First look: Rare full-floor apartment development lodged in Fortitude Valley

A building over a decade old in the heart of Brisbane's Fortitude Valley is set to be revived, and a neighbouring tower built, as part of the latest development application in the inner-city suburb.

Longtime landholder Ace Property Holdings, who names local businessman John Homewood as a sole director, has owned the 3,059 sqm site across Hynes, Light, and Knapp Street, for over three decades.

They've had Think Tank Architects put the plans together for the project, which plans to retain, raise, and renovate a pre-1911 building which will home two-bedrooms and a 90 sqm office.

There will be a further eight three-bedroom townhouses, five of which will have a multi-purpose room, and a 15-level apartment tower with 14 full-floor apartments.

The Town Planning Application Report by Murray Bell Holdings says the project "seeks to deliver high quality infill development on a premier, substantial landholding on the fringe of Fortitude Valley."

"The unique design focusses on delivering a residential product that is unique to Fortitude Valley," the report read.

"The design focuses on high end luxury apartments and townhouses that will broadly appeal to professionals, families, downsizers and retirees seeking to age in place."

Each of the apartments will have up to 300 sqm of internal floor-to-ceiling windows 

Each townhouse, which will front Hynes Street, will have up to 300 sqm of internal living area and will feature courtyards and/or rooftop terraces and three-car garages. The townhomes with multi-purpose rooms have been designed to provide direct access to the street, which the submission suggests would be ideal for a home-based business. 

The rooftop garden of the apartment tower will offer views of the Brisbane CBD skyline.

The report highlighted the rarity of this type of apartment configuration in Fortitude Valley, which is more widely known for its high-rise towers, hotels, and nightlife.

"In seeking to deliver a product that is unique to Fortitude Valley and Brisbane, the design provides one apartment per floor level which is suited to the narrow and slender built form of tower component.

"This type of building configuration is not frequently seen in Fortitude Valley however, the Applicant is committed to delivering a unique resident product by providing ‘penthouse’ style apartments on all levels of the residential tower."

The tower will comprise 28 resident car parking spaces and three visitors, while the townhouses will offer 23 parking spaces and two visitors.