[COM] Armada Arndale (Redevelopment) | $200m

[pushbutton]

At long last I can confirm that a very much scaled down version of the Arndale development is now definitely about to go ahead and work will start within weeks.

Among other things, it will involve the relocation of the bus stops, the reconfiguration of the rooftop carpark to allow full use of the ramp that currently only goes down, and the reopening of the level 2 rooftop carpark. There will be a few small extensions, mainly near the entrances, with a few additional shops in each. There will be a few alterations to the layout of the existing centre, and some much needed internal refurbishment.

Well it looks like at last it's time to say goodbye to the 1980s Arndale, and hello to something a bit more like a 2012 style shopping centre!

[Howie]

Thanks for the update pushbutton. Anything would be an improvement on the current centre.

By the way, does anyone know what happened to Centro shares? They tanked at 4 cents or thereabouts early in the year, and it looks like Centro Property got absorbed into something else. So who owns the malls now? Is it the banks?

[crawf]

I went to Arndale last weekend and it really did feel like travelling back to the 1980s, from the aging decor to the old Big W signage (paging Scooter_Boy )

However the exterior is looking nicer these days since getting a lick of paint.

[Ben]

Thanks for the update pushbutton. Anything would be an improvement on the current centre.

By the way, does anyone know what happened to Centro shares? They tanked at 4 cents or thereabouts early in the year, and it looks like Centro Property got absorbed into something else. So who owns the malls now? Is it the banks?

There was a corporate action in December last year where shareholders we're paid (next to nothing) for exisiting stock and split into two stocks CRF and CER. I think people could elect a 100% cash option or a mix of cash and stock in the "new" company.

[Burger]

The company formerly know as CER and CNP was essentially merged into one company, now CRF. Talking as someone who had CER shares (but didn't pay much attention to them), effectively what happened was that our CER shares were exchanged for shares in the new entity. I understand that those with CNP shares were paid out the value at closing, which was about 4 cents. I didn't have any, so can't say for sure but I did convert my CER into CRF.

The shares in CRF opened at $1.74-ish and are currently $1.877.

Back on-topic, I know the Centro SA guys quite well and they will be hanging out for this to happen - it was sooo close a few years back before the arse end fell out of the Company. Good luck to them.

[Ben]

From The Messenger:

Arndale revamp to begin next month

Local News 21 Mar 12 @ 08:25am by Holly Petersen

WORK on a $35 million makeover at Centro Arndale is expected to start next month.

The revamp, which was approved in late February, will focus on 1000sqm expansions to each of Woolworths and Big W, while also upgrading lighting and general access.

It will also include about 10 new specialty shops with a focus on fashion, food and dining.

Specific retailers are yet to be confirmed.

The entrance to the centre will be updated, with travelators and lifts installed.

Centro Retail Australia SA/NT state manager Mario Boscaini said the refurbishment would modernise the centre.

“It’s all about making it more convenient and a better experience for customers to access the centre,” Mr Boscaini said.

“We’re moving the roadway away from the centre and bringing car parks closer so people will be able to park right outside.

“Fashion is an area we want to add, too.”

Banana Bowl co-owner Domenic Fedele said the centre would benefit from the redevelopment.

“It’s good. The centre needs a bit of a facelift,” Mr Fedele said.

JAG Meatworx Manager John Fitzgerald said the works were “fantastic” and “overdue”.

He said any disruption during construction would be worth the short-term pain.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Mr Fitzgerald said.

“Five or six years ago, they were going to do a big redevelopment and it didn’t go ahead then. “Now its something to look forward to.”

Works are expected to be completed by the end of the year.

A $60 million upgrade of the Torrens Rd centre was approved by Charles Sturt Council in 2006, with plans revised in 2007 to expand the complex by 28 per cent, costing closer to $100 million.

The upgrade was put on the backburner early in 2008 after the global financial crisis hit.

The last major revamp at Arndale took place in the late 1990s when a cinema complex was added.

[kinnoda]

I am curious guys, without knowing the full history of the centre:

When was the second deck of car-parking closed? I did not read through all of Hassel's Supporting Documentation, but I am not sure whether the second deck is going to reopen.

It seems to be an excessive amount of car-parking for a District Centre, especially seeing as the car-parking will be expanded on the ground. I would have thought it would be a sensible idea to reopen the second deck, add travelator / elevator access and stop paving what could otherwise be used for further retail, or sold off for TOD / affordable housing next to the bus interchange.

Also, in saying that, where is the interchange being moved to? I could not see anything on the new plans about the location of the interchange.

[AdelaideAlive]

looks like they are starting something now as a large part of the car park at the rear of woolworths has been fenced off

[rev]

There is earthworks going on right now at the empty block behind BigW.
Looking at the plans, it's the extension of the car park behind Big W.

I wish they'd 'revive' the second level of Harris Scarfe.
Why not try bring in a Harvey Norman or some other retailer?

