First look exclusive: 2032 Brisbane Olympics has Morris Property Group swap Eagle Terrace office tower for apartments

Veteran developer Barry Morris has reacted to Brisbane's award of the 2032 Summer Olympic Games by once again pivoting plans for his prime Brisbane CBD site.

Having previously planned an apartment tower, and then pivoting to a $250 million commercial tower, Morris Property Group is now seeking to develop a 33-level residential tower at 19 Eagle Terrace.

The tower will have 179 units, a podium amenity level, and food and beverage tenancies.

The Town Planning Report by Urbis said the proposed development has been designed to directly respond to major changes occurring in Brisbane, including providing additional accommodation in line with the 2032 Olympics and to directly address Brisbane’s housing crisis.

"The proposed development is to deliver housing choice and diversity through the provision of units of various types and sizes, which will meet a diverse range of needs," the Report read.

"It will complement the surrounding land uses, providing additional high-density residential options in proximity to a major transport node being Roma Street Railway and Busway Stations and a major employment node, being the Brisbane CBD."

They said the proposed development provides a unique opportunity to shape the evolution of a much underutilised part of the city centre and provide much-needed housing for the community.

"The proposed development comprises an iconic development at a prominent entry point to the Brisbane CBD. The residential offering of the development responds to the current communities needs and is aligned with recent policy initiatives of BCC and the State Government to increase housing within Brisbane.

"The proposed development includes a variety of unit configurations, providing for enhanced housing accommodation choices for Brisbane residents."

The bulk of apartments, nearly 75 per cent, will have two bedrooms (131). There will be 17 one-bedroom units and 31 three-bedders.

The four-level podium will be topped with resident amenity in the form of a swimming pool, outdoor deck, resident lounge, and barbecue and dining areas.

The project will be serviced by 218 parking spaces across the basement and podium levels, some shared with the adjoining church, 224 bike spaces, and 2,565 sqm of communal open space.

MPG have had their go-to Canberra-based architecture firm, Guida Moseley Brown (GMB) Architects, draw up the plans for what Urbis suggest is a design geared towards the subtropical climate.

"The proposed development has been design led using a first principles design approach to ensure that the development responds to and takes advantage of the unique dominant corner characteristics of the site, responds to orientation and climate, provides a subtropical design response and provides a building that is unique in its setting, delivering high quality design for the benefit of both future residents as well as the broader area."

While buildings in the Quay Street South Sub-Precinct are capped at 20 storeys on sites of 1,200 sqm and over, Urbis state that the 1,577 sqm site is considered to be able to "accommodate a building of greater heights while still being proportionate to the area of the site."

While buildings in the Quay Street South Sub-Precinct are capped at 20 storeys on sites of 1,200 sqm and over, Urbis state that the 1,577 sqm site is considered to be able to "accommodate a building of greater heights while still being proportionate to the area of the site."

They say that the extensive frontages, 43 metres to North Quay/Coronation Drive and 30 metres to Eagle Terrace, will mean the project won't appear as overdevelopment of the site."

There's also precedent given next door is the 31-level build-to-rent tower by Cedar Pacific at 50 Quay Street.

In December 2019 Morris secured approval for a 24-level commercial tower. The site, bought for $12.35 million in 2015, is currently vacant.

Morris have an extensive portfolio of projects on the Gold Coast. They've recently launched Armrick Avenue in Broadbeach, while finishing the build of their Surfers Paradise project Essentia.