News & Discussion: General CBD Development

[MessiahAndrw]

I am very anti-sprawl, but living overseas has made me grateful and proud of coming from Adelaide. Adelaide sure does have it's positives and negatives, but overall, Australian sprawl is still more dense;
https://maps.google.com/?ll=-34.87896,1 ... 7&t=h&z=14

Than your typical American sprawl;
https://maps.google.com/?ll=34.734348,- ... 7&t=h&z=14

Many areas are very anti-walkable, with no footpaths, shops set way back from the road, deserted 'downtowns' with not a sole to be seen walking unless they're entering or leaving a building or up to no good, and very little to no public transportation in most mid-sized cities. I appreciate growing up in Adelaide - a city that had commuter rail and a vibrant pedestrian mall with buskers, where there are actually people walking around the CBD, and suburbs where I could safely walk to my local shops.

We really don't have it that bad for a city of our size. Sure, we're no Paris or San Francisco, but be grateful we're not Memphis or Oklahoma City. They have metro areas of 1.2 million, and there's not a soul to be seen:
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=oklahoma ... 17,,0,2.91

Before complaining about Adelaide, be grateful we're not all strip malls, freeways, and Walmarts.

(Note: There are beautiful American cities too - and there is a lot I love about being there - so don't take it as a complaint against them - instead I'm telling us to be grateful about what we have because it really isn't that bad. )

We're no European capital, but we're no deserted ghetto either.

[Wayno]

potential roadblock for small liquor licensing venues on Feb 13 2013.

http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/opinions ... t-Adelaide

The fight for vibrant Adelaide

Last year things were looking very good for the South Australian music scene: Glastonbury booker Martin Elbourne was made the state’s Music Thinker In Residence and the Small Venue Licence bill was introduced to parliament, in a solid bid to support live music.

However, with news emerging last week that the Liberal Party are planning to vote against the pioneering bill tomorrow (February 13) while simultaneously attempting to reinstate draconian licensing laws, the future of Adelaide’s music scene is back on thin ice. DR IANTO WARE, Sound Australia’s recently appointed National Live Music Coordinator, explains just how damaging the decision could be to the future of South Australia’s already reeling music community.

Over the past week, Adelaidians have been getting very excited about something called a Small Venue Licence. Or, more to the point, everyone has been talking about an attempt by the state Liberal party to amend the Small Venue License in such a way as to effectively destroy it. Most other states already have a license like this, so this might seem like Adelaide is behind the times or has nothing more interesting to talk about. But keep in mind that South Australia is the only state that didn’t bring its licensing law into line with the National Competition Policy), and one of the few that doesn’t differentiate between small and large bars.

So in SA, unlike the other states, if you try to open any venue selling alcohol, your competitors – other bars, hotels and so on – can demand you prove there’s a social “need” for your business and exercise a “right to object”. The common objection they raise is that if they’re already selling Coopers on tap, there’s no “need” for you to do so. The aim of that clearly isn’t about “need”, it’s about preventing potential competitors from selling the standard beer everyone drinks in Adelaide.

Secondly, as there’s no license protecting small businesses, they have to go through a process of conciliation hearings with local government, police and other stakeholders before being granted a license. In practice, that means wealthier objectors can drag things out in a quasi-court until the new licensee either runs out of money or accepts all sorts of outlandish conditions.

And the conditions are outlandish. For example, the art space Higher Ground was dragged through the conciliation process until it agreed it would only host 43 “agreed upon” genres of music, such as “classical modern” and “Latin freestyle” but not “indie” or “rock”. The effect was to inhibit Higher Ground’s capacity to host live music in an area where developers were trying to sell newly constructed apartment blocks.

Similarly, Chesser Cellars was a wine bar with a license that specified it couldn’t be used as a “rock band venue” and could only host “solo artists, two-piece jazz bands or similar”. When it shut, a music venue tried to move into the same building but the shift from two-piece jazz bands to indie rock triggered the need for “entertainment consent”. This is a euphemism for a permission slip granted by the Adelaide City Council who, in this case, would only do so if a lift was installed at a cost of $50,000. I’m not sure why indie required a lift if jazz didn’t, but the upgrades were too expensive and the venue in question – The Jade Monkey – still hasn’t re-opened.

Council’s “entertainment consent” was one of the things the Small Venue License was designed to bypass. It defines Entertainment as a “dance, performance, exhibition or event” as well as a “visual display but not if provided by means of a television screen”, meaning you can watch TV and drink without their consent but performing, exhibiting art, screening films or dancing requires council permission.

