Sensational-Adelaide.com

The state’s planning authority has told the developer behind a $25 million hotel and office block earmarked for Pulteney St to go back to the drawing board to improve the development’s facade.
The State Commission Assessment Panel last week deferred Ginos Group’s application to build an 11-storey hotel and seven-storey office complex because it had concerns with its “external architectural expression”.
The panel has suggested the developer work with the government architect to improve the design.
“The panel encourages a review and reconsideration of the facade and materials to set an appropriate standard for the future streetscape,” the minutes from the meeting said.
It said Pulteney St was in a “state of evolution”, partly driven by the $345 million Calvary Hospital redevelopment.
The new hospital will replace the Calvary Wakefield Hospital in Wakefield St and the Calvary Rehabilitation Hospital at Walkerville.
The proposed development includes a restaurant, commercial residencies, gym, as well as theatre, laundry and games rooms.
It is understood the developer has secured an operator for the hotel.
The Ginos Group’s portfolio of properties extends across the Adelaide CBD, as well as Port Adelaide, Gawler and Mannum.
In December, it released plans for a $1.5 million revamp of one of Port Adelaide’s best known landmarks — the former Globe Hotel.
The Ginos Group and State Commission Assessment Panel were contacted for comment.

slenderman wrote:I'm kind of surprised. I thought this would be less controversial than the Pirie Street hotel, but that one gets the go-ahead to demolish a nice old facade as long as they put a plaque in. Meanwhile, this one is sent back.

I recognise that this design is fairly mediocre, and heritage notwithstanding, the Pirie Street proposal looks very good, but I don't see how this is sent back while developments like Dwell and "the cheese" get to go ahead.

You could perhaps argue the standards are raised in response to developments like those ones, but they appear to have recently approved 124 Waymouth Street which I believe looks worse than this, so mediocre designs are still getting through. Similar for that other development underway in Light Square. Couldn't we argue that the Light Square environment is also in a "state of evolution" with Sofitel and Wingfold underway, with West Franklin recently completed?

All that said, I wouldn't really complain if the result is a better design for this site. Just a bit more consistency across the board would be good.

In Adelaide, global giant Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is bringing a 124-key TRYP Hotel to the centre of the Adelaide to be developed by the Ginos Group.