Aria Property Group gets Green Light for AUD$350m Mooloolaba Project

Main Photo: The new Aria project – imagined

Date: October 2019

Location: Mooloolaba, Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Australia

Name: TBA – five-star

No. of Keys: 139 plus 66 apartments

Developer: Residential developer Aria Property Group has received approval for a landmark 5-star hotel development on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

The developer, led by Tim Forrester, has identified the region for its growth, and lack of five-star hotel accommodation limiting the range of tourists visiting the Sunshine Coast.

The region is also set for massive change through the construction of a new AUD$225 million runway at the local airport which will facilitate direct flights to and from Asia and bolster development of the new CBD in neighbouring Maroochydore.

Aria’s latest approval, located at 1 The Esplanade in Mooloolaba —opposite The Surf Club, draws on its previous projects on Brisbane’s Edward Street and the emerging Fish Lane precinct.

In a tentative lending market, the five-star development will be tailored to owner-occupiers with 66 residential apartments, as well as an international standard hotel comprising of 139 guest rooms.

The developer tapped architecture firm Elenberg Fraser to design the tower, which is located on the last available section of the Mooloolaba Esplanade.

The integrated resort will feature 1,764sq m of retail and restaurants, a day spa, conference facility and publicly accessible roof-top bar and restaurant.

▲ The landmark project, designed by nationally acclaimed architects Elenberg Fraser incorporates an international standard hotel and resort. Image: Elenberg Fraser
▲ The landmark project, designed by nationally acclaimed architects Elenberg Fraser incorporates an international standard hotel and resort. Image: Elenberg Fraser

Aria development director Michael Hurley said the project’s rooftop would reference the iconic buildings like the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, W Hotel Barcelona and One Hotel South Beach Miami.

“The development approval is the first step — now detailed design can continue with the architectural, hotel and specialist consultant team.”

“We hope to be in a position to release the residential units for sale in 2020 ahead of a 2021 construction start.”

Speaking at The Urban Developer’s annual residential property summit, Hurley said Aria’s brand reputation and philosophy for place-making had allowed it to press forward with high-end developments in challenging market conditions.

Recently, the group established Aria Living, its management rights division. The scheme provides long-term owner-occupied buildings with concierge services as well as communal events.

It also offers complimentary personal training, yoga classes, resident bikes and hotel-type services.

Earlier this year, Aria lodged plans for a 13-storey, 127-apartment residential tower in Brisbane’s Kangaroo Point, where Aria Living will be enacted.

The developer also recently completed Valencia in Kangaroo Point and The Drapery in Woolloongabba. The developer also has plans for a 145-apartment tower in West End, designed by Rothelowman.

Last week, confirmation of the east coast’s second submarine cable, which will be laid or buried under the ocean floor, with the opening of a new $7.5 million landing station was opened adjacent to the Maroochydore City Centre.

The new $35 million data and telecommunications cable — which will allow Queensland businesses to connect with Asia and the United States without going via the Sydney hub — will provide Australia’s fastest data and telecommunication speeds to Asia and the second fastest to the United States.

The Sunshine Coast Council is using the new international cable as a lure for businesses to move to the region’s “digital trade hub”, which will be up and running by next year.

THPT Comment: Ambitious sounding project for this successful tourist destination on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Be interested to see who the hotel operator will be.

First Seen: 

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