Centre Place welcomes Farmers' move to mall

File photo / NZ Herald

Farmers is to anchor a $39.9 million redevelopment of Hamilton's Centre Place, the mall's owners announced yesterday.

Farmers will move from its present position on the corner of Collingwood and Alexandra Streets to a two-storey, 7000sq m store within the new complex, which includes the former Downtown Plaza mall opposite Centre Place.

The redevelopment is stage two of an upgrade which includes a new road layout outside the centre on Ward St, which will close between Worley Place and Anglesea St.

Worley Place would then be extended through to Garden Place so that traffic can still exit the one-way Ward St.

Closing part of Ward St will allow construction of a covered walkway between the two parts of the mall and the recently renovated food court to open out on to the street.

Hamilton Mayor Julie Hardaker said: "This is brilliant news, and Kiwi Income Property Trust proceeding with this significant investment fits in so well with our own initiatives for the central city.

"The council is committed to a number of projects aimed at bringing more life to Hamilton's central city and this redevelopment is a very important part of that."

The announcement follows the opening in September of a new dining lane bordering the rear of Centre Place in Bryce St.

The $3.5 million dining hotspot featured six cafes and restaurants and was part of a $10 million upgrade of the existing Centre Place, including its foodcourt.

The council is now focusing on making shopper parking more accessible by improving access into its Garden Place carpark via a signalled intersection on Anglesea St and removal of a traffic island on Bryce St.