[COM] Rundle Mall Redevelopment | $30m

[stronic]

Agreed Nathan. Perhaps it's time to take Singapore's approach to gum...

Completely agree. I think Singapore's approach to gum would be long overdue in Adelaide.

[Pants]

I think the pavers look great and agree that the openness seems to give the Mall a new lease of life. Hopefully that won't be affected too much once the furniture, lighting etc. makes its way into the development.

The staining on the pavers isn't great, but I'm not sure they've been properly/regularly cleaned throughout construction and there was always going to be a concentration of crap in the narrow walkways that were created to allow for work to be carried out in the middle.

One thing I'm curious about though is the positioning of the trees. If one of the main drivers for the layout of the redevelopment was to keep clear access and sight-lines down the middle of the Mall, don't the trees seem too close together?

[Phantom]

The pavers look a lot better than the old, tired ones, interspliced with train tracks of black cement. It just leaves it feeling unfinished and tacky. (Even though the black cement was just a temporary fix between those pipes being laid and the new pavers). Still though, I can't help but feel that people from interstate will see this and dislike it.

Check out this picture of the Apple Store (which is on their website, no less) and you can see exactly how crappy it currently looks. The new pavers are way better, even if they get covered with bits of gum.

[mattblack]

It just leaves it feeling unfinished and tacky.

Any half finished project wil look ..........um ............ half finished.

I can't help but feel that people from interstate will see this and dislike it.

What would you propose? Any visitor will 1. probably not care or 2. look and see all this development and think that there is actually stuff happening in this town and maybe they should come back at some stage.

[Waewick]

honestly, the feeling that someone from interstate will see this and dislike it? are we serious, honestly, when reviewing a development of this size that is all we have?



ok so lets get granular

Are we talking every single person from interstate? or just "interstate people"

which state are you talking about?

from which part of that state will these people be from?

Are the regular travelers or irregular traveler?

is approval from these "interstate Travelers" required before you can be happy with a development in Adelaide

Does 1 state have more influence than others? does an area from that particular state have more bearing as well?

[Phantom]

Guys, it was on the topic of the pavers and the pavers alone. I was mentioning that the big long track tracks that they had placed down in Rundle Mall to cover the pipe (or whatever it was they placed under it), looks quite strange amongst a sea of pavers. Not saying the new development looks bad or anything like that, it's just that it's the first pedestrian mall I've noticed where they settled on an interim fix of the issue. Can you honestly tell me that the large chunk of black tarmac looks good there? Maybe I'm imagining this, but I've been under the impression it's been like that for a while, no?

And as for the people from interstate I mentioned? A lot of people I know from the eastern states take just about any reason they can to criticise anything that looks wrong with Adelaide. I've just looked at this like a big long scar along Rundle Mall and the sooner the pavers are extended that far down Rundle, the better in my opinion.

[Nathan]

Maybe I'm imagining this, but I've been under the impression it's been like that for a while, no?

Nope, not that long. It was the first task of the redevelopment, so since around March.

[ml69]

Maybe I'm imagining this, but I've been under the impression it's been like that for a while, no?

Nope, not that long. It was the first task of the redevelopment, so since around March.

Phantom, if ACC had spent more money and patched up the pipe with pavers instead of bitumen, only to rip it up months later, what do you think the Adelaide media would be saying about that? ACC would be criticised for wasting money!

[stronic]

I think the pavers look great and agree that the openness seems to give the Mall a new lease of life. Hopefully that won't be affected too much once the furniture, lighting etc. makes its way into the development.

The staining on the pavers isn't great, but I'm not sure they've been properly/regularly cleaned throughout construction and there was always going to be a concentration of crap in the narrow walkways that were created to allow for work to be carried out in the middle.

One thing I'm curious about though is the positioning of the trees. If one of the main drivers for the layout of the redevelopment was to keep clear access and sight-lines down the middle of the Mall, don't the trees seem too close together?

I also thought the trees seemed a little too close together.

[Patrick_27]

Guys, it was on the topic of the pavers and the pavers alone. I was mentioning that the big long track tracks that they had placed down in Rundle Mall to cover the pipe (or whatever it was they placed under it), looks quite strange amongst a sea of pavers. Not saying the new development looks bad or anything like that, it's just that it's the first pedestrian mall I've noticed where they settled on an interim fix of the issue. Can you honestly tell me that the large chunk of black tarmac looks good there? Maybe I'm imagining this, but I've been under the impression it's been like that for a while, no?

