First look exclusive: Ignite Projects head back to Palm Beach beachfront with latest apartment development
Josh Foote's Ignite Projects is heading back to the Palm Beach sand, filing plans for its latest luxury beachfront project.
Having acquired a development-approved site a few months ago from GV Property Group, Ignite, who has had success on the Palm Beach beachfront previously with Cabana, has scaled back plans to be more in keeping with the Palm Beach beachfront.
Now on the desks of the Gold Coast City Council is Retreat Palm Beach, a nine-level building by Plus Architecture with 36 apartments. There will be four two-bed apartments and 32 three-beds, 31 of which also have a multi-purpose room.
Josh Foote told Urban the new project will follow the same blueprint as Cabana, 30 apartments up the road that was one of the fastest selling developments in the Gold Coast in 2021.
"Cabana was so well received, it would have been silly to not take the opportunity to recreate something similar when we know that market so well," he said.
"We've had Plus come in and create a facade that is something fresh and challenges convention a little compared to what's come before in the area."
One of the key focuses for Foote is on the communal area on the ground level.
"We want this space to become an urban retreat for residents, within the confines of the building.
"Of course one of the biggest drawcards will be the proximity to the beach, but we want this space to act as a retreat from the beach. "The design will evoke a Mediterranean day spa ambiance, characterised by organic and natural elements, featuring a sculpted lagoon pool and floating day beds."
Much like several developers on the Gold Coast who are wanting to avoid any problems with construction, Foote will be bringing construction in-house for the new project.
"It's a matter of wanting to control the quality and delivery from concept to completion," Foote says, adding that they'll be ready to start construction in early 2025. Sales and marketing is expected to commence in Q3 2024, with the new development application code-assessable so it should fly through its approval process.
"We considered numerous elements before finalising the layout of the floor plans to ensure the best possible outcome," Foote says.
"It ticks a lot of boxes for downsizers."
GV Property Group's Luke Reaby says there aren't many more opportunities to create a project of the scale of this one, namely due to the fact the lack of supply coming to the market, as well as the ability to amalgamate a site of this size.
"We're in constant communication with every owner on the beachfront and Jefferson Lane and believe these sites will become more scarce everyday, especially four blocks in a row like this one," Reaby says.
"We sold the unit block then approached the neighbours to the north to make the site larger which has allowed for a better scheme to be put to Council."
Reaby says there were multiple offers from local developers, as well as a consortium of investors from the local area who looked at it as a landbanking opportunity.
Ignite is taking the wraps off its luxury Main Beach apartment development, The Monaco, just 24 half and full-floor apartments that sold out with an average sale price of $4.6 million.
