Five-level project to ‘activate’ city centre

THE developers of a proposed office and retail building in the CBD have lodged a development application with Townsville City Council.

A commercial building over five levels with a floor area of 6472sq m is proposed at 1 Flinders St opposite the Reef HQ aquarium. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has been announced by the federal government as the anchor tenant for the project.

The project will be stage 1 of the Hive, a redevelopment of almost an entire city block b bounded by Flinders St, King St, The Strand and Wickham St by the Gleeson Group.

A future stage for a residential and retail component will require the demolition of the Criterion Hotel building, which closed in 2015.

The state heritage-listed Queen’s Hotel will be restored as an integral part of a hospitality precinct, while a cultural precinct is planned for an area around the heritage-listed Lilac Court residences.

Member for Townsville Scott Stewart said he welcomed the confidence shown in Townsville’s city centre.

“The Palaszczuk government knows the importance of activating the city centre, which is why we invested in the Queensland Country Bank Stadium and Hutchinsons Builders Centre,” Mr Stewart said.

The application says the stage 1 project includes delivery of Queens Way, a shared connection from The Strand through the site to Flinders St.

The development includes a carpark with 99 spaces and another eight motorcycle parking bays within the site.

To achieve flood immunity, the ground level of the building is to be raised.