Tom Dooley secures New Farm, Brisbane riverfront development site
A Brisbane riverfront development site, which has been earmarked for a multi-million dollar exclusive luxury apartment project, has been secured by local developer and builder Tom Dooley.
The deal to secure the 2333 square metre block across three blocks on Maxwell St, New Farm, is now unconditional and is expected to settle on December 2.
Dooley is believed to have paid around $23 million for the site which currently homes an original three level Tudor style property which is currently split in to eight units (pictured below).
Dooley said the 1930s building will be retained and its original architecture brought back to life.
"This in itself will be a special project", Dooley said. There had been an application refused in 2012 to demolish the building.
Dooley, who runs Tom Dooley Developments, said he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to buy the site as it was the "best parcel of land he had ever seen in New Farm".
“It is the largest privately owned single-line land holding with medium density residential zoning and views to the Story Bridge and city,” Dooley told the local paper.
“I have been on the lookout for something of this calibre in New Farm since we finished our Pietra development in Moray Street in 2012.
Tom Dooley Developments have completed five riverfront developments in this area.
"Compromising on location and views was not something we would consider.”
Dooley said demand for large riverfront apartments was on the rise and this project would meet those needs.
“We are just finalising details but each of the apartments will have three to four bedrooms, plus multi-purpose rooms and studies. The smallest will be 201 square metres while the largest will be a massive 785 square metres.
“For the type of product, we build - large luxury apartments with high end finishes - it is absolutely essential we get the right site and now we have.
“The land is in a prime position with views of the Story Bridge, the reinvigorated Howard Smith Wharves, the city, and Kangaroo Point and south towards Woolloongabba.”
The property has direct riverfront access with its own pontoon and is close to the River Walk, providing easy access to the Brisbane CBD.
“Combine the perfect location with the right design and a quality build, which we achieve by building for ourselves, and you end up with a fantastic result.”
The property, which had more than 20 metres of frontage to the Brisbane River, came with a development approval in place for a total of 18 units, although Dooley says he will seek to make some changes to the approval.
“I’ve engaged Brisbane architect, Shane Plazibat, who has designed all of our previous riverfront developments to carry out the redesign and introduce the design elements our projects are known for.
“What we are proposing is 15 apartments over seven levels stepping up the riverbank with a river house on the lowest level taking full advantage of the riverfront aspect, and at the top, an exquisite penthouse offering the ultimate luxury Queensland lifestyle.
Each of the apartments will have riverfront views.
Pricing has not been finalised yet, but is expected to range between $2.9 million and $12 million.
Completion is expected in 2021.
