Westfield Whitford City

Westfield Whitford City is a major shopping centre located in Hillarys, east of St. Mark's Anglican Community School in Perth,Western Australia. The centre is owned by the Westfield Group. It is located approximately 18 kilometres (11 miles) due east of the Perth CBD on Marmion Avenue. The shopping centre was built on the former Red Cattle Ridge site in 1977. In 2006, the shopping centre had an annual turnover of $395.4 million and approximately 7.2 million customer visits. The trade-area population surrounding the shopping location is about 224,410 and the total retail spending in trade area is $2.3 billion.[1][2]

Westfield Whitford City
Coordinates31°47′50″S 115°45′00″E
Opening date21 March 1978 (1978-03-21)
ManagementScentre Group
OwnerScentre Group
No. of stores and services280
No. of anchor tenants6
Total retail floor area84,759 m2
No. of floors2
Parking4107
Websitewestfield.com.au/whitfordcity

About

Whitford City opened on 21 March 1978. The former department-store chain Aherns had an outlet at Whitford City until 1985. Whitford City is currently Perth's largest shopping centre without a flagship department store, such as a Myer or David Jones. The shopping centre has officially been part of the Westfield Group since 2004 and is currently home to over 240 speciality stores. In July 2014, the Westfield Group became two companies, Scentre Group and Westfield Corporation. The centre is now owned and managed by Scentre Group.[3]

History & Redevelopments

Westfield Whitford City (Formerly Whitford City Shopping Centre) officially opened on March 21, 1978. The original centre originally contained a Aherns department store, one of Western Australia's first BIG W discount department store, and a Woolworths supermarket. Along with 50 specialty stores, the centre cost $16 million dollars and was 22,307m. The centre also contained outdoor facilities and a library. A gas-station nearby the centre was built shortly after the opening too. Since the Whitford City's opening, the centre has received several redevelopments.

1989-1990 Redevelopment

In 1985, works were approved for a new redevelopment to the centre to increase the size to 39,447m. This new redevelopment was set to include a relocated Woolworths supermarket, and a new Food Court featuring a McDonald's. The addition of the new food court however, would cause the Aherns department store to be demolished. Since then, Westfield Whitford City has not had a department store such as Myer or David Jones. The redevelopment would be completed by 1990.

1991-1993 Redevelopment

Shortly after the completion of the previous redevelopment, another redevelopment was approved which would add an extra 13,070m to the centre, giving it a total of 52,517m. The new redevelopment would include a new Target discount department store, an expand west side of the mall featuring over 40 specialty stores. The existing mall would also be renovated including the BIG W. In 1993, two new fast food restaurants, a Hungry Jack's and a KFC were built outside the centre, completing the development.

1992-1996 Redevelopment

In 1992, development was approved to construct a 6-screen cinema complex. The redevelopment was completed in 1996 which included a Greater Union Cinemas, an Intencity arcade and a Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon. The Greater Union would cover the second floor beside the Food Court.

2001-2004 Redevelopment

In 2001, the biggest redevelopment yet was approved to Whitford City which would increase the centre to 76,463m. The development went through two separate variations in 1999 and 2000. The $80 million dollar redevelopment would include the following:

- A new mall to the upper-west side of the centre.

- A relocated Woolworths supermarket

- A new Fresh Food Market

- A new Rebel and Best & Less mini-major store

- Expanded parking, and fast food restaurants

- Renovations to the entire existing mall

- A new outdoor dining area named the "Piazza" with featured a view facing towards Whitfords Ave

Upon completion of the redevelopment, Greater Union sold their cinema in the centre to Grand Cinemas (A WA owned Cinema company), as part of a deal in 2004. When the redevelopment was completed, Whitford City was sold to Westfield (Now Scentre Group) which rebranded the centre to "Westfield Whitford City." Signage and entrances were overhauled as well.

2016-2017 Redevelopment

On July 8, 2016, Scentre Group announced a new $80 Million Dollar redevelopment to the centre which would mainly focus on redeveloping the outdoor Piazza. The new redevelopment included:

- A complete demolish to the existing Piazza and Grand Cinemas complex

- A new 8-screen Event Cinemas complex featuring 2 "V-Max" and "Gold Class" screens

- 12 new dining restaurants including the first micro-brewery in Western Australia, The Whitfords Brewing Company

- A new iPlay located in the basement floor featuring an arcade and bowling alley

- A relocated Rebel near the Food Court

- An overhauled Fresh Food Market with a renovated Woolworths supermarket

The new redevelopment opened on September 20, 2017, adding to a total of 84,759m to the centre and is the third largest shopping centre in the northern side of Perth, behind Lakeside Joondalup Shopping City and Karrinyup Shopping Centre.

