Construction on the eight-story Furlong House apartment complex has begin.
IT will soon be the city's tallest building and work on the new Furlong House apartment complex is ramping up.
Foundation footings are now in place, the site is currently being levelled, and the concrete slab will be poured within the next fortnight, heading towards an expected completion date of Christmas next year.
LJ Hooker property consultant Chris Farmer said the new eight-story, 42-apartment residential complex on the corner of Crawford and Morrisset streets would be the predominant feature of the Queanbeyan skyline.
"I don't think you'll see another high rise in Queanbeyan like it to be honest. I think it will be a landmark building in Queanbeyan
- the first of its kind, and maybe even the last," Mr Farmer said.
Queanbeyan City Council development controls cap building heights in the CBD at 30 meters
- or roughly ten stories
- putting the new Furlong House at the upper end of the scale.
Apartment sales have been steady, Mr Farmer said, with approximately half the units already sold.
"We're starting to ramp up the marketing side of things now that they've turned the dirt, and all's going well.
"Especially with this first home owner's grant of $15,000 and no stamp duty, I'm sure that will start to come into play as well," he said.
Despite its towering height in comparison to the rest of the CBD, local heritage advocates have called the development a win for Queanbeyan as it also includes restoration work to the old Furlong House, an 1850s Georgian terrace house that has fallen into disrepair.
Chair of the Queanbeyan City Council Heritage Advisory committee Councillor Trudy Taylor said balancing development with heritage...protection often involved compromise.
"I think it's [the height of Furlong House] always going to be a concern for anyone who has a passion about the heritage of the city. In saying that, you've got to be able to repurpose buildings as well. You can't just leave it as an icon - if you don't do anything with it it's just going to fall apart and degrade," Cr Taylor said.
"The heritage committee works very comprehensively with developers throughout the approval process, and it was important to ensure Furlong House was protected and restored. The new building has to be built around that and it has to...be restored to a certain...level and reconditioned for use.
"You've got to be able to use it, you need to be able to upkeep it and repurpose it, so it's suitable for today's usage," she said.
The rear half of the old Furlong House cottage will be demolished to accommodate the new apartment building while the front half will be restored and leased as office space to a small, commercial practice.