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

[Howie]

Nice one mate, look forward to seeing your pics

[The Scooter Guy]

First pics of Woolworths & Big W expansion works:

[Howie]

Great pics there.

[pushbutton]

The first of the pre-cast concrete wall panels went up today on the Woolworths extension! This is mainly the new wall facing onto Hanson Rd, and part of the new loading dock entrance.

[Howie]

Saw that go up in the morning. The crane looks gigantic driving up hanson road

[Centro Arndale]

It is great to see so much interest and discussion about our $35 million redevelopment here on this forum!

We will look to post on here regularly too during the project so we can keep you updated from our end.

The redevelopment is a great opportunity to make Centro Arndale even bigger and better than it is. Works include: expansion of Big W and Woolworths by 1,000m2 each; upgrade of existing malls and entryways; increased car parking and amenities upgrades including new parents' room, travelators and lift service - along with brand new retailers added to the centre's mix.

We're looking forward to making Centro Arndale an even more vibrant and bustling community hub.

If you have any questions about the project, please ask and we will hopefully be able to answer them. You can also visit www.centroarndale.com.au for weekly updates on the works, and more info about what's happening in the centre.

[Howie]

Can I say what a pleasure it is to have you post Centro Arndale. Yes please keep us up to date with the development, most of the feedback I have encountered through speaking with the current tenants of Arndale has been overwhelmingly positive.

[crawf]

Welcome Centro Arndale, great to have you on board

[Hooligan]

a talking shopping centre!

[pushbutton]

Yes great to hear from you. I have a few questions I'd love to know the answers to.

Could you tell us when the new mall extension near Big W is likely to open, and also when the new lift will open?

I think one of the best ways to make Arndale a nicer shopping environment would be to de-clutter the malls a bit by having fewer kiosks and less casual mall leasing. This is also something that would clearly differentiate it from most typical Westfield malls these days, which are absolutely jam-packed with kiosks crammed in as tight as possible. I realise this obviously maximises profits, but it really can look messy and in my opinion a mall with few, or no kiosks is just a much nicer place to shop. Will some of the kiosks be moving into the new shops that are being built? I ask this because the renders shown on your website do not show any kiosks, so I'm hoping that's how it will be!

Will there be new cafes / restaurants, as the choice is very limited at the moment.

Will all the entrances get new doors?

Is the whole project still on track for completion in December?

Well hope you are able to answer these for us and thanks again for joining the forum!

[Omicron]

Yes great to hear from you. I have a few questions I'd love to know the answers to.

Could you tell us when the new mall extension near Big W is likely to open, and also when the new lift will open?

I think one of the best ways to make Arndale a nicer shopping environment would be to de-clutter the malls a bit by having fewer kiosks and less casual mall leasing. This is also something that would clearly differentiate it from most typical Westfield malls these days, which are absolutely jam-packed with kiosks crammed in as tight as possible. I realise this obviously maximises profits, but it really can look messy and in my opinion a mall with few, or no kiosks is just a much nicer place to shop.

I couldn't agree more. Marion is objectionable these days, what with all those ghastly unavoidable vendors of rubbish cluttering up the mall.

[Centro Arndale]

Thanks for the many welcoming messages! We are excited to be part of the discussion and look forward to sharing up to the minute news and announcements surrounding the centre and redevelopment.

In response to Pushbutton’s questions:

Construction
Construction of the new mall by Big W is expected to be completed by around mid October and should be fully functional by Christmas after retailer fit outs are complete.
A number of existing retailers will be relocating to the new space, including Crossroads, Ed Harry, Knick Knacks, Mr Rental and Independent Sports.
Construction has already begun on the second new entry.
Work on the new lift outside Big W is underway and it is expected to be operational by Christmas.

Mall Space/Kiosks
Open space is a key consideration for the new mall areas. However there are some additional kiosks planned. The architecture of the new and refurbished malls will create a great sense of light and space. New mall furniture will also de-clutter the malls and have a positive impact on the centre's look and feel.

Restaurants/Cafes
Adding new food retailers to the centre’s mix is definitely top of mind. Stay tuned for more information on this!

Entrances
Two new key entrances will be created on the eastern side (facing Arndale Street) and a new entry statement (mall entry) will also be constructed by Woolworths.

Project Timing
The majority of construction works are expected to be complete by December, with some tenant fit out works to be completed in early 2013.

Thanks again for the interest everyone!

[Hooligan]

Centro Arndale, I've looked through this thread and i can't find anything to see if the cinemas are going to be incorperated into the centre more?

The cinema complex seems a bit disjointed from the centre and it would be a welcome improvement there was something done there to improve it.

[pushbutton]

Yes I think this could be improved if Coles was converted into an extension of the mall and led directly into the cinemas. A new and bigger Coles could also be built adjacent to the Cinemas.

Unfortunately though that is not part of the current plans.

Maybe it will be considered for the next development?

[Centro Arndale]

Although the Coles mall is not part of the current redevelopment, all options are currently being considered for any future proposed activity for this section of the centre.

Thanks Pushbutton and Hooligan for your comments/feedback.