IT is up, up and away for Australia’s largest commercial project under construction.

A floor is being built every four days at the $850 million Oracle twin towers development at Broadbeach – the only project in Queensland using the rapid system.

It supersedes the targeted six-day structural floor cycle, offsetting delays caused by the weather.

The Oracle, due for completion in mid 2010, is being developed by Niecon, led by the Con Nikiforides.

The company has contracted Melbourne-based Grocon to construct it.

Oracle building site. Photo of COO Mark Johnson (R) and Superintendant Richard Wilkinson. Pic: Richard Gosling

It is one of only a handful of projects going ahead on the Gold Coast, with many others stalled or cancelled until market conditions improve.

Mr Nikiforides said, including everyone, the project employed 2500 people, helping boost the Gold Coast employment figures.

More than 50 independent sub-contractors have been employed by Grocon, taking it to between 400 and 500 workers.

At the end July the total hours worked to date by both work force and site staff hit a massive 790,000.

As the residential towers move up, the commercial precinct is also beginning to take shape.

“This component will provide an entire new street for Broadbeach featuring impressive architectural elements and chic retail zones,” said Mr Nikiforides.

“We expect the street to be fully leased prior to completion and certainly have been receiving immense interest from potential tenants.”

He said apartment sales were on target, with locals still holding the majority interest of more than 20 per cent of sales.

This is followed by Queensland purchasers at 18 per cent, while NSW, Victoria, WA and New Zealand make up 42 per cent of the buyers.

Mr Nikiforides said overseas investors had also dived into the buying pool in recent months.

Construction update (10/07/09):

The Oracle Gold Coast towers now stand 14 levels high making the concrete structure 60% complete!

Oracle - Tower 2 & 1

The jumpforms around the lift shafts have reached the 20th level which is halfway through Tower 2’s 40 levels. Work has commenced in the apartments themselves, with framing, glazing and partitions in progress.

You will see from the attached photos the podium terrace structure around each tower has now been cast.

The facades and balustrades are in place to level 9. The external wall preparation up to level 11 has the texture paint, with partition stud work to level 5.

Workforce numbers on site are averaging between 350-400 people daily as the steady progress continues.

With the towers now clearly visible, the Oracle Broadbeach apartments are a talking point on the Gold Coast!

The much anticipated retail precinct has taken shape and the street scape is being visually defined.

Tower 1 - Oracle Broadbeach

Tower 2 – Oracle Broadbeach

The towers are truly taking form and the Retail precinct with Oracle Boulevard is now clearly visible. The towers are now at level 14 with fitted glass and tile to the first 6 levels.

The podium levels which house the amenities for the residential towers are now complete. The distinctive forms, articulation and banding of the towers is now clearly visible, and you now have a strong indication of the amazing view corridors and general site layout.

As the buildings continue to rise, we look forward to bringing you additional updates.

The Oracle Towers Broadbeach

Time lapse of Oracle Broadbeach on the Gold Coast being built. Grocon is building the Oracle development at Broadbeach for Gold Coast developers Niecon.

Work started on the site in October 2007 and is expected to be completed by 2010. The Oracle comprises two towers – one of 50 levels and one of 40 levels. The development is spread over an entire 1.2 hectare block and also includes a up-market retail and dining precinct. There will be 505 apartments, with 264 in the higher tower and 241 in the lower.

HAVING glamour gal Tara Moss as a roving ambassador for Niecon’s new city block-sized Oracle complex in Broadbeach on the Gold Coast has been a publicity coup for Niecon boss Con Nikiforides.

There is, however, a downside to Tara’s role whenever she visits the building site.

“Every time she comes on site I’m always worried whether the building will tilt over because of the number of workers who flock to the side of the building to have a look,” laughed Con.

“As well as that, it’s amazing how so many of the male professional staff manage to find a reason to be onsite at the exact time Tara is walking around.

“The last occasion she came here by limousine, the car pulled up in the street and after three or four minutes, Tara said to the driver, ‘Is everything all right? We seem to have been stuck here for a while?’

“The driver apologised and confessed to me later that he was looking at her in his rear view mirror and became mesmerised.”

With the completion of the entire ground level (level one) across the site and the project now at the halfway point in the programme, some major milestones have been achieved.

The commencement of the apartment finishes cycle for the towers has begun. The external glazing (windows and sliding doors) in addition to the glass balustrades are being installed to the first three residential levels. With the glazing instillation into the building, it is starting to take shape and look more like residential towers.

As the site has begun to take form it is generating a lot of interest and enquiry amongst both visitors to Broadbeach and locals!

Site photographed with Tower I in the foreground and Tower II behind

Oracle beach tower (eastern)

Oracle Tower 2 - Hinterland Tower

Oracle Broadbeach - Retail

The progression on site has been steady and the towers are now above podium level which is the beginning of the residential section. The site is a hive of activity with an average workforce between 300-350 people daily.

