Westfield WestCity

Westfield WestCity, now known as WestCity Waitakere, is a regional shopping centre in Henderson, a western suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. The centre is located approximately 15.9 kilometres west of Auckland's central business district and is adjacent to The Boundary. Its position beside Henderson railway station, together with access to Auckland's bus network, gives it an important transport and retail role in the western Auckland suburbs. The shopping centre originated in the 1960s, when the Henderson Borough Council established a retail development to serve the growing local community. Its first stage opened in 1968 with Woolworths as the principal tenant. Further stages opened by 1970, and by 1974 the centre had grown sufficiently to rival LynnMall in scale. The property was redeveloped by St Lukes Group in 1997 and renamed WestCity Shopping Centre. When Westfield later acquired the property, it retained the WestCity name and added the standardised Westfield prefix, creating the Westfield WestCity identity. Westfield undertook a major redevelopment beginning in 2000. The 16-month programme was reported as costing NZD 80 million and introduced a new entertainment and leisure precinct branded as the first Westfield “Street” precinct in New Zealand. The precinct opened in July 2001 and broadened the centre's offer beyond conventional retail by combining shopping, dining and entertainment. The centre subsequently operated as a broad regional destination rather than solely as a supermarket- or department-store-led mall. The centre's facilities include approximately 130 stores arranged across three floors, an Event Cinemas cinema, a Woolworths supermarket and a The Warehouse store. Other amenities include a children's play area and a multistorey car park with 1,492 spaces. Public transport access is provided by Henderson railway station and multiple AT Metro bus services; the site also has a taxi stand on Railside Avenue and bicycle parking around the centre. The centre served a catchment of approximately 174,340 people in the mid-2000s. Reported 2006 annual turnover was NZD 161.10 million, with approximately 8.5 million visitors during that year. In a 2008 assessment by RCG Retail, the centre received three out of four stars on criteria including retail area, economic performance, amenity, appeal and prospects for future growth. In February 2017, Scentre Group announced the sale of the property, then still called Westfield WestCity, to Angaet Group, a family-owned Australian business, for AUD 147 million. Following the transaction, the centre was renamed WestCity Waitakere. Westfield WestCity therefore remains a historically important name and brand identity for the property, while WestCity Waitakere is the later operating name associated with its post-Westfield ownership.

WestCity Waitakere developed from a municipal retail project created by the Henderson Borough Council in the 1960s. The first stage opened in 1968, anchored by Woolworths, and additional stages followed by 1970. The centre expanded with the growth of Henderson and the surrounding western Auckland suburbs; by 1974 it was large enough to compete with LynnMall, another established Auckland shopping centre. A major redevelopment by St Lukes Group took place in 1997. This programme reshaped the property and introduced the WestCity Shopping Centre name. After Westfield acquired the centre, the WestCity identity was retained within the Westfield naming system, producing the Westfield WestCity brand used during the centre's Westfield-era ownership. In 2000, Westfield began a further 16-month redevelopment reported at NZD 80 million. Completed in 2001, the project added a Street entertainment and leisure precinct, which opened in July of that year. The concept integrated retail, restaurants and entertainment and was described as the first precinct of its kind in New Zealand within the Westfield network. This helped position the centre as a broader leisure destination as well as a conventional shopping mall. By the mid-2000s, the centre had a catchment of approximately 174,340 people. Its reported 2006 turnover was NZD 161.10 million and visitor numbers were approximately 8.5 million for the year. A 2008 RCG Retail rating awarded the centre three of four stars, assessing factors such as shopping-area scale, economic performance, amenities, appeal and future development prospects. The property was integrated into the New Zealand portfolio of Scentre Group, the company formed from Westfield's property interests in Australia and New Zealand. In February 2017, Scentre Group announced that it had sold the mall to Angaet Group, a family-owned Australian business, for AUD 147 million. After the sale, the property was renamed WestCity Waitakere. Its historical names therefore include WestCity Shopping Centre and Westfield WestCity, while WestCity Waitakere is the post-2017 name. The centre remains a significant western Auckland retail facility. It occupies a transport-accessible site next to Henderson railway station and is served by several AT Metro bus routes. Its facilities include around 130 stores across three floors, Event Cinemas, Woolworths, The Warehouse, a children's play area and a multistorey car park with 1,492 spaces. A taxi stand and bicycle facilities provide additional access options.

