Woolloongabba Archives - Greenslopes News

$750M Redevelopment of Buranda Village Meets Delays, Leaving Traders Anxious

Two years after approval of a $750 million redevelopment of the ageing Buranda Village shopping precinct, shop owners say they are still in the dark about when or if the major project will proceed.

Read: Buranda Village Redevelopment in Woolloongabba Includes Massive Residential Project

The ambitious plan, submitted by site owners Vicinity Centres, called for transforming the 1970s-era centre in Woolloongabba into a modern urban village with over 620 new apartments, up to 50,000 square metres of office space, retail spaces, subtropical landscaping and community spaces.

The proposed redevelopment calls for the complete demolition of the current Buranda Village shopping centre to make way for an entirely new mixed-use precinct billed as “world-class.” It would include residences, workplaces, and shopping/dining areas all in one space.

Artist’s impression of Buranda Village redevelopment (Photo credit: vicinity.com.au)

The master plan is divided into three phases. Phase one would involve constructing four 15-storey residential buildings designated for renters within a lifestyle-oriented precinct. Phases two and three focus on commercial development – two 15-storey office buildings and one 10-storey building comprising a working precinct.

Construction was originally slated to begin in early 2024 according to Vicinity. But with that target now slipping away, traders who have operated at the centre for decades say communication from the developers has been scant.

The traders at Buranda Village report being informed that the redevelopment project has been postponed indefinitely, with no new timeline provided. Whilst the site’s owners, Vicinity Centres, acknowledge they cannot confirm specifics at this point, they claim to be making progress toward finalising the redevelopment plans.

Read: Greenslopes to Witness Urban Renewal with New Commercial Building Development

The shopping centre first opened its doors in 1978. It was purchased by Vicinity Centres in 2000, and underwent its most recent renovation and expansion in 2005.

Published 14-May-2024

Buranda Station Accessibility Upgrade Takes Steps Toward Inclusive Rail Travel

Early works have commenced on a multimillion-dollar accessibility upgrade project at the Buranda train station, part of a broader plan that includes improvements at Morningside, Lindum, and Banyo stations, all of which are expected to temporarily close in January 2024, once construction is in full swing.

The Buranda station accessibility upgrade is part of a broader plan that includes improvements at Lindum, Morningside, and Banyo train stations. While these upgrades are set to enhance the overall rail network, the improvements at Buranda station, situated in the suburb of Woolloongabba, are generating considerable anticipation.

Early construction activities have begun at the four stations. Enabling works are underway at Lindum and Buranda stations. Site establishment will commence in the coming months.

Geotechnical activities and overhead line and service location works have already been carried out at Morningside station. Piling, signalling construction and site establishment will commence soon.

The project, part of the State’s Big Build initiative, aims to make rail travel more inclusive and convenient for all passengers.

Plans for Buranda Station’s Upgrade

The Buranda station will undergo a complete transformation, with an estimated cost of $70 million allocated towards the upgrade.

This investment will bring several significant improvements to the station, including a new footbridge with lift access, platform re-alignment, enhanced service and facilities, such as increased shelter coverage and customer information screens.

One of the central goals of the upgrade is to reduce the gap between the platform and train doors, making boarding safer and easier for all passengers.

This includes individuals in wheelchairs, those with walking frames, parents with prams, and passengers carrying luggage. Access to the station overpass via a lift will further improve accessibility.

Other enhancements encompass updated customer facilities, including accessible toilets, disability-compliant ticket windows, improved seating, and extended platform shelters.

To create a safer environment, the station will also feature hearing augmentation loops, tactile floor indicators, new wayfinding signage, information screens, and upgraded security through CCTV and lighting.

Temporary Closure – Buranda Station

However, it is essential to note that to expedite these vital upgrades, the station will temporarily close during construction. This closure, along with those at Lindum, Morningside, and Banyo stations, is scheduled to begin in January 2024. During this period, alternative transport options will be available to assist commuters.

Buranda station is expected to welcome passengers in mid-2025. Commuters at Lindum, Morningside, and Banyo stations can anticipate the reopening of their stations in the second half of 2024, subject to construction progress and weather conditions.

Queensland Rail is keen to engage with its customers to ensure that alternative travel arrangements align with their needs and preferences. To gather valuable input, Queensland Rail has launched a survey, seeking feedback on passengers’ travel patterns and requirements during the station closures.

ANSWER THE SURVEY

“The Buranda station accessibility upgrade project is a significant milestone that will make a real difference in our community. These improvements will ensure that our rail network is accessible to everyone,” Member for Greenslopes Joe Kelly said.

Published 13-Sept-2023

Plans Unveiled for Social and Affordable Housing in Woolloongabba

Plans have been unveiled for new social and affordable housing in Woolloongabba, which would provide secure accommodation for individuals and families who need it the most.

