The redevelopment of 88 O’Connell Street in North Adelaide is a step closer with the release of draft Guiding Principles that set the parameters for future development.
The City of Adelaide is seeking community feedback about the draft principles prior to their final approval by Council.
Lord Mayor Martin Haese said the Guiding Principles had been developed after extensive community engagement and market research conducted since Council purchased the site in February this year.
“Their purpose is to communicate Council’s development aspirations to the community and the market. Once agreed, they will be incorporated into the formal Expressions of Interest (EOI) process that will occur later this year.”
Key elements include:
• Creation of a destination to support the vitality of the O’Connell Street precinct that provides sufficient intensity of activity and various reasons for people to visit, stay and spend time during the day and night
• Preference for a mid-rise development with a variety of buildings of up to eight storeys, with any high-rise elements set back at least 12 metres from street frontages, defined by exceptional architecture, urban design, landscape and public art
Predominantly underground car-parking to support local business, residents and events, in a way that does not dominate the site
• Enhancement of the O’Connell Street public realm with additional generous, high-quality open space for the enjoyment of the community, and
• Provision of a significant amount of well-designed housing for a diverse range of people.
“During our initial engagement on the future of the site, we experienced a huge amount of interest and feedback from our community,” the Lord Mayor said.
“We are keen to continue working with our community in order to realise the best possible outcome for North Adelaide and our city as a whole.”
Consultation is open for three weeks until 20 July.
You can find a copy of the draft principles and how to provide feedback at https://yoursay.cityofadelaide.com.au/88-OConnell-2018
Following approval of the Guiding Principles, Council anticipates the release of an EOI to market in September.
This is expected to take the form of an open tender requiring proponents to outline their vision and how it aligns with the Guiding Principles, as well as the proponent’s capability, capacity and consortium team credentials.
A Sales Agent will also be appointed to assist in the preparation of the EOI and marketing strategy. “After nearly 30 years of lying vacant, Council is keen to enable an appropriate development within a reasonable timeframe,” the Lord Mayor said.
“There is a lot of work needed before we can come up with the best possible development that reflects the needs and expectations of our community, and this is the next important step in that process”, he concluded.
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