The names behind the projects
They’re the people who shape the Gold Coast. Our Power 100 countdown continues with the city’s 20 most influential developers.
20. S & S PROJECTS – PAUL GEDOUN
Famed surfers Joel Parkinson and Mark Richards have bought into Paul Gedoun’s highly-successful
Flow Residences project which overlooks Snapper Rocks.
S & S Projects turned the first sod this month and is expected to open the tower in March 2022.
19. AZZURA – ROBERT BADALOTTI
Dreams don’t come much bigger than those of f veteran developer Robert Badalotti.
Azzura Group wants to build the southern hemisphere’s tallest towers, a 108-storey supertower in the heart of Southport as part of a $2.3 billion four-tower complex on Meron St.
The first tower in the project went to the market midyear and is already clocking up sales ahead of construction.
If all goes to plan, it could deliver more than 3000 jobs to the city.
18. IGNITE PROJECTS – GARY GORDON AND JOSH FOOTE
Ignite Projects is one of f the biggest movers and shakers in the Gold Coast’s development industry, with projects in both the city’s north and southern suburbs.
Its most prominent projects include a controversial tower in Main Beach which will feature everything from hi-tech car lifts to giant apartments.
Having already completed a 31-storey tower in Palm Beach, Ignite has recently launched plans for Cabana, a nine-storey unit tower which will also feature an “exclusive” beach club overlooking the ocean.
17. RIDONG – RIYU LI
Mr Li’s dev e l o p me n t vehicle, formerly part owner of the Jewel project, now owns one of the city’s best sites – Mariner’s Cove.
The developer forked out $28 million for the property on The Spit, which is earmarked for a resort and hotel-style development. There is a threestorey height limit.
16. HOMECORP – RON BAKIR
The Ron Bakir-founded Homecorp has delivered more than $1.5 billion in residential projects over the past 16 years.
Its latest project is a $200 million buildt o - r e n t project in Varsity Lakes comprised of four towers of nine to 16 storeys.
15. DRAYCON – HOWARD NESBIT
The Sydney-based developer recently launched its third Gold Coast project a p p r o p r i a t e l y called Boutique.
The 42-apartment project on Chevron Island comes as construction progresses on the 14-level Le Dray building in Southport.
Draycon’s debut Gold Coast project Marquee on Meron was well received.
The developer sold 20 of the 51 units and leased the remainder.
14. CRU COLLECTIVE – CHRIS BOLGER
B u r l e i g h Heads-based
Cru Collective, led by managing director Chris Bolger, has been kicking goals of late.
The developer recently sold out of every unit at its $40 million Siarn Palm Beach North project nine months prior to its completion and has launched plans to replace the Palm Gardens shopping centre in the same suburb with a ninestorey boutique unit complex. some serious
13. PROPERTY SOLUTIONS GROUP – DAVID BLANCK
This developer is spending more than $500 million to transform the old Gold Coast Hospital site in the heart of Southport into one of the biggest mixed-use projects in the city’s history.
T h e Q u e e n Street Village development is currently one of the biggest single projects in southeast Queensland and will feature everything from a unit tower targeted at students through to a two-tower vertical retirement village, cinema, hotel and shopping centre.
Construction of the first stage will be finished by mid-2021 with more to follow.
12. MARQUEE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS – MARK SPEDDING
Marquee Dev e l o p m e n t Partners are among the many developers who have been eyeing off Chevron Island as a place to build for the past decade but they’re among the few who are making the dream a reality.
Work was recently completed on its nine-storey tower Stanhill development and early works have already begun on its next Chevron Island project, The Catalina, which will employ more than 200 people during construction.
11. SPYRE GROUP – DANIEL LARUCCIA AND ANDREW MALOUF
Spyre Group managed to defy the economic conditions and the expectations of many property industry figures when it launched $77 million Natura project Burleigh earlier this year.
All this, despite going to the market just a handful of weeks before the COVID-19 lockdowns began.
It managed $50 million of its at sales in a single weekend in early March before its remaining units were snatched up.
Construction has already begun and is the first of a wave of new projects in the pipeline for Burleigh Heads.
10. RAPTIS – JIM AND EVAN RAPTIS
The Raptis name still carries a lot off weight in the Gold Coast property industry after more than 30 years.
Developers Evan Raptis and his father, industry legend Jim, are behind a series of high-end projects across the city.