Read: Plans For Social And Affordable Housing In Stones Corner Approved

The proposed development, located at 7-9 Carl Street, will comprise a total of 81 housing units, with 41 units designated for social housing and 40 units earmarked as affordable homes.

The complex, designed by Cox Architecture, will feature one studio unit, 66 one-bedroom, and 14 two-bedroom apartments, carefully designed to meet the diverse needs of its future residents.

affordable housing in Woolloongabba — Photo credit: Cox Architecture

Whilst further due diligence is still pending, the plan includes the demolition of existing dwelling houses on the site to pave the way for the 15-storey building with an additional rooftop level. Future residents of the affordable housing in Woolloongabba will also have access to a communal rooftop garden and recreational space, ensuring a welcoming community atmosphere.

One of the key factors expediting the project’s progress is its application for a Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID). This strategic move enables the streamlining of development approvals, allowing the development team to fast-track construction and swiftly turn the visionary concept into a reality.

This initiative has been made possible through the Queensland Government’s Housing Investment Fund (HIF). The Brisbane Housing Company (BHC) will join forces with the Queensland Investment Corporation to construct the housing complex, illustrating a collaborative effort to tackle the housing crisis.

The HIF, with a record-breaking $5 billion investment, stands as Queensland’s largest-ever funding allocation for social and affordable housing, aiming to deliver up to 13,500 homes.

Read: Luxury Developer Commits $60M to Transform Prime Woolloongabba Sites

Rebecca Oelkers, Chief Executive Officer of BHC, expressed her enthusiasm for the project, emphasising their mission to create vibrant developments that provide secure, long-term rental housing for Queenslanders facing housing challenges. The forthcoming complex in Woolloongabba aligns with this vision, as it seeks to offer a safe haven for individuals and families.

Published 10-July-2023

Broadway Hotel: Neglected Heritage Landmark Up for Restoration

A major restoration is underway for the heritage-listed Broadway Hotel along Logan Road in Woolloongabba and its owners plan to rebuild the iconic building as the Breakfast Creek Hotel of the southeast side.

Broadway Projects Pty Ltd bought the neglected property from Malcolm Nyst in 2021. The site has existing approved plans to demolish the WWII bomb shelter, alongside some of the rear extensions.

The new owners hired Carbone Developments to be involved with the restoration under the guidance of heritage architect Ivan McDonald. Carbone Developments has many projects involving heritage builds.

A spokesperson for the company said that the demolition process will be painstaking as they have to remove the concrete by hand to preserve the other structure and ensure it won’t be knocked down.

Though some locals opposed the removal of the WWII bomb shelter due to its history, Carbone Developments said they had many positive meetings with the Department of Environment and Science to discuss the restoration.

Broadway Hotel in 1929 — Photo Credit: State Library of Queensland

The company’s long-term plans for the Broadway Hotel include building a 20-storey residential site next to the pub. However, the focus for the moment is to restore the pub, which could take more than a year.

A development application for the residential project has yet to be lodged as the new owners still have to gauge how the venue, once wholly restored, will click with the community.

Broadway Hotel was entered into the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992. Two major fires damaged the three-storey octagonal building, which become a place for vandals after years of neglect.

This Woolloongabba Redevelopment Will Add a New Hyatt Place With Striking Rooftop ‘Nest’

Developer Pellicano has unveiled its plans for a new Hyatt Place with a striking rooftop nest at the ongoing $700-million South City Square redevelopment in Woolloongabba.

The tower, to stand on Deshon St, will be 18-storey building with an ultra-modern design featuring a unique rooftop as its crowning glory. Woods Bagot, the designer, incorporated an overhanging pergola that appears like an inverted bird’s nest over the pool and bar deck.

“The proposal includes a truly unique feature when viewed from the skyline in the form of the tower crown. The crown offers an ovoid shape that is screened by a pergola structure. The pergola structure gives the crown the ‘nest’ like appearance that is unlike any rooftop within the wider South City Square precinct,” the planners stated in the development application (DA A00598880).

Hyatt Place will also include a full-floor spa with a wellness center, a gymnasium on two levels, a function space level, and nearly a dozen retail spaces.

Hyatt Place South City Square — Photo Credit: DA A005988803/BCC

Next to Hyatt Place, a new residential tower will also rise and will feature a retail podium and ground floor commercial tenancies, as well as a Reading Cinema with eight screens. The building is now under construction.

So far, the South City Square redevelopment, which will take seven stages, has completed three residential complexes. The final construction will entail a Secret Garden and a public space for families and kids.

