It's the Pitts
Now
Pitt Street is supposedly the largest and most expensive retail strip in Australia and seventh most expensive in the world. But with its vast tracts of ageing buildings, rundown stores and dark, empty alleys, it sure doesn’t look it.
Future
The Pitt Street Mall – the area between King Street to the north, Market Street to the west and Castlereagh Street on the eastern side – is undergoing an ambitious and much needed $600 billion facelift in mid-2008. The projected three year construction will combine and redevelop the Westfield Centrepoint, Sydney Centre Plaza, Imperial Arcade and Skygarden, rolling them all into one retail destination, with high-end local and international retailers.
The redevelopment harbours big ambitions: futurist designs to demonstrate an Australian environmentally sustainable design. Measures regarding water, waste management and energy have been taken in order to reduce the mall’s environmental impact – during and after construction. A rooftop garden is also planned. John Wardle Architects won a design competition held by the City of Sydney and will design the megaplex. The completed shopping centre will include a new six-storey retail area, and a 27-storey office tower above it. The improved retail area will add 7,100 square metres to the total of 38,000 square metres, as well as approximately 50 more retailers making a total of around 300. The redevelopment also focuses on pedestrian satisfaction, as all truck and delivery vehicles will be removed in the Pitt Street area, as Westfield wants to build a maze of underground delivery routes and tunnels to connect all the buildings.