Just five weeks into his new job Wollongong Central regional general manager Antony Keenan was involved in making the announcement that Myer is not renewing its lease when it expires on October 2.
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But Mr Keenan is very positive about the future saying the plan by David Jones to open an international standard department store on the site was great for the city. David Jones will continue to trade at its present site until work is completed in 2017 when the future of that building is likely to be determined.
He said the new David Jones offering would be in line with the newest stores such Eastlands in Melbourne which has won international design awards.
He previously managed Westfield Bondi Junction and has previously worked for GPT and said the new projects coming up were good opportunity for Wollongong.
“With all the work in 2014...and the international fashion brand that is opening up shortly (expected to be H&M) there is a lot of activity happening here. You only have to..see how many cranes there are..to see the investment that is going into the CBD. It is a great spot to be. Big brands are wanting to invest here. The new brand coming in will be a real point of difference. There are some exciting things happening over the next couple of years,” he said.
GPT Group senior development manager Steve Turner said work on the brand new format world class David Jones department store will be substantial and start as soon as Myer moves out. He suggests that could also be an opportunity to further refresh the city centre because there is considerable interest from large format retailers that cannot presently be accommodated.
“We had to go to some great lengths to accommodate the new mini-major that is soon to be announced...to get that sort of quality tenant into the CBD. We are genuinely excited that the city gets a world class department store which everyone has been asking us for,” he said.
Mr Turner said the number one wish from research involving Wollongong shoppers is that people want a high quality department store. “I think this is really what the Illawarra deserves.” And he thinks many are excited about what might come into the present David Jones space. Asked about the possibility of a larger modern cinema complex centre he said that wish had been noted. When the reconfiguration of the Myer site takes place Mr Turner anticipates there will be further investment in the building by GPT.
“It got a new lease of life in the lead up to the opening of West Keira. It had a really positive effect to get those fashion brands in. There will be a Development Application associated with these works. There will be a reconfiguration of the public spaces..including an opportunity to further invest in the Globe Lane precinct. That gives us a great opportunity..to put more energy into Globe Lane. We have done the deal with David Jones and we are going very quickly into the design phase.”
