Grocon is going to be busy in Queensland. They are due to start constructing Brisbane's 80 story Vision Tower, and now the 77 story Soul Tower on the Gold Coast. From the Gold Coast Bulletin;

Tower specialist gets nod for Soul

23Mar07

SURFERS Paradise is finally getting a body for its Soul.

After months of speculation, construction on the $850 million beachfront skyscraper will begin next week.

Yesterday, Juniper Group announced privately-owned construction company Grocon would build the extravagant skyscraper. Juniper Group managing director Shaun Juniper said work on the mixed-use development would start with the excavation of the northern side of the 8690sqm beachfront site.

Following this, the tired-looking Raptis Plaza would be demolished in June this year, he said.

Completion is scheduled for 2010.

Mr Juniper said the company chose Grocon because it was experienced in building tall towers.

They built the $500 million, 92-storey Eureka Tower in Melbourne, which, coincidentally, it tried to claim as the world's tallest residential building, above our 78-storey Q1 building.

However, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat -- the independent body that rates heights of global buildings -- ranks the 322.5m Gold Coast icon not only the world's tallest residential building, but the 20th tallest structure in world.

Eureka came in at 35th.

As well as the Soul development, which is 77 storeys high, Juniper Group is footing the bill for a streetscape facelift, approved by and part of the Gold Coast City Council's master foreshore plan.

It will be finished the same time as Soul.

"Grocon is Australia's leading private construction company and development company in relation to tall towers and certainly they're experienced throughout Australia and overseas," said Mr Juniper.

"It is exciting for us to have a private development company and to (see) Grocon into Queensland for the first time is exciting as well.

"To have such an iconic project, and with the completion of two or three other ones recently, it cements (the Coast) as the leading tourist destination in Australia.

"We are very excited about not only a world-class project but the interface between the mall and the beach as well.

"Not only have you got an $850 million investment but the public get to enjoy it as well (with the redevelopment of the streetscape)."

Mr Juniper said starting construction always would be a lengthy process.

Daniel Grollo, CEO of Grocon, said this would be the group's first foray into Queensland.

"We are ecstatic. Our team has been on the ground here for the last six months, so to finally get things moving is a terrific achievement," he said.

"To get such a great building, one of Australia's tallest buildings, an iconic building and a great piece of architecture so close to the foreshore, an important location, we're thrilled."

The group also boasts building Melbourne's Crown Casino and Rialto Towers, and Cove Apartments in Sydney's historic Rocks district.

He said Grocon would use a handful of its own expert staff and would employ more than 350 locals to build Soul.

Soul made headlines last year after a mystery Brisbane businessman bought the penthouse for an unconditional $16.75 million.

Mr Juniper said they had sold 'in excess' of 50 per cent, with many of the buyers from New Zealand.

"The sales have been outstanding every day. We had great success over Christmas and they continue every day."

Grocon would be the undisputed leader in high rise construction in this country. Not surprising they get these gigs. Amusing that the Bulletin could help themselves but take a swipe at Melbourne!

^^Yeah, it's kinda funny. The AGE, The Courier Mail and the SMH all do it though, (be to it different extents though)

Grocon would be the undisputed leader in high rise construction in this country. Not surprising they get these gigs. Amusing that the Bulletin could help themselves but take a swipe at Melbourne!

Yeah well, this is the Gold Coast Bulletin - complete shit newspaper.

They built the $500 million, 92-storey Eureka Tower in Melbourne, which, coincidentally, it tried to claim as the world's tallest residential building, above our 78-storey Q1 building.




Didn't the reporter with these statistics (92 vs 78) in front of them at least stop and ask themselves "why" they "tried to claim" this title? :lol:

Grocon would be the undisputed leader in high rise construction in this country. Not surprising they get these gigs. Amusing that the Bulletin could help themselves but take a swipe at Melbourne!

i think Multiplex is no1. i hardly see grocon jobs but everywhere you look you see Multiplex!
grocon has built a couple of jobs in sydney recently and couple in melb, but multiplex have many. good to see grocon venturing up to QLD .
Soul should be an exceptional highrise when completed, as with Vision too!

Yeah well, this is the Gold Coast Bulletin - complete shit newspaper.

Basically a tabloid filled with hype-mongering, frivolity with the occasional bit of real news thrown in.

i think Multiplex is no1. i hardly see grocon jobs but everywhere you look you see Multiplex!
grocon has built a couple of jobs in sydney recently and couple in melb, but multiplex have many. good to see grocon venturing up to QLD .
Soul should be an exceptional highrise when completed, as with Vision too!

