My Developments

The Brisbane Riverside Centre

In terms familiar to the development industry, this development is noted as a "Keynote Building".

Is is a "Keynote Building" because its creation signified a major turning point in the commercial life of the City of Brisbane.

No one organisation had ever spent $400 million on a single commercial development in the history of the city. The Riverside Centre broke the mold in thinking of financial institutions in Australia.

I delivered Brisbane from Branch Office Status to another level and almost immediately thr starters gun sounded the arrival of the $600 million Myer Centre; the $400 million Stage One of Central Plaza; to be followed by Stage Two; the distinctive $300 million Waterfront Place and a wide range of successful buildings to follow.

Prior to The Brisbane Riverside Centre the largest commercial building cost approximately $100 million.

The Brisbane Sheraton International Hotel

The Brisbane Sheraton is significent for a two main reasons.

• It was Brisbane's first 5 Star International Hotel.
• It was the first building of any kind to be constructed in the "Air-Space" above a railway station and in particular, above the Brisbane's Central Railway Statiion.

Maintaining full railways services in such a busy centre was challenging.

The development of the Brisbane Sheraton, the First International Hotel, was a further boost to the City's confidence in itself as a major commercial centre. 

Silverton Place

Silverton Place was the first major Strata Title Commercial Building in Brisbane City.

It was well established that the State of Queensland's South East corner had been built on the back of the Strata Title Apartment. With particular emphasis on the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and select parts of Brisbane.

With such an acceptance of strata title for apartment ownership, it was interesting to me, why this form of ownership was not offered to commercial office real estate.

So the question was, "would the market respond successfully to suchj an offering?"

Another consideration I had was that all my competitors were building major commercial offices for lease.

So by taking the Strata Title option I was creating a unique marketing niche with no competitors - I had the market to myself.

Another innovation was the creation of a 'recreational roof.' Never before seen in Brisbane, this entire roof area of 6,000 sq. feet, was covered in synthetic Tennis Grass.

Being Strata Title all owners had access to the roof and it became popular as a client entertaining area after hours, as well as a serene staff lunch area with the addition of some outdoor furniture. Several other projects followed this example and so the Roof Scape of Brisbane's commercial buildings became more aesthetically pleasing.

Silverton Place sold 'like hot cakes' and as a result I developed the following two buildings.

STC House has now been renamed Millhouse IAG Square and is constructed on a three street island site, two of which are Queen Street and Adelaide Street.

Of passing interest I had originally named it "Queen Adelaide Place" but when STC Corporation wanted naming rights to the building, poor old Queen Adelaide went out the window - such is commecial life.

Receiving the Building Owners & Manager's Award from the Queensland Premier.

This octagonal building tower was the perfect design solution to a unique island site.

We alos included a new innovation on the market. A "First" for a commercial building - we incorporated external window blinds that were electrically operated by the office occupants for their personal comfort from the sun.

Being externally mounted the blinds prevented the sun from entering the internal office space thereby producing a major cost saving on air-conditioning running costs.

NorthPoint Brisbane

This was the last of my Trilogy of Strata Title commercial office buildings.

It was developed under a Joint Venture Agreement with the owner of the property - The Queensland Police Credit Union.

As my readers know, I am reluctant to enter into Joint Ventures, however in this case there were several key points that made me do it.

1. The property was in a top location on the Brisbane River, with views along two Reaches.
2. The site was a corner location and an office tower would possess a dominant presence.
3. The partners, when I first approached then, could state clearly what they wanted to achieve from the site. (A client or partner who know what they want is the best partner.)
4. We both had a realistic attitude to the land value.

The building also incorporated a roof garden along the same line I used for Silverton Place (mentioned above) and a wonderful Podium for exclusive use of the Police Credit Union.

Surfers Horizons

Surfer Horizons is located at Palm Beach on Queensland's Gold Coast whose famous City is named Surfers Paradise and is about hour's drive south of Brisbane.

The development has thirty apartments over three levels and an underground car park.

It has an absolute 'beach frontage" which is a unique feature along this most desirable sea shore.

The Grosvenor Apartments

Location - location - location is this development's key feature. It would be hard to put the compass needle in a more central point of Surfers Paradise.

On the beach front with four sculptures balconies per level with N-E & S-E aspects, this building sold very well.

Indeed, the owners of apartments hold onto them for the long term, so resales in the building are rare. 

Waterways

Again located in central Surfers Paradise with a frontage to the serene Nerang River.

Waterways prime location is confirmed by being surrounded, in later years, by some of the Gold Coast's most prestiguous development.

Once again apartment owners tend to hold their apartments 'long term' and do not sell, as it would be very difficult to find a better location or apartments of such diamension in more modern buildings. 

Surfers Century

I was fortunate to acquire a latge three street frontage property in such a central location.

Unfortunately the phote has had to be cut back, however you can see the lovely gardens and recreational facilites available for the 140 apartment owners.

Fawkenor Centre

This 200,000 square foot commercial office building is located on the beautiful St. Kilda Road, Melbourne - a wide tree lined boulevarde, with electric trams plus six lanes for motor cars.

The development has two towers. The rear tower of 20 levels enjoys rear view to the gracious Fawkenor Park and the attached six story tower that fronts St. Kilda Road. 

The Mainline Building

Located at 434 St. Kilda Road, this development gave me my start in real estate development, and like all 'firsts' it holds a warm place in my heart.

It has two basemwents for car parking and six upper levels of office accommodation.

Happy Days.

Chateau Royale

We head north of Brisbane about an hour by car and arrive on the Sunshine Coast in the seaside town of Maroochydore.

The development has a three street frontage and so dominates the location and has great presence at street level.

I claim it as being the best floor design I have seen to date. It comprise of four apartments per level.

However, unlike the majority of developments, it offers the prospective owner a "real choice" from four totally different floor designs as well as four viewing aspects.

This benefit may not appear to be as significant to you, as it does to me. However, I want you to understand that most floor designs are whay we call a "mirror reflection" of each half divided at the elevator core.

This gives the buying customer only half the choice of apartment types.

From a marketing perspective, "choice is king." 

Giving Back

I have been a Guest Lecturer at both Bond University on the Gold Coast as well as Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane.

This free work allows me to communicate with the future development leaders.