Westfield Downtown

infobox shopping mall
shopping_mall_name = Westfield Downtown

---

image_width = 250
caption =
location = Auckland CBD
opening_date =
owner= Westfield Group
manager=
developer=
number_of_stores = 86 [ [http://www.westfield.com/downtown/ourstores/ Our stores] (from the Westfield Group website. Accessed 2008-01-21.)]
number_of_anchors = 3
floor_area = 12,417 sqm
parking = none
floors= 3
website = [http://www.westfield.com/downtown/ westfield.com/downtown]
footnotes =

Westfield Downtown is a smaller shopping centre with 12,417 m² gross lettable area in the Auckland CBD, Auckland City, New Zealand. It is situated at 11-19 Customs Street West between Lower Albert Street and the Britomart Transport Centre.

Shopping centre

The centre has approximately 80 stores on three floors, with the three major stores being The Warehouse, Warehouse Stationary and Postie Plus. [http://westfield.com/corporate/retailer/nz/downtown.html Westfield Downtown] (from the Westfield Group corporate homepage. Retrieved 2007-08-15.)] It is one of the few Westfield Group malls that does not provide a supermarket, but is also the only proper mall in the entire CBD area. It is also known for being covered almost completely by huge exterior billboards, which have repeatedly drawn the ire of Council officers. [" [http://www.bdcentral.co.nz/afa.asp?idWebPage=8338&idBobDeyProperty_Articles=5198&SID=1024127653 Councillors stand fast against more Downtown signage] " - "The Bob Dey Property Report", Tuesday 20 September 2005. Retrieved 2007-08-15.]

In 2005, the centre had retail sales of NZ$ 56.9 million, and 5.8 million customer visits per year. These are mostly CBD workers, tourists and the growing inner-city population. [" [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=318&objectid=10377723 Mega mall looms over retailers] " - "The New Zealand Herald", Monday 2006-04-16] However, the centre has been called Westfield's most underperforming shopping centre in New Zealand. Lying in the middle of a much more densely built up CBD and being considered underdeveloped with only three stories above ground, various other plans for the site have been mooted in recent years. The centre, valued at NZ$ 73.2 million (2007 data), could therefore potentially become the site for a new office tower or hotel, though no decisions have yet been taken. [" [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/3/story.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10432987&ref=rss Options for Downtown mall wide open] " - "The New Zealand Herald", Saturday 2007-04-07]

Planned skyscraper

In 2008, Westfield received approval via non-notified resource consent for a 41 storey office skyscraper (including a 2 level retail podium) at the site of the current centre. ["Public get no say on waterside skyscraper" - "The New Zealand Herald", Tuesday April 22, 2008, A1] The permission has come under fire, as it was granted without protection requirements for a future rail tunnel from Britomart Transport Centre, which would have to pass right under the building. [ [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10507960 Brian Rudman: Rubber-stamp for Westfield's 41-storey monstrosity beggars belief] (The New Zealand Herald. Monday 05 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-05.)]

References

External links

* [http://www.westfield.com/downtown/ Westfield Downtown Homepage]