Billionaire Behind Beachfront Gold Coast Tower Plans

Billionaire rich-lister Chris Morris has buddied up with a Queensland car dealership titan-turned-developer to build a beachfront Gold Coast tower. The Melbourne-based pub magnate, tourism entrepreneur and Computershare founder is behind plans filed for a slender 23-storey luxury high-rise. He has teamed with former North Star Motor Group owner Greg Eastment for the high-end residential development play. The duo are joint directors of the entity under which the Main Beach proposal has been lodged with the Gold Coast City Council. Property records show the same entity acquired the two lots that make up the 810sq m site at 3535-3537 Main Beach Parade in December for $10.5 million and $13 million, respectively—indicating an overall rate of more than $29,000 per square metre. Under the scheme designed by BGD Architects, the proposed tower would comprise 18 apartments—including 16 full-floor three-bedroom units and two double-level five-bedroom apartments on levels 10-11 and 20-21. A private rooftop recreation terrace with a pool, steam room and entertaining spaces would be for the exclusive use of the occupants of the two double-level “skyhomes”. ▲ A rendering of the entrance to the beachfront tower proposed for 3535-3537 Main Beach Parade. Sitting above three basement levels with 32 carparking spaces, the proposed tower to be known as Amali would also accommodate 327sq m of communal open space on level 1 comprising a pool, gym, steam and sauna rooms, lawn and decking. “The building is an innovative highrise tower … that is of exceptionally high quality,” an Urban Planning Services assessment report said. On the ground floor, the design incorporates a unique porte-cochere to provide a grand entrance to the development and improve the streetscape amenity. The double-height entry incorporates a feature landscape arbour structure which is intended to have vegetation growing over it. According to the documents, Core Property Partners has been tapped to be the project manager for the development, which would replace two four-level beach houses. ▲ Renderings of the slender beachfront tower proposed for Main Beach on the Gold Coast. Eastment made his fortune in 2017 with the sale of his multi-dealership North Star Motor Group to Trivett Automotive Retail, part of the global automotive company Inchcape. He subsequently took a detour into property and was the developer behind Amali’s nearby sister tower, Amani—a 17-storey development comprising 15 apartments on a 787sq m site at 3519 Main Beach Parade. Likewise, Morris is no stranger to the highlife of the exclusive Main Beach residential cluster just north of Surfers Paradise. He reportedly paid $19 million for two whole-floor apartments just beneath Amani’s triple-level penthouse. Meanwhile, plans have also been pitched by GDI Group’s Dean Gallagher for a 24-storey apartment tower on a 407sq m site at 15 Cunningham Avenue, Main Beach. ▲ A rendering of the 24-storey tower earmarked for 15 Cunningham Avenue. An existing 1970s-built three-storey unit block would be demolished to make way for the proposed tower. Designed by Bureau Proberts, the scheme comprises 10 double-level three-bedroom apartments, sitting atop a four-level basement with parking for 29 vehicles and three-level podium with 273sq m of recreation facilities—including a pool, gym and residents dining room. The penthouse also features an additional private rooftop recreation terrace with a pool and landscaped perimeter. “Main Beach is one of the city’s oldest coastal neighbourhoods … a place where Queensland coastal living has taken place for a century,” the application documents said. “Today, Main Beach continues to [experience] a shift of contemporary influence; with well-considered multi-residential offerings now seeking infill sites to provide density whilst still maintaining the area’s local character and charm … 15 Cunningham Avenue acknowledges a suburb of transition.” With the demise of troubled builder GCB Constructions in 2023, GDI Group brought construction in-house to complete its nearby Drift Residences, a 31-level luxury tower with 46 apartments at 16-18 Hughes Avenue, Main Beach. And as Gallagher moves to pump up GDI’s project pipeline with another proposed tower in the neighbourhood, he is finally putting the finishing touches to the development.

Billionaire Behind Beachfront Gold Coast Tower Plans

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