Carillon City

Carillon City
Carillon City from Hay Street
Map
LocationPerth, Western Australia
Coordinates31°57′13″S 115°51′32″E / 31.953538°S 115.85881°E / -31.953538; 115.85881 (Carillon City)
Opening date
  • 1970 (City Arcade)
  • 1982 (Carillon Arcade)
Closing date1 November 2021
OwnerTattarang
No. of stores and services0 (Previously 144)
No. of anchor tenants0
Total retail floor area11,670 m2 (125,600 sq ft) (Excludes Office Tower), 16,451 m2 (177,080 sq ft) (Includes Office Tower)
No. of floors5
Parking0
Websitewww.carilloncity.com.au

Carillon City was a major Australian shopping centre, located in Perth. It is located in the middle of the Perth main retail precinct between the Hay and Murray Street malls, at the southern end of Forrest Place. It is linked to St Georges Terrace by way of access through Trinity Arcade and an arcade under Hay Street Mall. Walkways and a pedestrian overpass connects the Cultural Centre, public carparks, the rail and bus terminal with Carillon City. As of September 2021 the centre is undergoing redevelopment, involving demolition of the existing centre.

History

Originally the centre was two individual arcades known as City Arcade and Carillon City. The then City Arcade was constructed in 1970 and refurbished in 1980. Carillon Arcade was opened in 1982.

Some of the original tenants were Miss Maud, Four Seasons and Sasellas Tavern, all of whom have remained at the same locations throughout all the changes undertaken to the centre.

Sometime in 1998, City Arcade was purchased by the Hawaiian Property Group and Multiplex Property Trust, and merged into what is now known as Carillon City. On the eastern side of the property resides a fourteen-story office block.

In 2016, property group Dexus bought the centre for $140 million at a yield of 5.47% for its Dexus Wholesale Property Fund.[1]

On 29 April 2022, it was announced that Tattarang bought the centre.[2]

Redevelopments

As part of the merger of the two arcades in 1998, extensive refurbishment works were undertaken to increase the aesthetic appeal of the new combined arcades.

In December 2013, the western end of the Carillon City site was demolished to make way for a new Topshop Topman store, which opened in October 2014. The store had a floor space of 2,200 square metres (24,000 sq ft), the same size as the largest Topshop Topman store in Australia at the time which was located in Brisbane. The store closed in July 2017, less than three years after opening amidst financial difficulties for the company in Australia.[3] A Cotton On outlet currently occupies the space as of 2019.

In 2019 Dexus proposed a new redevelopment that would include a Hoyts cinema, a 24-storey mixed-use tower, and a 17-storey office and education building above the existing structure.[4] On 1 November 2021, the centre closed for redevelopment except for a few stores located on the exterior of the centre.

On 29 April 2022, it was announced that Tattarang will transform Carillon City into a world-class retail and experiential precinct.[5]

Cultural events

In 2024 Carillon City hosted art installations for multiple cultural festivals. This included being turned into a wetland for Perth Festival,[6] and an extended multi-artist visual art installation for Strange Festival.[7][8]

Architectural features

The centre gets its name from the Carillon Bells, a group of 35 bells launched in 1983 which play melodic sounds. Carillon City's carillon is one of only four carillons in Australia.[9]

On the south-western side of the complex is a three-storey glass atrium with a two-storey glass spiral staircase between the first and second storeys.

Facilities

The fifth floor of the complex includes the Perth Tourists Lounge, targeted primarily at overseas visitors particularly from Asian destinations to relax while visiting and shopping within the city areas.

Transport

As the centre connects with two major pedestrian malls there is no direct transport to the location. However, the area is well serviced by bus links along St Georges Terrace, as well as services from the Perth Busport and the Elizabeth Quay Bus Station. Rail services are available from the nearby Perth railway station.

References

  1. ^ Devlin, Peter (21 September 2021). "Carillon City retailers in Perth's CBD given six weeks to vacate as redevelopment plans stall". PerthNow. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  2. ^ Forrests buy Carillon City in 'game changer' for Perth CBD
  3. ^ Perth Topshop shuts doors 3 years after grand opening
  4. ^ Carillon City re-vamp plans to revitalise CBD
  5. ^ Tattarang to transform Carillon City into world-class retail and experiential precinct
  6. ^ Brennan, Rosamund (22 February 2024). "'Nature will have her way': how a desolate Perth shopping mall has been transformed into a sprawling wetland". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Strange 2024 Programme" (PDF). Strange Festival. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  8. ^ Sadler, Claire (13 June 2024). "Unusual immersive and interactive art coming to Perth for Strange Festival". Perth Now. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  9. ^ "The Carillon City Bells Toll for Perth!". Carillon City. 23 May 2013. Archived from the original on 20 June 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.