[COM] Rundle Mall Redevelopment | $30m

[stelaras]

Thanks for the nice compliment skyliner.

I have always been around the site keeping up with the information about our great city. Truth is i have been franticly busy with work, home renovations and seeking a career change that time has got the better of me..

Yeah i agree, it's always great hearing from you mate.

Say we should create a home renovation thread, there's a few of us on the forums all doing renos at the moment. It'd be good to get some before/after/progress shots... mines only a small reno i'm planning to the kitchen. Yarwood's doing a baby room. Al just finished his kitchen/dining room.

thanks Howie,

perhaps a home reno page would be good!! im more than happy to start off if someone creates the post....My reno's are of the outside area and involve decking/verandahs and balustrades etc etc... just about to start stage II in the next few months..

but we are digressing from the title of this post

LOL

[zacoobi]

I was visitng Adelaide over Christmas and New Year and I think the signs looks great.
Does anyone know what the company is called?
Thanks. Zacoobi.

[Port Adelaide Fan]

INFLUENTIAL Rundle Mall traders have declared the retail strip is dying and want the State Government to fund an "ambitious" masterplan to secure its future.

The Mall's managing authority, which includes the heads of retailer David Jones and the Myer Centre, say the city's retail engine room is "dying a death of a thousand cuts".

It wants the Government to finance a multi-million dollar overhaul.

They say Australia's first pedestrian mall was an example of "innovation" when opened 33 years ago by Premier Don Dunstan, but has since become "stagnant, uninviting and sub-standard".

The blunt assessment - endorsed by Lord Mayor Michael Harbison - comes as the mall's original architect, Ian Hannaford, said the strip he designed was no longer unique - blaming in part the retailers for its imminent demise.

In a submission to the State Government's 30-year Greater Plan for Adelaide, the Rundle Mall Management Authority has called for for a partnership to develop a "bold vision" for the mall.

"The RMMA is seeking a strong and tangible commitment from the South Australian Government to secure the future of Rundle Mall," says the submission, seen by the Sunday Mail.

"Since 1976, the mall precinct has had only one upgrade in the 1990s, the main feature of which was replacing the pavers.

"The lack of growth in visitor numbers to Rundle Mall is a sign of a growing public opinion regarding the sub-standard nature of the mall."

more: http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 01,00.html

[Will]

Another typical Advertiser Adelaide bashing excuse for an article. :wank:

[Wayno]

timing is everything - they're hoping the govt with make an election promise to throw money at the mall...

[Paulns]

Lets face it Rundle Mall is looking pretty sad and is need of an urgent upgrade. Most of the shops there you can find in your major suburban shopping centres anyway so why unlike the old days would people need to go there anyway without some sort of attraction. I think that with a bit of modernising Rundle Mall would attract a lot more people.

[AtD]

Something makes me think there's an election coming up.

[Nathan]

Sounds like a beat up to me. Rundle Mall during the day seems perfectly healthy to me. Sure improvements can be made, particularly when it comes to keeping it lively at night, but to claim it's dying is ridiculous.

Reading the comments (yeah, I know...) the general consensus seems to be the 'wah wah, hard to find a park, wah wah, parking isn't free'. Oh, and the 'lack of public transport' - even though it's probably the easiest place in the state to get to, and the areas around the mall are already more than well serviced by multi-level car parks. (And surely the car drivers are spoilt with the 20c street parking on weekends - expensive my arse!)

[vik_man]

wow it's as if they just made that article in order to bait the adelaide now comments haha.

Rundle Mall seems pretty standard as far as malls go

the shops are a bit ordinary and suburban like though

I find myself spending a lot more time on rundle street

[SRW]

Predictable, eh? It's Lobbying 101.

Despite the emergency portrayed in the article, I agree (anecdotally) that the Mall is doing pretty fairly, perhaps even better than in recent years.

That said, I'd agree that more investment is needed. As I'm sure we all know, the laneways feeding into the Mall need to be more active, as does the Mall at night. An upgraded streetscape -- in terms of paving, furniture and artwork -- is only part the mix. We have to go further for real change. Achieving a better mix of tenants, establishing more pedestrian and/or shared zones and banning security bars and shutters are perhaps some of the ways to go about it.

The extent to which any investment should be publicly or privately funded is another matter. I think there needs to be greater contribution from both sides.

[skyliner]

Does this need the dignity of a reply?

ADELAIDE - TOWARDS A GREATER CITY SKYLINE

[AtD]

wow it's as if they just made that article in order to bait the adelaide now comments haha.

Good call!

I would like to see the section of Gawler Pl between Grenfell St and North Tce upgraded into a paved shared area. It couldn't be a mall due to the car parks and loading docks, but it'd certainly be more inviting than it currently is.

[The Scooter Guy]

The Mall's managing authority, which includes the heads of retailer David Jones and the Myer Centre, say the city's retail engine room is "dying a death of a thousand cuts".
They say Australia's first pedestrian mall was an example of "innovation" when opened 33 years ago by Premier Don Dunstan, but has since become "stagnant, uninviting and sub-standard".
"Since 1976, the mall precinct has had only one upgrade in the 1990s, the main feature of which was replacing the pavers.
"The lack of growth in visitor numbers to Rundle Mall is a sign of a growing public opinion regarding the sub-standard nature of the mall."

Ouch! I guess that is the reason of why Dazzleland closed to public! Myer Centre is now just another generic mall with derelict shops on the top floors!

[AtD]

I see you've overcome your addiction to smilies. Now maybe you should work on your addiction to exclamation points.

[Prince George]

There's something rather galling about the proprietors of the Myer Centre and David Jones saying that the state needs to commit to fixing the mall when each of their own contributions are so meagre. Perhaps I'd be more inclined to agree with them if each of their respective buildings gave back more to the spaces that they are part of.

Ultimately, the retailers in the mall are themselves much of the problem. When choices are no better, or even different, than those in a suburban mall, choosing town really may come down to free parking. Personally, I'm not interested in taking steps to make the mall the destination of choice for shopping at a Witchery or Just Jeans.