Water utility Urban Utilities is moving to the new 17-storey commercial development. Designed by Nettleton Tribe Architects, 31 Duncan Street is being developed by Tribune Properties and LKM Holding’s Tim Mahony and Andrew King. 

31 Duncan Street, in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, a move which is set to supercharge the daytime economy of the area.

Urban Utilities will be the anchor tenant in the $375 million A-Grade commercial tower occupying 6,015sqm over three levels for its head office.

31 Duncan Street is being developed by Tribune Properties and LKM Holding’s Tim Mahony and Andrew King, renowned for their similar car park redevelopment at 53 Albert Street which recently sold for $250 million.

The sustainable building was designed by Nettleton Tribe Architects and is situated in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley at the site of the current China Town Mall carpark.

“Our attraction to the site was its central Fortitude Valley location. It’s only 200m from the train and is surrounded by all forms of public transport and amenity,” said Mr Mahony. “The total land area is just under one acre and this allowed us to design the most perfectly efficient side core floor plate that spans over 2,000sqm.”

The development will significantly improve the daytime activation of the mall which generally receives most of its commercial traffic in the evenings — expanding the area beyond a food- oriented precinct.

The building is also located within Brisbane’s Urban Renewal Precinct, which is undergoing a significant transformation and as a result has consistently outperformed wider occupier markets.

Hutchinson Builders and the project team are expected to commence construction in the coming months.

Approvals for the development, which is set to become one of Brisbane’s most technologically advanced commercial buildings, were received in April 2018.

31 Duncan Street, which will be completed by December 2022, comprises over 25,000sqm of commercial space, 464 car parks, an impressive 80m frontage to the Duncan Street Mall, a landscaped roof terrace, running track and gym, state-of-the-art end-of-trip facilities, and touchless accessories — designed to reflect the new COVID-safe work environment.

Tribune Properties and LKM Holdings secured the asset in 2017, beating over 200 interested parties following an International Expressions of Interest campaign conducted by CBRE.

CBRE’s Managing Director, Chris Butters is the leasing agent for the project.

“31 Duncan Street is generating a significant level of occupier interest due to the development’s ‘best in class’ workplace opportunities, immediate proximity to all forms of public transport and unrivalled access to diversified retail amenity. We are currently in progressed discussions with a number of major occupiers over the remaining available floors.”

31 Duncan Street will target a 5 Star Green Star Design and 5 Star NABERS Energy rating and is set to become an iconic building in the heart of Fortitude Valley.