Galleria Shopping Centre (formerly known as Westfield Galleria, Centro Galleria and Galleria) is a shopping centre located in Morley, about 8 kilometres (5 mi) northeast of the Perth central business district. It is the 5th largest shopping centre in Western Australia,[citation needed] with several major retailers and approximately 300 specialty retailers.
 Entrance | |
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| Location | Morley, Western Australia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 31°53′50″S 115°53′57″E / 31.897169°S 115.899292°E |
| Opening date | 1994 |
| Developer | Coles Myer |
| Management | Vicinity Centres |
| Owner | Vicinity Centres (50%) Perron Group (50%) |
| No. of stores and services | 166 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 5 |
| Total retail floor area | 73,365 m2 (789,690 sq ft)[1] |
| No. of floors | 2 of stores and 2 of car parking |
| Parking | 6233 |
| Website | Official website  |
The present centre was constructed in stages between 1988 with Coles and Kmart Australia, and in 1994 with Event Cinemas and Myer. In 2008 a new area on level 2 was constructed for Rebel Sports. Plans for a major redevelopment were first announced in 2013, though construction has yet to commence as of July 2024.[2]
History
editThe shopping centre was developed as a joint construction between Colonial Mutual Group and Coles Myer. Construction started in 1989 after a fire had destroyed the Boans complex in June 1986.[3][4] Construction joined three separate shopping centres – Morley Shopping Centre (Coles and Kmart), Morley City Shopping Centre (Woolworths and _target) and Boans Shopping Centre – which were demolished to make way for Galleria.[5] The 1994 redevelopment was designed by the Los Angeles architects RTKL Associates and local firm Oldham Boas Ednie-Brown Architects, Planners & Interior Designers (now known as The Buchan Group). The centre was officially opened on 26 September 1994.[3]
In 1996, Galleria was sold in its entirety by joint owners Coles Myer and Colonial Mutual Group to Westfield Group for $289 million; the centre was renamed as Westfield Galleria.[6]
In 2003, Galleria was acquired from Westfield by Centro Properties Group for $414 million and renamed to Centro Galleria.[7] Westfield Group continued to operate the centre until late 2004 when Centro Properties Group officially took over management of the centre. Along with this, the entrance to Greater Union on the upper-deck parking lot was removed, and replaced with a small outdoor dining piazza.[citation needed] In 2012, private property investment group, Perron Group, acquired 50% of Galleria, entering a co-ownership arrangement with Centro.[8][9]
In mid-2012, Centro Galleria rebranded as Galleria 220 (to represent its 220 stores), and later simply Galleria, while still under Centro's management.[10] In 2013, Centro rebranded as Federation Centres, and in November, Galleria shopping centre was rebranded as simply Galleria, to match the other centres in the chain.[11][12] In 2015, Federation Centres rebranded as Vicinity Centres after merging with Novion Property Group.[13]
On 3 February 2015, a transformer exploded around 9.30am near the Woolworths loading bay area resulting in the deaths of 2 people, others suffered serious burn injuries.[14]
In March 2017, major German tenant Aldi opened outside of the complex, replacing the old Morley Library.[15]
Plans for a major redevelopment of the centre were first announced in 2013.[2] Revised plans for the $350 million shopping centre expansion were later approved on 11 February 2019 – though some elements of the development are not expected to be completed until 2031. The redevelopment will expand the shopping centre floor area from 73,365 square metres (789,690 sq ft) to 180,235 square metres (1,940,030 sq ft) with the number of car bays rising from 4086 to 7200. The centre could ultimately end up with as much as 263,500 square metres (2,836,000 sq ft) of floor space.[1] However as of July 2024, apart from minor works and the relocation of a drainage basin, the redevelopment has largely yet to commence, resulting in frustration from the local community and leaving the centre "a shadow of its former self" as retailers have vacated storefronts and parts of the centre have been closed off in anticipation for the delayed redevelopment.[2]
See also
edit- Galleria bus station, formerly known as Morley bus station, adjacent to the shopping centre
References
edit- ^ a b Shield, Helen (13 February 2019). "Come shop and live at super-sized Morley Galleria". The West Australian. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- ^ a b c Mitsopoulos, Nadia (16 July 2024). "Community frustration with Morley Galleria's delayed redevelopment reaches boiling point". ABC News. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
- ^ a b "History – Part Two: 1930 – present". City of Bayswater. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
- ^ Smith, Betty. "Boans Morley shopping centre and department store damaged by fire, July 1986". ArchiveGrid. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
- ^ Smith, Betty. "Morley City Shopping Centre, July 1986". ArchiveGrid. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
- ^ Beyer, Mark (13 January 2004). "$414m Galleria sale marks record year for property". Business News. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
- ^ Wood, Leonie (29 May 2003). "Centro set to buy three centres from Westfield". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
- ^ "Perron Group takes half stake in Galleria". Business News. 17 May 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
- ^ Danckert, Sarah (18 May 2012). "Billionaire Perron pays $690m for half shares in Centro shopping centres". The Australian. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
- ^ "Centro Retail >> Centro Galleria". Archived from the original on 26 November 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
- ^ "Centro Retail Australia to rebrand as Federation Centres". Inside Retailing. Octomedia. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
- ^ "Galleria Shopping Centre". Archived from the original on 26 January 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
- ^ Danckert, Sarah (2 November 2015). "Federation becomes Vicinity Centres". Money Management. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
- ^ "Morley Galleria blast: workers injured in explosion". Phil Hickey, Bruce Butler, Kara Vickery, Claire Bickers. news.com.au. 3 February 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
- ^ Shakespeare, Toyah (31 March 2016). "Aldi to Open at Morley Galleria". Eastern Reporter. Community Newspaper Group. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
External links
edit- Official website
Media related to Galleria Shopping Centre at Wikimedia Commons
