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The owners of the famous Story Bridge Hotel have applied to build an illuminated tower across the road, pitching the development as a much-needed accommodation offering ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
Grant Park Holdings, owned by Story Bridge Hotel owner Richard Deery, has applied to build two towers opposite the historic building at 215-229 Main Street, one of them three storeys above the allowed height.
Both would be constructed atop a two-level podium, with the two residential towers at each end of the site. Forty-one hotel rooms would be contained within the podium levels.
The Deery family plans to build two towers opposite their Story Bridge Hotel, including an illuminated display.Credit: BCC
Designed by WallaceBrice Architecture, the standout feature would be an illuminated artwork, projected on the side of the planned 18-storey building from its eight-storey podium neighbour.
Professional services firm Colliers International found the light installation was “not expected to create an unacceptable level of driver distraction” for southbound motorists on the Story Bridge.
Illuminart founder Cindi Drennan said the projection would never be a repeated loop, but rather a real-time representation of environmental data, such as ocean and air currents, or temperature.
The Story Bridge Hotel, as seen from Main Street.Credit: Pandora Photography
It was believed to be the first “live data-responsive architecture” of its type in Brisbane.
“Both the Story Bridge and the Kangaroo Point Green Bridge now serve as major illuminated landmarks for the city, each contributing a signature visual expression at night,” Drennan said in a report submitted to Brisbane City Council.
“However, the stretch of river edge between them remains visually understated, creating a gap between two strong city identifiers.
“Introducing a live data-responsive architectural element at podium level provides an elegant opportunity to create continuity between these two lighting landmarks.
The proposed development seen from Main Street’s pedestrian level.Credit: BCC
“Rather than filling the space with colour or spectacle, the vertical blade offers a subtle gesture that reflects the behaviour of the river and the sky, helping to unify the river corridor and establish a renewed sense of identity for Kangaroo Point.”
In an assessment report prepared on Deery’s behalf and submitted to the council, Planning Initiatives recommended the project be approved, despite being three storeys above the 15-storey height limit.
Their report said the Deery family had lived and worked in Kangaroo Point for more than 60 years , were strongly invested in the local community, and wanted to make a meaningful and lasting contribution to the area.
“The proposal is intended to complement surrounding entertainment uses such as provided by the historic Story Bridge Hotel opposite on Main Street, thus supporting a land-use synergy between the hotel component and the Story Bridge Hotel,” it said.
Illuminart says the light installation would complement the light displays on the Story and Kangaroo Point bridges.Credit: BCC
To allow easier access between the new development and the hotel, they proposed a raised pedestrian crossing known as a wombat crossing across Main Street.
“The proposal is responding to a growing demand for high-quality, larger-scale dwellings in the inner-city areas and takes advantage of increasingly high levels of pedestrian accessibility provided by the Kangaroo Point Bridge,” Planning Initiatives said in its report.
“The proposal will support both the current housing supply shortages as well as respond to the opportunities which are presented by the Brisbane Olympic Games in 2032 at this iconic location.”
The proposal included 12 three-bedroom and 17 four-bedroom units, with the latter occupying entire levels of both towers.
The development would include 113 car parks, including 81 for residents.
Planning Initiatives suggested the unused space between the building could be used as a justification for the above-allowed height.
“The additional height occurs where the ‘carved out’ portion of the building is, in essence, placed on top of each tower to retain and extend the development density,” the consultants said.
Because of that additional height, the project was considered impact assessable and would be open to public objections.
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