Shopping Centre News
Adelaide’s City Cross is set to undergo a $25 million transformation through a visionary design overhaul and a remix of commercial and retail tenants, creating exciting new opportunities for businesses and retailers from across the city, state and globe and more than 500 job opportunities throughout construction.
Perfectly situated in the heart of the CBD, linking Grenfell Street and Rundle Mall, the rejuvenated City Cross will be a must-visit destination for city workers, families, and visitors of all ages.
Some already confirmed big names secured for the revamp include new flagship stores from SHEIKE and Archer & Holland, as well as South Australia’s first and only flagship Vans. Commercial partner AIE will remain in a rejuvenated new space, expanding to five floors. High-street as well as new upscale eateries, fashion, essentials, health and beauty and entertainment retailers will round out the mix, elevating the centre as a must-visit landmark destination and a prime opportunity for potential tenants.
“We purchased this centre knowing that it needed a lot of love both aesthetically, and by bringing the right retail mix to the centre,” said Revelop Managing Director, Charbel Hazzouri.
“We are thrilled to announce an exciting mix of new partners. Vans and SHEIKE will both join City Cross with flagship stores. Dumpling House, another new addition, will be the first of its kind in the CBD. These really set the bar for exciting new retail opportunities,” he said.
The new City Cross will be virtually unrecognisable from the existing linkage that locals have come to know. A series of soaring brick arches will replace the facade, transforming the streetscape.
The completely modernised interior will boast open plan design, creating a more natural flow through the space and showcasing authentic premium materials. Terrazzo, natural brickwork and white oak timber will deliver a refined look that is both modern and timeless. Lush greenery throughout will add a natural softness, to create a space that is engaging and welcoming.
“City Cross will be a place that people are drawn to,” said Buchan Principal, Paul Harrison.
“By thinking about the users – the city workers, the families, the weekenders – we designed a space to meet their needs, and to offer them a memorable experience at the centre of Rundle Mall.”
The architectural vision for the project was to create something timeless, reflective of its environment, and inspired by benchmarks like Pitt Street Mall in Sydney, Collins Street in Melbourne, and fashion precincts across Europe.
The revamped centre will have space for more than 70 retail tenants, along with a further 10 new office tenants, and feature a boutique food hall.
“As an existing tenant and commercial business operator, we had no doubt about the superior benefits of the City Cross location,’’ said AIE CEO and Founder, John De Margheriti. “We jumped at the chance to expand our operations – growing to five floors – and reinvest into this revitalised destination.”
“For us, the choice of City Cross for our first SA flagship store was easy. The precinct is known nationally as one of the best locations for high street brands. The chance to be in this prime location, in a completely revitalised setting was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up,” said David Coombes, General Manager, Accent Group.
“We are thrilled to be delivering our first in-store experience to our loyal customers in SA” said SHEIKE General Manager, Sandra Kennedy. “For us, it was about finding the right fit, a beautiful flagship destination that would allow us to reach our diverse customer base in a vibrant setting. With City Cross, we found that and more”.
Rundle Mall attracts 30 million visitors a year. While other Australian CBDs have lost significant footfall as a result of COVID, SA outperformed the rest of the nation according to URBIS data published this year.
URBIS data confirms that online shopping has not diminished the importance of bricks-and-mortar stores, with spending expected to grow by $40 billion by 2025. The report cited convenience and connectivity as one of the top five most important factors to consumers.
“This is another exciting, job-creating project for Adelaide – the most liveable city in the nation – and this investment is very much welcomed by the Marshall Government as yet another positive sign for our state’s ongoing economic recovery,” Minister for Trade and Investment Stephen Patterson said.
“Bricks-and-mortar investment in SA will always be an attractive prospect given the comparatively better yields and growth opportunity than the same assets on the Eastern Seaboard. Well located and developed assets in SA will always be attractive” Patterson said.
Archer & Holland is an existing tenant who will expand into a flagship store in the new City Cross. House of Polish will create a flagship nail bar not seen before in SA.
Local, national and international brands are invited to take advantage of the prime office space on both Grenfell Street and Rundle Mall, the array of ground floor and high street retail options, and larger format spaces on level 1 with access from Rundle and Grenfell Streets. From food, to fashion, to services, to beauty and health, to entertainment, the new City Cross will be a unique landmark destination.
“The revitalisation of City Cross is a visionary project that will improve the Rundle Mall precinct shopping experience for residents and visitors, as well as having significant short and long term benefits for the local economy,” said Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor. “The planned restoration of the building facade is another great win for the city.”
Revelop is highly invested in supporting existing tenants through the transformation, helping them find the right location and inviting them to reinvest in their businesses by adding new fitouts to perfect their usage.
The project is being submitted for DA approval in early October, with construction slated to start in 2022 with major works throughout the year.
Revelop will commit to minimal disruption and business as usual throughout construction. The builder partner is not yet appointed, however Revelop will engage a local tender in the coming weeks.