When Premier Jay Weatherill and his deputy John Rau took over last year, they figured a licensing system that allowed direct competitors to dictate what kind of beer you could sell, and necessitated council approval for dancing, undermined the state’s efforts to brand itself as “vibrant.” So they drafted the Small Venue License to fix the problem.

Thus, it was a bit of a shock when the opposition, under new leader Steven Marshall, said they’d block the new license unless the right to object was reinserted and the capacity was cut to 80, a limit the music sector in particular had flagged as economically unsustainable unless your business model focuses on selling a lot of booze, very quickly.

But the debate is about a lot more than that. The Small Venue License has brought to a head a perceived fissure within Adelaide. On the one hand, there’s the old guard, who like using the word “vibrancy” but still believe there needs to be a permission slip for those who wish to dance, exhibit, perform or play music. And then there’s people who think that’s a bit of an outrage. The progress of the Small Venue License through parliament has become a litmus test as to which camp now exercises control over South Australia.

[SRW]

Disheartening news. This Radelaide revival we've been undergoing has been coming along in leaps and bounds, so for this the next step to be blocked is an outrage. The Liberals' apparent support for the existing licensing laws is, at its simplest, crony capitalism -- prolonging a market that advantages vested interests (not to mention their mates and backers). Yet more evidence they won't take this state forward.

[Will]

I would have hoped that under the younger Steven Marshall, the Liberal party would change its stance and support the proposals to make Adelaide more vibrant.

Seems I was wrong. It seems the same old fogeys from the Adelaide Club are still in charge.

[metro]

I would have hoped that under the younger Steven Marshall, the Liberal party would change its stance and support the proposals to make Adelaide more vibrant.

Seems I was wrong. It seems the same old fogeys from the Adelaide Club are still in charge.

remember this is the party who's main policy to make the CBD busier is to make it MORE CAR FRIENDLY

They will take SA back to the 1950s down a one way expressway, nowhere near ready to govern.

[crawf]

Hopefully it goes through, it's another piece to the puzzle in making Adelaide a much better city.

[Shahkar]

Sure we're in debt right now but at least they're doing actual work to improve the state of SA which should have been done ages ago. Short term, we're going to be pretty down. But around 2020 is when I think this state or Atleast Adelaide is going to flourish.

[Waewick]

I would have hoped that under the younger Steven Marshall, the Liberal party would change its stance and support the proposals to make Adelaide more vibrant.

Seems I was wrong. It seems the same old fogeys from the Adelaide Club are still in charge.

bloody disappointing, I read that article and the only hope I hold to is that there is no direct quote from the Libs.

honestly, they want to end the brain drain and they want a vibrant city, keeping young people here in a self employed capacity is a pretty good way to go about it.

[Nathan]

Apparently Marshall has "always" supported small bars, and it's the governments fault the legislation is being delayed...
Anyway, the legislation should get through now, hooray!

OPPOSITION Leader Steven Marshall says he will not stop small bar legislation expected to come to State Parliament for a vote as soon as next week, in a back down that all but guarantees its approval.

In a backdown today, Mr Marshall said he was prepared to negotiate with the State Government.

The Government had been demanding the cheap new, low red-tape licences be offered to CBD venues with capacities of up to 120 people. The Liberals had argued for it to be kept to 80.

The Government argued that would have made the venues unviable and Liberal demands residents be given the right to object raised the risk of costly litigation for start-up businesses.

It is modelled on licences that have allowed laneway bars in Melbourne and Sydney.

Mr Marshall today said he "always" supported small bars and accused the Government of delay.

"The Parliamentary process continues next week, we've got every responsibility ... to actually raise questions about how to improve the legislation. We'll be putting forward our amendments," he said.

"But, we're not going to be blocking the legislation. "We need small bars in South Australia."

Mr Marshall also rejected Premier Jay Weatherill's assertion there was a connection between large donations from the Australian Hotels Association and the Liberals' early opposition to the plan.

"It's outrageous ... to suggest that we are receiving money from the AHA in return for legislation support. It's just not the case and it's quite frankly very dangerous for the Premier to be suggesting that," he said.

[Ben]

Type: Development Application Received
Application Number: DA/122/2013
Lodgement Date: 15/02/2013
Location: U PARK ON RUNDLE, 161-185 Rundle Street, ADELAIDE SA 5000
Description: Change the use on level 8 to roller derby rink.

[monotonehell]

Type: Development Application Received
Application Number: DA/122/2013
Lodgement Date: 15/02/2013
Location: U PARK ON RUNDLE, 161-185 Rundle Street, ADELAIDE SA 5000
Description: Change the use on level 8 to roller derby rink.

LOLWUT?

I notice SoundPod have been having music events up there from time to time.

