Glenelg’s historic Alexandra Terrace to be readapted into high-end hotel, according to plan

The 10-storey project would breathe new life into the striking heritage building in the heart of the seaside Adelaide hot spot, developers say.

Artist impressions of a proposed 10-storey hotel at the site of a local heritage building in Glenelg. Picture: PACT Architects.,

A local heritage 1800s building in Glenelg will be readapted into a 10-storey, high-end hotel, under an ambitious plan lodged with the state’s peak planning authority.

Future Urban has revealed the hotel plan – on behalf of proponent Thirteen Commercial – for 1-7 Moseley St, which includes partial demolition of “Alexandra Terrace”.

The building, circa 1879, is the last substantial Victorian era building on Moseley St and was originally owned by merchant and property investor Alexander Cunningham.

Until recently, the two-storey building – separated into four townhouses – had been used as short-term accommodation.

The plan, lodged with the State Commission Assessment Panel, proposed partial demolition of the building’s rear annexes to allow for 90 rooms, a restaurant, bar and wellness space.

The proposed hotel. Picture: PACT Architects

The proposed hotel. Picture: PACT Architects

The majority of the main structure would be restored and reused as the hotel’s main entrance and four guest suites included on level one.

Heritage consultants Bruce Harry & Associates were consulted on the plan and found the partial demolition would “not meaningfully detract from the key heritage values”.

Mr Harry added that he did not believe the height of the proposed building at 39.2m would detract from the visual prominence of Alexandra Terrace given its neutral colour palette.

“I conclude that the proposal to remove the much altered rear annexes of the original building in order to adapt it for a use that will secure the long term future of the Local Heritage Place is supportable, and will have minimal impact on its key heritage values,” he wrote.

The proposed building would stand 35.4m tall within an Urban Corridor main street zone, however the site was subject to a Technical and Numeric Variation of a maximum building height of 18m and five building levels.

The application details it should exempt as the development ‘positively responds to the local context’, including the site’s frontage and adjacent road corridor which has similar attributes.

The development would within the local context of buildings standing 34m to the north, 30m to the south and 48m to the west.

Originally published as Glenelg’s historic Alexandra Terrace to be readapted into high-end hotel, according to plan