A proposal to redevelop a vacant block of land on 68 Vulture Street, West End has been submitted to council.
The project, known as ‘Three Lanes West End’ will see a new public plaza, shops, offices, or restaurants on the ground and first floors and a small amount of residential apartments three levels above.
Three Lanes has has been carefully designed with a myriad of key urban design principals in mind. The project has been described in the DA as ‘a local-centric urban development that adds to community life in the heart of West End’.
The proposal presents the opportunity to extend the vibrant activity that forms ‘West End’ from Boundary Street onto the site, crating a new hotspot and activated publicly accessible landmark space.
There are many offerings within Three Lanes which appeal to a broad range of interests. Vibrant retail and commercial spaces bleed out into open air and covered plazas, bustling with life.
Rooted in the tradition of the public fora as gathering place; the stage for conversation and performance, the tiered plazas provide flexibility of use for businesses and the visiting public.
Overhead, the Light Box structure presents an opportunity for artistic expression and curation which can be fed by surrounding art galleries. It projects into the night sky as a beacon, visible from any approach.
This key West End site has sat vacant as an unpaved dirt carpark for over a decade.
The project has been proposed by Peter & Sam Hadjipetrou and designed by architect and urban design firm Thomson Adsett.
Surprisingly, unlike Brisbane’s 80 level ‘code assessable’ Infinity Tower, this DA falls into the planning category of ‘impact assessable’, which means that it is open to public submissions.
However despite this being impact assessable, the proposal contains a meticulous amount of planning and quality urban design principals that will no doubt aid in community consultation and any objections that may arise from the usually change adverse West End community.
To read more about this publicly available development application, visit PDOnline.
Images from the Brisbane City Council’s Planning and Development Online.
anyone would complain about this development deserve a slap on the face,its a vacant car park and the project is so wonderful for West End
As a planner, I understand, and laugh/get laughed at, how much of a moving target planning scheme approval can be. I haven’t read the DA yet, but the article suggested that some serious thought had been put inot this project, let us hope it can clear the hurdles.
I agree with Magic and viv. The mixed messages from dg really do underestimate the positive attributes of the proposal.
I found the three lanes – a very ingenious urban design as well as a catchy name.
I was impressed with the amount of detail submitted to BCC – see pdonline.
The Town Planners Executive Summary says (in part):
The proposed development is a five storey mixed use development, with two levels of commercial activities, and three levels of residential units (19 units). The proposal adds to the pleasant pedestrian experience through active frontages, awnings and streetscape improvements to Vulture Street. This is achieved through an outstanding architecturally designed building which provides for a dynamic new form of open space in the form of a Plaza. As the whole precinct is intended to continue to be the heart of South Brisbane Riverside the subject proposal will add to the vitality and diversity of the precinct.
The proposed development will be called ‘Three Lanes’ reflective of the activated ‘lane’ spaces created by the new urban spaces and activated street frontages.
The urban plaza provided, at 389m2 (41% of the site area) provides a new open space that is a best fit for West End in that:
– It provides activated and vibrant, safe, sheltered space;
– It allows for multiple uses/functions; and
– It provides a platform for cultural expression and community interaction.
The provision of the plaza has reduced the building footprint and extent of commercial tenancies that would otherwise have been expected to the street at ground level. This has been compensated in the development by non-residential tenancies being provided at the first floor level, which has the added benefit of activating the level of Army Street towards the northern end of the site, so that active uses are provided to all of the entire street frontages (including Army Street at a higher level) and to the proposed plaza. This is consistent with the approach of the proposal to provide an activated ‘lane’ enhancing the public open space outcome.
I’m looking forward to experiencing the numerous benefits that three lanes will provide. West End needs a revolutionary design to spark the precinct to keep up with the rapidly changing South Bank retail precinct. I like the open space area that caters to West End’s multi-cultural demographic. The name is smart and rolls off the tongue as well. Love it! Hope it goes through!
You had me up until i saw the giant powderfinger album cover.
news out of the blue-City Council has decided to follow through on their expressed intent in the Local Area Plan to use this site to create greenspace.
Those in the neighbourhood long enough know the contentious circumstances involving the site, especially the building that was here before the carpark
Looks amazing and what west end needs. It s an innovative design which fits in with West End’s eclectic style.
This sounds and looks exactly what the run down ‘West End’ needs.
Brisbane is growing in every way and I believe more projects such as this need to be proposed around the inner city region.
Sounds exciting!
Looks like a great attraction for West End.
With the plans that I can see, this architectual design will bring a wow factor to the area and west ends economy.
I think it will be locally greatly appreciated.
This looks like a very appropriate use of this space; mixed-use, urban and arty. Reading some of other people’s comments, I agree, this area is run down. I’m a long-term resident of West End [since 1986, so I have witnessed a lot of change] and I am often dismayed that the area is so underdeveloped, particularly when there is a vacant block of land used as a car park for years, in need of development!
Go for it! Create a memorable landmark while you’re at it!
Looking at the detailed information layed out for this development, The Three Lanes project looks set to be a major meeting point for young and old.
West End is in need for something special to bring a spark of activity through this contemporary design with a touch of artistic flair. A place that presents itself to welcoming the community in a social or business sense.
As someone who often does business in West End , this project most definitely looks to be an asset to the community and to West End as a diverse and thriving meeting hub.
Hope this project goes ahead, look forward to visiting it in the future!
Wow, what an exciting project! Three Lanes looks to be a positive addition to an already cultural suburb. As someonbusinesas grown up in West End and still visits parents there on a regular basis, shops and socializes in West End I am very excited to see this project come to fruition.
West End can do with the added help in revitalizing a tired suburb in need of a new and inviting meeting place, busines and residential place.
The alternative of using this land as a park, however positively intended, seems a little pointless as we have the beautiful Orleigh Park within a short distance. I would much rather enjoy the position of Orleigh Park with its beautiful surroundings than a park created as an after thought in the middle of two main roads and heavy traffic! As a mum…..maybe a little unsafe for young ones who may be a little unpredictable at times.
Congratulations to the owner/ developers of this project on a thoughtful investment not just for yourselves but for the community and West End as a thriving addition to our city. Good luck!!
I have looked at this derelict site a few times and it is sadly in need of development as are many of the adjacent sites and shops.
Building a park on such a small site would not add to the ambience of West End.
West End is culturally different from most of the rest of the city and it is a wonderful living environment, but it remains in the sixties – Brisbane has changed rapidly in the past twenty or so years, but due to the lack of development, West End has been left behind and has become something of a backwater.
A development such as Three Lanes will be a catalyst for new activity in West End and a boost to property values and to the general amenity of the area
I like the look of it – and as I have just bought off the plan at Glass Factory any other development that extends Boundary Road up to Vulture Street and invigorates the fab small businesses in the location (Jet Black Cat Records etc) is fine by me – just don’t shine your light box into my Vulture Street facing apartment please. Agree that a park of that size would be of little value in that location – Musgrave Park and Highgate Hill Park are both amazing locations within walking distance of West End and offer amenities and views that could never be matched by a ‘handkerchief sized green space’- try some street scaping and shade trees for the hot days to walk around this area BCC
While the proposed development looks ok, I don’t think anyone will be swayed by the developer and mates comments above.
To say the site is too small for a park is silly and betrays commentator’s true colours. Have you been to Paris, to London, even inner Sydney? In these places delightful small parks are beloved by the local communities. A park here is exactly what downtown West End needs – a hub for locals and visitors to recreate in a non-commercial public space.
Give me this park any day over a transplanted James St.