It is hoped that a cycle can now be implemented where the structure will have a level completed a week. On average we will be looking at 4-5 levels a month.
As the towers climb they become more visible from several vantage points in Broadbeach and have received a lot of enquiry.

We are excited to share this amazing journey being the construction of what will be one of the largest landmarks on the Gold Coast.

Site photographed with Tower II in the foreground and Tower I behind

Tara Moss (Oracle ambassador) flew up from Sydney to celebrate this milestone and to talk to the media; speaking of her plans to make The Oracle, Broadbeach her place of residence on the Gold Coast.

GROCON (the head contractor) have:

·       completed all of the bulk earth-works and foundation piling in May 08.
·       Forming and casting of the first sections of the lowest level basement are complete.
·       Together with the concrete binding slab around the tower, the area is being readied for water-proofing and steel reinforcing.
·       All of the structure pilings that support the towers are in place.
·       Installation of the 4 cranes have been erected.
·       The specially formed jump form, manufactured at a cost of $2,000,000 is installed around the structure of Tower 1 to expedite the lift core and flow slab construction up the building.
·        5000 cubic metres of cement ( 150 domestic swimming pools) and 1000 tonnes of reinforcing steel (800 family sized cars) has been installed in the lower level raft slabs of the building.

DEVELOPER Niecon’s twin-tower Oracle project at Broadbeach is set to become an iconic live-work-play precinct.

The Oracle, being built on a 1.2ha site adjacent to the Oasis shopping centre, will have two towers sharing 505 apartments, one of 50 levels overlooking the beach and the second a 40-level building fronting Surf Parade.

The development also will feature four three-level buildings, comprising the towers’ podium, to include upmarket retail, alfresco dining, and commercial space.

The $850 million complex will be bounded by Surf Parade, Charles and Elizabeth avenues and Old Burleigh Road and construction has reached levels 13 and 14.

The Oracle is being developed by Niecon Group, linked to Con Nikiforides, which acquired the site’s 88 properties over three years for around $40 million.

It will have North, South, East and West precincts.

There will be two plazas and a public square linked by an internal road, Oracle Boulevard, that together will provide 3498sqm of public space.

The boulevard can be closed to traffic and serve as a venue for major events such as New Year’s Eve celebrations and the Broadbeach Blues Festival.

Oracle Boulevard will house the precinct’s main shopping and dining area.

The project, scheduled for completion in the second half of 2010, has three basement levels housing more than 1000 of its 1059 car spaces.

There will be 6486sqm of space set aside for retail and restaurants, mostly at ground level, and 8994sqm of office space on levels one and two of the podium buildings.

Niecon chief operating officer Mark Johnson said discussions with Gold Coast and national retailers were in progress for the sale of strata-title commercial space.

He said the prices would reflect market conditions.

Office spaces will range from 100sqm to 700sqm, while retail spaces will be from 65sqm to 500sqm.

“The tenancy mix will be reflective of high streets such as Rodeo Drive, Collin Street or Fifth Avenue,” said Mr Johnson.

“We have interest from food and beverage, fashion and commercial operators.

“The Oracle commercial offering is unique in its design and environment, which is recognised by the tenants approaching us.”

The Charles Avenue podium building will feature art on its western facade.

It will include an arcade linking the avenue to Oracle Boulevard, a feature restaurant space on Surf Parade, and retail, all at ground level.

The east podium building, facing Old Burleigh Road, will house the largest ground-level retail tenancy, designated for either a small convenience store or a brand-name large fashion boutique.

The Elizabeth Avenue podium building will have two commercial spaces at ground level for either retail or medical purposes.

The west podium building — fronting Surf Parade, Elizabeth and Charles avenues and Oracle Boulevard — will step from two to three storeys and house two-level-high glazed-glass outlets facing Surf Parade and third-level office suites.

It also will house a feature space, designed for a national or world-brand outlet, such as a Virgin Megastore.

The second and third levels of the podium will have a combined lettable area of about 5000sqm, which is set aside for office and medical uses, as well as function facilities and a place of worship.

A further 3204sqm on the two levels will be used for home-offices, apartments, lobbies and services.

The fourth podium level, a landscaped roof terrace, will have a small lobby and a 2933sqm communal area.

The Oracle has been designed by DBI Design, the company responsible for the Marriott Resort in Surfers Paradise; the Sheraton Mirage Resort on The Spit.

Each tower will have a residents’ lounge with cinema, wine lockers, billiard table and a library.

There will also be a zen garden and teppanyaki grill, fitness and lifestyle centre, indoor and outdoor pools, spa, sauna and treatment rooms.

Some 354 of the 505 apartments have already sold off the plan.