Apartment Project Revealed for Brisbane Games Village

Brisbane-based developer Limitless has lodged plans for a $140-million apartment development in Hamilton Northshore, the riverside precinct earmarked for the 2032 Olympic Games Athletes’ Village.

Limitless has proposed a 23-level mixed-use tower comprising 100 apartments on Hercules Street—a key corner and pedestrian access of Hamilton Northshore one block from the Brisbane River.

Limitless owner Nick Barr said the application had been submitted to Economic Development Queensland—the state government’s land use planning and property development agency—and that they planned to work collaboratively with the authority to deliver the mid-rise tower.

“I live in the immediate area of Hamilton,” Barr said. 

“I’m very conscious and committed to creating a positive, sustainable and liveable outcome that will enhance the secondary entrance to Portside and help contribute to the Olympic decade ahead.” 

Since 2012, the developer has delivered more than $150 million in residential and commercial projects. The developer’s other current project is the Hotel Chermside, a nine-level, Cottee Parker-designed development in Brisbane’s northern suburbs.

Barr said the development would be known as The Cullen Hamilton, paying homage to engineer Ernest Alexander Cullen who laid the foundations for Hamilton to become the city’s prime port facility. Limitless plans to use reclaimed wharf timber from the area during construction.

The building will be topped by two penthouses and feature a collection of 28 sub-penthouses that will have exclusive access to a communal rooftop library, kitchen and lounge. 

The ground floor will include 500sq m of retail and commercial spaces while residents’ facilities will include a swimming pool, outdoor dining area and gym.

The project will be targeted at downsizers and investors at the top end of the market who want to live in the centre of a precinct accelerating in investment, growth, development and infrastructure furthering its reputation as Brisbane’s riverfront lifestyle precinct.

▲ The building will include a rooftop solar system, a double skin to reduce the thermal load, a green facade and EV charging stations. Image: Plus Architecture

Hamilton Northshore has been earmarked for the athletes’ village for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Games are expected to host more than 16,000 athletes and officials during the Olympic Games and 8000 during the Paralympic Games.

The athletes village will be further east towards that Eat Street Northshore shipping container hospitality site, which was developed in 2017.

Deputy premier and state development minister Steven Miles said the Olympics would accelerate development in Northshore Hamilton in a similar way to the effect Expo 88 had on South Bank.

“Village construction will crystalise the area’s long-term plan and rejuvenate the existing industrial land,” Miles said.

“It will boost an already popular precinct—home to landmarks such as Portside, Eat Street Markets and the Alcyone Hotel, and some of Brisbane’s best waterfront living—(it) will be tremendous.”

The Hamilton Northshore priority development area will eventually encompass 304ha along the Brisbane River.

Late last year Brookfield Residential Properties put forward plans for six two-storey townhouses and a 16-storey tower comprising 186 apartments on Macarthur Avenue—the continuation of Hercules Street.

Other developments in the area include Wentworth Equities triple-tower development at 19 Hercules Street and towers surrounding the Portside Wharf open mall.