Gold Coast development: Awaken Residences approved to replace Coolangatta’s Cafe DBar
The operators of Cafe DBar have signed a deal to revive their popular eatery in the new luxury tower taking its place at Point Danger.
Cafe DBar will reopen in developer Paul Gedoun’s 12-storey Awaken Residences on Boundary Street. Construction will begin later this year once the existing building is demolished.
The new-look Cafe DBar restaurant will take out the first level of the building. It will have an expanded seating capacity and view of the ocean.
Cafe owner Donna Archdeacon has operated the business for 14 years and said she was pleased to reach a deal.
“We are delighted to be to be expanding our businesses, which is something we have wanted to do for a while, offering both a beach style cafe and an elegant restaurant in a building that we envisage is going to be something very special for the Gold Coast,” she said.
“We are planning for that beach atmosphere downstairs with upstairs a more elegant, timeless and cosmopolitan theme dining experience with a larger patron capacity that will also offer options for private parties and small gatherings.
“The developer has offered us that view on the first floor and we’re excited to retain that for the public. I feel very grateful for being able to give the public back that space.
“Over the years the cafe has become a bit worn out, so we’re excited for concrete floors and lots of natural beauty to bring the outside in for more of a seamless style of dining.”
Mrs Archdeacon said the restaurant would adopt a “cosmopolitan New York-style” of dining for both lunch and dinner drawing on local ingredients.
The Gold Coast City Council has the new development a green light in April, with Mr Gedoun fast-tracking construction.
The famous Point Danger cafe site was bought in 2020 by Mr Gedoun’s S & S Projects for $8m.
The project, approved by council under delegation, will have 10 units, including a four-bedroom, two-level penthouse. The remainder will have three bedrooms.
It will also have the Gold Coast’s largest artwork – an 11-storey tall, 200sq m painting that will stretch along the length of the tower.
However, locals opposed to the development have held a rally and called on Deputy Premier Steven Miles to overrule council’s planning decision by using his rare call-in powers to halt the project.
Community activists argue the development is not in line with the neighbourhood’s character.