Work began in January on The Gallery, a 21-storey tower at Broadbeach while the elder Raptis is planning a 24-storey tower for central Main Beach.
9. LITTLE PROJECTS – PAUL LITTLE
A new tower rising on the Gold Coast skyline is Signature Broadbeach, the new project from Melbournebased rich-lister turned developer Paul Little
The $210 million, 245-unit luxury tower is one of the biggest under construction on the Coast and has already chalked up sales on more than 184 of its units.
The 35-storey tower is not expected to be the last for the developer, who has talked up the Gold Coast as a place to do business and build.
8. ANDREWS PROJECTS – DANNY ANDREWS
Family development company Andrews Projects – founded by Danny Andrews in 2003 – has gone from strength to strength in its 17 years.
Starting out with upmarket houses at Main Beach, Paradise Waters and
Hope Island, it graduated first to Southport boutique apartment buildings and now towers in Broadbeach.
Its first project called Vue sold out two months before completion and its second is well under way.
A third – called Beach House – recently received development approval as did another tower planned for Main Beach named Dune.
7. ANIKO GROUP – GEORGE MASTROCOSTAS
This Gold Coast developer is making a major impression in the city’s northern growth corridor, focusing its attention on its $140 million No.1 Grant Ave project at Hope Island.
Despite the economic downturn, Aniko Group is looking at further stages of the project, something which is injection millions of dollars and much-needed jobs into the city in coming years.
6. MOSAIC PROPERTY GROUP – BROOK MONAHAN
Brook Monahan’s Mosaic Property Group operates an unusual model for the development industry.
The company, which has an office in Broadbeach, never sells its management and caretaking rights.
Brook says this is so the interests of the developer and buyers are always aligned.
A relatively new entrant into the apartment market, Mosaic is currently building the 26-level Bela tower in Mermaid Beach and recently unveiled plans for the Grace tower in Burleigh Heads.
5. MORRIS PROPERTY GROUP – BARRY MORRIS
Barry Morris has survived m u l t i p l e e c o n o m i c d o w n t u r n s and the wily developer believes COVID-19 will be no different.
Morris Property Group battled through the GFC to come out stronger than ever.
It is due to put the finishing touches on its 31-storey Koko Broadbeach project in coming days with its traditional ‘lighting of the candle’ ceremony set for Friday.
MPG’s Gold Coast workbook features a number of towers including Eclipse and Qube in Broadbeach and Boardwalk in Burleigh Heads.
4. AWH INVESTMENTS
AWH is the owner of one of the most distinctive developments on the Gold Coast – the tri-tower Jewel project in Surfers Paradise worth $1.4 billion.
The development – which includes a
L a n g h a m - managed hotel – has been beset by delays, worker strikes and extended end dates but appears to be moving forward with news settlements for units in the first tower are set to be called by Christmas.
It is difficult to gauge how successful Jewel manager Yuhu Group has been with sales but one thing is sure – the sheer size of the development with 521 apartments across three towers will have a significant impact on the market.
3. MERITON – HARRY TRIGUBOFF
Harry ‘high rise’ Triguboff may be an octogenarian but age is hardly slowing the veteran developer down.
His company Meriton recently reached the halfway mark on the 76-level super tower Ocean in Surfers Paradise. Ocean will have 711 apartments and hotel suites upon completion.
In 2018, Harry achieved a sellout of the Sundale tower in Southport – the final tower in his Brighton on Broadwater project.
2. STAR ENTERTAINMENT GROUP – JOHN O’NEIL AND MATT BEKIER
The Gold Coast’s sole casino operator makes the cut due to its highlyambitious plans to transform Broadbeach Island with four new towers. Construction of the first building – the 53storey Dorsett hotel and residences – is well under way and due to finish in 2022.
There are another three to come after that with pre-sales under way for the 63-storey Epsilon. The total cost all up is $2 billion and upon completion will take the site to seven highrises.
1. SUNLAND GROUP – SOHEIL AND SAHBA ABEDIAN
One of the Gold Coast’s most prominent and longestoperating developers, Sunland has already secured its place in the city’s history with its iconic Q1 tower.
But the company, led by Soheil and son Sahba Abedian, is not resting on its laurels, pushing ahead with a major $1.2 billion mini city, The Lanes, as well as a super luxury $250 million tower on Hedges Ave.
Having put several other sites on the market this year, Sunland has consolidated its projects ahead of a tough few years for the economy.
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