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You can disagree without saying someone's thoughts are silly, ya know.
Yes. Except when the thoughts are actually silly.
In what universe does a development always, without fail, deliver excellent results? It is not foolsih for me to raise the possibility that covering the mall could work against the interraction of the Lantern with the mall.
Of course they wouldn't go out of their way to ensure the view of the lantern in cut off by coverings. Does that mean it couldn't happen? I don't share your confidence there.
The Lantern in one of the most interesting and respected projects to happen in Adelaide in a long time and we very much need to be mindful that the mall can benefit greatly from its presence - depending on the decisions we make.
Now I'm off to make my silly self some breakfast, maybe some protein will knock some sense into me.
Freemont Street is a mall that is lined with Vegas's older casinos, the overhead show completely covers the street day and night. It's a pretty show, yes, but not really comparable to Rundle Mall. Vegas had a problem where the older section there was being ignored due to a combination of the Northern end of the Strip becoming old and being perceived as seedy, and all the newer mega-casinos being built way down at the other end of the Strip attracting visitors away from the North. So they came up with a light show to detract from the seedy things at night.
If the Mall wants to attract people to it it needs to be bold and innovative. Just putting a roof over the thing I dont think will cut it. Do it once and do it right. As you said mono, its a connection between 2 previously disjointed areas in Vegas, we have much the same with our nightlife areas of Hindley and Rundle. Would cost major $ but we could still learn a thing or 2 from places that are a little out there and fit in well with the likes of the Lantern and Northern Lights.
If the mall had 24 hr trading, there would be less of a divide, there would be more people around (passive surveillance) and the place would be less dangerous after hours. I would guess the only mall tenant that would be interested in 24 hr trading would be Woolworths, but preventing them from at least trialing it is state legislation. I remember reading that the relevant minister has the power to grant limited exceptions to trading hour laws.
An observation regarding extended trading in Rundle Mall: Over the past 12 months or so, several traders have tried it. It's not been a great success, Borders were the first to try it (for several years they've opening late weeknights) and the first to cut it back to normal hours. Other traders are starting to cut back as well. I don't know if it's just a lack of awareness amongst shoppers, or that people just want to go home after work most nights.
Next time you're in the Mall, have a look at the 'first floor streetscape'. The building facades above the awnings are interesting, highly articulated - even beautiful in some cases.
Now imagine a first floor walkway along each side of Rundle Mall. OK, traditionally it hasn't been easy to encourage shoppers to the first floor of arcades - consider the tenants of the upper level of Adelaide Arcade - but places like Marion have found that good access is the answer. Connecting walkways with stairs or escalators to the ground (like the old Richmond Hotel/Cox Foy escalator bridge), and a few lifts should meet the requirements there.
The upper level could feature cafes, boutiques etc. There's a sort of prototype of this in O'Connell Street, North Adelaide on the west side between Archer and Tyne Streets.
Plenty of 'issues' (as Makris found in North Adelaide) - landowners, levels, crossing public space between buildings etc. But worth thinking about, I reckon. At least Rundle Mall is a pedestrian precinct without such serious road traffic considerations.
It sounds good in theory but knowing elderly folk and those who aren't students, I don't think that'd be a good idea. elderly folk wouldn't take too keenly to Friday and Saturday Nights. Rich folk wouldn't take too keenly to weekdays, nights, afternoons, dawns, weekends, public holidays and any moment that they are residing in their apartment. Complaints would be heard echoing at West Beach
Don't burn the Adelaide Parkland (preservation society)
I can't see much wrong with Rundle Mall either, and it's certainly far from "dying".
My suggestions to make it even better than it already is would be
- Get rid of those embarrassing pig statues, and maybe replace them with some decent, modern and exciting art forms, or preferably a couple of big interesting and modern fountains and some innovative and interesting signage (perhaps detailing local history or culture).
- Replace the existing central kiosks with nicer looking ones (the existing ones look a bit "gothic" to me and I'd prefer a design that was more aesthetically pleasing).
- Put in some large palm trees all along the centre of the mall
. Ensure that there are high quality street performers in the mall at all times (during trading hours) in addition to regular buskers (I notice they have been doing this occasionally lately but it should be more regular)
- Encourage all rundle mall retailers to do something different than they do at their suburban stores. This might mean they provide customers with entertainment, or they offer lower prices or different stock than in the suburbs, or they have bigger stores in Rundle Mall with a greater range of stock, or anything else to differentiate them and give people genuine reasons to shop there for something different to what they'll find in the suburbs.
Having said all that, it's not bad as it is and the fact that there are major developments happening at Woolworths and hopefully soon at Harris Scarfe show that investors have confidence in its future.
