Sherpa’s Brisbane Tower Build Begins as Glitter Strip Plans Scaled Up
Gold Coast-based developer Christie Leet’s Sherpa Group is flexing its South-East Queensland ambitions, breaking ground on its first Brisbane tower.
Wasting little time converting presales into progress, construction has been pushed forward on its $240-million Flourish Symphony project at South Brisbane off the back of a $134-million run of sales.
Of the approved development’s 138 apartments across 27 levels, off-the-plan contracts have been secured for 86 of the one, two and three-bedroom abodes.
Brisbane buyers accounted for 45 per cent of the purchases, while South-East Queensland buyers made up a further 35 per cent and first-home buyers 12 per cent.
In a statement, Leet said the extraordinary run of sales showed the strong demand for high-quality, affordable apartments in South-East Queensland.
“It’s been fantastic to see so many locals and first-home buyers at Symphony—that’s what Flourish is about, giving the community a real opportunity to secure a home.”
Sherpa’s Flourish-branded residential developments are aimed at delivering “well-designed, attainable apartments in sought-after locations”—including units in Symphony priced as low as $665,000.
The South Brisbane tower scheme has been designed by HAL Architects and will occupy a 1366sq m site at 21-23 Cordelia Street.
Under the plans, it will feature an activated ground floor with retail space and be crowned with a two-level communal rooftop spanning 1400sq m—including a heated pool, steam room, saunas, hot and cold plunge pools, work-from-home spaces, private treatment room, pool deck cabanas, barbecue areas, private dining room and residents’ lounge, gym and yoga studio.
Meanwhile, Sherpa has lodged revised plans to deliver a $550-million multi-generational project in its long-favoured Palm Beach development stomping ground.
With approval already in hand for a 102-unit project at 1150-1154 Gold Coast Highway and 3 Sixth Ave, the latest application adds 177 apartments to its pipeline in an adjoining development at 1156-1164 Gold Coast Highway.
The projects are the latest proposals under Sherpa’s Flourish brand and would comprise a mix of one, two, three, and four-bedroom apartments.
And although the developments would be separate, a skybridge is planned to connect the residential facilities, enhancing accessibility and community interaction.
The tower rooftops would provide a combined 2500sq m of communal amenity, with a pool, wellness centre, spa, plunge pools, gym, work from home, private dining, outdoor dining, pizza ovens and barbecues, kids’ playground, lap pool, zen garden, yoga room, and treatment room.
On the ground level, a 1500sq m retail precinct is designed to activate the site and provide improved amenity for the local community.
Leet said apartment prices in Palm Beach had surged to a weighted average of $2.25 million due to a shortage in stock but its latest two projects would defy the trend by delivering apartments from $550,000, offering a weighted average of $1.44 million, and for the premium apartments, a weighted average of $2.76 million.
“We unashamedly love the centre zone in Palm Beach and the opportunity it affords us to deliver such a diverse product range,” he said.
“The centre zone is the right location for this type of project, but we are seeing locals getting pushed out as there simply isn’t enough affordable stock.”
Over the past four years, the prolific developer has completed eight projects on the Gold Coast.
