Updated DA for 95 Robertson Street, Fortitude Valley

An updated development application has been submitted by Empirica Developments for a nine storey commercial building located at 95 Robertson Street, Fortitude Valley.

Designed by Fender Katsalidis architects, the development includes ground floor retail space, a podium level childcare centre and siz levels of commercial office space.

An existing development approval, granted by Council in June 2017, was for a nine storey residential-led mixed use development.

According to the development application, since the development approval was granted, the market and other factors have evolved and consequently the developer proposes a commercial-led, mixed use development.

Development rundown

• Site Area: 1,093m²
• Proposed Uses: Centre Activities – Childcare Centre, Healthcare Service, Shop, Office or Food and Drink Outlet
• Retail: The ground level includes 36m2 of Food and Drink Outlet GFA (café), outdoor dining / seating area to the street, separate commercial and childcare centre entrances and foyers and a co-working and/or health / wellbeing space at the rear of the building
• Childcare: The podium levels (levels 1 and 2) accommodates a childcare centre. The childcare centre will accommodate approximately 125 children and includes outdoor play areas, including spaces oriented to Robertson Street to encourage casual surveillance and activation
• Commercial: The tower levels (levels 3-8) will accommodate 3,135m2 of commercial office floorspace
• Rooftop: The roof includes a 303m2 communal terrace for the building occupants.
• Height: 9 storeys and a maximum RL of 48.55m
• Site Cover: Overall: 91.2%, Tower: 62.5%
• Landscaping: 253m2 (23%), deep planting – 39m2 (3.6%)
• Car Parking: 59 on-site car parking spaces, Childcare Centre – 23 spaces, Other uses – 35 spaces
• Bicycle spaces: 26 bicycle spaces and an end of trip facility are accommodated in the basement and at ground
• Architect: Fender Katsalidis
• Landscape architect: Lat27
• Town planner: Mewing Town Planning

Chris Volk, director of Empirica Developments says the development offers a spacious lobby which is connected to dining amenity, ground floor wellness space, premium boutique office accomodation, childcare facilities, end of trip facilities and a co-working space.

“The unique architecture and form embraces’ Queensland’s subtropical climate and lifestyle with an attunement to local materials and culture. The building is orientated to absorb city views from each of the two mixed mode terraces on the office levels while the northern façade takes full advantage of sweeping and unobstructed views of Teneriffe Hill and New Farm,” Chris said.

“Robertson Street provides excellent vehicular and public transport access while linking pedestrians between Eagle Street Pier and the newly established Howard Smith Wharves to James Street, New Farm and Fortitude Valley,” Chris said.

Typical office floor plates are approximately 550 sqm and tenancy sizes will range from 150 sqm up to 1,650 sqm if contiguous floors are leased.  The building will also feature contactless access, 3 lift cores with mechanically ventilated spaces to be filtered through a hospital grade anti-pathogen system.

The childcare tenancy has been pre-committed to a national operator for an initial term of 20 years with a further 600m2 of office space also pre-committed under lease. According to Empirica Developments, several expressions of interest for the balance of the office suite leases are also under negotiation. Completion is currently expected in Q3 2022.

Plans