The site was formerly bisected by Short Street and comprised a number of different allotments and uses. Buildings occupied the area as early as 1854 and it was used for a variety of functions including; manufacturing, warehousing, shipping, housing, and electricity generation.[citation needed]
The Queensland Government began purchasing the properties in the 1960s as part of their Government Precinct development scheme and began demolishing the existing buildings, some dating to the 1850s. The demolition of the adjacent Bellevue Hotel and construction of 80 George Street saw the spoil from there dumped on the 1 William Street site. Short Street was closed and all of the site was amalgamated into one allotment, 1 William Street.[citation needed]
In 1974, the site was allocated for future government offices.[11]
1 William Street is a 6,778-square-metre (72,960 sq ft) site, owned by the Queensland Government, and from 1982 until 2013 it was used as a government car park. The site encompasses a whole city block between William, Alice and Margaret streets and Riverside Expressway.[citation needed]
Cultural heritage significance
The site has archaeological potential of possible cultural heritage significance. Remnants of 1850s buildings are visible above the current ground level and it is likely that significant sub-surface fabric survives.[citation needed]
Development
In August 2012, Expressions of Interest were called for from experienced organisations interested in bidding for the project. It was proposed that the site would be available to the successful party under a long-term lease arrangement and that the Queensland Government would take a long-term lease over approximately 75,000 m2 (810,000 sq ft) of the office space in the development.[12]
In December 2012, Cbus was announced as the developer for 1 William Street.[15] The developer was granted a 99-year lease over the site and a guaranteed 15-year government lease for 60,000 m2 (650,000 sq ft) of office space.[16]
Design
1 William Street has a gross floor area of 119,977 m2 (1,291,420 sq ft) and a net lettable area of 74,853 m2 (805,710 sq ft) of office space, excluding retail which covers 1,169 m2 (12,580 sq ft). The design includes 318 car bays.[17]
About 60,000 m2 (650,000 sq ft) has been allocated for government space, leaving around 15,000 m2 (160,000 sq ft) to be subleased by the private sector.[17] It is intended to receive a 5-star NABERS office energy rating and a 3-star NABERS office water rating. The building is the first new commercial office building developed for government in the Brisbane CBD since the completion of the government office building at 33 Charlotte Street in 2004.[18]
The theme and colour scheme for each floor has been dedicated to a Queensland icon or natural phenomenon.[19]
Level
Themes
G to 2
base palette (neutral cream, brown and grey tones)
From 1 October 2016, nine full departments and agencies, all state government ministers, most Directors-General and more than 5,000 public servants moved to 1 William Street.[22] Some sections from 11 other departments also shifted to 1 William Street, while other sections of these departments will move to other buildings in the inner-city. Three buildings were demolished: the Executive Building at 100 George Street, the Executive Annex at 80 George Street and the Neville Bonner Building at 75 William Street.[citation needed]
Tenants
Entrance, 2018View from South Bank, 2021
The building houses between 5,000 to 6,000 public servants.[23] The entirety of the 1 William Street building is occupied by various departments in the Queensland Government:[24]
^"1 William Street". Queensland Treasury. The State of Queensland. 28 September 2012. Archived from the original on 28 February 2015. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
^ abDaniel Hurst (21 December 2012). "Green light for CBD skyscraper". Brisbane Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
