News & Developments: Port Adelaide

[Patrick_27]

This end lot was always separate from the other lots which were acquired for the hotel construction, and has been up for sale for some time. The original footprint for the hotel consisted of several separate narrow titles which were acquired for the hotel development, with the exception of the one at the end nearest the lighthouse, which is the one in question. The developer’s website still features the hotel as a major current project, so maybe it’s not dead after all. Local feeling though is that it’s not looking good.

Maybe it's an Adelaide thing, but it strikes me as weird that this is a prime site for such a development; it's isolated from nearby heavy traffic corridors and very pedestrian, but it doesn't get up. Meanwhile, they somehow managed to get the Quest Hotel up on a site crammed right up next to the nearby Birkenhead Bridge where some rooms can step out onto their balcony and almost be amongst the traffic going over the bridge. Such incredibly weird outcomes.

On the comment regarding this site for an aquarium, aquariums seems to be an outdated concept (in Australia, at least) but I would think that the Fisherman's Wharf Market site would be more suitable based on its size...

[Stefan]

Spotted this in todays paper. Looks like that hotel project is dead as we all knew and the land is now being carved up. Im going to hazard a guess here that if something is built, it will either just be townhouses or possibly townhouses with cafes / small shops at ground level.

I've posted about it before, but I've always thought it'd be a good spot for a state aquarium.

I second this!

[SouthAussie94]

I know it's a chicken/egg situation but, is there enough foot traffic/tourists to make an aquarium at Port Adelaide viable?

The Sydney Aquarium is in Darling Harbour (lots of foot traffic/tourists) and the Melbourne Aquarium is on the banks of the Yarra between the CBD and Southbank (both with lots of foot traffic/tourists).

[abc]

I know it's a chicken/egg situation but, is there enough foot traffic/tourists to make an aquarium at Port Adelaide viable?

The Sydney Aquarium is in Darling Harbour (lots of foot traffic/tourists) and the Melbourne Aquarium is on the banks of the Yarra between the CBD and Southbank (both with lots of foot traffic/tourists).

no, its a ridiculous idea

[Patrick_27]

I know it's a chicken/egg situation but, is there enough foot traffic/tourists to make an aquarium at Port Adelaide viable?

The Sydney Aquarium is in Darling Harbour (lots of foot traffic/tourists) and the Melbourne Aquarium is on the banks of the Yarra between the CBD and Southbank (both with lots of foot traffic/tourists).

no, its a ridiculous idea

Melbourne Aquarium is pretty dated, well past its hey day. I use to live nearby about 10 years ago, and it never seemed to be a hive of activity as I remember it in the years immediately after it first opened.

[victorious80]

I'm neither for nor against an aquarium, but they are not the kind of things that rely on foot traffic. They are more a targeted destination than something you might pop into when walking past (kind of like a zoo).

It may actually generate foot traffic in the immediate vicinity, as a result of people coming/going to the aquarium and staying around for a drink/meal.

[baytram366]

I think it would be perfect for the Port. It could showcase not only the wildlife of the area but also touch on the local dolphin population and the areas wildlife history. Lets face it, Adelaide needs something for the tourist. We don't have any of the nice tourism type parks or anything like that in the metro area. Port Adelaide particularly needs a destination type place that will draw in both locals and tourist dollars and foot traffic.

[abc]

I'm neither for nor against an aquarium, but they are not the kind of things that rely on foot traffic. They are more a targeted destination than something you might pop into when walking past (kind of like a zoo).

It may actually generate foot traffic in the immediate vicinity, as a result of people coming/going to the aquarium and staying around for a drink/meal.

its Port Adelaide

its sleepy AF

where's the foot traffic going to come from?

[victorious80]

The foot traffic would be generated from the people who go to the aquarium. Again, I am neutral on whether it is a good idea, but one of the potential benefits would be that those who attend the aquarium may stay in the Port for a meal or a drink.

Also, the comment regarding the Port being sleepy AF is maybe not as accurate as it was 5-10 years ago. There have been some significant improvements in the area, and the hundreds of new homes being built has helped with getting more people there. The construction of the 2 Quest Hotels, Pirate Life, the upgrade to the Colac Hotel, etc all suggest that investment is on the increase in the area.

AUKUS is likely to attract up to 5000 workers to the LeFevre Peninsula over the next 5-10 years too, so the area may really change in the near future.

[SBD]

I think it would be perfect for the Port. It could showcase not only the wildlife of the area but also touch on the local dolphin population and the areas wildlife history. Lets face it, Adelaide needs something for the tourist. We don't have any of the nice tourism type parks or anything like that in the metro area. Port Adelaide particularly needs a destination type place that will draw in both locals and tourist dollars and foot traffic.

"We don't have any of the nice tourism type parks or anything like that in the metro area." We have the zoo (closer to the CBD than Sydney's or Melbourne's), Cleland is a tourist wildlife destination. I'm not sure if other cities have something similar as close? Waratah Park in Sydney? Adelaide Metro has a stop at the gate.

We used to have Marineland at West Beach, but income didn't cover maintenance. It operated from 1969 to 1988.

[Tommo]

My wife just drove past the new Quest under construction and said smoke was absolutely pouring out on the British Hotel side of the construction.

[rev]

Yeh there's a fire, apparently the insulation is burning.

[baytram366]

At least it wasn't another suspicious fire in an old pub...