[Shahkar]

Tall building plan for CBD's south
Tim Williams
City Messenger
February 22, 2013 10:21AM



INCREASING height limits on East Tce and parts of South Tce and protecting historic areas in the city's south are proposed by Town Hall.

The council last week released draft planning rules for residential areas across the southern half of the CBD.

The CBD's first historic conservation zone would cover areas east and west of Hutt St, while other heritage pockets have been identified.

The plans include increasing building heights on South Tce, between Pulteney and Hutt streets, from four to six storeys, and from three to four storeys east of Hutt St.

The limit on East Tce would rise from three to four storeys, with six storeys allowed on sites of more than 1500sq m, while Hutt St would rise from three to four storeys.

Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood said the changes achieved "a very sensible balance between preserving our past and planning for our future".

He said in the heritage areas "any future development will have to respect the character of the area".

"It's not anti-development in any way but it's not hardcore pro-development," he said.

South East City Residents Association (SECRA) chairman John Underwood said his association was not against development, "but you have to take into account that there are existing residents around."

South West City Residents Association chairwoman Julie Jordan said her group needed to time to scrutinise the array of new zones and heritage areas.

Both groups will seek briefings from council staff on the changes.

An information day will be held in the Methodist Meeting Hall, behind the council's Pirie St offices, on Wednesday, February 27, from 10.30am to 7.30pm.

The draft plan has been sent to Planning Minister John Rau for his approval to launch public consultation, expected to start next month.

Mr Rau, who late last year wrote to the council saying he would not accept any historic conservation zones, said he had not yet considered the draft and so could not comment on its content.

[Wayno]

you can just feel the momentum building.

From the Herald Sun

Adelaide looks to Melbourne for inspiration

DEVELOPERS are increasingly turning to disused buildings and infill developments to bring people in from the suburbs in a trend similar to the one that transformed Melbourne.

At Walkerville, Melbourne-based property developer Asian Pacific Group has begun construction on a $120 million development with a mix of hotel and residential accommodation, which will transform the former Transport Department site.

The group's founder David Deague said there had been a push in the past two decades in Melbourne to encourage developers to take advantage of infrastructure in the city rather than spread into the suburbs.

The trend was now taking hold in Adelaide.

"All the kids in the suburbs in Melbourne have got two cars, they're in an hour's traffic every morning, it doesn't make sense, so our Government's pulled them back into the city,'' he said.

"They get rid of the car, they work in the city, they walk to their workplace, all the cafes are booming.

"Melbourne was dead 20 years ago and now the city's alive and I see the same happening in Adelaide.''

The Walkerville development will offer residents free bicycles and smart cars for hire.

Urban Development Institute of Australia state executive director Terry Walsh said he expected to see "a lot more" developments recycling existing buildings closer to the city.

"This is a relatively easy way of converting an existing dysfunctional building into a more modern approach,'' he said of the Walkerville development.

Opposition planning spokeswoman Vickie Chapman said she had been told by those in the industry there were enough empty or disused building spaces in Adelaide's CBD to create up to 9000 medium density dwellings.

However, she said current planning laws made it difficult and expensive to convert older buildings to new safety or environmental standards.

Mr Deague said his company was already considering redeveloping another city building in Adelaide.

Property Council SA executive director Nathan Paine said there were many CBD buildings which could be refurbished for residential use.

[rhino]

Looking everywhere for inspiration:

City hub for budding hotshots

A city hub for budding entrepreneurs will be set up in a disused building in Adelaide.

The South Australian Government said the hub, in Peel Street, would encourage innovation and help small businesses grow.

Premier Jay Weatherill said it would give people a chance to exchange ideas and form networks.

"This is about creating a space where young people with ideas can put their minds together, share their experiences and learn from experts," he said.

The Government said the venture, Hub Adelaide, would take advantage of a Hub network of communities across 30 cities on five continents.

It said European cities, San Francisco in the United States and Dubai in the Middle East were already part of the network.

Brad Krauskopf from Hub Australia said it would give young entrepreneurs some vital support.

"Hubs provide a range of networking and learning opportunities with each hub like a ready-made office and community," he said.

"You walk in the door and instantly you can get connected to wifi, power and printers."

The SA Government has committed $1 million toward the costs of the venture and participants pay a monthly membership.

Peel Street is also a good candidate for some Laneway Revitalisation to go along with this, IMO.

[Wayno]

Heard today of a new proposal in the works. New building comprised of offices, retail & supermarket behind the Newmarket Hotel on corner of Rose/Newmarket streets. No idea of height yet, but involves demolishing the existing chemist & pool hall buildings, and includes a pedestrian tunnel under North Tce across to the new RAH site.