Say goodbye to the old Port Canal as work begins on $45m upgrade
WORK has started on a fashionable $45 million makeover for a suburban shopping centre that will see its retail shops nearly double in size.
West & Beaches
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WORK has started on the highly anticipated $45 million redevelopment of the Port Canal Shopping Centre.
Preparations are being made to pour the concrete slab for the new, expanded centre, which will be renamed Port Adelaide Plaza once it is complete.
Its footprint will grow by a third and the number of shops will more than double, from 28 to 60.
The upgrade — which will see the main building demolished and rebuilt to connect with the existing Coles and Kmart building — will create 120 jobs during construction and a further 160 full-time retail jobs.
It will include about 60 specialty retailers including a new Aldi, cafes, commercial premises, a childcare centre and restaurants as well as more than 1000 car parks.
The Commercial Rd centre, which is owned by the Precision Group, will expand from 19,0000 sqm to 29,394 sqm.
According to Precision Group, its design will be “sophisticated” and encapsulate “the strong history of the local area while providing a contemporary shopping environment”.
It will include the use of natural and industrial building products that reflect the heritage and future growth of Port Adelaide.
Once complete, the shopping centre will be worth $133 million — making it the most significant retail development in Port Adelaide in 40 years.
Precision’s development manager Michael Gillett said the new Port Adelaide Plaza would create “ meeting places for a large and growing region that people want to be a part of … a place that is a community hub reflective of our lifestyles”.
He said he expected the centre to attract 3.5 million customers a year who would spend an annual total exceeding $1 billion by 2021.
Planning Minister Stephan Knoll said the redevelopment of the Port Canal Shopping Centre was just one of the exciting developments now underway in the Port Adelaide area.
“The $133 million Port Canal Shopping Centre will complement the substantial and ongoing investment in the area, adding to the Port Dock Railway Line project which sees train services return to Port Adelaide after almost 30 years,” Mr Knoll said.
“The new train service will link the Port’s commercial centre and residential precinct to the Adelaide CBD, as well as maximise the opportunities arising from the Federal Government’s $90 billion investment in naval shipbuilding projects.”
The Precision Group has been working closely with the Port Adelaide Enfield Council to develop nearby streetscapes, including the significant upgrade to Church St, to improve customer safety and pedestrian access from Dale St as well as make it look good.
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