Wintergarden demolition to pave way for new CBD tower and laneway

Plans to strip away the Wintergarden’s landmark butterfly facade and remake parts of the Queen Street Mall have evolved into a much larger proposal that would effectively redevelop half a city block in the heart of Brisbane.

IFM Investors lodged a proposal for the redevelopment of the Wintergarden and Intercontinental Hotel – formerly the Hilton – in June.

Last week, IFM submitted an adjacent development application to Brisbane City Council – the “150 Elizabeth Precinct” – which would include two towers and a new “Regent Lane” beside the former theatre.

The proposal would replace the existing Wintergarden shopping centre with a six-storey retail podium topped by a 45-storey hotel, residential tower and a 16-storey office tower.

The vacant lot on Elizabeth Street behind the Regent building would accommodate the proposed podium and 45-storey hotel and residential tower, which would rise to a height of just under 182 metres, built atop a six-storey podium.

Adjacent to the accommodation tower would be the new 95-metre commercial tower with almost 25,000 square metres of office space above the podium. There would also be 7384 square metres of retail space.

In Place Design Group’s planning report, submitted to the council on IFM’s behalf, senior planner Jessica Pitcher says the proposal represented a major regeneration project for Brisbane’s CBD.

“The development capitalises on the site’s location and access to social and transport infrastructure whilst providing significant urban regeneration to effectively half a city block,” Pitcher says.

The development would require the Wintergarden’s demolition, but Pitcher says retail would not be lost to the site.

“A new six-storey podium fronting both Queen Street and Elizabeth Street will accommodate two levels of retail designed to reflect a shopping arcade layout,” she says.

“Land uses are intended to be interchangeable throughout all tenancies, however, [they] are expected to primarily comprise shop and food and drink outlet uses.”

The precinct would retain what was left of the heritage-listed Regent Building, a former theatre that was controversially gutted early last decade, and no building work was proposed for the remaining structure.

“The hotel and residential tower will benefit from dual access from both Queen Street and Elizabeth Street,” Pitcher says in the assessment report.

“The Grand Regent Heritage Building foyer will serve as the distinguished lobby entrance from Queen Street, creating an elegant arrival experience that blends historic character with contemporary architectural design.”

The plans would transform Elizabeth Street by removing the existing Wintergarden car park ramps, introducing new retail frontages and creating a new pedestrian connection linking Queen Street Mall and Elizabeth Street through the site.

“The development will significantly improve the pedestrian experience along the northern side of Elizabeth Street and encourage greater pedestrian connectivity to Queen Street Mall through a new cross-block link,” Pitcher says in the report.

The hotel would have 240 rooms, with 24 rooms on each floor across levels six to 15. The residential component of the tower would include 290 units – 154 with two bedrooms, 132 with three and four with four bedrooms.

Comment was sought from IFM.

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