- Site was purchased in 2016 for $3.85 million
- Devlopment will be the first entry into the Gold Coast market by H&R
- Despite some concerns the tower was approved by the Gold Coast council
Hirsch & Faigen (H&R) has secured development approval for its 14-storey luxury Hemingway boutique tower in Palm Beach, which features frontage to the beachfront enclave of Jefferson Lane.
Rothelowman will design the tower drawing inspiration from the holiday shacks of the 1950s and 1960s.
H&F originally purchased the 1644sqm corner site at 1267-1273 Gold Coast Highway back in 2016 for $3.85 million.
The development will be the first Gold Coast foray for H&R who currently have a national portfolio of the past decade totalling over $1 billion.
H&R is a private Melbourne-based company between the Hirsch family – known for interests in petroleum, horse racing and wine – along with property lawyer and developer Daniel Faigen.
Richard Hirsch, Director of H&R, said the design was architecturally intelligent and innovative whilst simultaneously showing empathy for the Gold Coast’s beach heritage.
“We’re committed to design, sustainability, usability and creating timeless, contemporary buildings that improve the lives and wellbeing of all that interact with them,”
“This is a great design-led outcome that in time will prove to be an outstanding result not only for the site but also the whole of Palm Beach, which is one of the Gold Coast’s truly unique beachside treasures.”
Richard Hirsch, Hirsch & Faigen Director
Mr Hirsch also added Hemingway’s design will reinvent traditional beach houses by taking inspiration from wrap-around decks and expansive views.
“Hemingway will be a slender residential tower with cut outs that dramatically expand the indoor-outdoor experience and reframe the view-lines through to the ocean to deliver true panoramic views,” he said.
The development application was lodged in mid-2019. Although concerns were raised by local residents over the projects height and high-density, the Gold Coast Council approved, in particular commenting that H&R’s tower is “not considered to offend the local skyline”.
The Gold Coast council’s Office of Architecture and Heritage cited the development would “reinforce the local identity”.
“The development as a whole provides a distinct architectural appearance through its form which incorporate subtle design elements of the 1950s and 1960s beach house, articulated floorplate, sculptured columns and projections which are combined with high-quality material selections which include applied finishes in varied sandstone shades,”
Gold Coast Office of Architecture and Hertiage analysis
As a fun fact, Hemingway is named after Ernest Hemingway who authored The Old Man and the Sea.