Rundle Mall Plaza to undergo $40 million revamp, H & M to open first SA store

A CENTRAL Rundle Mall site is to undergo a $40 million revival, including a huge glass atrium, new dining precinct — and a world-famous Swedish fashion label not yet in SA.

• $8m transformation of Gawler Place to begin

A SWEDISH fashion giant is set to spearhead a $40 million revival of a central Adelaide retail site.

A vast H & M store will open later this year in Rundle Mall Plaza, as part of an extensive redevelopment of the prominent, if tired, arcade that began in August 2017.

Bringing H & M to Adelaide as a major tenant of the revitalised building is a major coup for the plaza, said Peter Weinert, executive director of the Weinert Group, which owns the Rundle Mall Plaza.

“There is no doubt the time is right for this important redevelopment and introduction of this outstanding new H & M store into South Australia,” said Mr Weinert, originally from SA and now a well-known businessman and former chairman of the AFL’s Sydney Swans.

“This significant commitment by the Weinert Group shows continuing confidence in SA’s retail sector. The completed development will provide a unique shopping experience, and with H & M as the major tenant, we expect Rundle Mall Plaza to not only be a significant drawcard for Rundle Mall in particular, but Adelaide in general.”

An artist’s impression of the upgraded Rundle Mall Plaza, which will undergo a $40 million renovation.

The redevelopment will span 12,000sq m across the four lower levels of the nine-storey building and will feature a lower ground tech hub, a ground floor dedicated to retail and fashion, plus a new dining precinct on level one and a health and wellbeing precinct planned for level two.

Current lower ground tenants include JB Hi-Fi and EB Games, with OPSM situated on the ground floor.

Much of the floor of level two will be demolished to create a double-height dining precinct with large glass windows overlooking Rundle Mall.

A new multistorey void at the main entrance will be another standout architectural feature, hosting the relocated, and iconic, “Progress Statue” above the entrance to the plaza.

The redevelopment’s leasing agent for the level-one dining precinct, CBRE’s Julie Thomas, said plans were quite spectacular.

“A double-height glass atrium will be the centrepiece of a sophisticated art deco-styled precinct, offering sunlight, atmosphere and views over Rundle Mall,” she said.

“It will be a destination in itself.

Grace from Finesse Models in a dress from H & M in Rundle Mall. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

“The Terrace” will create an enjoyable shopping and business lunch experience, concentrating on higher-quality food and beverage operators.”

The large-scale project creates exciting opportunities for new retailers, with numerous tenancies to be filled, said Ms Thomas, who currently has several other CBD leases also in need of new tenants.

Rundle Mall Plaza was constructed in the 1960s as a stand-alone David Jones department store, and the original builder, Hansen Yuncken, has been appointed as the principal contractor for the redevelopment.

Architects Hames Sharley will also be on-board with the redesign.

The Weinert Group was founded by Peter Weinert’s father, Jack, who pioneered shopping centre development in SA — including bringing Coles to Adelaide’s Central Market — from the late 1950s.

Peter Weinert, a current co-patron of the Sydney Swans, is based in Sydney and has consolidated the Group’s property investment and development base over three states, but still regards Adelaide as the company’s prime retail focus, he said.

Crowds outside Rundle Mall Plaza for the 2017 Boxing Day sales. Picture: Calum Robertson

Other upgrades to Rundle Mall Plaza will include:

■ Provision of new disabled access from the office lobby to the retail area.

■ A new parents room on level one.

■ Upgrade of all internal finishes, bathrooms, lifts, escalators and new architectural/unique ceilings.

■ Re-opening Myer bridge-links on levels one & two.

Mr Weinert said that social media demand for H & M to open an Adelaide store “has been enormous and we are meeting that demand with great enthusiasm”.

Strong retail conditions in SA have facilitated the refit.

“Rundle Mall Plaza was transformed from ‘David Jones’ 16 years ago, and H & M’s new tenancy signified a wonderful opportunity to redevelop the Plaza to ensure it provides a far more modern and unique shopping experience,” he said.

“With the recent redevelopment of Rundle Mall and interest shown by international retailers in coming to the Mall, the state’s retail sector is clearly very strong and will continue to gain strength.”

H & M has been a long time coming to SA, with stores already in NSW, Victoria, WA, Queensland and even ACT.

H & M Australia country manager Hans Andersson said finding the best location was imperative.

“It has to be a store with a great facade. The only option we really looked at was Rundle Mall, because it is like Pitt St mall here in Sydney, it is where you have to be.”