News & Discussion: Adelaide Central Markets

[metro]

I agree with Patrick's idea, get rid of coles and the rooftop parking and open up the market area with a higher roof, maybe something architecturally unique. I think a rooftop community garden would be nice as well.

[rhino]

Ever been to the market in Kota Bahru (in Malaysia)?

http://www.jimicasacciaphotographer.com ... g_0792.jpg

3 levels of market. Might not be practical, but it was pretty cool!

[monotonehell]

I agree that it could do with a clean up and better entrances, but we would have to be careful not to alter the ambience that it creates. Too much "clean up" could make it feel sterile and ruin the experience. The focus needs to stay with the sights and smells associated with the produce. Lifting the roof could be a mistake. Currently the ceiling is mostly black, focusing vision to just the stalls themselves, making it feel enclosed and a little surreal. A light ceiling would change this dynamic completely.

Just an aside; moving the carpark to a concentrated five levels underground would be a nightmare. That carpark has two levels over three buildings and almost 1000 spaces. The traffic throughput on busy market days (Friday nights, Saturday mornings) is intense. With all nine lanes operating they only just keep up. If anything goes wrong, the traffic banks up very quickly.

[Wayno]

.
Presses the *reset conversation* button.

The Central Markets is actually a 'precinct' comprised of 3 areas (running east to west): The Arcade (links to VSQ adjacent to The Hilton), The Markets themselves (sandwiched in the middle - the area we all love & don't want touched), and The Plaza (abutting china town).

What I specifically called out is the The Arcade portion which includes ~70 small shops and Coles. Sorry if folk thought i was referencing the core market area - definitely not the case.

The Arcade is the focus of lease renewal in 2017 and possible redevelopment & height (including sale of air-rights). Yarwood proposed this in 2013 (Messenger reference here). An inventive approach to funding would enable this redevelopment to occur - regardless of available ACC finances. It's simply a matter of will power (as opposed to won't power).

I suppose something could also be done to improve The Plaza (and China town), but if pushed to make a priority decision redeveloping the The Arcade would be my call.

Bonus points are on offer for incorporating the law courts into the deal.

[SRW]

One thing that I would like for the Market Arcade area is an all-hours pedestrian throughway to Gouger Street. I'm not fazed whether such a thing is enclosed (in a centre or beneath towers) or open (as a main street-style companion to Moonta Street) but it's always bothered me not being able to reach the top end of Gouger Street from the north (or vice versa) without a bit of a detour. It's not a major one, sure, but it's a enough of impediment to limit interchange between Gouger Street and the burgeoning Waymouth/Franklin street nightlife (and Leigh/Peel/Hindley beyond).

[Nathan]

One thing that I would like for the Market Arcade area is an all-hours pedestrian throughway to Gouger Street. I'm not fazed whether such a thing is enclosed (in a centre or beneath towers) or open (as a main street-style companion to Moonta Street) but it's always bothered me not being able to reach the top end of Gouger Street from the north (or vice versa) without a bit of a detour. It's not a major one, sure, but it's a enough of impediment to limit interchange between Gouger Street and the burgeoning Waymouth/Franklin street nightlife (and Leigh/Peel/Hindley beyond).

Agreed. Perhaps they could introduce a lane somewhere through the western end of the arcade, that could serve as a new loading zone for the market deliveries in the morning (replacing the area currently alongside the blank Coles frontage on Grote St, and then designated as pedestrian only outside of those times. Line it with more cafe/restaurants that fit with the market vibe, but are able to trade outside market times as well.

[metro]

opening up California Street to cut all the way through would be a good start

[monotonehell]

opening up California Street to cut all the way through would be a good start

Perhaps, but that is only four or so doors from Moonta Street. The halfway point is closer to the market stalls area. I'd say the border between the stalls area and the Market Arcade would be a good point, close to the Pitt Street intersection. Opening that up to pedestrian 24/7 access would provide two more obvious gateways to the Markets. Then do whatever is suitable with the arcade site.

