Pubs giant Endeavour plans to build 30-storey Brisbane apartment tower

Through its hospitality arm, ALH Hotels, Endeavour plans to refurbish the historic pub at Woolloongabba in Brisbane, with 245 units and 140 guest suites developed on the site as well, seeking to attract a $250 million investment into the build.

Endeavour owns 350 hotels as well as the BWS and Dan Murphy’s bottle shop chains. But property development is now high on its agenda as well, under a strategy previously outlined to its investors.

Ten sites have been identified as development prospects including the Forest Hotel in Frenchs Forest, where a 140-room hotel is proposed, and the Castle Hill Tavern, both in northern Sydney.

Big plans are also afoot for some of Endeavour’s properties in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, including at The Doncaster Hotel and the Dan Murphy’s site in Camberwell, where more accommodation and apartments are slated.

But the pubs giant has no ambition to transform itself into a residential developer and will instead look to bring on board a partner to take over that component on sites such as the Morrison Hotel build in Brisbane.

Matthew Toohey, group property director at Endeavour Group, said Queensland was one of their biggest markets and the operator had already experienced the benefit of renewing and developing The Brook and Manly Hotels.

“The Morrison would be the next level up; we’re aiming to work with partners for more accommodation and residential stock ahead of the Olympics while also updating the hotel,” Toohey told The Australian Financial Review. “Naturally, these projects take time, and we are excited to see such a major development progress to the DA [development application] phase.

“We have great assets that have potential across a range of uses. We do not intend to become residential developers, but we’ve spoken of our desire to work with partners in their development.”

Spanning 18 levels, the residential part of the Brisbane tower will mainly include studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, as well as an array of amenities including a pool, dining spaces, 10 working and meeting rooms, a theatre, gym and yoga lawn.

There will be a mix of build-to-rent and build-to-sell apartments on offer, and the new hotel in the tower will rise over five levels with about 28 suites on each floor.

Both apartments and short-term accommodation will be able to be accessed by a remodelled Jacob Lane, and Merton Road will be absorbed into the site as a paved shared pedestrian space, at times closed and used for extended dining.

The Morrison Hotel itself will be refurbished. A new basement fitout is part of that plan, along with a larger beer garden and an upper-level restaurant. Acquired by AHL in 2002, the two-storey pub was constructed in 1927 and has recognised heritage significance.

The ambitious Brisbane project follows the Queensland government’s decision to prioritise development across a 106-hectare area covering parts of Woolloongabba, Kangaroo Point, East Brisbane and South Brisbane.

The Morrison Hotel lies within this area, with the government designation aiming to unlock more high-density development concentrated around the Woolloongabba Cross River Rail Station, which is under construction.

Meanwhile, Endeavour plans to close its premium Oakridge winery restaurant in Victoria and has shut down its cellar door operations of Shingleback Wines in South Australia’s McLaren Vale region in response to changing consumer habits and cost-of-living pressures affecting earnings.