Westfield Eastgardens

infobox shopping mall
shopping_mall_name = Westfield Eastgardens

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image_width = 250
caption =
location =
opening_date =
owner= The Westfield Group
manager=
developer=
number_of_stores = 342 [ [http://www.westfield.com/eastgardens/ourstores/ Westfield ] ]
number_of_anchors = 5
floor_area =
parking =
floors=
website = [http://www.westfield.com/eastgardens/ westfield.com/eastgardens]
footnotes =

Westfield Shoppingtown Eastgardens is a shopping centre that is located in the suburb of Eastgardens in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The centre was the largest shopping centre in Australia when it opened in September 1987.cite web | title=parliament.nsw.gov.au | work=Save Orange Grove Bill | url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LC20040901033 | accessdate=20 November | accessyear=2006] The centre is owned by the Terrace Tower Group but operated and managed on a long term agreement by The Westfield Group.cite web | title=eastgardens.com.au | work=Eastgardens Shopping Centre | url=http://www.terracetower.com.au/ | accessdate=20 November | accessyear=2006] The Terrace Tower Group is a development company that owns several properties through Sydney and the Central Coast.cite web | title=terracetower.com.au | work=Terrace Tower Group | url=http://www.eastgardens.com.au/ | accessdate=20 November | accessyear=2006] The Westfield Group is the largest retail property group in the world and owns 121 shopping centres in four countries.cite web | title=westfield.com/corporate | work=Westfield Group | url=http://westfield.com/corporate/about/ | accessdate=19 November | accessyear=2006] The centre's major tenants include three supermarkets, a department store, three discount department stores and a cinema.

Major Stores
*Big W
*Coles
*Franklins
*Hoyts
*Kmart
*Myer
*Target
*Woolworths

History

Westfield Eastgardens is built on the site of a former General Motors Holden factory. The factory closed in 1982 and was soon followed by the nearby W. D. & H. O. Wills factory. The closure of these two sites would result in job losses of around 1000 people. In order to save jobs, the Government of New South Wales persuaded Westfield to develop the site. The Government rezoned the site and added crown land in order to convince Westfield. In July 1982 three other commercial landlords whose own trade would be affected by the new shopping centre made a challenge to the Land and Environment Court. Following this the Government passed legislation that disallowed an appeal to be made to the Land and Environment Court. Significant public debate followed about the right of the New South Wales Government to overrule the legal process.cite web | title=parliament.nsw.gov.au | work=Save Orange Grove Bill | url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LC20040901033 | accessdate=20 November | accessyear=2006]

The shopping centre was opened on September 23, 1987 and was the largest shopping centre in Australia for a short period until Chadstone Shopping Centre in Malvern East in Melbourne, Victoria was redeveloped. When the centre opened it had two supermarkets, a department store, two discount department stores, a cinema as well as 180 other retailers.cite web | title=westfield.com/corporate | work=Westfield Group | url=http://www.westfield.com/corporate/portfolio/au/eastgardens.html | accessdate=5 January | accessyear=2006] The centre was redeveloped in 2002. This added a new supermarket, discount department store and brought the total amount of retailers to 275 with parking for 3260 cars. When the redevelopment opened, Westfield Eastgardens was the only shopping centre in NSW to house three discount department stores, Kmart, Target and Big W.cite web | title=eps.net.au | work=Westfield on the move at Tuggerah, EastGardens | url=http://www.eps.net.au/onestop/story.asp?id=87 | accessdate=20 November | accessyear=2006]

Myer

David Jones Limited announced in May 2007 that it would not renew its lease for its Eastgardens store within the Westfield Eastgardens centre due to its proximity to the company's Westfield Bondi Junction and Elizabeth St./Market St. stores. Myer announced shortly after that it would take David Jones' space after an extensive refurbishment. The David Jones closed on September 23 2007 with the new Myer store opening on March 8th 2008. cite web | title=westfield.com | work=Myer to open at Westfield Eastgardens | url=http://westfield.com/corporate/newsroom/announcements/2007/2007516_22541.html | accessdate=13 June| accessyear=2007] David Jones Eastgardens closed on the 20th anniversary of it and Eastgardens' opening, the 23rd of September 1987.

Access

The centre has a major bus interchange serviced by Sydney Buses, a taxi rank, and also contains many car parking spots.

See also

List of shopping centres in Australia

References

External links

* [http://westfield.com/eastgardens/ Westfield Eastgardens]