Mpx may have more jobs, but grollo's certainly go after the the one's worth doing.

I am not in Daniel son's fan club one little bit, but fact is fact.

Mpx may have more jobs, but grollo's certainly go after the the one's worth doing.

I am not in Daniel son's fan club one little bit, but fact is fact.

Perhaps in Aus that would be true. Multiplex peeve me off, they do SFA in Perth or for Perth.

Mpx may have more jobs, but grollo's certainly go after the the one's worth doing.

I am not in Daniel son's fan club one little bit, but fact is fact.
maybe Grollo just do the BIG ones. they built World Tower and GPT. also Eureka and 120 collins and of course rialto. now Vison in bris and Soul in GC. not a bad resume!

Grocon basically built Melbourne's CBD.

I wonder why there building out of melbourne now? more action elsewhere?
but aernt they doing CUB site? but i think its healthy if they go interstate.especially enemy territory -NEQ. lol

There welcome in WA. I know they tried for 140 William street. Smaller players are making a killing and large companies are to chicken shite to do anything in WA.

I wonder why there building out of melbourne now? more action elsewhere?
but aernt they doing CUB site? but i think its healthy if they go interstate.especially enemy territory -NEQ. lol

Money of course ;). They have certainly grown enough for it, and have the reputation... so capitalise on it!

Stu

grollo's are in Dubai, have been for 4 years that i know of......

Mr Juniper said they had sold 'in excess' of 50 per cent, with many of the buyers from New Zealand.

Are a lot of New Zealanders moving there(Gold Coast), or are they mostly buying as investments or holiday homes?

grollo's are in Dubai, have been for 4 years that i know of......

GROCON were involved on the construction of the 333 meter tall Rose Rotana Hotel, they are involved on the construction of the 414 meter tall Princess Tower, and will be involved on the construction of the reportedly 1200 meter tall AL Burj.

World's Tallest Hotel
World's Tallest Residential Tower to be
World's Tallest Building to be

Multiplex didn't get the main contract for Burj Dubai, but they did the raft foundation.

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m173/soulvisionQ2/groconLarge.jpg

cranes going to drive themselves???????

what a load of hot croc. what jobs have they got coming up down here??? carpenters, steelies, concretors, doggies will all be in grey overalls as well.

Or will Grollo for the first time rely on subbies. That's what the ad sort of says.

Prehaps those positions they have advertised are more difficult to fill in QLD while there are plenty of capenters/etc they can hire easily?

Prehaps those positions they have advertised are more difficult to fill in QLD while there are plenty of capenters/etc they can hire easily?

Hire easily as sub-contractors yes, perhaps, didn't I just say that......:nuts:

Oh no... not more architectural bling

Oh no, not here too lol

Anyway, great to see Grocon on the move north. Couldn't get better. :cheer:

Oh no, not here too lol

Yep:)

Now, will Grocon take several years to complete this tower just like Eurkea?

Now, will Grocon take several years to complete this tower just like Eurkea?

yeah i think they can finish this one inside a few months ya clown. :nuts: :bash:

it's an 800 ft building. of course it'll take several years to build.

yeah i think they can finish this one inside a few months ya clown. :nuts: :bash:

it's an 800 ft building. of course it'll take several years to build.

How the fuck can you justify taking more than 4 years to build Eureka Tower? From strikes to union face-slapping....just like back in the 19th Century Eureka stockade eh?
It's embarrasing how long it took compared to other buildings in similar height around the world.
Now where's the observation deck?

Let's hope the saga doesn't get repeated up North!

^^Totally agree with you Miliux, Eureka took ages!!

Twice as slow as it should have been. Melbourne is a Union strong hold so we shall see what happens in QLD. Generally on a company base.

Tell me what Union stoppages there where at Eureka?

Would you rather a 24/7 building site like Dubai??? $2 per day and fuck the people trying to sleep next door??

And the observation Deck not being completed is a Union problem how??? Those engineers are just so clever, they have everything ready all the time.

It really is amazing that these kinds of things don't build themselves.

Before you jump up and down you need to learn how to walk you two. Give it a try............

Tell me what Union stoppages there where at Eureka?


http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2002/s741846.htm

Here you go. Straight from the mouth of Daniel Grollo

Even if Melbourne is (or was) a union stronghold, any agreements signed with Grocon will be effective throughout the entire nation. Unions will not allow workers in Victoria for example to work a 36 hour week while workers for the same company in Brisbane have different conditions. At least that's my understanding.

