Rooftop Restaurants to Help Bulimba Project Stack Up

Two rooftop restaurants with city views are proposed as part of revised plans to bolster the financial viability of an approved inner-city Brisbane mixed-use project.

Developer Cielo Property Group has amended its scheme for a 3085sq m site at Bulimba, about 9km north-east of the CBD.

The move—only six months after being given the green light for its three-storey office-retail proposal at 187-193 Oxford Street—comes as developers continue to struggle to stack up projects against challenging market conditions.

As well as incorporating two “high-quality” restaurants, two function rooms—“suitable to host business conferences, weddings, private parties, awards ceremonies and seminars”—also are proposed for the roof terrace, which would create a fourth storey component to the design.

Under the amended plans, the building’s gross floor area has been increased from 6472to 7361 square metres.

To facilitate floor-to-ceiling clearances that “better align with the requirements of future commercial tenants” across the office space on levels 1 and 2, the overall height of the proposed building also has been increased from 10.5m to 14.9 metres.

A planning report supporting the change application filed with the Brisbane City Council noted that Cielo has had to “re-evaluate the project’s feasibility”. 

“The changing economic climate in Brisbane, marked by inflationary forces and increasing interest rates, has significantly affected the viability of commercial ventures,” it said.

“The addition of new upper-level tenancies plays a crucial role in bolstering the project’s financial viability.”

The report also said the council’s strategic focus on inner-city growth “aligns with the broader objective of this project to enhance the liveability and vibrancy of this part of Bulimba by providing for an integrated mixed-use commercial offering which revitalises the site and Oxford Street”.

Additionally, the planning and preparation for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics had progressed significantly since the original development approval was granted, it said.

“The impending major event has injected fresh impetus into the city’s development plans and has emphasised the need for adaptable, multipurpose spaces that can accommodate various activities, including dining and events.

“The improvement of the current design scheme, directly addresses these evolving dynamics … [and] will enhance the project’s overall viability/feasibility and align it with the changing economic and developmental landscape.”

Three basement levels would provide 241 carparking spaces and 82 bicycle parking spaces.

Cielo has teamed with Bulimba-based architect Milton Zietsman from Z Architects on the project with the proposed changes not affecting the approved building envelope.

A number of low-rise retail tenancies and a three-storey block of nine units would be demolished to make way for the mixed-use development.

The project is the latest in Cielo’s ongoing revitalisation plans of the suburb to bring it in line with other premium shopping strips, including Fortitude Valley’s James Street and West End’s West Village.

The developer also has plans for a $35-million apartment project at the corner of Riding Road, and another high-end apartment development at 52 Main Avenue in the adjoining suburb of Balmoral.