THE Property Council of Australia has recognised the $108 million redevelopment of Ocean Keys Shopping Centre as a finalist in its annual awards.
The centre is one of 14 finalists in the best shopping centre development categories as a result of its 2013 expansion.
Centre manager Karen Draper said it was an honour to be included in the awards.
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READ NOW“When we began the redevelopment our objective was to evolve and transform the centre so that it met the needs of the population in the ever expanding northern corridor,” she said.
The redevelopment took two years to complete in two stages and added 400 retail positions across 120 retail stores and service outlets, increasing the size of the centre from 22,760sq m to 37,200sq m.
Ocean Keys was the first shopping centre in WA to deliver non-retail floor space, in the form of residential and commercial space, and one of the first developments to embrace the State Government’s planning policy relating to the creation of activity centres.
The redevelopment delivered a 517-seat indoor and alfresco dining precinct with fully openable wall and window sections along Ocean Keys Boulevard offering external dining areas.
Those features aimed to activate the main street and create atmosphere to flow between the council library on the opposite side of the street, the boulevard itself and the centre.
Ms Draper said shoppers often remark on the centre’s transformation, particularly the dining precinct.
“We get a lot of feedback that the cafe court has created a place for the community to meet and socialise, both during the day and into the evening,” she said.
“It’s not necessarily just a spot to grab some food and go; it’s now a hub of activity, with live music and other events.”
Winners of the Property Council of Australia/Rider Levett Bucknall Innovation and Excellence Awards will be announced in Sydney on June 3.