News & Discussion: Adelaide City Council

[Ben]

This is interesting. Wonder if it means Woolworths will become just one level? I'd be surprised if they reduced their foot print.

DA/125/2008
20/02/2008
Application Assessed on Merit
Internal and external alterations to existing retail building with six (6) new tenancies at ground floor, facade upgrade and signage
WOOLWORTHS, 78-88 Rundle Mall, ADELAIDE

[Omicron]

That is quite interesting, especially given how small the lower-ground level is, and I can't imagine how they would fit all the checkouts downstairs.

[monotonehell]

That is quite interesting, especially given how small the lower-ground level is, and I can't imagine how they would fit all the checkouts downstairs.

Looks like they're taking a page out of Harris Scarfe's book and selling most of their wide façade to tenants. I guess that they would move all their checkouts to one side of the store and run an entrance and exit through a smaller portal. It would save on heating/cooling costs also.

[Omicron]

That is quite interesting, especially given how small the lower-ground level is, and I can't imagine how they would fit all the checkouts downstairs.

Looks like they're taking a page out of Harris Scarfe's book and selling most of their wide façade to tenants. I guess that they would move all their checkouts to one side of the store and run an entrance and exit through a smaller portal. It would save on heating/cooling costs also.

Ah, i see what you mean. How many went into Harris Scarfe? I can recall Dusk on the corner, and Sanity next door, but there may be more.

What a pity that Harris Scarfe is still a dreadful hole.

[monotonehell]

That is quite interesting, especially given how small the lower-ground level is, and I can't imagine how they would fit all the checkouts downstairs.

Looks like they're taking a page out of Harris Scarfe's book and selling most of their wide façade to tenants. I guess that they would move all their checkouts to one side of the store and run an entrance and exit through a smaller portal. It would save on heating/cooling costs also.

Ah, i see what you mean. How many went into Harris Scarfe? I can recall Dusk on the corner, and Sanity next door, but there may be more.

What a pity that Harris Scarfe is still a dreadful hole.

Yes they need to rethink that entire building (and the UPark next door) but their recent financial position didn't help. I was disappointed with Woolworth's's last redevelopment, I think they missed their chance. On that site they could have built an inner CBD multi story Woolworth's empire. There possibly could have been a basement level W Metro supermarket, a ground floor entrance with smaller tenants, a first and second level BigW and another level with a Dick Smith Powerhouse. But instead we just got a replacement W Variety. But something can be said for keeping the CBD away from the Westfield clones of TTP, Marion and so on.

[Omicron]

Looks like they're taking a page out of Harris Scarfe's book and selling most of their wide façade to tenants. I guess that they would move all their checkouts to one side of the store and run an entrance and exit through a smaller portal. It would save on heating/cooling costs also.

Ah, i see what you mean. How many went into Harris Scarfe? I can recall Dusk on the corner, and Sanity next door, but there may be more.

What a pity that Harris Scarfe is still a dreadful hole.

Yes they need to rethink that entire building (and the UPark next door) but their recent financial position didn't help. I was disappointed with Woolworth's's last redevelopment, I think they missed their chance. On that site they could have built an inner CBD multi story Woolworth's empire. There possibly could have been a basement level W Metro supermarket, a ground floor entrance with smaller tenants, a first and second level BigW and another level with a Dick Smith Powerhouse. But instead we just got a replacement W Variety. But something can be said for keeping the CBD away from the Westfield clones of TTP, Marion and so on.

Nothing kills a Rundle Mall building more than trying to create malls of its own. Look at the Myer Centre, for example. What a mess that is.

[monotonehell]

Nothing kills a Rundle Mall building more than trying to create malls of its own. Look at the Myer Centre, for example. What a mess that is.

Who said anything about another Myer Centre? The upper and lower floors would be sole occupied by Woolworths's' business units (BigW, Metro, Powerhouse) with only the ground floor open to a few tiny Mall facing tenants. It worked for DJ's so well that Harris Scarfe's have done it and now Woolworth's are looking into it. If you have a big drawcard like a DJ's, W's or similar you don't need to occupy your entire Mall frontage.

I think what affected Myer Centre was the 90's recession and change in attitude toward themed entertainment that killed off Dazzle Land; that left the upper levels empty; vertically situating small tenants doesn't work, people don't think 3 dimensionally, you can vertically situate large tenants but not small ones; that left the upper retail levels at a disadvantage. So Myer Centre had to rethink distribution and let out upper levels to larger tenants (Lyncraft, Gym). Since the recession ended they've concentrated their remaining tenants downward and have moved on from there.

Either way the erosion of their original plan happened over a long period of time.

[AtD]

Interesting news with Woolies. Perhaps they are very very small tenancies. Alternatively, Woolies could convert the first floor into more supermarket space; it's currently a complex maze of offices and such.

