Frank Developments Lodges 22-Storey Newstead Tower Proposal

In their place, prolific developer Frank Licastro has tapped design firm Cavill Architects to create a scheme that bridges the gap between Teneriffe’s heritage brickwork and Newstead’s modern skyline.

Overall, it would deliver 147 apartments in a mix of one to five-bedroom configurations as well as 413sq m of ground-level retail, food, and drink outlets.

To activate the streetscape, the design incorporates a double-storey “city room” and laneway.

Instead of a singular, monolithic block that would dominate the streetscape, the tower scheme utilises tiered “torrette”—the Italian word for a small tower or towerette—elements “to reduce perceived bulk and scale, contribute positively to the skyline and improve the transition to surrounding development”.

“The design adopts a stepped, context-responsive built form, with the tower stepping down from 22 storeys to 18 storeys in the south-west, 16 storeys in the south-east and 13 storeys in the north-east,” the documents said.

▲ Renderings of the 22-storey mixed-use tower proposed by Frank Developments for 22-40 Wyandra Street, Newstead.

“This stepped built form, together with the substantial vertical green breaks extending through the height of the tower, visually articulates the development into four distinct tower forms supporting the achievement of a highly articulated, slender tower form.”

A total of 635sq m of vertical greenery—equivalent to 33 per cent of the site area—is to be incorporated into the tower.

With the site at the convergence of two distinct urban fabrics, the proposed tower has also been designed to act as a physical transition—from the historic, brick-lined heritage precinct of Teneriffe to the modern, high-density skyline of Newstead.

“Materiality and colour palettes drawn from Teneriffe’s heritage buildings and the tuff stone that exists below ground occur across the ground plane and lower storeys of the building, feathering as the proposal rises from the ground before reappearing underfoot on sky terrace levels and deeper into apartment interiors.”

▲ A rendering of the Frank Developments tower proposal that would deliver 147 apartments to Brisbane’s inner-city Newstead.

Communal open space spanning 2249sq m is to be split across three key levels—a 265sq m level 13 wellness terrace with a dedicated pet play area and dog wash facilities; a 1175sq m level 16 social heart featuring a residents’ lounge,  state-of-the-art gym and bathhouse; and a 529sq m level 21 rooftop terrace featuring a resort-style 20m swimming pool.

As well, the plans include a 287sq m office on level 1 and four basements accommodating 222 car parking spaces.

Frank Developments is no stranger to Wyandra Street and has been riding Brisbane’s inner north boom with a growing pipeline of projects.

It also has a handful of projects on the Gold Coast and recently inked a strategic alliance to deliver the vertical living component of the $500-million-plus Palm Valley surf park and golf resort at Parkwood.