Construction starts on Bottega House's $270m St Lucia riverfront residences

What's happening

Brisbane's prestige apartment pipeline has gained another project moving into construction. Bottega House has started work on a $270 million riverfront development at 180 Macquarie Street, St Lucia, Australian Development Review reported on 12 October.

The 15-storey building will hold 46 residences, mostly three-bedroom apartments, along with a limited number of half-floor homes and penthouses overlooking the Brisbane River and city skyline. It is aimed squarely at owner-occupiers and downsizers seeking large-format apartment living.

The key details

Formplus Design and Build has been appointed as builder after an extended pre-construction period, having been involved early in the design process. Key details:

• Location: 180 Macquarie Street, St Lucia
• Scale: 15 storeys, 46 residences
• Architect: Plus Studio; interiors by Mim Design
• Sales: Keenan & Byrne, with three-bedroom residences from $5 million
• Display suite: under construction on a neighbouring riverfront site

Bottega House director Craig Marsh said the focus was on delivering a project that reflects "the quality of this location". Formplus director Joel Martin said the builder's long involvement meant the team already understood the site and the work required. Keenan & Byrne director Tim Keenan said the agency expects the riverfront display suite to be among the most impressive Brisbane has seen. St Lucia is best known for the University of Queensland campus and its leafy riverfront streets, and new apartment supply of this scale and price point is relatively rare in the suburb.

Timeline and next steps

Construction has commenced, and the riverfront display suite is expected to be completed in December. A completion date for the building was not reported.

What it means for Gold Coast property owners and developers

Projects reaching construction are a useful sign that the top end of the south-east Queensland apartment market can still support new stock despite higher interest rates in 2026. Large three-bedroom apartments priced from $5 million show continuing demand from wealthy downsizers — a buyer group that is also active on the Gold Coast's beachfront and Broadwater.

For Gold Coast developers, the use of an early-engaged builder and a long pre-construction period reflects how many projects are now managing cost risk before committing to a start. Buyers of off-the-plan prestige stock should still seek independent advice on contracts and timelines. This is general information, not financial advice.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Bottega House St Lucia project?

At 180 Macquarie Street, St Lucia, on the Brisbane River.

How many homes will it have?

46 residences across 15 storeys, mainly three-bedroom apartments plus half-floor homes and penthouses.

What do the apartments cost?

Three-bedroom residences are priced from $5 million, according to the report.

Source: Australian Development Review, published 12 October 2026. This article is an independent summary and commentary by GC Prestige based on the original report — read the source for full details.