Sensational-Adelaide.com

Do not be surprised if demolition starts before the end of this month.

Does anybody know if the contract has been let for Stage 1 'Gallery' of this project. When is construction scheduled to commence, will be good to see some more favco cranes on the skyline, if they opt to use them

Application lodged to demolish buildings:

Type Application Assessed on Merit
Application Number: DA/539/2006/1
Lodgement Date: 24/10/2007
Location: 191-199 Morphett Street, ADELAIDE SA 5000
Description: Construction of a 7 storey residential apartment building containing 109 apartments, an under-croft car park containing 93 car parking spaces and bicycle storage facilities, ancillary works and demolition of the existing buildings - Residential apartment development - 7 storey - site stage 1 - demolition works to warehouse/factory buildings - Balfours site

Note the application type is "assessed on merit"

The developers did a private PAR for this project, which essentially means they wrote the development plan for their own development. They obviously haven't complied with their own development plan otherwise the application type would be complying development.

This is very concerning because they will have set the bar very low for themselves but they can't even meet these low standards. I am worried that we will not get a good urban design outcome from this project.

The application refers to undercroft car parking which means that it will be set partially below street level. While undercroft parking is not as damaging to street level activity as ground floor parking, it will still create a poor quality streetscape.

Anything less than ground level retail/commercial frontage to Morphett St and Franklin St will be detrimental to the future amenity of the area.

urban wrote:Note the application type is "assessed on merit"

The developers did a private PAR for this project, which essentially means they wrote the development plan for their own development. They obviously haven't complied with their own development plan otherwise the application type would be complying development.

This is very concerning because they will have set the bar very low for themselves but they can't even meet these low standards. I am worried that we will not get a good urban design outcome from this project.

The application refers to undercroft car parking which means that it will be set partially below street level. While undercroft parking is not as damaging to street level activity as ground floor parking, it will still create a poor quality streetscape.

Anything less than ground level retail/commercial frontage to Morphett St and Franklin St will be detrimental to the future amenity of the area.

I agree completely, though by looks of the current render, they never planned for street level retail tenancies:



This is essentially a death sentence (in the sense of there being no interaction or activity between passers-by and the buildings) for a huge swathe of prime streetscape.

Arn't they going to be offices instead?, I would of also liked to see ground floor shops and cafes.

SRW wrote:

urban wrote:Note the application type is "assessed on merit"

The developers did a private PAR for this project, which essentially means they wrote the development plan for their own development. They obviously haven't complied with their own development plan otherwise the application type would be complying development.

This is very concerning because they will have set the bar very low for themselves but they can't even meet these low standards. I am worried that we will not get a good urban design outcome from this project.

The application refers to undercroft car parking which means that it will be set partially below street level. While undercroft parking is not as damaging to street level activity as ground floor parking, it will still create a poor quality streetscape.

Anything less than ground level retail/commercial frontage to Morphett St and Franklin St will be detrimental to the future amenity of the area.

I agree completely, though by looks of the current render, they never planned for street level retail tenancies:

This is essentially a death sentence (in the sense of there being no interaction or activity between passers-by and the buildings) for a huge swathe of prime streetscape.

Much like Colley Terrace at Glenelg, in front of Liberty Towers, only on a much larger scale if the entire development is constructed in this way. Nothing worse than a large apartment block impervious to its surroundings - it almost facilitates a ghetto in thirty years' time.

Still, there's more yet to be seen - hopefully some kind of interactive streetscape is in store for the rest of the development.

I think you'll find that behind the 7 storey apartments and underneath the towers there will be retail sections. I heard a Coles central is to open at the Balfours precinct once complete.

Pikey wrote:I think you'll find that behind the 7 storey apartments and underneath the towers there will be retail sections. I heard a Coles central is to open at the Balfours precinct once complete.

Is it still the case that once the bus station is complete and operational the central market carpark will under go redevelopment?

Does this mean that coles will be relocated to the precinct?

SRW wrote:I agree completely, though by looks of the current render, they never planned for street level retail tenancies:



This is essentially a death sentence (in the sense of there being no interaction or activity between passers-by and the buildings) for a huge swathe of prime streetscape.

The initial submission which won the consortium the contract to develop the site included retail to Morphett & Franklin St.

You're right about the interaction and Morphett St is particularly important because it leads onto Light Sq.

ACC & DAC are in a very strong position and must use it to force the consortium to comply with the Development Plan. Anything less will be shortchanging the people of Adelaide.

Pikey wrote:I think you'll find that behind the 7 storey apartments and underneath the towers there will be retail sections. I heard a Coles central is to open at the Balfours precinct once complete.

Excellent.

Of course, I'd rather a Foodland that stocks items other than Coles homebrands, with all those faces leering at me, but it's a start.

urban wrote:

SRW wrote:This is essentially a death sentence (in the sense of there being no interaction or activity between passers-by and the buildings) for a huge swathe of prime streetscape.

The initial submission which won the consortium the contract to develop the site included retail to Morphett & Franklin St.

You're right about the interaction and Morphett St is particularly important because it leads onto Light Sq.

ACC & DAC are in a very strong position and must use it to force the consortium to comply with the Development Plan. Anything less will be shortchanging the people of Adelaide.

Indeed. It's clear that a vibrant and inviting city needs activity on the streets to create a reason for people to be there. The beach-front apartments at Glenelg with the "undercroft" parking are indeed a good example of how poor the concept is and how uninviting and uninteresting it makes the frontage of a building look. Wolf Blass house on Hindmarsh Square is another example of this.

crawf wrote:Arn't they going to be offices instead?, I would of also liked to see ground floor shops and cafes.

I think it is the SoHo component of the building: two storey apartments with office accommodation on ground floor. Sort of home offices/studio's then, really.

urban wrote:ACC & DAC are in a very strong position and must use it to force the consortium to comply with the Development Plan. Anything less will be shortchanging the people of Adelaide.

Indeed. Especially for areas as important as the Morphett Street frontage. If Adelaide wants to attain vitality and liveliness it must require new constructions, and also encourage existing ones, to provide quality, active frontages.

Went into the sales office today at lunch time. Looks like the first stage (the gallery) is basically completely sold out bar a handfull of apartments on the top level, which is good news. Im seriously considering buying one of the apartments in the second stage, but they havent officially been released from what they guy in their told me. Anyone with a bit of knowledge in apartments, what are your thoughts of the buying into the project?

Interesting that the builder for the 7 level apartment that will be the first residential building in the precinct is baulderstone. I would have thought multiplex would build all of the residential development, as they seem to be doing at the port adelaide site.