His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) and Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley will be visiting Adelaide tomorrow, Friday March 13 to officially open Australia’s most innovative mixed-use development – U City – in the heart of the Adelaide CBD.

Three years in the making, the Uniting Communities development is a unique 20-storey high-rise building, on the corner of Franklin and Pitt Streets. Designed by Woods Bagot, a global design firm founded in Adelaide, the design incorporates an Australian-first mix of retirement living, specialist short- and long-term disability accommodation, conference and function spaces, offices, social services, and hospitality and retail outlets.

Uniting Communities’ Chief Executive, Simon Schrapel, says he’s extremely proud that their Excellencies will be officially opening U City.

“We had a bold vision for what U City could be as an example of creating a community that could – genuinely and practically – live and work together,” he says.

“Now that we’ve seen U City come to life since we opened our doors last August, we’ve been delighted to see that vision become a reality. To have the Governor-General and Mrs Hurley visit U City is a great honour and a humbling recognition of what we have achieved.”

Topped off with six floors of Adelaide’s first high-rise, CBD retirement living – comprising 41 apartments – U City also features:

• Adelaide’s first purpose-built specialist disability accommodation – Platinum Apartments – with state-of-the-art assistive technology in 21, one- and two-bedroom apartments designed to offer residents maximum control and independence.
• A bespoke short-stay ‘hotel’ facility equipped for people living with a disability, incorporating 18 specialist one- to three-bedroom apartments.
• A purpose-built function and conference facility with a fully serviced, commercial kitchen operated in tandem with South Australian catering specialists, Blanco Horner, together with a conference capacity for around 400 participants.
• New purpose-built service suites and clinics to accommodate Uniting Communities’ extensive range of social services. U City is now home to a full range of community and consumer law services, a youth health medical clinic, allied health services, financial, personal and family counselling, mental health and alcohol and drug support services.
• Adelaide’s first 24/7 Changing Places, a best-practice bathroom for those living with a disability requiring changing facilities in the inner city. It includes a shower, hoist, change table and privacy screens.
• Seven floors of A Grade, 5 Star NABERS-rated commercial quality accommodation, home to Uniting Communities’ offices, with two floors soon to be the new home for leading legal firm Finlaysons from mid-2020.
• End-of-trip facilities for bike riders and electric vehicle charging points in the basement.
• A new culinary and retail precinct for Adelaide’s Market District with the establishment of a boutique Goodwill outlet, a new fresh offering from Pitt Street Coffee Shop and city dining icon, Luigi Delicatessen, providing food and beverage options from morning to evening.
• Specially commissioned art and sculpture pieces from leading SA artists throughout the building’s various internal and external public spaces.
• Adelaide’s greenest design building rated at Green Star 6-star, ensuring an environmentally friendly footprint.

The Governor-General and Mrs Hurley will be the official guests of honour at the Opening Ceremony scheduled for 12.15pm at U City, 43 Franklin Street, Adelaide.

Other guests attending will include Senator Simon Birmingham, Minister Stephen Wade, Minister Rachel Sanderson, Ian Hunter MLC, Mark Parnell MLC, Nat Cook MP, Jayne Stinson MP and Tammy Franks MP.

Media enquiries
Leigh McClusky – McCo Group
0411 711 780 or leigh@mccogroup.com.au