Mettle Tapped for Spring Hill Office-to-Apartment Project

Construction is under way on Chapter Two’s adaptive reuse of the former US Consulate at Spring Hill in Brisbane.

The consulate will be converted into park-front apartments. 

The boutique South-East Queensland developer has tapped Brisbane-based builder Mettle to transform the 1970s office block on Wickham Terrace into a boutique collection of five apartments comprising two dual-level penthouses, two whole-floor apartments, and a two-floor amalgamated residence anchoring the building. 

The Cera Stribley-designed project retains the structural integrity of the office block, which featured large column-free floorplates that could be converted to residential use, and was inspired by minimalist apartments in Central Park, New York. 

Chapter Two director Oliver Bagheri said the start of construction was a milestone for the project and the culmination of years of planning. 

“Park Row will be an exemplary adaptive reuse development, turning a lower-grade office building on the city fringe into a unique collection of high-end apartments,” Bagheri said.

“Mettle brings an exceptional track record in delivering adaptive reuse projects and understands the care and precision required in high-end residential.”

▲ The 1970s office block and former American Consulate will be retained and reused in the Park Row project. Cera Stribley

The ground floor and level 1 amalgamated residence of six bedrooms has already been reserved by a family with children at nearby Brisbane Grammar School. 

Generous floor-to-floor heights and a clear-span structure free of internal columns provide flexibility in layout and design.

But the project has had its challenges as Chapter Two director Jon Quayle previously told The Urban Developer.

“While a good idea in theory, there are not that many commercial buildings suitable for conversion to residential due to factors such as layouts, construction materials and the availability of natural light,” Quayle said.

“We were fortunate to find that this site had the right ‘bones’ for an adaptive reuse project, including the ability to design whatever we wanted with 300sq m of clear space.”

Cera Stribley associate director Darcy Kay said the Park Row design carefully balanced respect for the building’s origins with a forward-looking architectural approach.

“Our design builds upon the existing grid and rhythm of the structure, which we have softened by introducing more tactile brick finishes and significant glazing. 

“The insertions and additions open up the existing building to the Roma Street Parklands and the city, defining a contemporary and enduring architectural identity.

“This is about elevating what already exists. Adaptive reuse allows us to honour the building’s legacy while delivering contemporary luxury living with strong environmental credentials. The minimalist form is intentional—it’s restrained, confident and designed to age gracefully.”

Mettle director Michael Sutcliffe said the construction team was looking forward to working with a “well-built existing structure while introducing new layers of detail”.

Park Row is on one of Spring Hill’s most tightly held ridgelines. Its retention is saving about 1.7 million kilograms of existing building materials and 1500 tonnes of embodied carbon.