RESIDENTS AT HOME IN OUR NEW RENT CITY
THE first resident of the former Commonwealth Games Athletes Village has taken advantage of having the $550 million complex all to herself.
Nurse Georgia Johnson and her dog Duke, the first to move into Southport’s Smith Collective this week, have been soaking up the solitude – and exclusive access to pools, gyms and parkland.
The 26-year-old, who had just moved out of home, said she was excited to be the first on site and to eventually welcome her 2500 neighbours.
“All the empty apartments are strange, so I have been welcoming people when they arrive, it is very exciting,” Ms Johnson said.
She said she would be saving at least $50 a week on parking now she can walk to work at the Gold Coast University Hospital.
“It is great, I wanted to be around like-minded people.”
Modelled on build-to-rent communities in Europe and the US, the Smith Collective is forgoing individual landlords.
Managed by a single operator, residents will be able to paint walls and have pets.
With 18 apartment towers, 82 two-storey townhouses and a 6280 sqm retail hub, Smith Collective is one of the city’s largest projects and has already secured tenancies from major retail players Woolworths and BWS.
The residences will accommodate about 2500 people across 532 onebedroom, one-bathroom units, 637 two-bedroom units and 82 townhouses. More than 1500 people have made residential inquiries since the project launched in October.