Harbour Town Melbourne announced it will get a $150 million facelift and will be rebranded The District Docklands in coming months, with the name change accompanied by signing its first anchor tenant.
Swedish retail giant H&M has signed on as the first retail anchor tenant and will be joined by New Zealand brand Canterbury, and Japanese-Chinese variety store Miniso.
The revitalised centre will feature a number of popular national youth fashion and lifestyle brands including General Pants Co., Hype DC, Sunglass Hut, Platypus and a flagship store for SportsPower which complement a range of existing retailers including Cotton On Mega, Forever New, Bonds and Politix.
The rebrand of Harbour Town Melbourne marks the next phase of the centre’s $150 million redevelopment, and the establishment of Melbourne’s latest shopping, entertainment, dining and fresh food precinct which will open later this year.
Acquired by Sydney private real estate investment and advisory group AsheMorgan in 2014, The District Docklands will become a connected extension of the Melbourne CBD.
Construction of an eight-cinema Hoyts and an entertainment concept by Funlab has started in May, while a dining precinct is set to open in mid-2018.
The fresh food marketplace called The District Market, anchored by Woolworths and complemented by a variety of international and local retailers, will form the final stage of the redevelopment.
The centre has already undergone an extensive aesthetic upgrade, including the installation of all-weather roofing.
Alton Abrahams, AsheMorgan principal, says The District Docklands draws inspiration from Melbourne’s iconic laneways and hopes it will become a connected extension of the CBD, while embracing a distinctly Docklands vibe.
“We recognise that the creation of a welcoming, comfortable and appealing environment for our customers will be critical to the success of The District Docklands going forward,” he said.
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