Work Under Way on Final Phase of SA’s Bowden Precinct

Construction has begun of the final phase of Renewal SA’s urban regeneration project in Adelaide’s north-west.

 ARC Bowden, an 11-storey development at Park Terrace, comprises 145 apartments and was designed by architects Tectvs. Reports have the value of the completed tower at $102 million.

The homes will be one, two, and three-bedroom apartments—15 per cent will be allocated under the state’s HomeSeeker affordable housing scheme.

Renewal SA executive director of property and major projects Shane Wingard said the group was “working to deliver on the final phase of this significant precinct to help put more South Australians into homes”.

“These developments ... are now reaching important construction milestones toward completion,” Wingard said.

ARC Bowden is the latest project from national developer Hindmarsh, which has already delivered buildings across the Bowden precinct, including the Bowery and Artisan apartments.

Hindmarsh was also the builder of Housing Choices SA’s Nightingale Bowden.

Work on the Bowden precinct, 2.5km from Adelaide’s CBD, began in 2008 at the former Clipsal and Origin Gasworks sites.

▲ ARC Bowden joins four significant housing projects already under construction in the Bowden area.

The masterplanned community will eventually be home to more than 2500 residents.

Several other developments are currently under construction at Bowden, including Cadence on Karra Tapa Lane comprising 23 townhouses, and the 19-townhouse Tribeca at Gibson Street.

Muse, a nine-storey development by Otello on the former V2 gymnasium site at Gibson Street, comprising 36 boutique apartments ranging from studios to three-bedroom units, is also under way. It will include food and beverage venues on a mezzanine floor.

▲ Muse was an extensive and collaborative engagement with Renewal SA and the Bowden Design Review Panel, Otello said.

Uniting on Second comprises 70 affordable apartments on Second Street, while South Australia’s first institutional build-to-rent project will be delivered by Sentinel Australia on Third Street.

That 12-storey development will comprise 240 apartments across a mixture of studio, one, two and three-bedroom configurations.

Renewal SA has also unveiled plans for a 12-storey tower on Third Street, designed by ARM architects.

The development comprises 80 affordable rental apartments, four warehouse lofts for sale, ground-floor commercial spaces and a 221-space public carpark.

▲ Plant 4 in the precinct will include food vendors, live music and markets.

Opposite the Plant 3 and 4 precincts, and next to Sentinel’s build-to-rent development, the project includes reconstruction of Field Lane to connect to Bowden Train Station.

A community housing provider will manage the development, and first residents are expected to move in early next year.

“The build-to-rent asset class is game changing for South Australia because it challenges the established tenant/landlord relationship, giving power back to tenants—critical when rental vacancies are below 1 per cent,” South Australian housing and urban development minister Nick Champion said.

Renewal SA has also begun an expression-of-interest process for the two remaining land parcels within Bowden—a 1049sq m allotment at the corner of Third Street and Park Terrace, and a 2070sq m allotment on Gibson Street.

▲ Renewal SA hopes the “Bowden area will be a hive of activity this year as these developments take shape”. 

The neighbouring Brompton Gasworks site, which will be redeveloped by MAB Corporation, is in the final stages of remediation.

MAB’s plan for The Gasworks at Brompton includes more than 800 homes, a heritage retail precinct and 120 Nightingale Housing zero-carbon affordable apartments.

With a construction value of more than $300 million, the plan is expected to create more than 300 jobs.

Renewal SA’s Wingard said the completion of The Gasworks in 2035 would fulfill “the Government’s original vision for the Bowden precinct ... providing a new model for urban renewal and inner-city living”.