The Brisbane School of Arts building has had many lives, from accommodation and a refuge for women to a centre for education, and a city library. Its next use could soon be determined by a new owner.
Read: Historic Brisbane School of Arts Set for Private Sale After Revival Bid Falls Short
The heritage-listed property at 166 Ann Street in the Brisbane CBD is being offered to the private sector through a market tender process, giving the building another moment of change after decades of public use.
Historic Brisbane landmark heads to tender
The 1009sqm site includes a 1140sqm building across three levels, with a basement. CBRE agents Nick Wedge and Will Carman have been appointed to manage the sale.
The tender process is scheduled to close at 3pm on Wednesday, November 4, 2026. The sale campaign describes the building as having been underutilised for many years and presents it as an opportunity for a new owner to undertake refurbishment and adapt the property.
Potential uses outlined for the site include an entertainment venue, commercial offices, or a private club. These are possibilities identified in the sale campaign rather than approved future uses.
The sale campaign follows a Brisbane City market-sounding process earlier in 2026 that sought proposals for the activation of the building. Its heritage status will also be relevant to any future changes, with requirements applying to places listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.
The Brisbane School of Arts is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register and is also identified in the heritage record as the former Servant’s Home. The property was entered on the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992.
From Servants’ Home to School of Arts
The building was constructed between 1865 and 1866 as the Servants Home. Designed by H Edwin Bridges, it provided accommodation for single adult women who had moved to the city seeking employment as domestic servants.
The building originally featured a ground floor and two upper galleries, with the verandahs added later in 1877. Its purpose changed again in 1871, when philanthropist Ann Drew established a refuge there for unmarried and unsupported mothers.
The trustees of the North Brisbane School of Arts purchased the property in 1873, although the refuge continued operating there until 1878. The building opened as the School of Arts on May 17 that year after modifications and the addition of verandahs.
The School of Arts hosted a range of educational and cultural activities. Its early program included exhibitions, lectures, a literary circle and drawing classes, while its library held about 7,000 books for 600 subscribers.
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Technical education was later added, with subjects including cooking, languages, and mathematics. The building later came under Brisbane City’s control and became home to the Central City Library, which continued operating at the site until 1981.
Now, the Ann Street property is once again facing a change in ownership, with the tender process set to determine who takes on the heritage-listed building and what comes next for the CBD landmark.
Published 1-October-2026
