Sensational-Adelaide.com

Description of Proposed Development:
Partial redevelopment of the existing GPO and Telephone exchange buildings and the construction of a 15-storey office building with associated retail tenancies, basement car park (including loading dock and bicycle parking), ground level piazza and site works. Exchange Place will redeveloped as a pedestrian link. Note: Works to be undertaken on land owned by Australia Post (including the GPO building) are exempt from state legislation under the APC Act 1989.

Detailed Land Uses:
Commercial - Office

Application Type:
DAC - Adelaide ($10m)

Application Status:
CATEGORISED


Land Use/Building Consent:
Yes

Lodgement Date:
18 Jun 2015

Address:
145-159 King William Street, Adelaide

A $300 million development of the Adelaide GPO precinct will create 500 construction jobs by transforming the landmark heritage building and its surrounds into a food and retail hub flanked by office towers.

Major property group Charter Hall has lodged plans for the development which it describes as a “game changer” for the Adelaide CBD and, pending approval, construction is expected to start in the first half of next year.

The proposal features two office towers for up to 3800 workers, eateries and shops within a refurbished GPO and, around an adjoining plaza, laneways enlivened with retail outlets and a makeover of the old Telephone Exchange building.

Charter Hall state manager Matthew Lane said the project would “restore the former glory of the GPO” and even reactivate its basement level.

“We think it will be a game changer. There’s nothing like it in the city,” he said.

“The whole site’s been neglected for years now.

“We are excited by turning that around and reinforcing this property as the heart of the commercial precinct.”

Mr Lane said the development, to be known as Precinct GPO, would activate the area from early morning to night time and complement Adelaide City Council’s overhaul of Victoria Square.

“The success of this project is based on what we can deliver to the public and that means interesting piazzas and laneways,” he said.

The 21-storey GPO Tower will face Franklin St while the 15-storey GPO Plaza building will “look like it’s floating above the GPO” from Victoria Square, though in reality it will only slightly overlap two edges of the 19th century building.

More than 3000sq m of retail space will be spread among the main and basement levels of the GPO, around the plaza, at the base of the new GPO Tower and face onto a reopened lane between the GPO and Telephone Exchange.

Mr Lane said the focus would be on food and drink and he was hoping for a quirky mix of offerings to rival those on Leigh and Peel streets.

A post office will be retained within the complex, though not necessarily within the GPO itself.

The upper levels of both the GPO and Telephone Exchange buildings will be refurbished as boutique office space.

The plaza will connect to the existing one behind ANZ House.

Last year Charter Hall paid Aspen Group $29.5 million for a half stake in the Franklin St Property Trust, owner of the neighbouring Australian Tax Office Building. As part of the deal the trust bought the GPO and surrounding land for $12 million.

The Charter Hall proposal will effectively complete the broader development formerly known as City Central, which saw the rise of the ATO Building, ANZ House and the Ernst & Young Building.

“This is essentially the icing on the cake for the larger development,” Mr Lane said.

Major tenants will need to be secured before construction begins, but Mr Lane was confident that would not be a problem given the prime position of the site.

“We have had early meetings with (potential) tenants and we have had a lot of interest. There is a wow factor to it,” Mr Lane said.

“We’d be looking to start in the first half of next year.” Completion is scheduled for 2018.

Mr Lane praised the State Government’s Budget announcement to phase out stamp duty on non-residential property transfers, saying it would be a driver for investment and jobs.

“(It) will provide the state a significant competitive advantage nationally, especially where retail and wholesale investors are seeking exposure to investment grade property investments,” he said.

Jaymz wrote:Very underwhelming, a couple of new glass boxes. In the second pic, it's difficult to even distinguish which
are the new building amongst the old ones.

Ben wrote:The GPO building could be ok

Jaymz wrote:Very underwhelming, a couple of new glass boxes. In the second pic, it's difficult to even distinguish which
are the new building amongst the old ones.

Patrick_27 wrote:Based on the level of complaint on this thread, am I to understand that the majority of you are professional architects? If so, where are your ground-breaking concepts?