News & Developments: Bowden TOD

[SRW]

Don’t think this one has been posted here yet: https://studionine.net.au/projects/otel ... evelopment

Looks like this is meant to be next to the station?

[Nathan]

No, corner of Gibson and Third St (where V2 Fit currently are).

Looks really good! Nice podium with the double level F&B tenancies, and will have views diagonally over Bowden Park. Only thing I'm not sure about is the parking stacker — maintenance on those can be a real drain on the strata budget.

[rev]

The apartment building on the corner of Sixth St & Park Tce is for sale under instruction of receivers.
Wonder what the story is.

[Nathan]

I believe the building was all rentals, entirely owned by Toplace, which collapsed into administration a few months ago and the owner became a fugitive.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the ... 5dter.html

[Nathan]

Hearing chatter that the Sentinel development, the build-to-rent project on the lot bounded by Third St, Gibson St, Second St and Station Place, will significantly underdeliver on promised retail space. Despite having a requirement under the urban design guidelines, I've heard there'll only be a small number of retail tenancies along Third St, and the numbers made up with commercial space (which will be taken by Sentinel management).

Any compromise from RenewalSA on this project will be a massive failure. Residents have been patient for nearly ten years for RenewalSA to deliver on a local retail precinct, or "Main Street". The hospitality options are great, but we still don't have any of the general day to day retail, which means residents need to drive to surrounding areas to do daily tasks. The location of the Sentinel development, connecting the town square Plant 3 & 4, and Bowden East to the train station, tram terminus, greenway, and the Port Rd precinct, means this building should be the focal point of the retail area, with shops lining Third St, Gibson St, and Station Pl at a minimum.

The only retail spaces to date, that aren't a part of Plant 3/4, are a small handful of spaces within 354 — most of which have remained untenanted due to very high rent demands (two spaces are currently being fitted out, one for a laundromat and one for an orthodontist — not exactly the greatest use of a ground floor space on a prominent corner).

It may well be that RenewalSA thinks the MAB development can deliver on the promises instead, but if so, that means we won't see any proper local retail/services for another 5-10 years.

[Nathan]

E78 (outside RenewalSA's area) appears to have re-commenced after grinding to a halt when Felmeri Group collapsed. Been workers out there the past week getting ready for foundation pours. A couple of Buildtec banners up on the fencing, so assuming they have taken it over, but can't find any additional info so not sure how much of the original plan they're taking on (there was to be 3 apartment buildings, plus the townhouses, and a restoration of the local heritage shopfront on Gibson St)

[AR45]

Hearing chatter that the Sentinel development, the build-to-rent project on the lot bounded by Third St, Gibson St, Second St and Station Place, will significantly underdeliver on promised retail space. Despite having a requirement under the urban design guidelines, I've heard there'll only be a small number of retail tenancies along Third St, and the numbers made up with commercial space (which will be taken by Sentinel management).

Any compromise from RenewalSA on this project will be a massive failure. Residents have been patient for nearly ten years for RenewalSA to deliver on a local retail precinct, or "Main Street". The hospitality options are great, but we still don't have any of the general day to day retail, which means residents need to drive to surrounding areas to do daily tasks. The location of the Sentinel development, connecting the town square Plant 3 & 4, and Bowden East to the train station, tram terminus, greenway, and the Port Rd precinct, means this building should be the focal point of the retail area, with shops lining Third St, Gibson St, and Station Pl at a minimum.

The only retail spaces to date, that aren't a part of Plant 3/4, are a small handful of spaces within 354 — most of which have remained untenanted due to very high rent demands (two spaces are currently being fitted out, one for a laundromat and one for an orthodontist — not exactly the greatest use of a ground floor space on a prominent corner).

It may well be that RenewalSA thinks the MAB development can deliver on the promises instead, but if so, that means we won't see any proper local retail/services for another 5-10 years.

The application indicates a very disappointing 1 retail tenancy, making a mockery of the original intent of Third Street as a mixed-use main street:
https://plan.sa.gov.au/development_appl ... 030645-DAP

It’s frustrating that there is no opportunity for public feedback or even to view the plans prior to approval. I though that the Bowden Design Review Panel still had to tick projects off before applications were lodged. Either it’s been dissolved or is completely toothless, I wish there was some transparency about their process…

[Nathan]

ONE tenancy is even worse than what was being indicated. Absolutely appalling. How can they seriously call 240 apartments + 1 retail tenancy "mixed use"?

The building is also supposed to have commercial office tenancy, and it looks like the entirety of that will be used for building management.

