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ARCHITECT PLANS 12-STOREY QUEENSTOWN HOTEL DEVELOPMENT

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January, 2023

A striking hotel, planned for Queenstowns Frankton Road, is back
on the drawing board.
FRJ Developments Ltd whose sole directors local architect Fred
van Brandenburg has owned the 5499 square metre site,
between Frankton Rd and Lake Whakatipu, opposite Goldfield
Heights, since about 2016.
At the time he bought it, the land had consent for 99 visitor
accommodation apartments.
Then, in August 2018, van Brandenburgs development company
got the nod to build the 131-room Crest hotel that consent
came with a five-year lapse date, and Covid stymied progress.
It was on the slow burn while we were doing our project in China
[the new headquarters of Marisfrolg, one of Chinas leading high-
end fashion labels], and we accelerated that when Covid
prevented us from travelling to China, so we focused far more on
this project.
But then again Covid prevented that from going as fast as wed
like.
With the brakes applied, the Crest consent lapsed before any of
the physical work could start.
Van Brandenburgs just had that consent renewed this time with
a 10-year lapse, we were appreciative of that, because its a
biggie and hes now talking to potential interested parties,
noting his company will probably be a developer in partnership.
The 12-storey hotel, comprising one-bedroom units, will be most
striking when viewed from Frankton Track or Lake Whakatipu, and
create a significant architectural presence, documentation
notes, utilising large sculptural curved forms throughout, along
with hook-shaped balcony elements on each level.
From Frankton Rd, the only element visible will be the porte
cochere, which will enable views through the roofline shells.
Van Brandenburg says the building will be draped in greenery,
including some on roof cavities.
[It will be] almost a forest of greenery, really some of the
greenery will be edible produce & like a market garden in the
air.
There are also plans afoot for a five-star hotel adjoining the
billion-dollar Lakeview development.
Singaporean-based Well Smart Investment Holding (THOM) Pty
Ltds designing the proposed hotel in conjunction with Park Hyatt,
which is expected to operate it.
The company was given consent in 2019 for a 130-room, seven-
storey, five-star hotel fronting Thompson Street, right beside the
Lakeview development.
Its since bought a property each on Thompson St and Glasgow St
and now wants to extend the hotel into those two sites.
It now plans a 120-room hotel, with a building footprint of about
4311 square metres, comprising a mix of one-, two- and three-
bedroom units, meeting rooms, a gym, indoor pool, bar and
restaurant, while a separate five-storey complex, would comprise
23 serviced apartments, a mix of studios, one-bedders and
penthouses.

Source: Mountain Scene