Sensational-Adelaide.com

jk1237 wrote:edit: I believe there is a bridal expo inside tomorrow

Nathan wrote:It's actually pretty cool inside, in a rundown sort of way.

The Eclective wedding expo will be held in The Gallerie on February 19.
http://www.theeclective.com.au/

Having gone to their inaugural even last year in the Queens Theatre, it's an excellent event, focussed on suppliers for people who don't want a normal run-of-the-mill wedding. (And funnily enough, that's me and my fiancé in the first photograph on the website!)

$300m premium-grade tower for Adelaide
by: Sarah Danckert
From: The Australian April 12, 2012 12:00AM

ADELAIDE is set to get its first premium-grade office building in more than a decade, with Commercial & General, Maras Group and Le Cordon Bleu joining forces to develop a 20-level mixed-use tower with an end value in excess of $300 million.

International hospitality education institution Le Cordon Bleu group will anchor the tower, taking four levels in the 200 North Terrace development for what will be the French-based company's largest education facility in the world.

Commercial & General managing director Jamie McClurg said all three parties to the joint venture would fund the 32,000sq m development.

"South Australia has not seen a new premium-grade office tower in over a decade," Mr McClurg said. "This is sure to be an iconic building on Adelaide's premier boulevard.

Located close to Government House and the University of Adelaide, the development will include more than 20,000sq m of office space across the upper 10 levels, with retail in the building's three lower levels.

...With Rundle Street retail owner Maras Group on board, the building's retail component is expected to attract several luxury labels.

Mr McClurg said the venture was already in talks with some of the world's biggest retail brands but declined to give further details, citing confidentiality agreements.

The building is scheduled for completion in late 2014 or early 2015.

Adelaide's economy is still in the doldrums, but the city's fortunes are set to be lifted by a rush of resource development, including BHP Billiton's $30 billion expansion of its Olympic Dam uranium and copper mine, and mining exploration in the state continues apace.

"South Australia will be propelled into one of Australia's resource prosperous states, with prominence not only in Australia but globally," Mr McClurg said.

"This economic wealth will be an enormous contribution to South Australia and will trickle down to every South Australian."

Mr McClurg said the venture had already drawn inquiries from national and international corporations interested in setting up an office in the city.

News of the development comes as Adelaide property developer Steve Quinn looks to sell an office tower at 22-28 King William Street.

Mr Quinn purchased the 9640sq m building for about $22m in December 2008 from the MacarthurCook Office Property Trust.

The building is home to National Australia Bank, which signed a 12-year lease on the building in 2010 following a $25m refurbishment.

Adelaide's economy is still in the doldrums

Will wrote:

Adelaide's economy is still in the doldrums

It is idiotic comments like these that keep false stereotypes about our city alive.

UrbanSG wrote:

• (a) it displays historical, economic or social themes that are of importance to the local area; or
  (b) it represents customs or ways of life that are characteristic of the local area; or
  (c) it has played an important part in the lives of local residents; or
  (d) it displays aesthetic merit, design characteristics or construction techniques of significance to the local area; or
  (e) it is associated with a notable local personality or event; or
  (f) it is a notable landmark in the area; or
  (g) in the case of a tree (without limiting a preceding paragraph)—it is of special historical or social significance or importance within the local area.

Heritage protection opposed by city property owners

HERITAGE protection for 77 city buildings including Maughan Church, the Edinburgh Castle hotel and significant parts of Hindley and Rundle streets has come under fire from building owners who say it will stifle development.

Of the buildings proposed for local heritage listing by the Adelaide City Council, 59 owners have opposed or partially opposed the move.

They will voice their concerns at special council meetings tonight and tomorrow.

The Maras Group has strongly opposed the listing of three of its Rundle Street East buildings as it would “work against the attainment of the objectives and targets of the Planning Strategy”.

“[The Group] does not believe that additional heritage listings are warranted, either within the Rundle Street East precinct, or within the city as a whole,” Maras said in its submission by consultant Stuart Moseley, from Connor Holmes.

Maras is open to heritage listing the façade of the buildings, but is opposed to other elements including the roof being protected, which would stop future development.

Moseley said that if all proposed properties were heritage listed, 48.8 per cent of the CDB would be affected.

“The compliance burden placed upon property owners by these listings is compounded by the unnecessarily complex and variable listing regime, comprising five different policy categories,” he said.

The proposed 77 buildings are part of 250 buildings that the City Council wants to put on its local heritage list, with the other 173 to be dealt with in a future DPA.

An economic impact report by the council states that the listings would reduce profits generated by businesses by about $21 million, reduce state product by $76 million and result in 1250 fewer city workers over the next 20 years.

Hill Smith Gallery owner Sam Hill-Smith commissioned a report by Ron Danvers Cultural Landscape which said his Pirie Street Gallery did not meet the aesthetic, cultural or architectural requirements required for local heritage listing.

The Hill-Smith family has also bought two adjoining properties on Pirie Street for future consolidation and significant redevelopment.

“Heritage listing of the subject property will have the effect of making this redevelopment less likely to occur, as inclusion of the corner site is critical to achieving the overall aim,” the Hill-Smith submission said.

Property Council executive director Nathan Paine said the likely loss of development opportunity because of the heritage listing was huge.

“I’ve had one member talking about lost development rights that could run into the $10 million mark, which is quite substantial,” he told Indaily.

Paine said if properties were kept for community aesthetic, the community should help pay.

“We all support all sensible heritage listing and maintaining some of what is beautiful about Adelaide. But when we do list properties for community benefit we have to recognise there is a cost to the owner and community should contribute to cost.”

The listing of Maughan Church and Mission on Franklin Street, former home to 5KA, is opposed by the site’s owner Uniting Care, a subsidiary of the Uniting Church.

In its submission, Uniting Care said Maughan was not “particularly prominent to the context of the city, when compared for example to St Peters or St Francis Xavier”.

“While the church does run important mission operations from the centre, this is not evidence of an historical, economical or social theme as required by [heritage criteria].

“We contend that the 1960s ecclesiastical architecture of which the building is an example is not of any specific significance to the local area.”

It disagreed that the church was a “notable local personality”.

“Without questioning the value of the social work undertaken by the Uniting Church, any strong associations that the church would have with the local community would primarily by through the congregation.

“At present the church is without congregation due to dwindling numbers. Accordingly, we do not consider the church to fulfil this criterion.”

Despite the widespread opposition, local and state government bodies have supported the ACC proposals.

The Heritage DPA was endorsed by neighbouring local councils, various government departments and the National Trust.

Prospect principal planner Chris Newby said in a submission: “City of Prospect would like to express its support for this DPA, as it seeks to develop strategies that maintain and improve the rich character, architectural significance and historical value of the Adelaide City Centre, while promoting the conservation and adaptive reuse of heritage places.”

The Art Deco and Modernism Society convenor David O’Loughlin wrote in support of the listing of several buildings including the Laubman and Pank Building at 62-64 Gawler Place.

“The Laubman and Pank building is an excellent example of the adaption and reuse of buildings over a period of 150 years, with the most recent work reviving and releasing the upper level officers,” O’Loughlin said.

“This site incorporates the work of one of states earlier architects and a prominent parliamentarian, George Kingston, Edmund Wright, James Reed and Eric McMichael.”