• 2017

  Sale to Angaet Group and renaming

  [1]WestCity Waitakereen.wikipedia.org

  Scentre Group sold the property to Angaet Group for AUD 147 million, after which it became known as WestCity Waitakere.

• 2001

  Street precinct opens

  [1]WestCity Waitakereen.wikipedia.org

  The redevelopment concluded with the July opening of a Street entertainment and leisure precinct.

• 2000

  Westfield redevelopment begins

  [1]WestCity Waitakereen.wikipedia.org

  Westfield began a 16-month redevelopment programme reported at NZD 80 million.

• 1997

  St Lukes Group redevelopment and renaming

  [1]WestCity Waitakereen.wikipedia.org

  St Lukes Group redeveloped the property and renamed it WestCity Shopping Centre.

• 1974

  Centre rivals LynnMall in size

  [1]WestCity Waitakereen.wikipedia.org

  The expanded centre had become large enough to rival LynnMall in scale.

• 1970

  Further development stages completed

  [1]WestCity Waitakereen.wikipedia.org

  The second and third stages of the centre were completed, expanding its retail capacity.

• 1968

  First stage opens

  [1]WestCity Waitakereen.wikipedia.org

  The first stage of the Henderson Borough Council's retail development opened, with Woolworths as the main tenant.

Regional shopping and entertainment centre serving Henderson and western Auckland

• Shopping centre retail · 1968

  Retail stores

  The centre provides a multi-category retail mix across approximately 130 stores and three floors. Its offer includes general merchandise, apparel, household products, services and other everyday shopping categories typical of a regional New Zealand shopping centre.

• Supermarket · 1968

  Woolworths

  Woolworths has been associated with the centre since its first stage opened in 1968 and provides supermarket groceries and other everyday consumer goods as one of the site's principal anchor offerings.

• Department and general merchandise

  The Warehouse

  The Warehouse is one of the centre's major tenants, contributing a broad general-merchandise offer that complements the supermarket, specialty retail and leisure components.

• Cinema and entertainment

  Event Cinemas

  Event Cinemas provides the centre's principal cinema-based entertainment offer and forms part of the wider leisure mix introduced and strengthened through the site's redevelopment.

• Entertainment and leisure · 2001

  Street precinct

  The Street precinct was developed during Westfield's 2000–2001 redevelopment and combined dining, entertainment and leisure uses within the shopping-centre environment. It was presented as the first Westfield Street precinct in New Zealand.

• 2017

  Sale of Westfield WestCityM&A

  Background

  Scentre Group sold the property during a reshaping of its ownership portfolio.

  Action taken

  The mall was sold to Angaet Group for AUD 147 million and subsequently renamed WestCity Waitakere.

  Aftermath

  The property left Scentre Group's ownership and continued under the WestCity Waitakere name.

  Sale price. AUD 147 million (2017)

  Source

• 2000

  Redevelopment to broaden the centre's leisure offerStrategy

  Background

  Westfield undertook a major redevelopment as the centre competed for regional shoppers and sought to extend its role beyond conventional retail.

  Action taken

  The company initiated a 16-month redevelopment programme reported at NZD 80 million and created a Street entertainment and leisure precinct.

  Aftermath

  The redeveloped precinct opened in July 2001 and strengthened the centre's combination of shopping, dining and entertainment.

  Redevelopment cost. NZD 80 million (2000–2001 redevelopment programme)

  Source

• 2017

  Scentre Group sells Westfield WestCity to Angaet Group[1]WestCity Waitakereen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Scentre Group announced the sale of the Henderson shopping centre, then operating as Westfield WestCity, to the family-owned Australian business Angaet Group for AUD 147 million. The property was subsequently renamed WestCity Waitakere.

• 2001

  Westfield launches a new Street entertainment and leisure precinct[1]WestCity Waitakereen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign · Product launch

  Following a 16-month redevelopment, Westfield opened an entertainment and leisure precinct at WestCity in July 2001. The development was described as the first Westfield Street precinct in New Zealand.

1. 1WestCity Waitakereen.wikipedia.org