This mega-construction project is underway: A 38-story building standing 525 feet tall will transform the entire city
The Australian city of Adelaide is preparing a large skyscraper that promises thousands of jobs and is scheduled to open in 2028.
Adelaide has launched one of the largest urban redevelopment projects in modern Australian history. Work on the second Festival Plaza tower - known as Festival Tower Two - is officially underway, a project valued at $800 million that will soon give the city its first true skyscraper. Rising 525 feet into the air with 38 floors, the building will exceed the typical height of similar high‑rise structures by roughly 30 feet.
South Australia’s Premier, Peter Malinauskas, emphasized that construction will generate more than 1,300 jobs, and as many as 5,000 people could eventually work inside the tower once it opens. The project will join Festival Tower One, which debuted in 2024, and the major underground parking facility completed in 2021. However, the development is now slated to finish a year later than originally planned: due to planning‑system adjustments, completion has been pushed to late 2028. One of the most notable changes is the cancellation of a proposed skybridge that would have linked the new tower with Parliament House. According to Malinauskas, the idea was abandoned due to its high cost and the heritage concerns tied to altering the historic Parliament façade.
Adelaide’s first skyscraper sparks criticism
As expected, the project hasn’t escaped controversy. Representatives from the Save Festival Plaza Alliance and the Greens argue that the chosen site is inappropriate and that the tower will cast a permanent shadow over Parliament House. They also question using such a symbolic public space for a large office development. By contrast, opposition leader Ashton Hurn has defended the tower, insisting it will enhance the city’s skyline and contribute positively to Adelaide’s urban profile.
Meanwhile, the government acknowledged that the Tarrkarri Aboriginal cultural center - announced four years ago by the previous Liberal administration for the former Royal Adelaide Hospital site - remains stalled due to the absence of external funding. The government says it remains committed to the project but stresses that additional revenue sources are essential before construction can proceed.
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