Catholic Church in bid to build new office building in Fortitude Valley

A heritage-listed Fortitude Valley church precinct could be transformed under plans for a new eight-storey commercial office building to sit alongside the historic St Patrick’s Church.

Melbourne firm Quintessential, on behalf of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane, has applied to build an eight-storey office building, which would form part of the broader Arbory Precinct, on the Morgan Street site.

Planning documents lodged with Brisbane City Council show the planned building would rise eight storeys immediately south-west of the church, which was built in 1882.

In its planning report lodged to the council on behalf of the Archdiocese, town planning firm Urbis said the development would provide a long-term commercial income stream that would support the operation and conservation of the church.

As part of the proposal, a new pedestrian arcade would link Morgan and Berwick streets through the church grounds.

The connection would have landscaping, seating, a cafe and building lobby, creating what Urbis described as a new “urban common” around the church.

“The urban common is designed as a functional gathering space rather than residual landscaping,” Urbis says in its assessment report.

“Its lawns, garden courts, seating, shade planting and active edges support meeting, resting and informal occupation while reinforcing St Patrick’s Church as the central landmark of the precinct.

“The space is open to the sky, visually connected to the arcade and integrated with the principal building entry and active ground-level uses.”

The site occupies about 10,690 square metres and sits within the Fortitude Valley neighbourhood plan area, which encourages mixed-use and commercial development.

The proposed building, designed by Brisbane architecture firm Blight Rayner, would contain 72 car parks, 136 bicycle spaces and a basement level, with vehicle access from Morgan Street and servicing from Berwick Street.

Last year, the Archdiocese applied to build a 39-storey office tower on the site of the Stock Exchange Hotel, a site near St Stephen’s Cathedral that it also owned.

Comment has been sought from both the Archdiocese and Quintessential.

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