Well from my memory and from the point of view of a union member, straight from the mouth of me; learn what you are on about....

That was not a union forced or encouraged stoppage. The employees of Grocon were presented with a new form of AWA before we knew what they were, which they chose to refuse to work with. Every blue blooded builders hero Daniel son could have made a hard choice then. Now that you re-dredge all of this, this was well before Work Choices but it smells very much the same, interesting hey?

He could have sacked the lot and started again. But he chose not to. Where do you find 3000 men overnight with the experience to build a Eureka tower, a QV and a MCG? He chose to pay the men what they were worth.

He wanted to take away everything that his father and his fathers employees had worked towards. I am old enough to remember the blokes that used to work for Grollo's were always going to work for Grollo's, it was a job for life, and in this game buddy, no-one has a job for life.

And in your very fast and fact filled retort, you still have not named a Union stoppage at Eureka. There was one, but if you don't know, I'm not telling. Find it yourself......

The building union's in Melbourne are far from perfect. But I will not allow anyone to talk shit unless they are a turd. Get your facts straight and do not accuse all union members of being slow, lazy or embarrassing. That is offensive as me calling all metrosexuals Poofs.

And if you think you can build better for cheaper, don't be scared of telling everybody the grand sum of all your successful projects.

Even if Melbourne is (or was) a union stronghold, any agreements signed with Grocon will be effective throughout the entire nation. Unions will not allow workers in Victoria for example to work a 36 hour week while workers for the same company in Brisbane have different conditions. At least that's my understanding.


Tyson, the above example that you have give given is good, except it is factually wrong. Since ever, workers in each state have often been payed different rates, on different weekly hourly awards, for the same trade within the same company.

When Melbourne first went to a 36hr week, the shopping centre jobs went first. Three years later it went all 36hrs. It was at least another 3 years before Qld went to 36hr week. So a dogman on a Baulderstone crane on the gold coast was on a different hourly rate, significant differences in site allowances for projects of the same value and a different rate of hours in Normal time than a dogman on a crane in melbourne.

This is still the case today except for the 36/38 hr bit. (which only applies to major EBA's anyway) A crane operator working for the largest crane company in Australia could expect at least $20 an hour differences throughout Australia, depending on what state, site and size crane.

Sounds queer hey?

Good on ya favco! People seem to forget that it's the guy with the hammer -not the developer in the suit - that builds our wonderful cities.

Favco, I thought that when Grocon signed the agreement with the unions back in 2000 or whenever it was, wasn't it applicable to all Grocon work done in all states? I don't mean that as being what state legislation required but simply because Grocon could and chose to?

To my knowledge, and in Grollo stuff it is only hearsay, the state differences would not have been the same. Unless grocon had picked the lowest state award and offered that across the board?

That would equate to a very significant drop in take home pay to a melbourne based person. Majority of grollo's work then was Melb based.....
It would be interseting to hear from any previous or current Grocon employees. Hint Hint brother Sako.......

Thanks Gappa, but the guys with the hammers are usually glorified wood butchers hey. Bloody chippies ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha :)

sept2001
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/1047/sept20015or.jpg

structurally/cladiing complete
*****2006
http://www.files.bz/files/5337/last.jpg

official opening late 2006?
*****2007-ob deck opens (6 years after starting)

5 years to build something like that is a joke. They didn't even have to dig much of a basement which usually takes ages. I'd like to have a look at the original construction program that Grocon signed up to.

SOUL has started!!
pic by deejayt yesteray

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w127/djt99/Soul3-resizedsmall-1.jpg

Good on ya favco! People seem to forget that it's the guy with the hammer -not the developer in the suit - that builds our wonderful cities.
That guy with the hammer wouldn't have a job if it wasn't for the guy in the suit.

:banana:

Woohoo, it's about time sould started. The race is on!!!!!!!!

I saw the construction site the other day, they had some piles in but other than that there was nothing in there except one of those big diggers

This is dragging back something old, but why are all you people only mentioning Eureka when other projects like QV and the MCG did better in scheduling? It could have been a case of moving workers over to more important projects where they have deadlines to meet, compared to Eureka where Grocon were also the developers.

