Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 7 : Debate on New Art Gallery and Cultural Centre, 1970-1976

Arts ~centre 1 no Opera House, says Sir Gordon By a Stoff Reporter STATE Treasurer (Sir Gordon 'Chcilkl promised yesterday Bri1ban1'1 pro,:011d $4S million cultural complex would not turn into 'another Opera Hou1_1." But quantity surveyors estimated later that the complex could cost up to $90 million by the time it is expected to be completed, late in 1983. Sir Oor<lon yuterday u n ve i I ~ d mOdels and plans for the new com– plex, to be built at the ~~tt~gior1':."gw~~-e• to Construction or the complex will be carried out Jn rour staKe•, with ;~r,.r~r:~·"t!iat~ ~~~l;i~f :;; by eRrly 1979. Sir Gordon said the $4~ m i 111 on estimate was based on October 1974 costs. Although there would be some escalation In costs because or ln!latlon, the main structural cost or the project . would be malntnlncd a.s close u poaalble r.o '45 million. Designed "IL certainly won't be another Opera House. "What happened there was that no one knew the total design, or how the roof woulu be put on. ' ' T h I s complex ha., been fully designed," he said. But curr,.nt building cost Increases and proj– ected ru tu re costs seem certain to push the J>rlce or the complex well be– yond the $45 million CIK– ure. Estlmat~ from a State rll'ln or qu1tntity surre- ~·g;~,. ~~~~1c1\:::\,~~~~I~! mnterinl cost lnrrcnse."i, 11re expecUtc1 to r1~r by an ll\'f'rAli(e 15 per ctnl each year until June tn9, anrt by about 10 per cent each year Crom then on. Taking Into account the stare-by-stage con– stru~lon or the complex, lta estimated cost bv late 1983 Is between $80 mll• 110i\tran~~~go':: 111 !?.P<i the n e w c u I tu r a I centre would be a grent acquisi– tion Cor B1•i.,bane and Queensland. It wouId not be shaded by anything else like It In the southern States. Construction of the complex wlll Involve: ce:tre~ e~i~~~~~~:n~ Street, containing a 2000-seat concert hall, a 1800-seat opera and bal– let theatre and 400-seat studio theatre. • The Queensland A rt Gallery, west or Mel- t~Y.:;:n~trJf~et\~~hth: total noor area or 13,000 square metres (140,UOO sq. It.). • The Queensland Museum, separated from the art gnllery by R ri,~,n~:i~ :ri:~\tl~.~3~ . square metres Cl60,000 SQ. ft.I, • The Stnte Library. lo be bullt on the site of U~,p~~•t•~~c1 8 \,.f.~ft'~;~ ArA!?' f,~~rt~(i~im, 11\'er- slrk rC'staurant nnd con· r~nllon complex Hl.'m will br included In the com– µlrx , Sir Oorrtnn ••Id all section., or the cultural centre, •xcept ror car c~m 1~'bn:~·t'oo~~,~ ~1.be .·-- (.0"~ ' . ' J