The Malinauskas Labor Government has committed $1.5 million assist in the upgrade of two key CBD laneways, improving connectivity and enhancing safety in Rundle Mall.
The City of Adelaide is upgrading Charles Street and James Place to transform both thoroughfares into vibrant laneway destinations.
The State Government has allocated $1 million towards the upgrade of Charles Street and $500,000 for the revitalisation of James Place. This is an addition to $350,000 previously awarded to the City of Adelaide for the detailed design stage of the Charles Street Upgrade Project.
Charles Street is a north-south thoroughfare that connects North Terrace with Rundle Mall, providing an important link from the South Australia Museum and Art Gallery to the state’s premier retail precinct. The Charles Street Upgrade Project will control access to general traffic, making it a pedestrian and services link with improved lighting, greening, stormwater drainage, paving and safety bollards.
The $5.9 million project will also improve the retail experience for customers and retailers and create approximately 36 jobs during construction. James Place is an important north-south pedestrian thoroughfare connecting Rundle Mall with Grenfell Street. The laneway runs behind the recently completed $450 million 60 King William Street development.
The James Place revitalisation will include new high-quality paving, feature lighting, public artwork, bollards and greening. The estimated total cost of the revitalisation is $1.5 million. Construction has already started on the Charles Street upgrade with project due to be complete by February 2025. James Place is currently in the design phase and construction works are anticipated to commence before the end of the financial year.
Quotes attributable to Nick Champion
These two upgrades are important projects to improve the vibrancy, connectivity and safety of CBD laneways.
The Charles Street upgrade will remove general vehicles from an important tourism connector, while the revitalisation of James Place will benefit the thousands of commuters who use this laneway every day.
I congratulate the City of Adelaide for its ongoing efforts to activate laneway spaces in the CBD and I look forward to seeing the finished upgrades.
Quotes attributable to Lucy Hood
Thanks to former and current Labor Governments, we’ve breathed new life into the laneways across our city, making them must-visit destinations featuring small bars, cafes, restaurants and more.
I’m excited to see the transformation of these two laneways off Rundle Mall, including the safety and connectivity improvements.
During the works, it’s incredibly important that we continue to support the local small businesses at their heart. Whilst these businesses stand to benefit from the improved amenity that will come from the upgrades, showing our support during the construction period is vital.
Quotes attributable to Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith
Both upgrades present an opportunity to improve key laneways between the Mall and North Terrace that are used by thousands of people every week.
Visitors to Charles Street can expect to see an upgrade that prioritises pedestrians with kerbing removed, high-quality stone paving and improved street lighting.
James Place is a hive of activity with fantastic new and existing food and retail offerings but there’s opportunities for improvements such as extra greening and we look forward to sharing our ideas that will build on the recent momentum and investment in the laneway.
Image: Rendered image of Charles Street
