North Terrace development to enhance Adelaide's burgeoning health and biomedical precinct

A new mixed use development incorporating hotel accommodation, private medical suites, specialty retail shops, a supermarket and car parking has been planned to cater for Adelaide’s burgeoning North Terrace health precinct.

The “Enigma 8” project will be developed by the Lester Group of Companies opposite the new Royal Adelaide Hospital and South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute on the corner of North Terrace and Newmarket Street, located on some 5,000m2 of prime land the company has owned since 2001.

The Lester Group of Companies has been planning the development in response to the significant Federal and State Government investment in the north-west precinct of the CBD, as well as the augmented planning framework implemented by the State Government in March, 2012.

The development will feature two buildings – an 18-level tower and a 13-level tower – which will incorporate car parking to service the hotel, office and retail facilities.

A roof garden and terrace has been included in the design to capitalise on the project’s enviable location overlooking North Terrace towards Adelaide Oval, while a pedestrian underpass beneath North Terrace, incorporating mobility access, has been planned to connect with the new RAH and SAHMRI.

Subject to development approval, construction of Enigma 8 is expected to commence in the first half of next year ahead of anticipated completion by late 2016. The project has already passed through the State Government’s pre-lodgement process, with support garnered from South Australia’s Government Architect.

Lester Group of Companies Chairman, Mr Damian Lester, says the project has a total value in the order of $150 million and provides crucial private investment, of scale, in the emerging north-west corner of the city.

“There has been unprecedented government investment in the north-west corner of the city with the new Royal Adelaide Hospital and SAHMRI, so we’re now delivering much-needed private investment to further enhance the region as a modern, world-class health precinct through new medical suites, commercial office space, short-stay accommodation, car parking and retail shops,” said Mr Lester.

“We’ve been carefully planning this project for two years during which time we’ve brought together a highly experienced South Australian design team to develop one of the biggest privately-funded projects Adelaide has seen since the 1980s.

“This significant private investment represents the final key economic pillar needed to truly revitalise the West End of the CBD.”

The Enigma 8 design team includes Intro (project leadership and town planning), Woods Bagot (architect and urban design), Tract (landscape architecture), Wallbridge & Gilbert (structural and civil engineering), Lucid (building services), TTM Group (traffic and transport engineering), Allen Burtt & Associates (legal), RCR Partners (accounting) and BankSA (finance).

An executive management group including representatives of Intro, Hansen Yuncken and Colliers International has also been assembled to guide the development of Enigma 8.

Intro Director and Enigma 8 Project Leader, Mr Damien Ellis, says the development will deliver a multitude of benefits.

“Enigma 8 represents one of the most significant development projects to occur in Adelaide in recent times and will provide much-needed accommodation, commercial space and retail outlets in proximity to North Terrace to help cater for the influx of activity once the new RAH and SAHMRI officially open,” said Mr Ellis.

“The hotel will provide a mix of high quality two and three-bedroom short-stay apartments that will be ideal for visiting health and research professionals, as well as visitors to the Riverbank Precinct, while the basement and ground-floor retail component will comprise a café, major supermarket and other specialty shops to fill a clear void in the immediate area.

“The commercial office space will primarily target health-related businesses and organisations that want to align more closely with the new Royal Adelaide Hospital and SAHMRI, while some 400 new car parks will service the complex.”

Established in Melbourne in 1985, the Lester Group of Companies is now based in Adelaide where it has extensive landholdings throughout the CBD, as well as major car parking operations across the city, suburbs and interstate, in addition to interests in retail, commercial, industrial, residential, leisure and extensive pastoral holdings across Australia.

FURTHER INFORMATION: Please contact Damien Ellis, Intro Director and Enigma 8 Project Leader, on 8410 0453

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