Thiess has signed a $123 million contract with Leighton Properties (LEI) build Queensland’s healthiest building, King George Central, at 145 Ann Street in Brisbane’s CBD. At 27 storeys, the 28,000m2 building will offer A grade office accommodation in surroundings designed according to the Heart Foundation’s Healthy by Design features. King George Central is the first building in Australia to be publicly endorsed by the Heart Foundation, and will feature use friendly staircases to all floors from the ground up, a bike fleet and a healthy choice café. Construction is expected to begin immediately, with the project set to finish early 2012.
Managing Director David Saxelby said the office tower would be the first such CBD development to commence in Australia since the start of the global financial crisis, and came on the heels of the recently completed 400 George Street Brisbane office tower, which has received a 5 Star Green Star – Office Design v2 rating from the Green Building Council of Australia. “Our involvement with King George Central will increase awareness about the impact of design of commercial buildings on health and will raise the bar about how design will increasingly influence tenant demand due to the need to encourage healthy living and the resulting benefits of a healthy workforce.”
