Commercial Bay Shopping Centre
Commercial Bay Shopping Centre is a major retail, dining and hospitality destination in Auckland's central business district.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Commercial Bay Shopping Centre is a retail and dining complex in Auckland's central business district, New Zealand. It occupies the block at 11–19 Customs Street West, between Lower Albert Street and the Britomart Transport Centre, and forms the lower-level commercial component of the wider Commercial Bay development. The centre is associated with a high-rise mixed-use building and was designed as part of the redevelopment of one of Auckland's most prominent waterfront-adjacent city-centre sites. The name refers to Commercial Bay, the historic name for the area during an earlier period of Auckland's development. Before the present complex, the site was occupied by Downtown Shopping Centre, which had previously operated as Westfield Downtown. The original shopping centre opened on 30 April 1975 with approximately 80 stores across three floors. Its principal retailers included The Warehouse, Warehouse Stationery and Postie Plus. For many years it was described as Auckland's only conventional shopping mall in the central business district, serving office workers, tourists and the growing inner-city population. Although the earlier centre generated substantial foot traffic, its performance and physical format increasingly appeared out of step with the intensification of the Auckland CBD. In 2005, the centre recorded retail sales of NZ$56.9 million and approximately 5.8 million customer visits, but it was also characterised as one of Westfield's weaker New Zealand shopping-centre assets. The low-rise building occupied a strategically important site, and its extensive exterior advertising displays attracted criticism from Auckland Council officers. Westfield received approval in 2008 for a proposed 41-storey office tower with a two-level retail podium. The project raised infrastructure and planning issues because a future rail tunnel from Britomart would need to pass beneath the site. An agreement in principle was subsequently reached to accommodate the tunnel route through the future building foundations. In late 2012, Westfield sold the property to Precinct Properties New Zealand Limited, then known as AMP NZ Office Limited or ANZO. The former shopping centre closed on 28 May 2016 after 41 years of operation. Demolition was substantially completed by 23 November of that year. Precinct Properties then advanced a major redevelopment incorporating a high-rise tower, a new retail centre and provision for the City Rail Link tunnels beneath the premises. The first shop in the new Commercial Bay development, an H&M store, opened in August 2018. The main shopping centre was completed after several delays and opened in June 2020. Commercial Bay's offer is broader and more contemporary than that of its predecessor. Its lower levels combine fashion and lifestyle retail with a supermarket, bars, restaurants and food outlets, positioning the destination as a mixed-use urban precinct rather than simply a traditional enclosed mall. Its location beside Britomart and the wider public-transport network gives it a strong connection to commuters, CBD employees, visitors and residents. The development was also the setting for a serious violent incident on 20 July 2023, when a mass shooting occurred at a nearby construction site associated with the building. Three people, including the attacker, died. The incident was reported as occurring near the Commercial Bay building rather than as a retail or brand-related controversy. Commercial Bay remains an operating Auckland shopping and dining destination.
History
The site now occupied by Commercial Bay Shopping Centre has been used for central Auckland retail for decades. The predecessor shopping centre opened on 30 April 1975 as Downtown Shopping Centre. It contained roughly 80 stores distributed over three floors and was anchored by The Warehouse, Warehouse Stationery and Postie Plus. The centre was notable because it was one of the few Westfield properties without a supermarket and because it was the only conventional shopping mall in Auckland's central business district for much of its operating life. The original centre served a mixed customer base of CBD employees, tourists and inner-city residents. In 2005 it recorded retail sales of NZ$56.9 million and about 5.8 million annual visits. Despite this activity, the asset was regarded as underperforming within Westfield's New Zealand portfolio. Its three-storey form also became increasingly unsuitable for a more intensively developed CBD. Large exterior billboards covering much of the building generated repeated objections from council officers. Redevelopment proposals emerged as Auckland's central city became denser and the transport importance of the Britomart area increased. In 2008, Westfield obtained consent for a 41-storey office tower with a two-level retail podium. The proposal had to address the planned rail connection from Britomart, since the future route would pass under the site. ONTRACK and the site owners reached an agreement in principle in October 2008 to allow the rail tunnel alignment to be incorporated into the foundations of a future building. Westfield sold the property in late 2012 to Precinct Properties New Zealand Limited, which had previously been known as AMP NZ Office Limited. The Downtown Shopping Centre closed on 28 May 2016 after 41 years. By 23 November 2016 it had been demolished, clearing the site for a much larger mixed-use development. The replacement scheme combined a high-rise tower with a new shopping centre and included accommodation for the City Rail Link tunnels directly below the premises. The redevelopment adopted the historic name Commercial Bay, reflecting the former name of the area. H&M opened the first shop in the new development in August 2018. The main retail centre was completed in June 2020 after several delays. Unlike the former low-rise mall, the new destination was planned as an integrated urban precinct with retail, a supermarket, restaurants, bars and food outlets in the lower parts of the tower development. Commercial Bay's identity is therefore tied to the redevelopment of a strategic Auckland CBD site rather than to a standalone chain of stores. Its location beside Britomart gives it strong public-transport connectivity and supports a customer mix of commuters, workers, residents and visitors. On 20 July 2023, a mass shooting took place at a construction site near the building, causing three deaths including that of the attacker. The incident was a nearby security and public-safety event, not a commercial product controversy. The shopping centre remains active.