Present & Future

In June 2019, a new Aldi supermarket was announced to open in the centre, in between the Fresh Food Market and Target. It opened on October 7, 2020.

On January 13, 2021, it was announced that Target would close its Whitford City store by mid-2021 after over 30 years. The store would be converted into a Kmart by Mid-2021. Shortly after that it was confirmed that a 24 hour Goodlife Health Clubs would open in the centre in November 2021, presumably in the former Lincraft.

Scrapped 1997 Redevelopment

In 1997, Whitford City pitched a new redevelopment to the centre which would bring it to 72,150m. The new redevelopment would include a new two-floor department store, a new fashion mall spanning over two floors, a relocated Woolworths supermarket, and expanded basement parking. The new mall would stretch to the upper-west and would include make the centre one of the largest in Western Australia at the time. Plans were rejected by the Department of Planning in 1998.[4]

Future

After stage 1 of the most recent redevelopment opened on 21 September 2017, a second stage of redevelopment was confirmed. Stage 2 is expected to be completed in the next few years.

Previously, David Jones had announced in 2008 that the company would open a 13,500 m2 (145,000 sq ft) two-level store within the centre complex in early 2012 as part of a proposed $200 million redevelopment of Whitford City. According to initial development plans presented by the company, the store would be located in a reconfigured space where Progressive IGA formerly existed, and the area surrounding the existing Big W would be reconfigured. Although the store did not eventuate, the stage 2 redevelopment was expected include a David Jones department store based on an agreement with the company to open 3 new David Jones stores in all Westfield shopping centres in Western Australia from 2017. In 2019, it was confirmed that David Jones would be shelved once again with development shifting towards another retailer to be announced soon.[5][6]

Transport

The centre is bounded by the major roads of Marmion Avenue and Whitfords Avenue in Hillarys. Bus routes 460, 461 and 462 also service the centre from the Whitfords railway station and Joondalup railway station.

  • The sign of Westfield Whitford City.
  • The interior of Westfield Whitford City in 2006, where the former Target discount-department store is at the end.
  • The food court in Westfield Whitford City.
  • The exterior of the original centre built in 1978, which has been extensively remodeled since.
  • The former outdoor dining piazza built in 2004 which was recently demolished to make way for a new one.
  • Another view of the Westfield Whitford City sign in front of the northern end of the centre.
  • A north-east view of the centre, showing the old BIG W discount-department store.
  • The former Action Supermarket. Since the closure it became a Progressive Supa IGA, and is currently a Coles supermarket.
  • An entrance to Westfield Whitford City, which was added shortly after Westfield purchased the centre.
  • Another entrance to the centre, near Commonwealth Bank.
  • The entrance to the BIG W discount-department store, which has stood in the centre since the opening.
  • The entrance to the Woolworths supermarket in the Fresh Food Market. Since then, the Woolworths and surrounding area has been refurbished.

References
  1. "City of Joondalup - Westfield Whitford City". Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  2. "Hemp Harvests: Brand Identity". Autumn.Studio. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  3. Condon, Turi (20 June 2014). "Westfield restructure a success: Lowy". The Australian Business Review. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  4. City of Joondalup
  5. http://www.davidjones.com.au/images/corp/pdf/New_&_Refurbished_Stores_Slides.pdf Archived 12 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  6. https://www.google.com/search?q=westfield+whitfords&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-gbAU818AU818&oq=westfiel&aqs=chrome.0.69i59l2j69i57j69i60l2j69i59.1267j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on#lpqa=d,3,a,AIe9_BHVBnWjBJvk55vq2QEm0wl-_NlBhzjX_u0gOLSfYF0nVALSUpLM-ruuGL-8q_U1TVqSsaqLZd_RG459IZ0UhFMA0OCNcumGRoloYlnsRU2G-ibK3th4MNQMWw9tXASOyEmiPdrj }}
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