The multi-level expansion of Queensland Investment Corporation’s (QIC) Castle Towers Shopping Centre will continue to provide a high-profile, reimagined retail concept in Sydney’s growing outer-northern suburbs – a key area of growth for New South Wales.
KEY INFORMATION
Location: Sydney, Australia
Date started: 2018
Completion date: 2024
Client type: real estate
Main capabilities: project management
A growing future city
As a major hub for an affluent and growing population, Castle Towers is a premier lifestyle, shopping and entertainment destination for an established suburb of Sydney, Castle Hill. QIC is undertaking a substantial redevelopment of its shopping centre over a multi-year horizon to create a world-class town centre that blurs the line between retail, neighbourhood culture and civic amenity.
Already drawing 18 million visits a year, Castle Towers is primed for growth in both foot traffic and sales. The $300 million expansion will deliver new retail concepts and premium shopping with both international and national retailers, spanning 80,000sqm.
The transformational redevelopment will see Castle Towers become one of Australia’s largest shopping centres, bringing new jobs, opportunities and services to the area.
Harnessing our major project experience
We continue to be involved from statutory approval, design and procurement, and through the delivery phase, up to and including handover to operations.
Using our considerable retail, public sector and major projects experience, we have helped to bring this development to fruition through our implementation of a robust contract management system with regards to tenant requested variations.
We bring a depth of knowledge in supply chain capacity in north-western Sydney, a heated sub-market of the Sydney metropolitan area, tailoring the procurement package and response to ensure an appropriate way forward.
Works are carefully staged and coordinated around major retailer trade windows of Christmas and Easter each year. We are managing the contractor access beyond their formal site boundary to work on services, undertake shut overs and front of house works.
City-wide connectivity
The first phase of the redevelopment, which opened in 2019, included New South Wales’ first direct pedestrian link to the Castle Hill Sydney Metro Station and bus interchange, new communal spaces and a bustling new food court and vibrant marketplace.
Within two months of the opening, more than 260,000 customers used the new station walkway to access the centre. Demonstrating the value of our connected approach, our Castle Towers and Sydney Metro project teams liaised to deliver optimum results.
In 2020, Castle Towers welcomed a further mix of new and revitalised retailers following the completion of design upgrades to communal spaces adjoining the new mall on levels two and three. This included a major renovation of The Piazza alfresco dining and entertainment precinct, which incorporates year-round weather protection.
