Australia Fair starts $25 million makeover

Australia Fair - render 3Southport’s iconic Australia Fair Shopping Centre has commenced with the first phase of its $25 million makeover last week.

The redevelopment is expected to be completed by late 2017.

Australia Fair owner YFG Shopping Centres has engaged Hutchinson Builders to carry out the 13-month project, which includes a major expansion and makeover of Coles and an upgrade of the centre’s Scarborough Street façade.

Ramon Otten, Australia Fair general manager, said the first phase of the Centre’s redevelopment would deliver a vibrant and contemporary retail experience in the heart of the Gold Coast’s traditional CBD.

“We are thrilled to begin work on stage one of the centre’s revitalisation,” Otten said.

“It comes as the wider Southport area undergoes an exciting period of rejuvenation and revival as the city’s CBD,” he said. “We are focused on providing a greatly enhanced shopping experience that will be completed well ahead of the city’s hosting of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.”

The centre’s staged construction program will see the refurbishment of the ground level mall from the Scarborough Street entrance through to the South Car Park, new fitouts and relocations of existing national retail brands, along with the arrival of new tenants.

Coles will expand into the adjoining outdoor food court and will increase its floor space to 4222sqm. The new Coles will include a new specialty butchery, seafood and bakery areas.

The supermarket will remain open for trading throughout the redevelopment works.

Otten said the new tenants would be announced in coming months, while major tenants Kmart and Event Cinemas have already completed upgrades of their own.

The announcement follows the $15 million transformation of the Centre’s western section into Australia Fair Metro.

Access exclusive analysis, locked news and reports with Inside Retail Weekly. Subscribe today and get our premium print publication delivered to your door every week.

You have 7 articles remaining. Unlock 15 free articles a month, it’s free.