Owned and managed by the GPT Group, Wollongong Central is the premium Shopping Centre in NSW’s Illawarra South Coast region. The Centre forms the hub of Wollongong’s CBD. The recent $200m redevelopment opened early October 2014. The upgrade saw the addition of two new majors, Target and Coles, and 83 new retail specialties tenancies.

A defining element, representative of many intended retail ‘lifestyle’ precincts, is the new ‘Eat Street’ on Kiera Street. Encompassing some of the premium contemporary food purveyors, including Max Brenner, Guzman Y Gomez and Coco Cubano, the precinct provides a unique meeting place for the community in a true cosmopolitan environment.

Compass Project Management was engaged by GPT to provide strategic project management advice for the delivery of their $200m, Wollongong Central West, Kiera St development. The 18,000sqm expansion comprises 3 levels of retail, 3 levels of car parking and connections into the existing centre.

Compass Retail Delivery was also engaged by GPT to deliver all 83 tenancies. An incredibly restrictive site with closed major streets and thoroughfares, truncated base building delivery programme saw the Compass Retail Delivery team being required to manage far more of the actual site mobilization, materials access and site safety than would normally be the case in a traditional Project Delivery, hence ensuring this projects success.

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