Compared to the MCG and QV, Eureka's only public component, the observation deck, wouldn't be very important especially to those who don't live in skyscraper forums. It's a lot different to the Rialto, which was constructed by the same company in record time, but was the only major skyscraper project at the time.

yes,old threads are sometimes useless to bring back up. considering theres a construction thread. anyway heres todays pic by dj
hole is getting close to max depth of 11m.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w127/djt99/DSC00564-small.jpg

im just happy to see it underway
for a sec ther i thaught they were never going to start it

cant wait to see it rise

Construction commencement was on again, off again. I was sure it would be well under construction as CoC topped-out, but this wasn't to be.

Better late than eh? A new tall to watch grow on the GC.

nice render in todays telegraph
http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/331/sooulrendervb2.jpg

Not a great angle that one, looks very 70's gold coast.

doesnt matter. its 250m high. it can look 70s gold coast for all i care/ /lol

doesnt matter. its 250m high. it can look 70s gold coast for all i care/ /lol

Thats not a great view. Something that tall in that location is going to be prominant item from most views. As such it should look great from those views

was kidding. it will spectacular from all angles.

hi all

grollo's are in Dubai, have been for 4 years that i know of......

7 jobs on the go

last week pic of SOUL site
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3136/2715014305_faa83a8b3b_b.jpg

abc posted this in oracles thread. amazing. hope they keep cam there for rest of construction
http://www.grocon.com.au/upload/Oracle_08JUNE.wmv

from todays fin rev.
SOUL PROJECT BEGINS
GC Based Juniper Group began construction of 77 level Soul at Surfers.
The first stage is a $100mil retail precinct.
The $850mil Soul Tower has recorded more then $425mil in sales!

about time. tower crane should appear soon and lots of concrete trucks!

more good news.

Soul attraction - Concrete flows on Grocon's 77-storey project in Surfers
Phil Bartsch

WHILE its debut on the Brisbane skyline is in limbo, Melbourne-based builder Grocon's other supertower project has begun to soar on the Gold Coast.

Concrete is flowing on the Surfers Paradise esplanade where Grocon has the contract to construct the Juniper Group's 77-storey Soul tower.

Grocon's Queensland general manager Neill Baxter said the mega project was only a few weeks away from emerging from the ground.

``By mid-April it will be coming out of the ground at street level,'' Mr Baxter said. ``And by the end of May we'll be up to level 4.''

He said the centre core had been completed to basement level 1 and the installation of the remaining jump form system that will take the centre walls to the structure's 243m pinnacle was under way.

Grocon is using the same building system it used on its landmark 297m, 91-storey Eureka Tower in Melbourne, enabling it to build two storeys at a time.

The project is scheduled to hit level 40 by August 2010 and reach its peak by April 2011.

Soul's retail precinct comprising 7500sq m of space on the lower levels fronting The Esplanade and Cavill Mall is due to open in April 2010.

Mr Baxter said unlike Grocon's other large-scale entry into Queensland -- Austcorp's mothballed $1 billion, 79-level Vision tower -- construction of Soul had not be impacted by the economic downturn.

``In this current environment, there's an awful lot of rumours about the industry and everybody does wonder whether or not there's going to be an issue,'' he said.

``But I can assure you the job is fully funded, we're on schedule and we'll hit our contract dates for completion.''

Of its 288 apartments, 186 have been pre-sold -- almost 70 per cent.

Mr Baxter said that although the stalled Vision project had been a disappointing blow for Grocon, the company's commitment to southeast Queensland had not faltered.

``We're here for the long term,'' he said. Grocon is also currently building the $750 million twin tower project Oracle at Broadbeach for local developer Niecon.
__________________

Thought I would dig this thread up so we can post some shots of the finished thing:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7280/7484981380_b7393ccb27_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22402633@N06/7484981380/sizes/l/in/photostream/
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8433/7500091436_d8a9cf1523_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sebastian_vega/7500091436/sizes/l/in/photostream/
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8422/7499719708_58a3782ffc_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaworldwhalewatch/7499719708/sizes/l/in/photostream/

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7131/7546711358_6c5bb77e8a_h.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/roystan/7546711358/sizes/h/in/photostream/
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8433/7539931372_7f27a39470_h.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80952228@N06/7539931372/sizes/h/in/photostream/
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7257/7541529228_64ca683545_h.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/camcleod77/7541529228/sizes/h/in/photostream/
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7246/7534719364_7ef5a5ea21_h.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelwoodphoto/7534719364/sizes/h/in/photostream/