Tooronga Village Shopping Centre

infobox shopping mall
shopping_mall_name = Tooronga Village


image_width = 200
caption = Tooronga Village former entry sign
location = Glen Iris, Victoria, Australia
number_of_stores = 12 (former centre); about 28 (when reopened)

Tooronga Village was a local shopping centre in the suburb of Glen Iris, Victoria in the municipality of Boroondara.

The centre temporarily closed on 14 March 2008 for redevelopment by Stockland, as part of a $550m residential, office and retail development across the shopping centre and the adjacent former brickworks site. [cite web|title=Tooronga Village shopping hub to shut|publisher=Progress Leader|date=26 February 2008|accessdate=2008-03-03|url=http://www.progressleader.com.au/article/2008/02/26/29947_ppv_news.html] [cite press release|title=Stockland lodges planning application for first stages of Tooronga Village|date=9 May 2007| publisher=Stockland| url=http://www.stockland.com.au/NR/rdonlyres/99A88DD3-1B87-4E57-93CC-D2E281420F50/0/Toorongarelease_FINAL.pdf] The redeveloped shopping centre is expected to have 26 shops in addition to anchor tenants Coles Supermarkets and 1st Choice Liquor Superstorecite web|publisher=Melbourne Herald-Sun|date=2008-06-07|title=Tooronga rebuild starts|accessdate=2008-10-05|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23809828-5013931,00.html] and is planned to re-open in 2010.

Background

The shopping centre dated back to the 1960's but there was little development of the centre since the 1970's. In December 1985, developers Hudson Conway paid $1.25m for the adjacent former brickworks, despite a proposed open-space order on the site approved by the former Hawthorn Council ten years prior. Hudson Conway proposed extending the shopping centre into the brickworks site, substantially expanding the centre and including a discount department store. By 1990, Hudson Conway had varied its proposal several times to include potential combinations of a commercial centre, offices and hotel blocks. The proposals met with substantial local opposition led by the Tooronga Action Group [cite web|url=http://www.toorongaactiongroup.org.au|title=Tooronga Action Group|accessdate=2007-06-28] , and anti-development candidates were voted into Hawthorn Council. In 1991 a site-specific development zone was designated for the site, which allowed for more modest development comprising an office complex on the existing shopping centre site, and retail space on the former brickworks site. [cite book|author=V.Peel, D.Zion, J.Yule|title=A History of Hawthorn|publisher=Melbourne University Press|year=1993]

Hudson Conway failed to develop the site, and sold its half of the shopping centre site to Coles Myer in 1995. Pacific Shopping Centres subsequently sold its 50% share to Coles Myer in 1997. In 2000, Coles Myer, which had opened its head office on land immediately adjacent in 1986, had plans for a major retail and entertainment development of the precinct but never proceeded with them. [cite news |title=Coles has red-hot expansion plans|publisher=Australian Financial Review|author=Karina Barrymore|page=30|date=31 Jan 2000] Finally, developers Stockland agreed in 2004 to purchase the site from Coles Myer (subject to planning approval) for $30m [cite web|publisher=The Age, Melbourne|date=2008-08-13|accessdate=2008-08-13|title=Summerhill competition on the line|url=http://www.businessday.com.au/business/summerhill-competition-on-the-line-20080812-3u7c.html] and proceeded with plans for a mixed use development, comprising residential, retail and office use. The Victorian State Government upset local residents by taking planning control away from Boroondara Council and approving the project. [cite news |title=Tooronga zoning new battle for Boroondara|publisher=The Age|date=2006-06-14| url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/tooronga-zoning-new-battle-for-boroondara/2006/01/13/1137118970304.html] [cite press release|title=Council calls urgent Ministerial meeting over Tooronga|date=1 Nov 2006| publisher=City of Boroondara| url=http://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/council/media_rel/releases/nov/meeting] .

In addition to a redeveloped shopping centre of 8,000 sq.m., the overall development in five stages over five to seven years will have 600 townhouses and apartments plus office space (4,000 sq.m.). It will also provide some parking for the adjacent Coles head office.

Former tenants

*Coles Supermarkets
*1st Choice Liquor Superstore
*Fernwood women's fitness centre
*National Australia Bank branch
*Baker's Delight
*Kingdom Chinese restaurant
*Newsagent, Amcal pharmacy, Women's Golf shop, Pete's Gourmet Take-Away, Optometrist

Notes