Hurstville Central

Hurstville Central is a neighbourhood shopping centre located above Hurstville railway station in Hurstville, in Sydney's St George area. The centre combines retail space with a major public-transport interchange, making it part of the everyday commercial infrastructure of southern Sydney rather than a destination mall serving a national or international market. Its tenant mix includes a Coles supermarket and approximately 39 speciality stores, while its transport connections extend to the Sydney CBD, the Inner West, the St George area, the Sutherland Shire and nearby suburbs. The centre developed from a mid-twentieth-century proposal to place shops above Hurstville railway station. In 1956, a cake-shop proprietor who operated at Wynyard station submitted an application to Hurstville Council after being influenced by the commercial development above the railway line at Wynyard. The proposal initially envisaged a substantial multi-storey complex and was associated with the name Bowes Super Centre. Construction began in 1957 but was interrupted, and the project was subsequently reorganised as Hurstville Super Centre. Planning and approval issues, including objections involving local and federal representatives, delayed completion. The first stage opened on 13 September 1965, with the opening performed by New South Wales Premier Robert Askin. Contemporary plans promised more than the initial retail area and rooftop parking, including additional parking, a higher-level prestige shopping area, offices and residential apartments. Those later stages were not completed, leaving the centre substantially in the form of its first stage. The centre nevertheless occupied a strategically important location directly over a railway station and beside local bus routes. Competition intensified after the growth of other major shopping facilities in the region. The opening of Westfield Hurstville in 1987, together with the expansion and ownership changes affecting other regional centres, contributed to a gradual decline in Hurstville Super Centre's retail performance. During the 1990s, stores departed and vacancies increased; the former Coles space was occupied by Franklins for a period before that supermarket also closed. By the mid-2000s, the centre was described as substantially under-occupied and physically deteriorated. Ownership changed several times, with the Cerno Group identified in historical accounts as an owner during this period. A major redevelopment costing approximately $15 million began in 2007. The works rebuilt the interior, restored a Coles supermarket presence and upgraded the concourse while adding new stores. Completion in 2008 was accompanied by the adoption of the Hurstville Central name. The centre's current role remains that of a compact, transit-oriented retail facility serving local residents, commuters and visitors using Hurstville station. It has an open-air rooftop car park with 231 spaces and is supported by frequent rail services on the Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line, as well as bus services operating from nearby Ormonde Parade and Forest Road. Proposals for residential towers above the station and centre have previously been considered but were shelved over concerns about the capacity and integrity of overhead structures in a derailment scenario.

Hurstville railway station opened in 1884 as the terminus of the Illawarra line from Redfern. The idea of building retail premises above the station emerged in 1956, when a Wynyard railway-station cake-shop proprietor applied to develop a multi-storey shopping centre inspired by the shops above Wynyard's railway line. The proposal initially carried the name Bowes Super Centre. Construction commenced in 1957 but stopped during a period of redesign and delay, including the competitive impact of the opening of Top Ryde Shopping Centre. By the early 1960s, the project had become known as Hurstville Super Centre. Its projected completion date moved to the end of 1962, but objections and approval issues delayed the opening. The first stage eventually opened on 13 September 1965, when New South Wales Premier Robert Askin officially opened the centre. Around 8,000 people were reported to have attended the opening. The original development concept included a larger scheme with more parking, an upper prestige-shopping level, offices and six levels of apartments. Those additions were never completed, so the centre remained largely limited to its initial stage. The centre faced stronger competition from nearby regional shopping developments over the following decades. The opening of Westfield Hurstville in 1987 was particularly significant, and the centre entered a gradual period of decline. During the 1990s, stores closed and vacancies became increasingly visible. Franklins occupied a former Coles supermarket location for a time, but later closed as well. By the middle of the 2000s, the centre was reported to have extensive vacant areas and a deteriorating physical environment. Ownership changed several times, and historical accounts identify Cerno Group as an owner during this phase. A substantial refurbishment and redevelopment began in 2007 at a reported cost of $15 million. The interior was rebuilt, a Coles supermarket was included, and the concourse was upgraded to support a renewed speciality-store offer. The project was completed in 2008, when the centre was renamed Hurstville Central. The renewed centre retained its core advantage: direct integration with Hurstville station and convenient access to surrounding bus routes. Hurstville Central is served by frequent trains on the Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line. Bus services connect the centre and station precinct with central Sydney, the Inner West, St George, the Sutherland Shire and nearby suburbs, with many services operating along Ormonde Parade and Forest Road. The centre also provides an open-air rooftop car park with 231 spaces. Proposals for residential towers above the station and shopping centre have been considered but were shelved because of concerns about the integrity of overhead supports in a derailment event. The centre's present identity is therefore based on local convenience, supermarket shopping, speciality retail and transport accessibility rather than large-scale regional-mall expansion.

