturt on the Elders website (http://www.elders.com.au/branch/listing/listing.php?realist_id=229942&branch_id=1062). Check it out! Not often we see a skyline render for projects in Townsville.

http://www.elders.com.au/listing_images/1062/229942_3_l.jpg

Fark yeah!!! :D Build it & they will come............... Or something........:lol:

i dont like the design, although it is better than the last one.

I love the skyline render. Add T1 x2, Dalgety, Altitude, Gateway, new hotel by the river, Riva, ect. :)

If only we had more skyline renders, maybe someone could make a skyline render incorporating all the projects etc.

What ever happened to this project???when are they lookin to start??

^^Short answer is they AREN'T looking to start. I think this is a development was was only ever intended to exist on paper. Although if thats the case who redesigned it and why? The site didn't sell at auction and now its been on the market for the best part of a year.

Found a page about the original design, the architect was McCallum & Partners (http://www.maccallum.com.au/design_type/Units%20&%20Apartments/222%20Sturt%20Street/222_sturt_street.php)

http://www.maccallum.com.au/design_type/Units%20&%20Apartments/222%20Sturt%20Street/001222_sturt_street.jpg

Damm that would of been a good 1 to, another 20 story skyscraper in the cbd or so

Give it time, it's still a good location. I don't know if Townsville would have the capacity to be buildind another 20 story building right now. :) But once these other projects are finished, maybe then.

Is that lot still available? I think the lots sold now or something, I really liked the looks of highgate to, Damm! I dont think well be hearing much from the developers of Highgate anytime soon :ohno:

http://i3.tinypic.com/262l7xi.jpg

This massive tower is absoloutley full steam ahead iam sure of it, The Commecial realestate has this tower stating that in need tenaccies, and I was working on a door jam in the city at the cop shop today and noticed about 50 workers excavating the site, I sure hope its true, amazing tower check it out :D.

http://i25.tinypic.com/1zgakvb.jpg

^^ Actually, to be honest, I really dislike the design of this one. There's no consistency of form, and it's just a mish-mash of colours. Much prefer the new Outrigger proposal.

^^ I think the colours could be better, but design wise, i think it looks pretty good.

This massive tower is absoloutley full steam ahead iam sure of it, The Commecial realestate has this tower stating that in need tenaccies, and I was working on a door jam in the city at the cop shop today and noticed about 50 workers excavating the site, I sure hope its true, amazing tower check it out :D.Are you serious??!! I'll be pissed if you're making this up. So you're saying that excavation of the site has begun? That is fantastic news. Although when you say there were 50 workers excavating the site I find myself picturing, like...a chain gain toiling away with picks and shovels or something :) I assume it was excavators doing the work?

:banana: :carrot: :banana:

^^ Take a picture, i definetly wont be going into the city today.

There were Baco's leveling the site and iam not lying maybe they could be preping the site Iam not sure but iam in the city on Thursday all day an am going to take heaps of photos so I will take some then, Iam not lying iam deadly serious there were bobcats and baco's leveling the sight thats why I jumped on the internet to see if I could find out more info and to my sucess I did with the Commercial realestate thats how I got the render, Trust me I wouldnt be lying it was exciting to see it yesterday and the tower is still apart of the city masterplan so wouldnt that give clues that this towers is still going ahead? after all its been 2-3 years now?

I'm in the city today so I will confirm on my way home. Great news if something has started.

Sweet, I don't think there are any basement levels (all the parking is in the podium) - so we wouldn't expect full excavation, just site preparation as Sean described.

^^ Take a picture, i definetly wont be going into the city today.Yeh I know I said I would, but I'm not going to make it into the city today either. Definately tomorrow (I hope :))

What is the address for this site?

Come thursday Oriolus we might meet up and have a coffee on Palmer street :) jks but Iam taking a heap of development photos on Thursday so if there not working on highgate tommorow they should be on thursday :).

I'm wondering if those workers were just improving the parking lot after recent rain????

I doubt it, it looked pretty seriously, No joke iam not yanking your dick there was a surveyor there aswell, But as I said they were clearing the lot. Besides the car parks as Rayv mentioned are next to the Highgate site? Well thats were I saw them [The cars]:D.

And besides its been a few weeks since we have seen the wet [I can see the grass going brown :)] So thats deffently and indercation that the ground is deffently deffently ready for prepration.

There were Baco's leveling the site and iam not lying maybe they could be preping the site Iam not sure but iam in the city on Thursday all day an am going to take heaps of photos so I will take some then, Iam not lying iam deadly serious there were bobcats and baco's leveling the sight thats why I jumped on the internet to see if I could find out more info and to my sucess I did with the Commercial realestate thats how I got the render, Trust me I wouldnt be lying it was exciting to see it yesterday and the tower is still apart of the city masterplan so wouldnt that give clues that this towers is still going ahead? after all its been 2-3 years now?
Lol, i was wondering WTF is a baco? I think backhoe is the word you're looking for.

:)

I'm wondering if those workers were just improving the parking lot after recent rain????Hmm, yeh that sounds like a more likely scenario to me. Is the For Sale sign still up? If so, maybe they're going to make a sealed carpark for guests of the Central City Motel (owned by the same company as was proposing Highgate AFAIK), cause having them just use a vacant gravel lot is a bit dodgy. I don't think we can be sure its Highgate until they bring in the pile drivers and drilling rigs.

You would have to wonder why they need so many guys to do such a small job though? Still, like you said Oriolus, i'll believe it's underway when the piling rig etc are on site & working.

Well I was in the city this morning and guess what guys...not a single grain of dirt has been disturbed at the Highgate site. It does look as though they've laid some compacted gravel on the front section of the old Wintergarden site though, and a sign on the fence from CMC says it is a temporary carpark for tennants of Walker House (while Altitude is UC). There is also a bit of minor contruction work at the rear of the police station. So Sean, unfortunately you were mistaken and Highgate is definately not proceeding :(

There is also a bit of minor contruction work at the rear of the police station.
Thats were I was when I saw the all the action unfold, BTW I was working in the police station today should of droped in Oriolus believe or not the police station is like four stories underground :). Yeah thats how I seen all the work happen on monday and I did see the city hotel sign saying this is carparks for the tennants so maybe they were just putting gravel for the carparks for the guests.

A new sign at Highgate and a new render :D:

http://i27.tinypic.com/24xgi06.jpg

http://i26.tinypic.com/oclyo.jpg

http://i25.tinypic.com/30dle90.jpg

^^ That is unfortunetly the original render done up by McCallum and Partners.