A development application has been lodged for a residential tower to be established in Cairns, in a move that would see the heritage-listed Cairns Post headquarters being adaptively re-used.
It has been proposed that four heritage sites, spanning across 22-34 Abbott Street, be re-purposed into commercial outlets, including the former office of the Cairns Post newspaper.
The tower proposal by Hunt Design includes three parking levels, a lobby, a residents recreation area and 75 units across eight levels. Apartments range in size from 67-square-metres to 178-square-metres and in offering with a mix of one, two and three bedroom apartments.
Plan show a resident’s recreation area on the first accommodation level with gym, spa, swimming pool and sun deck. The pool, with its glass frontage, sits perched four levels above street level to create a visually unique facade.
The development would see the adaptive re-use of the Cairns Post headquarters.
Image: Hunt Design
All apartments have been designed with a wide outdoor balcony using high thermal performance glass to achieve a low energy footprint for the building. The balconies are a standout feature on the facade, with defined horizontal lines and shaded areas.
By setting back the car park face, the heritage buildings on the ground plane stand proud rather than feeling overshaded by the tower.
The vision behind the development is to enliven the city centre by introducing contemporary residences to attract more short and long-term residents, as well as offer more cultural experiences to existing residents by creating a relationship between the gallery precinct and through the delivery of more dining and retail outlets.
The application states the overarching design concept is to “create a poster child for tropical urbanism, to capture what it is like to have an alfresco lifestyle right in the city heart,” and to formulate a building that amplifies Cairns position as “a city in a tropical garden.”
Overall, the existing site is lightly utilized from a commercial standpoint, with the Cairns Post building having laid dormant for many years, the neighbouring property Evert House being non-operational and the opal shop being vacant. The only tenanted building is a nearby liquor store.
The development application was submitted by Sky Commercial. Alex Seckler of Sky Commercial purchased the former Cairns Post office in 2021, followed by the adjoining retail strip.