[Tyler_Durden]

Nothing kills a Rundle Mall building more than trying to create malls of its own. Look at the Myer Centre, for example. What a mess that is.

I totally agree. And for another example look at the mall to the front of Greater Union on Hindley Street. These things don't work unless they actually form a thoroughfare that people use to get somewhere, such as City Cross and the Regent and Adelaide arcades.

[monotonehell]

Nothing kills a Rundle Mall building more than trying to create malls of its own. Look at the Myer Centre, for example. What a mess that is.

I totally agree. And for another example look at the mall to the front of Greater Union on Hindley Street. These things don't work unless they actually form a thoroughfare that people use to get somewhere, such as City Cross and the Regent and Adelaide arcades.

Exactly, how did you get the idea I was talking about a mini mall? I said several ground floor Mall facing tenants. All the other levels would have been filled with W's units. You'd have to go past the small tenants to get to Metro, Powerhouse and BigW on the other levels. Similar to what DJ's and Harris Scarfe's have done and what Woolies are looking at doing.

Myer Centre is a long and drawn out story of 90's recession, the decline of interest for Dazzle Land, and trying to vertically house small tenants, which never works. Small tenants in front, drawcard tenants in back or above.

[Omicron]

Nothing kills a Rundle Mall building more than trying to create malls of its own. Look at the Myer Centre, for example. What a mess that is.

I totally agree. And for another example look at the mall to the front of Greater Union on Hindley Street. These things don't work unless they actually form a thoroughfare that people use to get somewhere, such as City Cross and the Regent and Adelaide arcades.

Exactly, how did you get the idea I was talking about a mini mall? I said several ground floor Mall facing tenants. All the other levels would have been filled with W's units. You'd have to go past the small tenants to get to Metro, Powerhouse and BigW on the other levels. Similar to what DJ's and Harris Scarfe's have done and what Woolies are looking at doing.

Myer Centre is a long and drawn out story of 90's recession, the decline of interest for Dazzle Land, and trying to vertically house small tenants, which never works. Small tenants in front, drawcard tenants in back or above.

I must have missed the part about just including a Big W et. al. as opposed to smaller tenancies - hence my rabbiting on about the Myer Centre.

In a general context, ground-level shops are fine, but upstairs tenancies tend only to work as large outlets - hence the relative success of Rundle Mall Plaza and its Radio Rentals/Spotlight stores in the upper levels, which always seem to be busy. On the other hand, the small group of stores in front of David Jones' level one entrance are completely and utterly devoid of any traffic, and they're just one escalator ride away from the main mall thoroughfare - that poor girl in the coffee shop just sits there all day reading Woman's Day.

[urban]

On the other hand, the small group of stores in front of David Jones' level one entrance are completely and utterly devoid of any traffic, and they're just one escalator ride away from the main mall thoroughfare - that poor girl in the coffee shop just sits there all day reading Woman's Day.

That's probably more to do with the quality of the coffee and the lack of a decent place to sit.

[Omicron]

On the other hand, the small group of stores in front of David Jones' level one entrance are completely and utterly devoid of any traffic, and they're just one escalator ride away from the main mall thoroughfare - that poor girl in the coffee shop just sits there all day reading Woman's Day.

That's probably more to do with the quality of the coffee and the lack of a decent place to sit.

I didn't want to say that first part just in case someone burst out with 'OHMYGOODNESSTHATISMYSISTER' and dished out quite the verbal seeing-to.

[monotonehell]

...On the other hand, the small group of stores in front of David Jones' level one entrance are completely and utterly devoid of any traffic, and they're just one escalator ride away from the main mall thoroughfare - that poor girl in the coffee shop just sits there all day reading Woman's Day.

I've often wondered about that place, it must be well (enough) patronised - it's been there for ages?

[Pistol]

From the Messenger:

Grand plans for Morphett St

Louise Russell

12Feb08

ADELAIDE is looking to the famous Grand Canyon to make the Victoria bridge, part of the Morphett St bridge, more user-friendly.

Three glass-bottomed and sheltered seating areas have been proposed for the eastern side of the bridge, to be attached during work on upgrading the bridge's safety barriers.

City Council city places and project manager Doug Schmidt told this week's council meeting the seating areas - costing $300,000 - would double as viewing platforms, a similar design concept to the Grand Canyon's new Skywalk, a 20m glass walkway, 1219m high and able to take the weight of 71 Boeing 747s (more than 32,200 tonnes).

Adelaide's bridge platforms would have solar panels overhead and backless seating providing views along the Torrens and of events in Elder Park. The $300,000 cost was approved by the council.

Found some renders of this on Oxigen landscape architects website http://www.oxigen.net.au


Oxigen does some great work and are the design team behind the proposed footbridge, but I am not convinced by this proposal.