Mirvac files plans for final stage of Sky Waterfront, Newstead precinct

ASX-listed developer Mirvac has submitted plans for its third and final stage in its $1 billion Newstead waterfront precinct, Sky Waterfront.

Their final tower, following the nearly sold-out Isle and Quay buildings, will be the tallest building in the mini masterplan that also includes the build-to-rent tower LIV Anura. Mirvac is proposing a 27-level tower with 138 apartments.

The apartments will sit above four basement levels that will home 244 car parking spaces and 160 bicycle spaces.

There will be over 3,000 sqm of public open space, as well as 746 sqm of resident space that will include rooftop amenity in the form of a gym, swimming pool, dining area, BBQ facilities, and entertaining spaces. Level two will also home a business centre for residents, catering to the work-from-home lifestyle.

The owner-occupier-focussed tower will have just a single one-bed apartment, 85 two-bedders, 42 three-bedroom apartments and 10 apartments with four bedrooms or more.

The development will create a community plaza on the corner of Skyring Terrace and Cunningham Street that will act as the focal point of not only the Sky Precinct but also a destination meeting place for the broader Newstead community.

Mirvac General Manager Residential Queensland, Warwick Bible, said the whole precinct has been designed from the ground up, ensuring the three buildings interact with the surrounding parkland, retail and residential to enhance amenity and connectivity for residents.

“Our vision has always been to create a precinct that acts as a visual gateway to the Teneriffe and New Farm peninsular," Bible said.

"The Civic Square delivered as a part of this proposal on the corner of Cunningham Street and Skyring Terrace will serve as an entrance into the precinct from the west while connecting Gasworks’ retail and Waterfront Park."

Mirvac says given Brisbane's highly amenable climate, diverse public open spaces have been thoughtfully designed on the ground level, providing inviting outdoor areas for community gatherings and interaction. 

The project will sit on 4,989 sqm across 13 Cunningham Street and 57 Skyring Terrace, around a third of the wider 14,774 sqm site that will home the other two towers that are currently under construction.

Mirvac Design said in the documents submitted to the Brisbane City Council the vision for stage three is to complete the family of biophillic buildings by creating a precinct identity and a sense of place.

They said the design shares a language of organic forms and planted green façades with the previous stages but does so in a way that gives it a unique identity. 

"The planting strategy differs from stage one and two, a crucial element in establishing a distinct identity for this building. The treatment of the balustrade for the proposed form directly corresponds to the varied placement of planters on each floor. The balustrade sweeps around the planters, generating an undulating pattern of greenery on the façade."'

Urbis said the proposal for Sky Stage 3 is aligned with the intent of key city strategies, with the greatest reference to Brisbane's Sustainable Growth Strategy.

"Sky Stage 3 offers inner city living at its best, being located across the road from the services and retail of Gasworks shopping centre, within 200m of the Riverwalk, directly on Skyring Terrace which is serviced by the CityGlider bus services and on the Waterfront Park," Urbis noted in the submission documents.

"With delivered experience in design excellence, the proposition by Mirvac is aligned to the future 'brand Brisbane'. With a design for the tower embodying Buildings that Breathe principles and a conscious effort to integrate a high Green factor score, the design proposal will contribute greatly to the skyline of Newstead."

Based on Newstead’s population forecast, the suburb needs an additional 5,800 dwellings by 2041.

Bible said the proposed building would provide much-needed housing to the undersupplied Brisbane market, Australia’s fastest-growing capital city.

“The Queensland Government’s population projections indicate the city will continue to grow by more than 14,000 people each year, with about a third of those to reside in Brisbane’s inner suburbs, making new projects such as this one essential to keeping pace.

“We’ve worked hard to deliver a mix of apartments at Waterfront Newstead to suit a diverse array of residents, from luxury apartments to our build-to-rent project, where 25 per cent of apartments will be key worker affordable housing, offered at a discount to market rent.”