[ml69]

opening up California Street to cut all the way through would be a good start

Perhaps, but that is only four or so doors from Moonta Street. The halfway point is closer to the market stalls area. I'd say the border between the stalls area and the Market Arcade would be a good point, close to the Pitt Street intersection. Opening that up to pedestrian 24/7 access would provide two more obvious gateways to the Markets. Then do whatever is suitable with the arcade site.

Agree .... That would be the logical thing to do.

Yes, this north-south laneway is critical and should be mandated by ACC in any redevelopment.

[Matt]

The market itself is brilliant - apart from a bit of a spit and polish, leave it alone - but the arcade part is RANK.

That, and the Coles (every time I walk past and see that enormous grotty, white glass window facing the pavement, I want to heave) are probably my two least favourite parts of Adelaide.

To me, having a giant, shitty, generic Coles outlet there is an insult to the Market.

[monotonehell]

The market itself is brilliant - apart from a bit of a spit and polish, leave it alone - but the arcade part is RANK.

That, and the Coles (every time I walk past and see that enormous grotty, white glass window facing the pavement, I want to heave) are probably my two least favourite parts of Adelaide.

To me, having a giant, shitty, generic Coles outlet there is an insult to the Market.

The "spit" is part of the problem.

Coles have recently put a vinyl wrap on their windows. It's a load of feel good, stock photos and slogans. That's something... I guess.

[Wayno]

From news.com.au

I thought the arcade lease renewal was 2017. Seems it's 2018, at least according to this article.

PUBLIC areas surrounding the Central Market face a major upgrade under long-term plans to overhaul the precinct.

And Adelaide City Council wants to hear from you to help it develop the areas around Victoria Square and Chinatown, amid hope of a multi-million dollar area rejuvenation.

Over the next four years, the council will embark on an extensive consultation exercise with residents and local businesses in the southeast corner of the city.

Lord Mayor Martin Haese told The City the work was one of the most important to the city’s economic development and the “start of an important journey”.

“This is a very important part, particularly geographically, of this council’s vision,” he said.

“We are looking at that whole area, Victoria Square south and … right down to Chinatown, because as you know nothing happens in isolation in this world.

“We need to bring a very diverse number of stakeholders into a pretty important conversation sooner rather than later.”

The council’s vision, which is in its early stages, will form the centrepiece of the council’s master plan vision for the area and will likely lead to large-scale upgrades and new capital works.

It also aims to address mounting concerns from local businesses that the area had been “forgotten”.

The first of a series of community workshops was conducted last week while businesses have been asked to help shape the district’s future.

Officials will also consult groups including the Grote and Gouger Street Precinct associations, Chinatown and Central Market traders and its board.

But initial feedback to council has suggested that while visitors and locals welcomed upgrade plans, they cautioned against any major redevelopments or changes.

Michael Fisher, the council’s placemaking co-ordinator, said the council was at pains to work with the community and not “impose a plan on them”.

Traders have told The City they are concerned about the poor condition of the market arcade, located to the north and south of the Sir Samuel Way courts building, despite it being one of the key thoroughfares and entrances to the market.

The 50-year lease for the dilapidated market arcade, a main link from the south-western corner of Victoria Square and Gouger Street to the market, is due for renewal in September 2018.

Mr Haese added: “People say it is tired (the arcade) but they love it and they flock to it.”

It also coincides with the construction of a $500 million courts building on King William Street — to the south of Supreme Court complex — proposed to be open in 2017 and follows the $28 million upgrade of Victoria Square.

Planning Minister John Rau said the new courts complex, which is about 200 yards south of the run down courts building, would help “revitalise” the area.

“There is going to be a massive injection of people with money into that Gouger Street/ Central Market precinct. I expect that whole area will boom quite frankly,” he said.

[Wayno]

Wine (and gin) tasting is now available in the central market, even though the AHA opposed it.

