WESTFIELD Miranda will be transformed thanks to a new ‘‘lifestyle precinct’’ of restaurants, modern cinemas and a three-storey shopping mall that is set to bring more night life.
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The $435 million redevelopment of the centre — still known to many residents by its original name, Miranda Fair — is due for completion late next year, with the cinemas to open in mid-2015.
Most work is around the Kingsway entrance, where the office tower, external shops and car park are being demolished, while the historic fig tree will be preserved.
The development will include a new galleria mall with three levels of shops, ground-floor restaurants extending outdoors and a roof-top cinema complex.
Westfield Group Australia, United States and New Zealand managing director Robert Jordan told the Leader the centre would become ‘‘more active in the evening’’.
‘‘We hope to bring it alive with good restaurants and cinemas in an environment that is friendly, safe, easy to get to and where parking is easy,’’ he said.
‘‘I think this is one thing that is lacking in Sutherland Shire. I am a resident, so I have a great interest in it.’’
Mr Jordan said the last redevelopment was completed at the end of 1992.
‘‘We have done a few refurbishments in the meantime, but the world changes a lot in 20 years and now it’s time to bring Westfield Miranda up to the best retail standards in the world.’’
Mr Jordan said there would be a big emphasis on lifestyle and entertainment, while the cinemas would be "the latest and the best".
Asked about the concerns of some existing lessees and the growing number of empty stores in the centre, Mr Jordan said it was well known the present retail environment was "flat".
"During the last 20 years, the population and the wealth of the population has increased in Sutherland Shire and that gives us the confidence [the project] is required," he said.
"A lot of escape expenditure is going out of the shire.
"It is obvious [Westfield] Miranda needs to keep on rejuvenating to bring it up to the best, to bring it to the most modern around the world.
"One of the things it suffers from is that it hasn't had any work in 20 years. The redevelopment will bring a lot more trade into the Miranda centre and the shire."
Mr Jordan said a paid-parking system, to be introduced once work was complete, would not worry most residents.
"As anyone who has been there knows, it can be very hard to find parking and one of the reasons is that it is next to a train station and a lot of people park and go into the city," he said.
"There will be three hours free parking, so the great majority of people will not pay anything.
"We will also have a parking guidance system and valet parking."
UPS AND DOWNS
UPSIDE
Ground floor restaurants and roof-top cinema complex.
Extra 100 specialty shops, mostly in a new three-level galleria mall, catering particularly for higher-end fashion and international brands.
Myer will be refurbished and reduced from four floors to three.
Woolworths supermarket will move into what was previously the bottom floor of Myer and will be larger and closer to parking.
So called ‘‘mini-major’’ retailers, such as electrical and sports stores, will move into the former Woolworths site.
DOWNSIDE
Retailers at the Myer end of the centre, where the work is taking place, have already lost business.
Some are closing, others are relocating and some are still unsure what to do.
‘‘Heaps of jobs are being lost,’’ one worker said. ‘‘We understand the big picture, but it’s hard for many shops in the short term.’’
Sports apparel store Foot Locker is closing but manager Jesse Griffiths said all staff were being relocated to other stores and the business could reopen in Miranda once the project was finished.
‘‘It’s a shame some jobs are being lost in other stores now, but many more will be created in the future,’’ he said.
What do you think of the project? Tell us what your wish list for the centre would be.
