Twin St as an 'activated laneway'

[stumpjumper]

NB: This is not a thread about the merits of the proposed Hines Ibis hotel project at 122 Grenfell Street, nor is it about saving 29 Twin Street (the 'Jade Monkey') as a venue for live music. It is about the possibility of creating an 'activated laneway' in Twin Street, a subject of some discussion at present. Your views could help that discussion.

Background: The SA Government and ACC have each put $100,000 on the table (via the Capital City Committee which has 4 govt members and 4 ACC members) for the purpose of investigating opportunities in the city for activated laneways.

At the southern end of Twin St will be a new 17 storey hotel and existing good access to the residential developments around Hindmarsh Square. At the northern end is Rundle Mall. Twin St is a no through road for vehicles from Grenfell St. That situation will ensure high pedestrian traffic flow through Twin St.

There are already about 9 small ground floor tenancies in Twin St with the possibility of more, as well as a lane to the east connecting Twin St to Hindmarsh Square. That laneway could be activated too and Hindmarsh Square itself is a pedestrian traffic generator

Ideal, you might think, for a Melbourne-style laneway activation featuring eateries, boutique businesses, coffee shops, tables in the street, first floor activation etc.

BUT, there is also considerable vehicular traffic through Twin St. This traffic is not conducive to laneway activatiuon unless it can be controlled (eg restricted in hours) or diverted.

The traffic comprises deliveries to Rundle Mall businesses especially on the west and east corners of Twin St/Rundle Mall, and to the government offices in the tower on the SW corner of Pulteney St and Rundle Mall.

Underground parking for personnel working in the govt tower is also accessed only from Twin Street.

So there is the problem. No doubt the concept of aqctivating Twin St has been discussed by ACC, but there has been nop discussion in the public domain. Twin St looks ideal for 'activation', and while the goods traffic could conceivably be managed, does the fact of private car access to the government tower on Pulteney/Rundle Mall kill the idea completely?

Any views on this, or knowledge to share?

[stumpjumper]

Mods - would this be better moved to 'Visions and Suggestions'? I was looking for max readership. Up to you - Stumpjumper.

[degruch]

Well, I guess my thoughts on 122 Grenfell St have been quite well covered on that particular thread, so it's nice to move onto something a little more focused.

I know what you mean re: traffic, however, there's times I have been down Twin Street in the middle of the day where you could have shot a cannon down there and not hit anything...there's a little there at the moment, due to the commencement of work on 122 Grenfell Street. I realise the carpark at the Rundle Street end is being utilized, but not much - someone needs to do a traffic count!

I don't believe you can create a 'deGraves Street' style pedestrian laneway on Twin Street due to commercial traffic (even if you could relocate parking), but it is important to note there a two other 'laneways' running off Twin Street, if you include the vacant block where the old pet store used to reside, next to the Jade Monkey. With Rundle Mall at one end and Hotel Ibis at the other, these are just begging for (sympathetic, please) development into retail/bar/restaurant pedestrian laneways. Then there's Twin Street Plaza...there's a lot of room for new businesses there, it just needs to be developed sympathetically enough to enhance the street's character and encourage pedestrians to want to walk down there!

Of course, I still see 29 Twin Street as part of this, but enough said about that.

[Nathan]

I think *much* more can be done with Twin Street Plaza. Rundle Mall needs a much better connection to Hindmarsh Square. Currently your options are a) Walk right up to Pulteney Street and around, b) Through Citi Centre, and c) Twin St - Twin St Plaza. None of those are currently very good. One could feasibly create a good pedestrian link via the Twin St - Twin St Plaza route (along with the entrance to Gays Arcade opposite).

[stumpjumper]

Good thinking, Nathan. Here's an aerial shot of Twin St showing current and potential pedestrian routes. Note the second access to and from Hindmarsh Square through the usually gated and bin-filled lane to the south of Twin Plaza.



Twin St has some traffic issues, but most laneways have 'issues' of one sort or another, and overcoming them is part of the process of creating attractive urban places.

With an expert report just released on re-invigorating Adelaide's inner urban environment, and with ACC and government spokespeople making a lot of statements supportive of the concepts being discussed, not forgetting the $100,000 each plonked on the Capital City Committee's table for the express purposew of activating the city's laneways. There could be no better time than now to push hard to get some real momentum going.

The activation of Twin St can only help Hines' new Ibis Hotel; it will help Rundle mall and Hindmarsh Square. Wins all around.

A key aspect of successful 'activation' is the provision of a range of small tenancies to cater for passing trade, rather than looking for a large anchor tenant as in a shopping centre. There is after all Rundle Mall at one end of Twin St and the hundreds if not a thousand or so people living in the residential developments kindly provided by the Hines Group and others around Hindmarsh Square. The trend to residential accommodation in the precinct is likely to continue, with Twin Street being a handy short cut to Rundle Mall and to the university, institution and transport destinations beyond Rundle Mall to the north.

So if we look ahead, the activation of Twin St makes even more sense. Some of the strategies could include:

- Work to make the street surfaces, street furniture and lighting etc more pedestrian-friendly.

- Greening of the street, and the provision of permanent or temporary artworks, and perhaps a small performance space.

- Renovation of existing tenancies and imaginative creation of additional tenancies - opening of blank walls, part use of blind laneways, use of cellars, mezzanines and even upper floors can all contribute to the creation of a place which people enjoy, whether they stay for a meal, buy a coffee, or just walk through.

Activity breeds activity and difference breeds difference - that's the basis of creating attractive places by street activation, in my humble opinion.