Did anyone notice how good the Adelaide Convention Centre is looking at the moment? Or how close to completion the University Of Adelaide’s new medical building is from the exterior? The Riverbank precinct along the Torrens is fast becoming one of the most eye catching spaces in the city.
We’ve been following planned developments for the Plaza, the Casino and the larger precinct for a while now. The latest announcement focuses upon the Adelaide Festival Centre. The beating heart of our arts industry remains frequented by close to one million patrons each and alongside the proposed expansion for Her Majesty’s Theatre to commence shortly, patrons will anticipate even more world class theatre experiences coming to Adelaide in the not to distant future.
To begin, the lowering of Festival Drive to separate pedestrian and vehicle traffic near the entrance to the Riverbank Footbridge will commence in November. This will affect access to the Dunstan Playhouse, Space Theatre and the Footbridge. Hoarding and signage will be installed to help visitors navigate and keep them safe during construction. A map for this period can be on the Adelaide Festival Centre website’s redevelopment page, and will be provided in the “Your Visit” emails issued to patrons before shows.
Festival Theatre will close for five months from 23 July 2017 until 26 December 2017 to facilitate the redevelopment including the demolition of the existing carpark, the installation of a number of structural pilons and the retaining wall of the new carpark. Closing Festival Theatre temporarily is the best way for the work to be done in a timely manner and to ensure safety for patrons, performers, staff and suppliers. Dunstan Playhouse, Space Theatre, and Her Majesty’s Theatre will remain open and operational throughout this period.
Construction on Adelaide Festival Centre’s north face (the river-facing side), including the Walk of Fame, and new entry points is due to begin in late October 2016 and will finish within 12 months.
The upgrade to Adelaide Festival Centre, as well as significant changes to the immediate environment including a new 1,560 space car park, development of a Festival Plaza, a 24 story office tower built by the Walker Corporation, and a new hotel expansion to SkyCity Casino will transform the area and create an exciting arts, entertainment, and leisure hub of Adelaide.
The future is very exciting and never mind the inconvenience; the footbridge, Adelaide Oval redevelopment, Convention Centre works and precinct upgrades so far have dramatically altered the atmosphere of the area for the better. We can’t wait to see how the Festival Centre is now set to benefit as well!
More News
