Most of the street has a heritage façade, but has been redeveloped for modern use, with some buildings converted to residences, such as the East End Markets.

[7] The Grand Central in its turn replaced the elegant and exclusive two-storey York Hotel,[8] but despite some high-profile guests (the Prince of Wales in 1920, Arthur Conan Doyle in 1922), it never prospered, and around 1925 was absorbed into the emporium.

[9] The building was sold to the Electricity Trust for showrooms and offices, then in 1975–1976 was demolished to make way for a multi-level car park,[10] an open, austere structure of concrete slabs and iron railings.

After a lengthy confrontation he was shot by a police sniper and taken to the nearby Royal Adelaide Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

[19][20][21][b] Pubs in Rundle Street include the Exeter Hotel;[22] The Austral;[23] The Elephant British Pub (in Cinema Place, near the Palace Nova);[24] The Stag Public House (at the junction with East Terrace);[25] and the Belgian Beer Cafe (on Ebenezer Place).

The company commissioned architect William McMinn to design a set of buildings in stages from east to west.

The completed group occupies almost two town acres, and is unusual in Adelaide in South Australia on account of its extent.

[28] At this time, number 195 Rundle Street was occupied by W. Storrie and Company , "Importers of British & Foreign Merchandise", with F. Weller & Son leather shop next door.

[28] This part of the building, formerly used as a warehouse by Charles Segar,[28] was extensively refurbished in 1909, to create a continuous frontage and almost complete reconstruction of the rear.

[28] The accommodation behind the Austral and the four adjoining shops remain representative of 19th-century terrace development, with large bluestone walls along with brickwork.

The company expanded to include Grundy's and Barlows shoe stores across greater Adelaide and Victor Harbor.

[37] In late 2006, the Adelaide City Council proposed to transform Rundle Street's western approach, the Pulteney Street-Rundle Mall junction, into a Piccadilly Circus or Times Square-type meeting place at a cost of around $1.5 million.

[38] The proposal, based on ideas expressed in mid-2005 for neon billboards and video screens,[39] included an initial nine design concepts, which were narrowed to two for consideration by the Council in early 2007.

[42][further explanation needed] The Lantern is completely solar-powered and carbon neutral, and there is a webcam via which anyone can view the changing digital art at night, or what it looks like at any time of day.