Tower Plans Up the Tempo on Sunshine Coast Nightlife Strip

Phil Bartsch / 21 Mar 24

The development beat along the Sunshine Coast’s nightlife strip of Ocean Street at Maroochydore may be about to pick up.

Plans have been filed for a 12-storey mixed-use tower comprising 53 apartments in the low-rise hub of live music venues, shops, restaurants and bars.

It is earmarked for a 2190sq m holding at 15-17 Ocean Street occupied by a two-level commercial building.

Property records show the site was acquired in May, 2017 for $4.05 million by an entity linked to Sunshine Coast businessmen Peter Poli and Glenn Ferguson.

The latest development proposal for the site follows a previous approval in 2020 for a 12-storey mixed-use development with 66 residential units and 44 serviced apartments that also spanned the neighbouring property at 11-13 Ocean Street.

Under the newly filed plans, the proposed tower would include a mix of 16 two-bedroom, 33 three-bedroom and 4 four-bedroom apartments across levels 3 to 12.

They would sit above two basement levels with 82 carparking spaces, 300sq m of ground-level retail-food and drink space, and four double-storey office tenancies totalling 689sq m within the three-level podium.

The application is seeking a short-term accommodation use to provide apartment owners with the flexibility to tenant their units on a short-term-holiday basis.

To be known as El Parasol, the scheme has been designed by Ferro Chow Architecture and includes 655sq m of communal open space on level 3 with a pool, outdoor kitchen, informal dining area, gymnasium, amenities, cabana seating areas, a spa and sauna.

“The building integrates seamlessly into a vibrant entertainment precinct surrounded by various retail and commercial establishments,” a design statement said.

“The street-level experience is thoughtfully curated, boasting an activated and landscaped podium with abundant greenery for screening, fostering a strong connection between common areas and the lively street.”

The use of off-form concrete, timber, and rammed earth is designed to “contribute to a natural, organic aesthetic, further enhanced by hanging planters and perimeter planting, reducing the building’s mass”.

“As a nod to its name, El Parasol serves as a metaphorical umbrella, providing shade and shelter in a modern, coastal context,” the documents said.

“The building’s design embraces its surroundings, offering a harmonious blend of function and aesthetics that resonates with the essence of its name.”

See Article: Tower Plans Up the Tempo on Sunshine Coast Nightlife Strip | The Urban Developer