From AdelaideNow:

Two Central Market stalls get liquor licences to offer tastings, sell SA-made alcohol

KANGAROO Island gin, wine and spirits and other regional wine offerings are available for tastings and sale at two Central Market stalls under new liquor licences in a first for the precinct.

The Olive Tree, which has been in the market since 1997 and recently relocated and refreshed its offerings, will sell wines from three SA wineries every month on a rotational basis.

This month’s wine comes from McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and Clare Valley.

“We have a lot of tourists coming through the market and we thought this would be a good way to promote the wines that complement our products with actual tastings,” Olive Tree owner Paul Bratovic said.

“It was tough to get the licence with the Australian Hotels Association objecting to it.

“We had to sit down and sort it out, but it’s likely to help us with a significant boost to earnings.

“More importantly it offers something different to market customers,” Mr Bratovic said.

AHA chief executive Ian Horne said the objection was not to the licence itself but its scope.

“The Olive Tree’s first application gave the impression they wanted to be a bottleshop, which means they would need a different licence. What they are going to do now is fine with us,” Mr Horne said.

The KI Pure stall at the market, operated by owners of Island Pure Sheep Dairy, has also received the special circumstances licence.

Owner Justin Harman said the stall will offer a suite of products, including wine from Sunset Winery and spirits from Kangaroo Island Spirits.

“We know there is a great following for the wines and gin. The tastings and sales just help connect the customers and producers better.” Mr Harman said.

Central Market chief executive Gavin Webster said the licences were a first for the market and sign of changing tastes and retail models.

“We’ve got to respond to what the traders want and keep the market refreshed to attract customers.

“We don’t want bars in the market for sure due to social and behavioural challenges that may be faced and we don’t want every store asking for one.

“It’s just about it being an add-on to the existing business and the market supporting what these businesses want,” Mr Webster said.

Tastings will only be conducted on Fridays and Saturdays.

[Nort]

I don't see it happening, but would love to see something that increased the connectivity from Market Arcade to Victoria Square. There's so much potential for the two areas to compliment each other.

[Patrick_27]

Attended my Placemaking Workshop which are run by the Adelaide City Council. For those of you who aren't aware what these workshops entail, basically the ACC are trying to develop a 20 year plan for the future of the Central Markets and what direction they hope it will go based on public input.

The group has refined from what was originally 35-40 people in the December meeting to roughly 15-20, seemed to thin out a lot of people who weren't interested in the forward perspective these workshops are trying to create.

Whilst there were some fantastic ideas (many of which were coming from council representative who were amongst the workshop), there were unfortunately a few radicals from both sides of the high-rise development fence. Some regard the recently commenced VUE as being "too tall" whilst another made the suggestion that they should build a SkyScraper in the core of the Sir Samuel Way Courts Building... Furthermore, a couple of people seemed to be under the assumption that the Adelaide CBD runs within Franklin Street/West Terrace/North Terrace/East Terrace... It opened my eyes to why so many readers of The Advertiser are shocked and confused whenever a large development is proposed for outside this block of the CBD.

But reporting back on what has eventuated from these workshops so far, council staff collated ideas from the December workshop on what people want to see amongst the Central Marking precinct in 20 years; at last night's workshop we were read out a brief suggesting what the area would be like in 20 years and we had to weigh in on the pros and cons of the brief.

The brief suggested there is potential to expand the Chinatown precinct along Gougers Street as well as across Grote Street along to Franklin Street, creating a 'Little India' precinct within the area, more high-rise buildings for residential and commercial use, rooftop bars and gardens, improvement of existing facilities and even converting the current bus terminal into a state food research/discovery centre (had me thinking about the plans that were hatched in the 80's to incorporate a new bus terminal and investigator science centre into the site).

One last point which I thought a few of you may enjoy... When I spoke to some of the present Council staff, you'd be surprised at just how many of them know about this site and had a little smirk on their face when it came up in conversation.