PlanCheck

This is a building in Queensland but it’s amazing what can be done to modernize the facade 🤔🙂

Torbreck, 182 Dornoch Terrace, Highgate Hill.
Today we are looking at the Torbreck building from Highgate Hill Park as the tower nears completion back in 1960.
It was built on what was originally the site of a house named Torbrek from 1876. The building was designed by Brisbane Architects Aubrey Horswill Job and Robert Percival Froud and completed in 1960.
The building was the first multi storied home unit development in Queensland and when first promoted in 1957, the scheme received support from Queensland Premier Frank Nicklin who saw this high density, inner urban residential development as an important contribution toward curbing Brisbane’s urban sprawl.
The company responsible for building Torbreck started out as Torbreck Kratzmann Pty Ltd and consisted of accountant Wilfred Charles Betts, builder Noel Ausin Kratzmann and solicitor Sholto Douglas. In 1959 the company went bankrupt and the development was sold to Reid Murray Developments in 1959, who renamed the company Torbreck Home Units Ltd in mid 1960.
This new concept in residential accomodation offered its tenants spectacular views, the latest in automatic lifts, an acre of landscaped gardens and a swimming pool. Each of the 150 apartments had at least one balcony, an electric kitchen, built ins, two telephone connections (one bedroom and one lounge), washing machine, clothes dryer, television reception, a private garage and a mailbox. Water from the city’s reservoirs is pumped to large storage tanks on the roof and treated by the latest in American water softening equipment.
There were plans for many more features, but lack of Brisbane City Council approval and spiralling construction costs resulted in these features being abandoned. Those features were a basement laundry service, a top class restaurant offering room service, a terrace cafe, roof and indoor gardens, tennis court, putting greens, children’s playground, rooftop observation lounge and ground level shopping facilities/professional suites.
Due to the popularity of Torbreck, developers were confident of its success that in 1959 they announced plans for Torbreck Surfers Paradise and Torbreck Burleigh. Neither of these developments eventuated.
Now while this was the first multi story apartment development from concept, it wasn’t the first completed. That title goes to the 14 story Glenfalloch Home Unit building in New Farm which was completed in 1959. One other development during this period that came close, but finished third was Camden in Hamilton which replaced Camden House (originally Waterview) in 1960.
In 1999 the 18 story building was added to the Queensland Heritage Register.
What we see in todays picture may look as if the side of the tower has received an upgrade, but it belongs to a recent development named The Highgate. The building was developed by Pointcorp development, designed by a local architectural firm named Cottee Parker and built by Hutchinson Builders. It took 90 weeks to construct and cost $30.7m. I assume that includes the purchase cost of number 174 Dornoch Terrace for $7.53m and number 178 Dornoch Terrace for $2.17m, both in November 2014.
The 10 story building has 31 luxury apartments that were built in 2016 where three houses once existed. The house furthest to the east was removed in 1973/1974, the middle house in 2014/2015 while the house to the west has remained, but only to have the the new tower built against the rear wall of the building. This house ( #170) appears that it was converted into flats at some stage but this development has resulted in it being restored.
(Taken: 1960/2019)
(Source: BCC/John Prpic)
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