[COM] Coles Norwood Redevelopment | 8 Lvls

[timtam20292]

Yuk, definitely not what the render shows.


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[Plasmatron]

I decided to pop in for a gander (and some shopping) last week. (29/7/2023)

[Plasmatron]

[SRW]

This looks pretty average, especially for Norwood. This shot in particular looks bleak for an entry statement:

[Waewick]

I have to admit, it's impressive how much they've spent to make something look so average.

What a disappointing and underwhelming outcome.



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[Ho Really]

Been shopping here since day one and the Coles is nothing special. The shelves are not lit properly and the columns at the back wall are too close to the fridge doors when open. The aisles are no wider than other Coles stores making it hard if you have a trolley and want to squeeze through two other shoppers with trollies. I know this may be trivial but it will happen.

The new store has less natural light than the old one thanks to the placement of a new rented space for Vintage Cellars (a Coles brand) that runs the length of the checkouts. Would've been good to give shoppers the option to access the bottle shop directly from Coles. Anyhow.

Outside in the mall area the finishing is rough. The concrete tiles are not evenly laid out. When it rains hard, water pools up in a few places around the building, one in front of a side exit door (where the Bakery is located), Another just before the store coming from The Parade. The roof along this part of the Mall doesn't stop rain coming in from the sides.

The well grown plane trees that kept many shoppers' cars in the shade during summer (old car park) are gone with the realignment of the parking spots. The new trees planted will not be a good substitute. The sheltered area for the disabled parking in the original plans non existent. Just like the changes made to the exterior of the apartments towers etc.

Overall it is a mediocre development. Some blame needs to go to the NPSP council whom I guess have made handshake deals with the developers.

The other development down the road by the same people may end up the same. So don't hold your breath.

Other observations good and bad about the store:

The new fridges are nice as they keep the dairy and cold products properly refrigerated unlike the old store that had some products open to the air. Besides, the milk fridges can be restocked from the store area behind. An improvement.

The Deli is too small. One worker (which I will not name) who came from another store for a day gave me his opinion. He didn't like it all. Another said it is claustrophobic. The hot chooks are not in the Deli itself like in some other stores where they can be stored while you can continue doing your shopping but are carried to a hot food display between two sets of fridges at the front of the store.

The Bakery is an improvement to what was there before (which was tucked into a corner). Now more open and airy where customers can now engage with the bakers.

The meat and fruit/veg sections are an improvement, but those displays for packaged salads are so tight and no different from what they put in at Coles (The Avenues) Stepney when they took out the old roomier but inefficient refrigeration.

The checkouts are fine a bit more room than the old store. The assisted checkouts as well but only four machines take cash.

There's probably more but this my

Cheers

[Waewick]

This wasn't approved by the council, it was approved by the state govt.

From what the people I know in the council have said, they are very disappointed by the outcome



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[abc]

the only thing worse than Coles is Woolies

[Patrick_27]

It's a stinker and weirdly lacks the character of its predecessor. However, Coles will have you believe that the upgrade was necessary because they let the old become dilapidated. The only saving grace is the mix of other retailers they've lured into the centre, Mascavado (also located on Hutt Street) will be popular with the locals. My only hope is that a green wall is yet to come and block out the view of the upper level car-parking from the street level, and perhaps a catalyst of this development is that Dillon's open a side entry from the mall into their store, or better yet that Nordburger leave the area opening that shopfront up for something that could involve using that mall space. The only positive to this development in all honesty, though, is the increase in residents to the area...

[Jaymz]

I have a bit of history with this mall, it was the location of my first ever job way back when it was Woolworths.

Agree with the sentiment above, that is a very poor outcome. Not only the retail part but also the bland exterior on the apartments.

Norwood is traditionally seen as an upmarket part of Adelaide, but this development comes across as anything but.

[Ho Really]

I will add a couple more things:

Paying for parking after the two hour free period. This should not have been allowed by whomever. How many supermarket open air carparks are there that charged? Disgraceful. No verandah or awning on the western side left open to rain and the southwesterlies. Mascavado will cop the brunt of this if they don't have protection from the weather.

Cheers

[Ho Really]

[...] and perhaps a catalyst of this development is that Dillon's open a side entry from the mall into their store, or better yet that Nordburger leave the area opening that shopfront up for something that could involve using that mall space. [...]

Nordburger doesn't own its building it will be up to the landlord whether he wants a wall removed to open the store to the mall. Same with Dillons on the other side.

Cheers

[Eurostar]

I will add a couple more things:

Paying for parking after the two hour free period. This should not have been allowed by whomever. How many supermarket open air carparks are there that charged? Disgraceful. No verandah or awning on the western side left open to rain and the southwesterlies. Mascavado will cop the brunt of this if they don't have protection from the weather.

Cheers

Its not unusual in interstate cities where malls close to the city they make you pay after a hour or so. After all you don't want city commuters parking there car all day preventing actual customers from parking.

[dbl96]

The well grown plane trees that kept many shoppers' cars in the shade during summer (old car park) are gone with the realignment of the parking spots. The new trees planted will not be a good substitute. The sheltered area for the disabled parking in the original plans non existent. Just like the changes made to the exterior of the apartments towers etc.

Cheers

I will add a couple more things:

Paying for parking after the two hour free period. This should not have been allowed by whomever. How many supermarket open air carparks are there that charged? Disgraceful. No verandah or awning on the western side left open to rain and the southwesterlies. Mascavado will cop the brunt of this if they don't have protection from the weather.

Cheers

Eaves/verandahs and big shade trees are two things that today's developers seem to actively avoid. Goodness knows why - they should be compulsory. I was reminded of this today in the rain. All the older buildings provide welcome protection from the elements, but the new ones never do.

It is ridiculous that they ripped out all those mature trees in the carpark. At the time, I assumed it was because they were going to build over the carpark site. But they just returned it to an open-air car park! It beats me why they couldn't have just laid new asphalt and reconfigured the layout of the parks around the existing trees.

I wonder if there are any long term plans to put the car park underground and extend the mall into the carpark area. An open air carpark just seems such a waste of prime land in the centre of Norwood.

[Eurostar]

The well grown plane trees that kept many shoppers' cars in the shade during summer (old car park) are gone with the realignment of the parking spots. The new trees planted will not be a good substitute. The sheltered area for the disabled parking in the original plans non existent. Just like the changes made to the exterior of the apartments towers etc.

Cheers

I will add a couple more things:

Paying for parking after the two hour free period. This should not have been allowed by whomever. How many supermarket open air carparks are there that charged? Disgraceful. No verandah or awning on the western side left open to rain and the southwesterlies. Mascavado will cop the brunt of this if they don't have protection from the weather.

Cheers

Eaves/verandahs and big shade trees are two things that today's developers seem to actively avoid. Goodness knows why - they should be compulsory. I was reminded of this today in the rain. All the older buildings provide welcome protection from the elements, but the new ones never do.

It is ridiculous that they ripped out all those mature trees in the carpark. At the time, I assumed it was because they were going to build over the carpark site. But they just returned it to an open-air car park! It beats me why they couldn't have just laid new asphalt and reconfigured the layout of the parks around the existing trees.

I wonder if there are any long term plans to put the car park underground and extend the mall into the carpark area. An open air carpark just seems such a waste of prime land in the centre of Norwood.

In a busy area like Norwood having the carpark underground or multi storey (like Norwood Foodland building) would of made more sense