New neighbourhood centre for Flagstaff Hill

Unique ‘high street’ will be centrepiece of $50 million project

A new neighbourhood centre incorporating a full-line supermarket, specialist retail shops, cafes and restaurants, a childcare centre and medical centre based around a unique ‘high street’ is planned for Flagstaff Hill.

The $50 million “Seventh St” project will be developed by Adelaide Development Company (ADC) near the Black Road/Flagstaff Road roundabout at Flagstaff Hill – on land the company has owned since the 1960s.

Subject to development approval, construction is expected to commence in 2015 with the first stages of Seventh St opening in 2016.

ADC plans to retain ownership of the centre which it says will set new standards of design and visitor experience in South Australia.

ADC Chief Executive Officer Ian Marker said Seventh St would be a vital and vibrant community-oriented destination for shopping, services and dining in Adelaide’s south.

“We firmly believe that southern Adelaide deserves a centre of the calibre of Seventh St, which will bring to the region some of the best features of Norwood Parade, King William Road and Jetty Road – but in a style that will resonate with this community,” said Mr Marker.

He said Seventh St had been planned – and even named – to avoid traditional perceptions of shopping centres.

“This centre will appear to grow organically from its main street ‘core’ – Seventh St – and will avoid the often unattractive bulk of traditional neighbourhood complexes by complementing the contours of the site, blending retail and dining tenancies with service outlets and some residential buildings to create a friendly and human scale precinct,” he said.

“Seventh St will enjoy spectacular views to the coast, enhancing its appeal for casual dining and shopping.”

Seventh St has been designed by Adelaide-based architectural firm Hames Sharley, with inspiration drawn from models as diverse as Italian hilltop towns, traditional Australian retail precincts and “new urbanism focused” US shopping developments.

Hames Sharley Director and lead architect on the Seventh St project Caillin Howard said it was rare to have the opportunity to create a virtual town centre from nothing.

“Neither the firm or our client Adelaide Development Company have approached this project from a traditional retail developer’s perspective,” said Mr Howard.

“We have searched for inspiration around the globe and translated that into an Adelaide architectural context at a scale which we know appeals to the community that will frequent the centre.”

Mr Howard said Seventh St would not look or feel like any “new build” project ever before developed in Adelaide and says:

• All tenancies will have interesting facades which re-produce the architectural interest of established shopping precincts such as Norwood Parade or King William Road;
• Design themes will reflect a style that is synonymous with Adelaide’s great High Streets, making spectacular use of timbers, glass and exposed brick;
• Shared roadways will be “pedestrian friendly” and heavily landscaped;
• A paved car park will double as a “village square” for weekend markets and community events.

Ultimately, the project will occupy a site of 3.4 hectares and provide a mix of retail, restaurant and services tenancies, including a proposed childcare centre and a medical and allied health facility of more than 1,500 square metres. The complex will be serviced by some 500 at-grade (level) car parks, largely located adjacent Flagstaff Road to preserve Seventh St’s village feel.

“There is no doubt the amenity provided by Seventh St will add significant value to the region,” said Mr Marker. “Not only will the quality, convenience and ambience of Seventh St make the surrounding areas even more appealing from a lifestyle perspective, the project will also provide significant employment during construction and through the creation of new retail and service industry jobs, including a number of start-out employment opportunities for young people.

“Additionally, our economic modelling has shown a strong preference for the community to shop locally and we are confident the quality of the retail offering at Seventh St will keep spending in the region, rather than the current situation where local expenditure flows down the hill to Marion and even to Pasadena and Castle Plaza.”

Mr Marker says ADC has a strong commitment to the region having owned the land on which Seventh St will be built for over 50 years and having developed the adjacent award-winning Flagstaff Pines community, the premium Blackwood Park residential community at Craigburn Farm, and estates at Sheidow Park and Hallett Cove.

“We are very much part of this community and intend to continue this through retained ownership of Seventh St, so we are as committed as the broader community to making this a great project,” he said.

ABOUT ADELAIDE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

Founded in 1922 by Jack Roche, ADC last year celebrated 90 years of developing South Australia and in that time has been responsible for delivering home sites for more than 40,000 families and contributing to the steady growth of Adelaide and key regional areas in SA.

Throughout its 90-year history, the company – which remains family-owned by the third generation descendants of Jack Roche – has reinvested in diverse properties from historic CBD buildings to high-quality rural holdings and stud properties across three States. ADC continues to re-invest in these properties having recently completed refurbishing the historic Hayborough Building in Rundle Street and secured planning approval for a $30 million, 14-storey redevelopment of Gawler Chambers on the corner of North Terrace and Gawler Place in Adelaide.

ISSUED BY HUGHES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Please contact
Kieran Hall on (08) 8412 4100 or kieran@hughespr.com.au