The ambitious plans for stage two of Mount Gambier’s The Mills precinct have been unveiled, which include a boutique hotel and major accessibility upgrades.
The stage two upgrades are expected to cost $10m and the proposed development plan has been submitted to Plan SA for consideration.
Das Studio architect and project lead for The Mills Dino Vrynios was excited about the forthcoming developments, which will ideally start around September 2024.
My Vrynios said the main features of stage two are the public realm, which involves completing the urban component of the site and a 20-room boutique hotel.
“The hotel will sit at the northernmost end of the site along Alexander Street and include the laneway that connects Mitchell Street through to the existing car park,” he said.
“Methodically working towards the reimagining of the whole precinct, this development will allow us to unlock the final piece of the puzzle: the upper two levels of the remaining two buildings to activate these spaces in the future stages.
“The new laneway development is going to enable direct access into those two buildings as well and unify the public realm, which is really exciting.”
Mr Vrynios said accessibility to Mitchell Street and the access point to the laneway was currently impossible, so the laneway will be entirely redeveloped.
“In between Stores East and Stores West buildings which will make up the hotel is a small gap housing existing wells,” he said.
“We worked out that if we remove some of the limestone wall on Alexander Street and create a new contemporary insertion, it allowed us to provide dual access points- one on the high level for drop off and disability access and one on the lower level from the laneway.”
Mr Vrynios said the laneway redevelopment, along with the assistance of the existing disability lift at the front of the precinct, will allow full accessibility to all buildings.
“The client understands that resolving issues around accessibility is also unlocking the site’s full potential,” he said.
Mr Vrynios said the idea for a hotel in the precinct had been discussed previously by past and current owners, and the idea resurfaced after a conversation with The Mills builder Kennett.
“We are seeing an increase in demand and there is not really a variety of high-quality accommodation in the area and there was not really a premium, boutique hotel offering in the city,” he said.
“We completed a feasibility exercise at the start of the year and engaged a tourism expert to take a deep dive analysis of the local marketplace for this kind of development.
“Through that process, we validated there was a gap in the market and an opportunity.
“So, the final step was to get an understanding of how the commercial viability of the project would need to stack up.”
Mr Vrynios said a current challenge was Alexander Street footpath design, which caused water to pool against the building and make its way inside, so ideas were being proposed with council on how to prevent this and protect the state heritage building.
Community consultation of stage two began this week and will run until December 15.