An open letter has been circulating amongst residents across Bowden this week, and sent this weekend (before seeing this notice on PlanSA). The sentiment amongst those who live around here on RenewalSA's failure to deliver on local retail and services is not good at all.

[Norman]

Hearing chatter that the Sentinel development, the build-to-rent project on the lot bounded by Third St, Gibson St, Second St and Station Place, will significantly underdeliver on promised retail space. Despite having a requirement under the urban design guidelines, I've heard there'll only be a small number of retail tenancies along Third St, and the numbers made up with commercial space (which will be taken by Sentinel management).

Any compromise from RenewalSA on this project will be a massive failure. Residents have been patient for nearly ten years for RenewalSA to deliver on a local retail precinct, or "Main Street". The hospitality options are great, but we still don't have any of the general day to day retail, which means residents need to drive to surrounding areas to do daily tasks. The location of the Sentinel development, connecting the town square Plant 3 & 4, and Bowden East to the train station, tram terminus, greenway, and the Port Rd precinct, means this building should be the focal point of the retail area, with shops lining Third St, Gibson St, and Station Pl at a minimum.

The only retail spaces to date, that aren't a part of Plant 3/4, are a small handful of spaces within 354 — most of which have remained untenanted due to very high rent demands (two spaces are currently being fitted out, one for a laundromat and one for an orthodontist — not exactly the greatest use of a ground floor space on a prominent corner).

It may well be that RenewalSA thinks the MAB development can deliver on the promises instead, but if so, that means we won't see any proper local retail/services for another 5-10 years.

The application indicates a very disappointing 1 retail tenancy, making a mockery of the original intent of Third Street as a mixed-use main street:
https://plan.sa.gov.au/development_appl ... 030645-DAP

It’s frustrating that there is no opportunity for public feedback or even to view the plans prior to approval. I though that the Bowden Design Review Panel still had to tick projects off before applications were lodged. Either it’s been dissolved or is completely toothless, I wish there was some transparency about their process…

Is this the site next to Park Central? That one is pretty much the same, and the "retail tenant" is... a politician. How exciting.

[AR45]

It’s close but not directly adjacent, you many be thinking of the 6 Park Terrace project which is primarily commercial office space: https://sixparkterrace.com.au/ (you can download floors plans from this site). Not perfect, but I'm not too concerned by the outcome - it does delivers some ground floor retail.

This one is directly opposite the park and is the most important remaining site due to both size and location. Here you can see the prominence of the site https://www.sentinelcorp.com/blog/2023/ ... community/. Once this has a poor outcome, the entire original masterplan will be severely damaged.

[JK99]

This one is directly opposite the park and is the most important remaining site due to both size and location. Here you can see the prominence of the site https://www.sentinelcorp.com/blog/2023/ ... community/. Once this has a poor outcome, the entire original masterplan will be severely damaged.

1 Shop is a disgrace for a so called "main street"

[dbl96]

This one is directly opposite the park and is the most important remaining site due to both size and location. Here you can see the prominence of the site https://www.sentinelcorp.com/blog/2023/ ... community/. Once this has a poor outcome, the entire original masterplan will be severely damaged.

1 Shop is a disgrace for a so called "main street"

What do you think the reason is for not including more retail? Seems like a no-brainer to me that retail should be prioritised.

[Nathan]

This one is directly opposite the park and is the most important remaining site due to both size and location. Here you can see the prominence of the site https://www.sentinelcorp.com/blog/2023/ ... community/. Once this has a poor outcome, the entire original masterplan will be severely damaged.

1 Shop is a disgrace for a so called "main street"

What do you think the reason is for not including more retail? Seems like a no-brainer to me that retail should be prioritised.

There's been a few retail tenancies added in the 354 development, but have had trouble leasing. Anecdotally, I've heard the rent being asked is excessive, and the floorplans not practical for some businesses. RenewalSA and Sentintel may be looking at those and misreading it as a lack of demand.

(Three of the four are now leased — one an orthodontist, one a laundromat that has sat 75% fit out and making no more progress, and one starting a fit out but no idea what it might be.)

In any case, I hope to have some more concrete answers around that (and what the retail plan is), as I'm having a meeting with RenewalSA next week about it.

[gnrc_louis]

Corner of Gibson and Second Street: https://unitingsa.com.au/bowden-deliver ... solutions/

[Nathan]

I can’t add my comments here now (about to step into a work Christmas lunch), but well, you can see some of my comments in the article.

We’re pushing hard to get proper retail and services, needed for the promised walkable TOD, not just bars and cafes.

https://indaily.com.au/news/local/2023/ ... ssentials/