The District Docklands

The District Docklands (previously known as Harbour Town) is an indoor/outdoor shopping centre in the suburb of Docklands in the inner-west of Melbourne.[1]

The District Docklands
Interior of Harbour Town looking towards the Southern Star in 2009
LocationDocklands, Victoria
Coordinates37°48′47″S 144°56′17″E
Opening dateOctober 21, 2008 (2008-10-21) (as Harbour Town)
2017 (as The District Docklands)
DeveloperAsheMorgan
OwnerAsheMorgan
No. of stores and services80
No. of anchor tenants4 (2 currently under construction)
Total retail floor area40,818 m2 (439,361 sq ft)
No. of floors2
Parking2,818 spaces
Websitewww.thedistrictdocklands.com.au

History

Harbour Town opened on 21 October 2008 and was owned by ING Real Estate. It was discount retail centre part of the Harbour Town concept. The Harbour Town featured a ferris wheel known as Southern Star which opened in 20 December 2008 but closed on 30 January 2009 due to structural defects. It reopened on 23 December 2013 and was rebranded as Melbourne Star.[2]

American retailer Costco opened its first Australian store at the centre on 17 August 2009.[3]

Since its opening in 2008, Harbour Town struggled to attract visitors and shoppers to the centre due to the close proximity of being located near two DFO outlets and located on the edge of the CBD.[4]

In December 2014, real estate investment and advisory group AsheMorgan purchased the centre from ING Real Estate.[5]

A $150 million facelift and rebranding was announced in August 2017. Swedish retail giant H&M signed on as the first retail anchor tenant and is joined by a number of other popular national youth fashion and lifestyle brands. These changes mark the establishment of Melbourne's latest shopping, entertainment and fresh food precinct. Construction of an eight-cinema Hoyts and an entertainment concept by Funlab was started in May 2017, opened in mid-2018.[6][7]

The fresh food marketplace called The District Market, anchored by Woolworths and complemented by a variety of international and local retailers, will form the final stage of the redevelopment, due for completion in mid-2019.[8]

The centre has already undergone an extensive aesthetic upgrade, including the installation of all-weather roofing.

Tenants

The District Docklands has 40,818 square metres (439,360 square feet) of floor space, comprising 80 stores over two levels serviced by 2,818 car spaces. The major retailers, which are located at either end of the centre, include Costco and H&M. Hoyts will also be an anchor tenant in centre which is set to open in mid-2018 and Woolworths will also be an anchor tenant set to open in mid-2019.

Transport

The District Docklands is the terminal stop for tram routes 35, 70 and 86, running along Docklands Drive to the south of the centre. Bus routes 220, 941 and 942 also serve the shopping centre, running along Footscray Road to the east.

The District Docklands also has a multi level car park with 2,818 spaces.[9]

References
  1. "The District Docklands Portfolio - Ashe Morgan". Ashe Morgan. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  2. "Revived wheel sends city into a spin". Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  3. Miletic, Daniella (18 August 2009). "Costco opens at Docklands". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  4. Lindsay, Nicole (18 November 2017). "Harbour Town is dead, long live the District". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  5. "Harbour Town Melbourne sold". Inside Retail. 17 December 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  6. "Melbourne centre gets $150m facelift, rebrand - Inside Retail". Inside Retail. 15 August 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  7. Singer, Melissa (15 August 2017). "Harbour Town to become District Docklands as battling retail area finds new face". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  8. "Hoyts, Woolworths to anchor revitalised Docklands mall". Financial Review. 23 May 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  9. Docklands, The District. "About us | The District Docklands". www.thedistrictdocklands.com.au. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
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