• 2008

  Centre renamed Hurstville Central

  [1]Hurstville Centralen.wikipedia.org

  The redevelopment was completed and the refurbished shopping centre adopted the Hurstville Central name.

• 2007

  Redevelopment begins

  [1]Hurstville Centralen.wikipedia.org

  A major refurbishment and redevelopment commenced, with the project described as costing approximately $15 million.

• 1987

  Westfield Hurstville opens nearby

  [1]Hurstville Centralen.wikipedia.org

  The opening of Westfield Hurstville increased competitive pressure on Hurstville Super Centre and contributed to its subsequent decline.

• 1965

  First stage opens as Hurstville Super Centre

  [1]Hurstville Centralen.wikipedia.org

  The first stage officially opened on 13 September 1965, with New South Wales Premier Robert Askin performing the opening ceremony.

• 1957

  Construction begins and is interrupted

  [1]Hurstville Centralen.wikipedia.org

  Construction began on the proposed Bowes Super Centre, but the project was halted and later redesigned under the Hurstville Super Centre name.

• 1956

  Proposal for a shopping centre above the station

  [1]Hurstville Centralen.wikipedia.org

  A Wynyard railway-station cake-shop proprietor applied to develop a multi-storey shopping centre above Hurstville station, drawing inspiration from the commercial space above Wynyard's railway line.

• 1884

  Hurstville railway station opens

  [1]Hurstville Centralen.wikipedia.org

  Hurstville station opened as the terminus of the Illawarra railway line from Redfern, establishing the transport setting in which the later shopping centre would be built.

A local, transit-oriented shopping centre serving Hurstville and the wider St George community, combining supermarket-led convenience retail with speciality stores above a major railway station.

• Supermarket · 2008

  Coles

  The centre's supermarket anchor provides everyday grocery shopping and is a central part of its convenience-oriented retail offer. Coles was included as part of the 2007–2008 redevelopment, restoring a major supermarket presence after earlier changes in supermarket occupancy.

• Retail and services · 1965

  Speciality stores

  Hurstville Central contains approximately 39 speciality stores. The available reference material identifies the category broadly rather than listing individual tenants, so the speciality offer is best understood as a local mix of convenience retail, food and services supporting the supermarket and station-linked trade.

• Shopping-centre facilities · 1965

  Transport-integrated retail concourse

  The retail concourse is built directly above Hurstville railway station. Its location gives the centre a functional role for commuters and local residents, with access to frequent rail services and nearby bus connections in addition to conventional shopping access.

• 2007

  Comprehensive refurbishment and repositioningStrategy

  Background

  After years of declining occupancy, competition from larger nearby centres and deterioration of the existing structure, the centre required a substantial renewal rather than a minor cosmetic update.

  Action taken

  The interior was rebuilt, the concourse was upgraded, new stores were introduced and a Coles supermarket was incorporated into the renewed centre.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment was completed in 2008 and accompanied by the change from Hurstville Super Centre to Hurstville Central. The reported project cost was approximately $15 million.

  Redevelopment cost. $15 million (2007–2008)

  Source

• Residential tower proposals shelvedStrategy

  Background

  Plans were considered for residential towers above the railway station and shopping centre, extending the original concept of a larger mixed-use development.

  Action taken

  The proposals were shelved because of concerns about the integrity of overhead supports in the event of a train derailment.

  Aftermath

  Hurstville Central remained focused on its existing retail and transport-integrated format rather than adding the proposed residential towers.

  Source

1. 1Hurstville Centralen.wikipedia.org