Plans for Hyatt Regency on Pirie St set for approval
New plans for the Hyatt Regency are set to be assessed this week. However debate still rages about whether the old Bank SA building – a local heritage place – should be demolished to make way for the $160 million project. SEE THE NEW DESIGNS.
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Concerns have been raised about the Hyatt Regency’s return to the CBD, with the State Government architect uneasy about demolishing a local heritage place to make way for the $160 million development.
The State Assessment Commission Panel will this week assess CEL Development’s revised plans to knock down the former Bank of South Australia building at 51 Pirie St and build the new hotel.
The building has been lowered from 27 storeys to 21 storeys, and the number of rooms decreased from 295 to 285.
However, a report to the panel has recommended the development get the green light.
Government architect Kirsteen Mackay supported the concept, but was “not yet convinced” that the development “warrants removal of the local heritage facade”.
“My support for the removal of the heritage facade is contingent on the new proposition providing a significant contribution to the streetscape and achieving a high quality design and material outcome, which in my view has not yet been demonstrated,” Ms Mackay wrote in a report to the panel.
The old bank building is locally heritage-listed as a townscape – meaning that parts of the building contribute to the overall character of the wider area.
The mixed-use development, which would stand at 93.5m tall, includes a rooftop bar and restaurant, meeting rooms, pool, gym and a ballroom.
CEL Development executive director Robert Lee called the hotel a “game-changer” that would improve the street’s amenity, despite the demolition of the building.
He said the new plans were more “efficient” because carparking had been removed, so traffic problems would be avoided.
“We aim to activate the area … and this corner on Pirie St is a very important one,” Mr Lee said.
“The new building is going to contribute substantially to the area, especially the public realm.”
About 320 jobs would be created during construction and up 160 when the hotel opens in early 2023.
An Adelaide City Council report to the panel said it did not support the demolition and that there is no “thorough justification” for demolition.
Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor said: “I had hoped the revised plans would have greater consideration to the local heritage facade – this has been council’s position all along.”
The developer would have to prove construction on the building would start before the building, which has been on Pirie St since 1927, is knocked down.
The Hyatt, opened on North Tce in 1988. However the company left Adelaide back in 2009, with the old hotel converted into the InterContinental Hotel.
CEL Development is a subsidiary of the Singapore-based Chip Eng Seng Corporation Ltd.
The site, most recently an office supplies shop, was purchased for $15.9 million in July 2018, RP CoreLogic Data shows.