WestCity shopping centre in Auckland is being rebranded as WestCity Waitakere under new ownership and management.
The sale of the regional shopping centre in Henderson was announced in February and the transaction settled on Monday.
WestCity Waitakere is a 36,108sq m regional shopping centre anchored by Countdown, Farmers, The Warehouse and Event Cinemas, as well as a range of local retail offerings. The 5ha site offers 1,492 car parks.
Colliers International has been appointed by the new owners, family-owned Australian property business Angaet Group, to manage the centre.
Previously a Westfield shopping centre, it will now be known as WestCity Waitakere.
“We commissioned external research that confirmed the centre not only services Henderson, but also the wider Waitakere catchment – an area that is both substantial and very diverse,” said Richard James, Colliers International Real Estate Management national director.
“The new branding embraces WestCity Waitakere’s connection to the natural surroundings and the community it services.”
James says Colliers International has engaged an external creative agency to help with the rebranding. “Visible changes will be rolled out from today, starting with some of the key signage in highly visible areas,” he said on Monday.
“It’s rather a large task, and we envisage we’ll have all rebranding completed within two to three months.
“WestCity Waitakere has been an iconic shopping destination for the West Auckland community for more than 40 years, and we see huge opportunities ahead.
“The research we commissioned has given us good insights into customers’ wants and needs. We are now undertaking a full strategic review of the asset to see how we can attract greater sales activity.”
Angaet Group’s portfolio of assets, which includes 25 other shopping centres around Australia, is owned entirely by the DiMauro family, under the leadership of Nick DiMauro and his son Michael.
Nick DiMauro says WestCity is a vibrant shopping centre, and he is committed to ensuring continuity for WestCity’s retailers and the community.
“We’ve been working hard with Colliers International behind the scenes to ensure we provide the best possible shopping experience for the residents of Waitakere,” he said.