“The Stage 7 works are designed to be an extension of the public realm works established within the previous stages. This integrated design approach ensures that there is a legibility within the public realm, that encourages movement throughout the precinct. The proposed design within this portion of works looks to create an informal garden with a layered and organic quality. The garden also provides more opportunities for self-directed play, for both adults and children, looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the precinct.”

Photo Credit: South City Square Master Plan

Buranda Village Redevelopment in Woolloongabba Includes Massive Residential Project

The existing Buranda Village shopping centre in Woolloongabba may soon be transformed into a contemporary, mixed-use precinct that includes four residential towers.

Read: New South City Square Complex in Woolloongabba Nears Completion

Vicinity Centres, the owner of the 1970s-designed shopping centre, is seeking to build four build-to-rent, multiple-dwelling towers with a maximum height of 15 storeys.

buranda shopping centre — Photo credit: BCC PD Online

This will include a total of 627 dwellings of one, two, and three-bedroom units. It will also feature retail, dining, and entertainment activities at ground level.

The main feature of the proposed development is the provision of a subtropical public plaza at ground level. This plaza will have a total of 8,283-sqm of landscaped publicly accessible outdoor open space.

woollonggaba — Outdoor and semi-outdoor landscaped spaces (Photo credit: BCC PD Online)

If approved, the new Buranda Village, located at 264 Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba will consist of centre activities including a 3,400-sqm supermarket, cafes, restaurants, bars and shops.

“The proposed development will transform the site into a contemporary mixed-use precinct with a world-class design that is uniquely ‘Brisburban’ and based on best practice subtropical design principles,” Urbis stated in a report.

In addition to the residential dwellings, the applicant is also seeking to build three commercial towers to be used for centre activities, hotels and bars. The buildings will hold up to 50,000 sqm of commercial office space.

Meanwhile, the proposed development involves a total of 1,265 car parking spaces, 25 motorbike parking spaces and 710 bicycle spaces.

Based on the planning documents, the applicant has proposed to provide a sufficient number of on site car parking spaces ‘to meet the anticipated car parking demand associated with the proposed development.’

Read: Check Out These Greenslopes Cafés Serving up Healthy Eats

The existing heritage listed ventilation shaft, which was put up in 1913 by the South Brisbane Town Council as a component of its Ipswich Road stormwater catchment system, will be retained in its current location.

However, works will be undertaken around the existing heritage shaft to make it a feature of the proposed pedestrian entry into the precinct from the corner of Cornwall Street and Ipswich Road.

The centre, which first opened in 1978, was acquired by Vicinity Centres in 2000 and last redeveloped in 2005.

For more information on Buranda Village’s redevelopment, see A005910673

Queensland Puts Forward Plans to Manufacture COVID-19 Vaccines Locally

Translational Research Institute at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Woolloongabba has received a $20-million grant to develop mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 amidst the rising number of cases of Delta variant transmissions but the initiative will still need approval from the Commonwealth.

Under the Industry Partnership Program, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said that the grant will ramp up the country’s “capacity to develop our biomedical industry and manufacture vaccines,” as well as open 500 jobs within 10 years.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said that the fund will enable Queensland to produce vaccines for Australia.

“I want Queensland to lead the country in vaccine research, development, and manufacturing, and I’ve been talking to leading biomedical experts about how to do this,” Deputy Premier Steven Miles said. “TMI@TRI was one of their strong recommendations.”

Highlights

Translational Research Institute at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Wollonggaba received a $20 million grant from the State.
The funding will allow Queensland to produce mRNA COVID-19 vaccines locally.
The production will still need approval from the Federal Government.

The State Government has been in preliminary discussions with various Queensland-based biopharmaceutical facilities, as well as leading international manufacturers, to produce the vaccines locally once the Federal Government agrees to the proposal.

The pitch was laid out with Federal Industry, Science and Technology Minister Christian Porter. Mr Miles said that Queensland has the technology and the skills to become a “major player in the manufacture of vaccines internationally.”

Photo Credit: Translational Research Institute/Google Maps

The Federal Government is looking into bids for locally manufacturing CSL, BioChina, Luina Bio, LDT and 10 more brands. One of its requirements is for the facility to be ready within a year. TRI CEO Professor Scott Bell believes that, given the funding, the manufacturing facility could be ready in 18 months.

Australia is already producing AstraZeneca mRNA COVID-19 vaccines as there are facilities on-shore that have the capacity to make this particular viral-vector-based vaccine. AstraZeneca is also willing to outsource vaccine production.

However, the country needs more Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for the under 50s as AstraZeneca is only administered to older patients. Only three countries have the rights to manufacture Pfizer vaccine: U.S., Germany, and Belgium.

Moderna, another mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, is another possibility if issues with local licence are ironed out and secured.

