Brisbane 'Eyesore' Roma St Transit Centre Set to be Demolished

The old Brisbane Transit Centre, known as one of Brisbane’s ugly duckling sites, will be demolished as part of plans for the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail infrastructure project.

The removal of the ageing transit centre, along with the neighbouring Hotel Jen, will clear the way for a new underground station and the $2 billion Brisbane Live entertainment venue.

The Palaszczuk government announced in November that the Roma Street Cross River Rail station and Brisbane Live would "progress together".

Treasurer Jackie Trad confirmed that early works will commence in 2019 with demolition planned for late-2020.

The Roma Street Station will be a key link between the city centre, Roma Street Parklands, Spring Hill’s schools, Caxton Street, the Petrie Barracks, Suncorp Stadium, and the cultural precinct at South Bank.

“When complete the new station is expected to be used by more than 230,000 commuters every week, the equivalent of over four capacity crowds at Suncorp Stadium,” Trad said.

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Planning for the $2 billion “Brisbane Live” ultra-entertainment precinct is currently under way with consultancy firm Deloitte, and sport and architecture firm Populous recently appointed to mammoth project.

“With an 18,000 seat world-class arena as its centrepiece, the Roma Street precinct, just like the LA Live complex, will become Queensland’s premier entertainment venue hosting major live concerts and world class sporting events right in heart of the city,” Trad said.

More than $700 million was earmarked to build Brisbane’s Cross River Rail in the budget released last week, with demand for Brisbane’s rail services forecasted to double by 2026, and triple by 2036.

“This is a project that will transform the south-east by creating a turn-up-and-go transport system for the whole of South-East Queensland – taking thousands of cars off our roads and getting people home and to work faster.”