[COM] Rundle Place | 76m | 15lvls | Retail & Office

[Omicron]

Like, I think that facade, or building proper - would look extremely cool within a four level glass podium around it, provided there was a void between the levels and building so to remain intact. And then for that building to be converted into a boutique internet coffeehouse or something swanky like that.

A bit like the Shot Tower enclosed wihin Melbourne Central?

[Shuz]

Like, I think that facade, or building proper - would look extremely cool within a four level glass podium around it, provided there was a void between the levels and building so to remain intact. And then for that building to be converted into a boutique internet coffeehouse or something swanky like that.

A bit like the Shot Tower enclosed wihin Melbourne Central?

Exactly just what I was thinking!

[Ben]

Some lady has written into the messenger about a petition she has set up to save the Harris Scarfe building from demolition. She compares it to The Rocks in Sydney and Flinders Lane in Melbourne - not sure what she has been taking.

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/sav ... lding.html

[dsriggs]

Some lady has written into the messenger about a petition she has set up to save the Harris Scarfe building from demolition. She compares it to The Rocks in Sydney and Flinders Lane in Melbourne - not sure what she has been taking.

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/sav ... lding.html

The sad thing about this? There's people out there that actually agree that a multi-level department store with multiple levels on every floor, a basement floor 1/3 the height of the ground floor and SHABBY elevators & escalators are part of our state heritage. Harris Scarfe wants to rebuild, isn't that acceptable enough??

[frank1]

I agree with the lady that the randle mall facade should be retained. It is actually a very nice one with harris scarfe written on the front.

[Ben]

I agree with the lady that the randle mall facade should be retained. It is actually a very nice one with harris scarfe written on the front.

I agree keeping the Rundle Mall facade has some merit but the actual building itself is long overdue for demolition.

[frank1]

I agree with the lady that the randle mall facade should be retained. It is actually a very nice one with harris scarfe written on the front.

I agree keeping the Rundle Mall facade has some merit but the actual building itself is long overdue for demolition.

Totally agree

[pushbutton]

People said the same about the old Myer and John Martins buildings, but neither of them were saved!

[crawf]

I wish Myer was saved

[Shuz]

I wish Myer was saved

Motion seconded. It was actually a rather grand building.

[pushbutton]

I never saw the old Myer building but I know its replacement well and I was there yesterday.

What an embarrassing screw-up the Myer Centre has become!

The top 2 levels have been almost entirely vacant for something like 6 years now. The original concept of the Myer Centre, and the form in which it first opened was something quite spectacular and special.

The key features were:
- A food court with a unique atmosphere, where everything was served on real plates with real cutlery.
- An indoor amusement park, the highlight of which was the ability to ride a rollercoaster and be able to look down on all the shoppers below.
- A "Permanent, FREE" lego exhibition.
- A themed English pub with an authentic looking old London streetscape.
- A completely open atrium throughout all levels so you can stand on terrace level and look all the way up to the natural light coming from the glass roof, or stand on level 5 and look all the way down.
- One of the worlds premier department stores (Myer Adelaide at the time was officially in the worlds top 10) with many unique services and features, and an unparalleled level of luxury including silver service restaurant, and touch screen directories (a brand new technology then), plus access to a second department store (David Jones) that was older but in parts very grand and luxurious.

Look at that list and look at what's left of the Myer Centre now, merely 15 years after it was built. None of the above features remain fully intact, and they've tried to partially modernise it, without regard for the fact it was never meant to be modern in the first place and the modern look really doesn't work in it!

That only says one thing. The centre was not designed to last!

It's quite sad because it was a big attraction that SA could be proud of. Now it's just a half empty, somewhat dreary shopping centre with nothing special about it.

Well I just hope lessons have been learnt from this and the Rundle Place (if they must call it that) is something that will remain intact a bit longer!

[UrbanSG]

Yeah I remember back in the early 90's when the Myer Centre and Dazzleland used to get packed (you virtually couldn't move up on those top 2 floors at times).

Then the novelty wore off and as a result a lot of the other specialty shops on the lower floors closed and the whole place lost its appeal because it was designed so that all the features/floors connected and fed off each other. Once Dazzleland went the place was doomed to fail.

[Shuz]

I had been wondering for years now, just exactly where the lego exhibition was held. I remember it as a kid, and would always marvel at it. I always thought it was part of John Martins before it became what it is now. But, all this time, it was a part of Myer.

I do agree, Myer right now is an absolute travesty. It's all closed up from the fourth floor onwards, the sails are dodgy as. Half the shops are closed, its nothing like it used to be. For a project that costed $1b, it well and truly was a waste of money, and dare I say - I think it just needs to be demolished... again.

[skyliner]

What happened to John Martin's and Myer makes me think Harris Scarf's rundle mall frontage does'nt stand a hope. Both those places were very impressive.Harris sCARF'S just does not compare at all.

Though I may be in the minority I hope it goes.

What a sad story about the current Myer centre - I did not know this.

ADELAIDE - TOWARDS A GREATER CITY CENTRE

[Hippodamus]

thanks for bringing back those memories guys - dazzleland, lego exhibitions, etc

looking at the existing harris scarfe building, i personally don't see anything worth saving, apart from the facade which isn't that 'grand' and 'majestic' at all as far as character buildings in adelaide are concerned. and people have described the interior to be a rabbits warren and very old and worn out. do they still have the elevator conductors, or am i thinking about the old john martins building..? (side question)

anyway, i remember when they were demolishing the old david jones, the existing building is still there; but the original foyer was just superb... spectacular in simple words. grey marble, brass and mirror finishing... everyone accepted it was to go because we bought into the fact the new david jones was going to be bigger and better... crap! in terms of building merit, the thing is a bloody box that has no character on the outside or the inside.

it just saddens me with what it was replaced with and how foolish we were not to pick up on it sooner (well most of us would have been very young at the time). so i actually don't have a problem with people wanting to retain certain elements of the harris scarfe building because maybe one day we will be saying the same thing.. 'why did we let it go - just slipped under our noses' may not seem like a big deal now, but in the future it may be considered a loss...