Meanwhile, Princess Alexandra Hospital conducts regular vaccinations for the under 60 years old every Friday and Saturday between 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Check the Queensland Health website for other vaccination locations.

Men’s Ashes First Test to be Held at The Gabba

The first test of the Men’s Ashes 2021-2022 is slated to be held at the Brisbane Cricket Ground (popularly referred to as the Gabba) in Woolloongabba in December 2021.

On the 8th of December, the first Men’s Ashes 2021-2022 cricket series will commence and England will attempt to reclaim the Ashes at Brisbane, with the multi-format Women’s Ashes starting over a month later on the 27th of January.

The first test is slated to take place at the Gabba in Brisbane between the 8th and 12th of December 2021 before transitioning to the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide from the 16th to the 20th of December. Following this, the third and fourth tests will be held at the MCG in Melbourne and the SCG in Sydney respectively before finally concluding in the Optus Stadium in Perth between the 14th and 18th of January 2022.

With the Men’s Ashes concluding in the Optus Stadium this year, this effectively marks the 2021-2022 Ashes as the first-ever series that has not concluded at the SCG in Sydney since the 1990s .

Starting shortly after is the Women’s Ashes, where the first first test is scheduled to begin on the 27th of January at the Manuka Oval in Canberra before moving to the North Sydney Oval on the 4th of February for the first and second T20s. The third T20 and first ODI will then be hosted at the Adelaide Oval before transferring to the Junction Oval in Melbourne for the second and third ODIs.

IC14: Biotech Company in Woolloongabba Developed COVID-19 Drug for Trial in the US

A biotech company based in Woolloongabba and led by top immunologist Ian Frazer has developed IC14, a COVID-19 drug that will begin trial for high-risk patients in the United States.

Mr Frazer and his team at Implicit Bioscience developed the monoclonal treatment to reduce the damage and symptoms of COVID-19 in the patient’s body and facilitates a faster recovery time. IC14 will be used, alongside remdesivir, on hospitalised patients who are presenting low blood oxygen levels and respiratory issues.

The drug works to control inflammation but it was not specifically developed for COVID-19. Mr Frazer’s team was working on IC14 for nearly a decade as the treatment could potentially cure diseases that cause severe inflammation and long-lasting damage.

“The chronic diseases that afflict us as we age are largely the result of inappropriate inflammation, so the ability of IC14 to reset the level of inflammation should be game-changing for these diseases,” the expert said.

Mr Frazer, who was cited for developing the Gardasil vaccine that prevents Human Papillomavirus and was named 2006 Australian of the Year, said that 300 to 500 people are in the U.S. trials with Implicit Bioscience’s Seattle office. The Brisbane-based professor hopes to see the results of the trial in three to six months. However, the full results of the trial will be published in early 2022.

If IC14 is proven to be effective, it will be recommended as a treatment routine for COVID-19 patients across the world and prevent more deaths due to the viral disease. Mr Frazer said that while vaccines are important, new viral strains highlight the importance of developing drugs that could be used for intervention when a patient contracts the virus.

Free Jam-Packed End of the Line Festival Marks 6th Year in Woolloongabba

Woolloongabba’s annual block party, the End of the Line Festival, is marking its sixth year this November! This annual event showcases what the locals have to offer in terms of food, style and entertainment, demonstrating to the rest of Brisbane that it can also host an unforgettable outdoor party.

Experience what it’s like this Saturday, the 9th of November 2019, at Jurgens Street from 2:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. This year’s confirmed featured musical acts include:

WHEN	WHO
2:15 p.m.	Selfish Sons
3:00 p.m.	Family Jordan
4:00 p.m.	Sycco featuring Sasha McLeod
5:00 p.m.	Cool Sounds
6:00 p.m.	Tiana Khasi
7:00 p.m.	Quivers
8:00 p.m.	Ainslie Wills
9:00 p.m.	GLBeat
10:00 p.m.	DJs curated by Jet Black Cat Music and Immerse Events

Whilst the performers are on stage, there will be plenty to do for the kids and kids at heart in the activity area. Communify Queensland and Hands On Art and Substation Gallery will be setting up fun art workshops for those who want to unleash their creative side.

*Photo Credit: The End Of Line Gabba/Facebook*

There will also be a few art installations and projects on display, as created by local artists. Details to the creative and visual arts line-up have not yet been announced but you can keep tabs of the rest of the event’s showcase on its social media page.

The festival’s grub will be provided by food trucks and eateries sponsors. For instance, Stone & Wood Brewery has been supporting this event for many years.

The End of the Line Festival is a free-entry event for all ages but you’ll need to bring cash for the food and drinks. You might also be asked to present an ID if you’re going to enjoy beer.