Old Le Cornu site to become a place of reflection, golfing, while future plans are made

There are still no formal plans for the old Le Cornu site in North Adelaide, except you can now practice yoga and golf on the site.

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The vacant Le Cornu site on O’Connell St will be used for carparking, golfing and yoga classes while the Adelaide City Council decides its long-term future.

Councillors will next week begin briefings over site plans, but the outcomes will not be made public.

The council declined to comment when asked by The Advertiser on the number of submissions they had received and just how many would be presented to elected members.

The North Adelaide site, which is currently hosting a large floral display, would be used for free open-air yoga, crafts and golf target practice during September.

Sixty cars would be able to park on the site for up to four hours for free during activities.

Yoga instructor Nadia Lorenzin pictured at the 88 O'Connell St site. Picture: AAP / Sam Wundke

Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor said staff had to go back to some developers for further information.

She maintained plans were moving faster than they did for the Central Market Arcade development.

“It is a technical and robust process of evaluation, recommendations, presentations and feedback … until we get to one preferred (plan),” Ms Verschoor said.

“We are on schedule and I am pleased we are moving it at this pace.”

The plot has had several failed redevelopment attempts since 1989.

The council bought the Le Cornu site from property mogul Con Makris for $34 million in February 2018 in a bid to fast-track development of the empty lot.

At the time, Mr Makris said that was “dirt cheap” and he had sold it “for the good of Adelaide” after years of fighting and “pain”.

He told The City Messenger back in 2002 his company was “not in a hurry” to redevelop the site, and received backlash, but the council said its work was unlikely to start before 2022.

Mr Makris was contacted for comment.

Property Council SA executive director Daniel Gannon said the council had to be transparent as there is “a deep degree of cynicism with the site and it is time for that to come to an end”.

The former Le Cornu site in North Adelaide has been empty for 30 years. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

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What’s been said about the site over the past 30 years

“The majority of people are not holding their breath waiting for something to happen at Le Cornu.” – O’Connell St Traders Association member Ian Caller, 1989.

“(We are) looking forward to hopefully proceeding with the development of this site.” – Former owner Bob Wallis, 1998.

“We are all sick to death of the (former) Le Cornu site … it is the Bermuda Triangle of all development sites.’’ – Cr Anne Moran, 1999.

“We’re still working on plans. We take a while, you know? We’re not in a hurry.” –

Former owner Con Makris, 2002.

“We know it has been a long time coming, but we’ve always been focused on making sure any project we deliver for this landmark is worth the wait.” – Con Makris, 2014.

“Today’s announcement is the first step in the council’s ambition to end the uncertainty over the future of this site that has existed for three decades.” – Former Lord Mayor Martin Haese in 2017, after announcing the council would buy the site.

Originally published as Old Le Cornu site to become a place of reflection, golfing, while future plans are made