- 2023
Fatal shooting near the development
[1]A mass shooting at a nearby construction site leaves three people dead, including the attacker.
- 2020
Commercial Bay shopping centre opens
[1]The main shopping mall is completed in June after multiple delays.
- 2018
H&M becomes the first new-development store
[1]The first shop in the new Commercial Bay development opens in August.
- 2016
Downtown Shopping Centre closes and is demolished
[1]The predecessor closes on 28 May after 41 years, with demolition completed by November.
- 2012
Precinct Properties acquires the site
[1]Westfield sells the property in late 2012 to Precinct Properties New Zealand Limited.
- 2008
High-rise redevelopment receives consent
[1]Westfield receives consent for a proposed 41-storey office tower with a two-level retail podium.
- 2005
Predecessor records reported sales and visits
[1]The former centre records NZ$56.9 million in retail sales and approximately 5.8 million customer visits.
- 1975
Downtown Shopping Centre opens
[1]The predecessor centre opens on 30 April with approximately 80 stores across three floors.
Products and positioning
A premium, contemporary urban retail and dining destination serving Auckland CBD workers, residents, commuters and visitors.
Retail · 2020
Fashion and apparel retail
Commercial Bay provides fashion retail as part of its central-city tenant mix. The offer is aimed at shoppers seeking contemporary apparel and related accessories, with the precinct's urban location supporting both planned shopping and convenience purchases by commuters, office workers and visitors.
Dining and hospitality · 2020
Food and beverage precinct
Restaurants, bars, cafés and food outlets form a major part of Commercial Bay's proposition. These venues extend the centre's use beyond conventional shopping and support daytime, evening and visitor-oriented activity in Auckland's CBD.
Grocery retail · 2020
Supermarket retail
The redevelopment includes supermarket space within the lower levels of the wider Commercial Bay building, adding an everyday-needs component that was absent from the original Westfield-era centre.
Controversies
2023
Mass shooting near Commercial Bay construction site
On 20 July 2023, a mass shooting occurred at a construction site near the Commercial Bay building. Three people died, including the attacker. The event was a nearby public-safety incident rather than a reported allegation of misconduct by Commercial Bay.
Brand decisions
2016
Replacement of the low-rise mall with a mixed-use developmentStrategyBackground
The three-storey Downtown Shopping Centre was considered underdeveloped for its strategically important CBD site.
Action taken
The centre was closed and demolished, making way for a high-rise building with a new retail, dining and supermarket component.
Aftermath
The resulting development opened as Commercial Bay, with provision for City Rail Link tunnels beneath the building.
2012
Sale of the Downtown site to Precinct PropertiesM&ABackground
The former Westfield Downtown property was positioned for a substantial redevelopment as Auckland's CBD became denser and transport infrastructure plans advanced.
Action taken
Westfield sold the site in late 2012 to Precinct Properties New Zealand Limited.
Aftermath
The transaction enabled closure and demolition of the old mall and development of the Commercial Bay mixed-use precinct.
Sources1 sources
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