And as for the people from interstate I mentioned? A lot of people I know from the eastern states take just about any reason they can to criticise anything that looks wrong with Adelaide. I've just looked at this like a big long scar along Rundle Mall and the sooner the pavers are extended that far down Rundle, the better in my opinion.

I agree with Phantom. It shouldn't matter what city it's in, or what budget must be met; this quick fix bitumen is disgusting. They should have relaid the pavers that were there before or at-least put a concrete that matched the tone of the surrounding pavers. With Adelaide Oval soon to play host to a heap of international cricket matches and football in early 2014, among other city based events such Mad-March, Tour Down Under etc; sure enough this will leave a bad mental image to some of the visitors to the mall. The clutter from the development is enough hassle, this line of bitumen is just unprofessional. And some can argue that it's only for the short term, but remember parts of the mall will look like this till late next year.

[Phantom]

Maybe I'm imagining this, but I've been under the impression it's been like that for a while, no?

Nope, not that long. It was the first task of the redevelopment, so since around March.

Alright, it hasn't been in this state for an epic length of time, but it's somewhat beside the point. I think it looks tacky!

Phantom, if ACC had spent more money and patched up the pipe with pavers instead of bitumen, only to rip it up months later, what do you think the Adelaide media would be saying about that? ACC would be criticised for wasting money!

But this is sort of thing is happening all around us already! I can't help but shudder at the collosal stuff up of the Oaklands Railway Station! That has to be the biggest waste of money I've ever seen. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the upkeep of things like this, but two major overhauls in a decade shows a distinct lack of foresight, much the same as this ugly looking patch of bitumen (or whatever it is) on Rundle.

As a city, we are looked upon by many from the four larger cities to be a small town, with very few attractions. If you ask someone from interstate to name the first thing in Adelaide, besides sporting teams, Rundle Mall surely would be the most common answer. Regardless of whether it's a massive waste of money, I think that we should nurture the absolute crap out of Rundle Mall in anyway that we can.

I can see it only assisting it to thrive the CBD in the long run.

I agree with Phantom. It shouldn't matter what city it's in, or what budget must be met; this quick fix bitumen is disgusting. They should have relaid the pavers that were there before or at-least put a concrete that matched the tone of the surrounding pavers. With Adelaide Oval soon to play host to a heap of international cricket matches and football in early 2014, among other city based events such Mad-March, Tour Down Under etc; sure enough this will leave a bad mental image to some of the visitors to the mall. The clutter from the development is enough hassle, this line of bitumen is just unprofessional. And some can argue that it's only for the short term, but remember parts of the mall will look like this till late next year.

^ This x1000

[crawf]

Maybe I'm imagining this, but I've been under the impression it's been like that for a while, no?

Nope, not that long. It was the first task of the redevelopment, so since around March.

Alright, it hasn't been in this state for an epic length of time, but it's somewhat beside the point. I think it looks tacky!

As a city, we are looked upon by many from the four larger cities to be a small town, with very few attractions. If you ask someone from interstate to name the first thing in Adelaide, besides sporting teams, Rundle Mall surely would be the most common answer. Regardless of whether it's a massive waste of money, I think that we should nurture the absolute crap out of Rundle Mall in anyway that we can.

This isn't an Adelaide only thing. I'm sure many residents in the eastern states would struggle to name hardly any attractions in Perth, a city bigger than Adelaide. Same for Brisbane in somecases.

The bitumen isn't a pretty site, but it's only a temporary measure and will be gone next year. In a whole, the CBD isn't looking incredibly attractive at the moment but it's giving outsiders the impression that Adelaide is becoming a progressive city.

[Waewick]

wow we are taking it to a new level, complaining about an upgrade that is in process.

[[Shuz]]

Jeeeeeebus, get over it you lot. The upgrade looks fantastic and I can't wait for the whole thing to be finished. So what it looks a bit odd in the meantime? That's progress for you. Its only regressive if it stays that way in the long term, but seeing as this is a short term fix, we ought to put up with it. There's far bigger things to worry about.

[zippySA]

Reading the comments here seems many are guilty of creating the image of Adelaide as a bunch of whingers! What do people expect when major works are underway? I cannot remember a single visit to other major cities that don't have temporary works underway - in fact, it is a legacy of major cities that there is always something happening - you never actually get a point in time when all developments are 100% complete and everyone gets to enjoy nirvana.

This theme seems to pervade most posts on S-A (admittedly I am guilty of it as well) - but it seems a lot easier to post negatives and look for the bad in developments rather than seeking out positives and celebrating that things are happening.

The Mall will be fantastic when completed - and embrace the change and watch it evolve. If people are serious about debating some temporary bitumen patches then I think we are collectively stuffed!