Barber Property Group Lodges Plans for Medical Facility Hotel, Brisbane, Australia

Main Photo: The Medical Facility and Hotel – imagined

Date: May 2020

Location: Spring Hill, Brisbane, Australia

Name: Wickham Medical & Hotel

No. of Keys: 46

Who: Barber Property Group has lodged plans for a “sub-tropical” 15 storey private medical facility and hotel in Spring Hill.

It was the second medical facility application lodged in the Brisbane CBD fringe suburb after Silverstone Developments revealed plans for a nine-storey commercial and medical building last week.

Barber Propery’s plans for 375 Wickham Terrace would see an existing mid-rise office building demolished to build a long narrow tower.

It includes 5,307 sqm of health care floorspace, 186 sqm of retail, a hotel with 46 rooms, conference rooms, a business lounge and a rooftop communal area.

The 1,370 sqm site opposite Roma Street Parklands was in the midst of a community and residential precinct including multiple medical facilities as well as St Joseph’s College, Brisbane Central State School and Brisbane Grammar School.

The decision to lodge the plans was spurred on by Covid-19 according to the development application by Barber Property Group under the guise of St Lucia Enterprises.

“The current public health situation has highlighted the need for health care services in south-east Queensland, both now and into the future,” according to the application.

“The development will support the a robust and resilient health care system to address ongoing health and accommodation outcomes in support of standard health requirements together with heightened health requirements [as currently observed].”

The new plans were consistent with an existing approval from 2015 with the amalgamation of lots, realignment of the road behind the site and construction of a new road.

Currently on the Barber Property Group development site is a three storey office building beside the 1860’s Theosophical Society Building.

The Arkhefield design was described as contemporary and had to be mindful of the historically-significant Theosophical Society Building next door; an 1860’s duplex which was converted into medical suites by notable architect Robin Dods in 1912.

“The new podium references the composition and elements of the vernacular verandah forming part of the heritage building, through inclusions within podium facade such as columns, batten screening and trellis,” according to the application to Brisbane City Council.

The design had a focus on natural light and ventilation with large windows and a breezeway on the tower levels beside the lift.

Barber Property Group have completed over $150 million worth of projects in the past 30 years in south-east Queensland such as the Jephson Hotel in Toowong and Quest on Story Bridge.

The Brisbane-based real estate investment and development company are currently working three sites in St Lucia including Vistas apartments, Gailey Road student accommodation and Eton Apartments.

THPT Comment: We at THPT are convinced the medical facility with hotel concept will take-off big time, globally…post Covid-19. We have seen examples of it in Scandinavia, plans in the UK and here in Australia.

First Seen: Urban Developer

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