This property is ready to move into now! Please note this is independent editorial content written by a PropertyMash Journalist. While we try to ensure all information is as accurate as possible, please double check with the developer or real estate agent directly before making a purchasing decision. The information contained within this article may be incorrect or out of date.
UPDATE OCTOBER 2019: There are two apartments remaining at Banc Toowong, both of which are ‘Garden Homes’. These sit above the lobby at podium level, and each have three bedrooms and two living rooms. Both ‘Garden Homes’ have up to 229 sqm of private gardens. As highlighted by the sales agent, Deb Maguire, “Banc has all been sold to owner occupiers with the exception of 3 units sold so far- quite an exceptional situation”, making these apartments ideal for downsizers and professionals who want a home overlooking the river.
UPDATE FEBRUARY 2019: There are two apartments remaining for sale at Banc Toowong, a River Home on Level 4 and a Sky Home on Level 10. The River Home contains three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a study nook and two side by side car parks over 162m² for $1,490,000. The Sky Home offers three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, two living areas, a study nook and three side by side car parks. This apartment for sale at Banc is priced at $2,680,000 and offers over 224m² of space.
Banc is an impressively designed building that is squarely targeted at owner-occupiers looking for luxury apartment living close to, but not in, the city. With a great deal of time and money spent on design and architecture, it is a wonderful addition to the Brisbane skyline and has cemented itself as one of the premier apartment buildings in Brisbane.
Overlooking the Brisbane River at Toowong, Banc has 34 apartments spread across its 15 levels and boasts a wide array of features and facilities. The building consists of a small number of two bedroom, two bathroom apartments, the majority of three bedroom, two and a half bathrooms apartments and a singular spectacular full floor penthouse/sky home. Crowning the development, one spectacular ‘Sky Mansion’ will feature its own library.
Floor plans range from 105m² for the entry-level apartments through to a huge 455m² for the Sky Mansion, making this apartment certainly one of the best available to purchase in Brisbane at the present time. Views will be outstanding in general and in most cases will not be able to be built out. Every apartment will be allocated at least two secure car spaces.
Banc is on Coronation Drive, the six-lane main road that runs alongside the Brisbane River from the CBD and Toowong, leading to the western suburbs. Coronation Drive is one of Brisbane’s busiest roads and, on average, more than 75,000 cars travel along here every day. On a positive note, this usually makes getting into the city easy and you’re spoilt for choice with public transport.
On the other side of Coronation Drive is the Bicentennial Bikeway. Recently upgraded, the bikeway runs alongside the river all the way into the city and is a fantastic means of accessing the city by bike or foot. The Regatta Ferry Terminal is also just a short walk away and is a fantastic means of commuting to the City or to the University, amongst other common destinations serviced by the Brisbane River.
Less than 1km away from Banc is Toowong Village, a bustling retail and dining precinct. A few doors down is the Regatta Hotel, a sophisticated historic pub distinguished by its wrap-around, iron-lace verandas. The Wesley Hospital, one of Brisbane’s premier private hospitals, is also walking distance away.
Being close to The University of Queensland, many students and young professionals live in Toowong and people aged in their 20s account for more than a third of the population. For more information on Toowong and the surrounding suburbs, check out our Suburb Profiles.
UPDATE DECEMBER 2018: Construction is now complete.
A grand lobby will open straight onto Coronation Drive, providing residents with easy access to the river and bikeway. The lobby will have a feature wall of floor-to-ceiling glass windows, welcoming wide views of the Brisbane River. Neutral earth tones and textures, with brass detailing, will make you feel like you’ve entered a five-star hotel, and this theme will be carried through each apartment.
The podium will have a communal area for all residents to enjoy. The communal area will include an infinity edge pool, outdoor lounge area, gardens and pergolas decorated with climbing plants. The facilities may not be as expansive as some larger projects, but we don’t think that is really what Banc is striving for. The focus of this project is on the quality of living within your apartment, and this is possible given the large floorplans. A wine ‘banc’ (you get the pun! the marketing guys really went out on a limb with this one) is a point of difference with a residents wine tasting room and dedicated wine cellar. As corny as it sounds it’s a good idea and I am sure will be enjoyed by residents. Great place to hold body corporate meetings!
The building is serviced by three lifts so residents on level six and up will step out of the lift and straight into the entryway of their apartment.
Above the lobby, at podium level, will be two ‘Garden Homes’. With three bedrooms and two living rooms, these apartments each will open onto 12 metres of outdoor living space with a private garden. Given this is opening onto Coronation Drive, don’t expect to be using your balcony a great deal. It is a very busy road and will best serve as a beautiful garden observed through closed doors, but perhaps this is what the developers had in mind as at 12 sqm this is a small balcony by this buildings standards. The podium will have a communal area for all residents to enjoy. The communal area will include an infinity edge pool, outdoor lounge area, gardens and pergolas decorated with climbing plants. The facilities may not be as expansive as some larger projects, but we don’t think that is really what Banc is striving for. The focus of this project is on the quality of living within your apartment, and this is possible given the large floorplans. The wine ‘banc’ is a point of difference, with a residents wine tasting room and dedicated wine cellar. As corny as it sounds it’s a good idea and I am sure will be enjoyed by residents. Great place to hold body corporate meetings!
From levels six to 14 there will be just two ‘Sky Homes’ per floor. With views of the city, these three bedroom, two living room apartments will have their own private lift access which is a very nice feature. ‘Sky Homes’ will all feature a butler’s pantry. They will also have a 34m² terraces.
Crowning Banc will be a single ‘Sky Mansion’, sprawled across the entire top floor. This penthouse apartment will have five bedrooms, four bathrooms, three living rooms, a study, a library and a formal dining room. You will also have two 34m² terraces, private access to a lift, and five car spaces.
The floorplans are generally well thought out in our view and expansive. For copies of the floor plans for the two remaining apartments, please enquire below.
At 2.75 metres the ceilings are above average height (some competing projects in this price bracket are however higher at 2.9m) but the thing we like best about the design is the focus on natural light and air flow. It would seem a real effort has been placed on maximising both and from our observations, this should be achieved. Each
Kitchens have natural stone benches, timber ceilings and Gaggenau appliances. For energy efficiency, security, and ease, there will be home automation. This means you can control devices (such as lights, appliances and security systems) from one mobile device, anywhere in the world.
The balconies have built-in kitchens with a Liebherr wine fridge and an integrated Smeg BBQ. These make the balconies a genuinely inviting place to relax and entertain.
As this development is strongly owner-occupier focused, no rental yield has been provided. In general, the annual growth rate in Toowong is down 3.6% from last year. The median apartment price is $415,000 and the median rent is $400 per week. As this suburb is so close to the University of Queensland, it’s important to remember that a large demographic of the suburb is students, and therefore, a large percentage of the suburb consists of older-style homes and budget friendly-apartments. Along the river, there are a few luxury-style apartments similar to Banc, taking advantage of the river views.
A similar project in the Toowong area that is also perfect for those looking to downsize is The Hathaway on Cadell Street in Auchenflower. These apartments are also ready to move in to now
Body corporate fees start at around $80/wk.
The Developer is Ideal Property, a company with a background in property development in mainland China. This will be the first development for Ideal Property in Brisbane.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this project.
Have you visited this project recently, or perhaps you live nearby or bought in a neighbouring building? Tell us what you love about this project, or perhaps what you don't.