READY TO BOOM
Developer GA Group reveals artist’s impressions of a new high-rise which will transform the city’s “golden strip”:
DEVELOPER Ghassan Aboud has unveiled the design of his $120 million Bellview Hotel redevelopment as the real estate industry prepares for a surge in construction and property prices.
Demolition of the existing hotel and adjacent Virginia House office block is underway with construction expected to start in late 2017. The aim is to open by the end of 2019.
LJ Hooker Cairns Edge Hill principal Ross Moller predicted the $370 million investment across Mr Aboud’s three hotels would trigger a butterfly effect of inflating property prices and a rush of new development.
“There will be a massive change,” Mr Moller said.
“There’s no tradesmen in town, so they’re going to have to bring most of the tradespeople into town that are working on these jobs.
“They’re going to want accommodation, either to rent or buy, because they’ll be here for a few years. We’ve seen it before with big developments and it will happen again.”
Mr Moller predicted the appearance of cranes on the horizon would spark a raft of developers to pick up tools.
“It’s been 10 years since we’ve had any major development other than what council has been doing,” he said.
“I know there’s a lot of other people around are waiting for this to happen so they can push buttons on other smaller projects – unit complexes and that sort of thing.
“There’s heaps of them approved but no one’s game to start until these projects start.”
Concept art designed by Port Douglas architect Gary Hunt reveals the Bellview Hotel’s five-star, 266-room replacement will consist of two separate nine-storey towers linked by a three-storey “podium”.
An urban-style bar and street eatery will share the ground floor with the hotel lobby, below three function rooms, bar and a glass-sided swimming pool overlooking the Esplanade on the podium’s first floor.
Another bar and kitchen, exclusively for hotel guests, will be on the next floor, alongside a wellness centre, gym and yoga and meditation studio.
Crystalbrook Collection chief executive Mark Davie said the hotel would be targeted towards younger customers than Mr Aboud’s two other CBD projects, the Tradewinds redevelopment and the Abbott St twin towers.
“It’s designed for a very high-energy, younger crowd. A little bit hip, I guess,” he said.
“This is very much an organic lifestyle-type property with our wellness centre and pools keeping in line with that same vision.”
Prime Group director Andy Taylor, who is overseeing construction of the three Crystalbrook Collection hotels, said the development application to the council signalled the developer’s intentions were more than just a speculative bid for approvals.
“On top of the $370 million hotel investment in the city, GA Group Australia has also recently completed a further $20 million acquisition of pastoral properties including a working cattle station (Crystalbrook Cattle Station and Lodge) and a fattening block at Silkwood near Innisfail to support their hotel supply chain once operational as a complete paddock to plate experience,” Mr Taylor said.