The developers presentation can be seen here

1888 Building

• Rear and north wings demolished
• 27 storey tower built in place of the rear wing, with 230 new rooms and back of house and meeting facilities at lower levels
• Refurbish and rearrange main front and side wing to contain 35 heritage rooms and suites
• Original 1888 lifts now serving as phone booths modified and re-commissioned
• Restaurant (former lounge) enlarged by combining existing restaurant and private dining room
• Lobby enlarged by removing Cricketers bar
• Tower interiors restored and incorporated into new luxury rooftop suite
• Reinstating slate roofs
• New and enlarged kitchen facilities
• Basement restored as a bar
• Ground level arcade either side of entrance given more prominence by replacing 1950s infill walls with a glass screen wall set behind
• Upgrade all electrical, plumbing and air-con services, including removal of external pipes from facade
• Total $30 mill worth of works.

1961 corner building replaced by

• Chequered zinc clad design that is two levels higher than current building
• A large setback adjacent to 1888 building, allowing the corner tower to stand free (though only the top floors did originally - since 1888 there has been at least a four storey building next door)
• Cantilever design with main bulk 'floating' over setback glass walled footpath cafes
• Includes large new entry in the setback and very large, first floor, double height, function room
• Extensive kitchens to serve new function room and cafes
• 70 new rooms
• Glass atrium next to end of ballroom
• Two level box element on roof containing 25m pool
• Basement car parks and facilities

Glass tower and the height limit

The tower is a very slim design, with an innovative wavy fritted glass wall intended to form a curtain-like backdrop to the front wing, with more solid side and rear walls.

At 90m it is well over the 23m height limit established in 1982, intended to keep the Bourke Hill area low scale. The area covered by the height limit is similar to that covered by the Bourke Hill Heritage Overlay, providing extra protection.

The tower will dominate the hotel rather than provide a backdrop, and it will certainly be used as a justification for more development over the height limit.