[pushbutton]

Upstairs in Harris Scarfe is like a time machine! It's still exactly as it was when it was open, and hardly changed at all since it was John Martins. Even the Elizas cafe is still there with tables and chairs set up as if it were open yesterday. Not much choice of food on offer though at the moment!

[crawf]

There is earthworks going on right now at the empty block behind BigW.
Looking at the plans, it's the extension of the car park behind Big W.

I wish they'd 'revive' the second level of Harris Scarfe.
Why not try bring in a Harvey Norman or some other retailer?

Would there be demand for Harvey Norman?, considering there is already one nearby in Woodville.

On a another note, the Woolworths in Arndale has got to be one of the oldest looking stores in the country. Everything about it is historic!, even the way they pack some of the meats. Which didn't look very pleasing to the eye, mind you.

[pushbutton]

There is earthworks going on right now at the empty block behind BigW.
Looking at the plans, it's the extension of the car park behind Big W.

I wish they'd 'revive' the second level of Harris Scarfe.
Why not try bring in a Harvey Norman or some other retailer?

Would there be demand for Harvey Norman?, considering there is already one nearby in Woodville.

On a another note, the Woolworths in Arndale has got to be one of the oldest looking stores in the country. Everything about it is historic!, even the way they pack some of the meats. Which didn't look very pleasing to the eye, mind you.

Probably not the sort of history that should be preserved! Thankfully it won't be for much longer!

[rev]

I was just floating an idea and used Harvey Norman as an example.
They could divide it into smaller shop fronts. Or extend the the second level above the car park towards coles and link it up with the cinema building. Then further extend over the existing center towards the roof top carpark.
Bank SA and ANZ branches across the road should move into the center, same with Dominos.
Red Rooster too should be incorporated into the side of the actual centers building so it can retain the drive through, bring in a Hungry Jacks.

Seriously they should give me a blank cheque and let me redevelop the place.
It will poo all over West Lakes once I'm done with it.

[pushbutton]

I can't see the sense in trying to make Arndale better than Westfield West Lakes. It really doesn't need to be. It's only 10 minutes away!

What is ideally needed at Kilkenny is a small, but good quality shopping centre. By good quality I don't mean world class, just decent looking.

I think you'll find by the time the redevelopment is complete, that's more or less what it will be. Sure it's a far cry from being anything like the ideal solution, but given how long it's been in the works, and given the current economic climate, I am personally just very pleased to see SOMETHING going ahead at Arndale!

If I had a long term vision for Arndale (ignoring the current economic climate and looking 20 years plus into the future) it would be a complete redevelopment replacing the entire building with a new one. This could be done in several stages so the centre stays open, just as it was at Elizabeth shopping centre.

The size would remain about the same, but the appearance would be dramatically improved. It would include a medium size food court. It would also include an outdoor "plaza style" mall as well as indoor malls.

A key feature would be that the whole site would be levelled as it should have been when they built the existing building, to get rid of the slopes in the malls. The slopes probably seemed ok when the centre was built because developers didn't really think about things like that then, but they certainly contribute to the dismal feel of the place and I'd love to flatten them out. They also make the centre not very wheelchair friendly, which is not good in this day and age.

[rev]

Who cares if it's 10 minutes away? What's the got to do with it?
One is owned by Westfield, the other is owned by Centro.
Why shouldn't Centro aim to bring it's center to a level that it can compete with Westfield's?

Westfield certainly didn't have that attitude when they brought in Reading Cinemas to West Lakes. Arndale already had Greater Union.
Maybe Westfield shouldn't have bothered since there was a cinema complex ten minutes away?
Similarly with the hand car washes that exist at both locations.
Similarly with McDonalds which exist at both centers. An existing Mcdonalds existing a few minutes up the road from Arndale as well.
Someone tell Red Rooster to close their store at Arndale down..KFC is at Arndale and Mcdonalds has two stores too.
Two supermarkets? Maybe reduce it to one..or none, since West Lakes, ONLY TEN MINUTES AWAYYYY!!! has a Woolies. Theres a Foodland 5 minutes away too. And an IGA.
Maybe Bank SA and ANZ on the corner of Hanson and Torrens roads should both shut their doors since a Commonwealth exists right across the road?

This argument that West Lakes is ten minutes away, therefore Arndale should be left to rot or only upgraded in small doses to make it modern, is ridiculous and makes absolutely no sense.
Whoever came up with this argument originally should be shot. It's spread like wildfire and there is no real basis for it.

Can anyone explain why the Caltex on Prospect Road at Blair Athol opened up, when there is a Liberty 100m up the road?

Using the logic some people have here, oh west lakes is 10m away, all these examples wouldn't exist..

They are businesses competing for the consumers $$$$$.
Why would Centro sit back and let Westfield win the consumer over?
Aren't Centro a business, who needs to make money to stay in business?
Aren't they competing for the same consumers $$$$$ as Westfield, therefore competing against Westfield?


Or maybe I'm wrong, and we should limit even food courts to one outlet, and one food court per 500square miles..you know, so they aren't too close to each other.