Azzura Investments Limited lodges DA for $500 million second stage of $3 billion Imperial Square master plan

Azzura Investments Limited is taking the master plan for its $3 billion Imperial Square mega development at Southport to the next stage of evolution after lodging a development application for a 40-level mixed-use tower that will include an exclusive vertical village for retirees.

Plans for the $500 million Monarch Place come on the heels of the runaway success of the first stage, the 18-level Regal Residences, which is currently under construction on the massive 1.4 ha Imperial Square site on the corner of Ferry Road and Meron Street.

Monarch Place will deliver a total of 223 premium apartments, with 140 of these residences designated for an exclusive vertical retirement village for occupants over 65.

The new tower, designed by Kris Kowalski Architects, introduces retail and commercial tenancies on the ground level and first floor, complimented with a range of strata-titled specialist medical suites on level two.

“The success of Regal Residences has allowed us to bring the next stage of Imperial Square to the market amid strong inquiries for apartments across our master plan for the site,” said the CEO of Azzura, Robert Badalotti.

“We are thrilled to be introducing a new style of residences for the over-65 market at Monarch Place that will take downsizing to a completely new level in the heart of Southport.”

The vertical retirees’ village will deliver an array of exclusive amenities for residents on level five, including a grand ballroom, dining, gymnasium, sauna, heated indoor pool and spa, a hairdressing salon and beauty parlour, cinema, golf simulator, art and craft studio, library, and resident workshop.

Residents will also have access to a dedicated music room, games and entertainment rooms, consulting rooms, boardroom, plus a commercial-grade kitchen and dining area with a bar and coffee lounge.

There will also be a dedicated community garden on level six with easy access to level five below.

Monarch Place will bring a new dimension of residential living to Southport, building on the success of the first stage.

“We’ve combined the best of Regal Residences with the very latest designs in Monarch Place, and we have created a large array of activities and high quality amenities for occupants enjoy their retirement years,” said Mr Badalotti.

“Our second tower will give residents the ideal blend of space and serenity, with our design team especially focused on those smaller details that will allow residents to live their way at Monarch Place.”

Apartments in Monarch Place will offer an extensive array of layouts, from two-bedroom apartments to two-bedrooms plus study, three- and four-bedroom luxury apartments.

While 140 apartments in these configurations will be dedicated to the vertical retirement village, Monarch Place will also offer 83 freehold apartments that will offer some of the most spacious living areas available in the Southport market.

The freehold residences will have separate lift access and residents’ amenities in a design that will bring a new era of downsizing to Southport without compromising on lifestyle.

Monarch Place will release an exclusive selection of three bedroom and four-bedroom apartments, plus eight four-bedroom skyhomes, each with a plunge pool and spa.

On the upper levels, overlooking Southport, the Broadwater and Surfers Paradise skyline, Monarch Place will boast three spacious sub-penthouses, each with its own plunge pool and spas.

Topping off the development will be two super-sized penthouses featuring their own massive rooftop infinity pools.

“Amid all this luxury we are creating a unique lifestyle that blends an array of lifestyle amenities, medical, shopping, restaurants and bars to create the carefree lifestyle that downsizers are looking for,” said Mr Badalotti.

All residents of Monarch Place will have access to the Level 6 podium which will house a hotel-tavern and restaurants complemented by resident barbecue facilities alongside an outdoor ‘kabana lagoon’ pool.

Located within Southport’s designated Priority Development Area, Imperial Square comprises four stages that in future will include the 68-level Imperial Tower and The Majesty, which will rise 108 levels and become Australia’s tallest residential tower.

Imperial Square will eventually deliver around 1,600 dwellings and up to 40,000sqm of commercial and retail space designed to activate the site into a vibrant community offering a range of services and amenities at the doorstep for residents of the Imperial Square community.

Azzura Group is an award-winning Gold Coast-based company founded by Mr Badalotti in 1989 and which has created an impressive portfolio of projects that have defined urban landscapes from the northern Gold Coast to Byron Bay in northern NSW.

Over the past 34 years, Azzura has developed more than 2600 residential dwellings, 24 commercial projects and six international resorts.

Azzura Plans to officially launch Monarch Place to the market in late May this year with construction expected to start in late 2023. The second stage of the development is scheduled to welcome its first residents in 2025.