One of Australia’s wealthiest women has pitched plans for a pencil-thin 36-storey residential tower along the riverfront of the Brisbane CBD.
Entrepreneur and jobs queen Sarina Russo is behind the proposal that comprises 20 three-bedroom apartments across either single or dual levels.
It is earmarked for a 367sq m site at 457 Adelaide Street occupied by a five-storey commercial building that Russo Custodians acquired in 1999 for $1.25 million.
Russo, a high-profile businesswoman who heads up an employment and training empire, has an extensive property portfolio across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Her net worth was last estimated at $271 million.
The Adelaide Street site also fronts Howard Street and is just 10m wide.
Under the plans, the existing building—Jamison House—would be demolished to make way for the high-end apartment tower.
“The proposal exhibits outstanding architectural merit through the delivery of a visually engaging and climate responsive building that responds to the site’s constraints through screening measures, articulation, recession and landscaping,” an Urbicus planning report said.
While the proposed tower exceeds the 12-storey height limit under the City Centre Neighbourhood Plan, a performance outcome is being sought, justifying its uplift to align with the prevailing pattern of development and capitalising on the site’s proximity to major transport routes and city amenities.
Designed by architects Nettletontribe, the scheme also includes 689sq m of communal space.
Two podium levels feature a wine bar that opens out to a terrace with a backdrop of cascading greenery as well as an adjacent wellness centre and gym with access to outdoor zones “promoting movement and mindfulness in a nature-infused setting”.
The rooftop amenities include a swimming pool, deck, barbecue facilities and breakout area.
Onsite carparking for 24 vehicles would be provided on the lower ground levels with space optimised through the use of a car stacker system.
“This new apartment development presents a contemporary addition to the Brisbane River skyline, thoughtfully rejuvenating the urban fabric while maintaining visual harmony with the city’s iconic Story Bridge,” a design statement said.
“The tower is envisioned as a luminous lantern fronting the Brisbane River, its architecture defined by a delicate interplay of solid and void, transparency and texture.
“By night, the tower gently glows, reinforcing its lantern-like presence within the skyline. This integration of light, texture, and landscape embeds the tower harmoniously within its riverine setting, creating a sophisticated architectural identity.”
