Mirvac Unveils 32 Storey Commercial Tower for 80 Ann Street

Development group Mirvac has submitted a development application to build a 75,339sqm 32-storey commercial tower located at 80 Ann Street.

Designed by Woods Bagot, the commercial building would span one whole city block and plans to connect Turbot and Ann Streets via new cross block linkages.

Fronting Ann Street is the site of the former Brisbane Fruit Market which dates back to 1906 and was once declared Australia’s ‘cleanest’ fruit market, with 15,000 cases of fruit being sold per week.

The proposal seeks to pay tribute to the heritage of the site by creating ‘Market Place’ which would become a new heritage-inspired retail market featuring freestanding market pods located within the heritage structure.

The application provides flexibility for the upper ground level to become a health and wellness centre or possibly an innovation hub for smaller start-up businesses.

Also included in the design is a new public laneway known as ‘Market Lane’ which would house ten retail tenancies along the narrow space offering food and beverage opportunities.

Seven of the ten retail tenancies are planned to be very small ‘hole in the wall’ style shops with some tucked into vacant space around lift cores which, according to the development application will provide space for micro retail outlets or innovative pop-up brands.

Designed for a younger demographic, the finishes, colour, scale and texture of this sliver of building is connected to the masonry of the Turbot Street market building and the other heritage buildings in Lower Turbot / George Street.

A micro green park is planned for midway down the length of the lane which has the potential to include public art and green walls.

The other main cross block link is a large, wide atrium which is planned to provide an arrival zone for private vehicles, taxies and rideshare services and acts as the commercial building’s main lobby space.

Within the atrium, a large continuous digital and green wall plans to extend down the length of the lobby wall to provide a compelling events space in the city.

One can imagine sports events, the Brisbane Festival, TED talks and other broadcasts as well as potentially a curated arts program really activating this feature of the ground plane. ‘Open’ to the elements and finished in ‘public’ finishes this space is a public plaza within the CBD grid.

Project Rundown

• 75,339 sqm of commercial office space
• 1,098 sqm of retail space at the Turbot Street level, Ann Street level and Level 1
• 124 car spaces, including four motorcycle spaces
• 4,856 sqm (88% of the site area) of outdoor space at ground level and within the podium and tower
• End of trip facility at Turbot Street level and Level 1, including 514 bike spaces, 58 showers, bike washing area and 1164 lockers
• Retention of the masonry heritage building on Turbot Street, in accordance with the
  existing demolition approval over the site
• Permeable and active podium form, including landscaped terraces, public plaza at level
  1, retail spaces and co-working / multi-mode spaces
• Substantial public space at ground level, including new activated pedestrian connections
  between Ann Street and Turbot Street and substantial atrium and plaza space on Ann
  Street
• Vehicle access and arrival area off Turbot Street
• Commercial office tower which includes three-storey atriums and interconnecting floors,
  breathing floors and a function facility

In December 2016, Mirvac entered into a put and call option to buy the 3,690sqm Ann Street site from Singaporean developer Wee Hur Holdings. Under the terms of the agreement, Mirvac can terminate the agreement if a development approval or building tenant cannot be attained.

Wee Hur told the AFR that a bonus land payment would be awarded if the proposed building could achieve in excess of 55,000 square metres of office space.

Mirvac’s 80 Ann Street commercial proposal comes amid Suncorp’s rumoured shortlist of candidates for its new national headquarters. According to industry sources, Suncorp has shortlisted Mirvac’s 80 Ann Street, ISPT’s Regent Tower, Investa’s amalgamated site at 366, 370 and 380 Queen St, QIC’s 62 Mary Street and MPG’s 143 Turbot Street.

If approved, the development would require the demolition of the Primary Industries building, an 8-storey low rise building on Ann Street.

The new DA supersedes an application made in 2016 by Wee Hur to build a 38 storey, 918 room student accommodation tower.

The development application number for this project is A004855926.