City or Perth backs $240m St Martins Centre revamp
The redevelopment of St Martins Center has been recommended for approval after the City of Perth backed the $240 million bid.
The Metro Inner North Development Assessment Panel is scheduled to decide on St Martins Properties’ asset plan at 40-50 St Georges Terrace at a meeting next week.
The Kuwaiti government-owned St Martins Properties is proposing to develop three skyscrapers known as St Martins Center into a 240-room hotel with office and retail space.
In its report to the panel, the City of Perth recommended the application be approved subject to conditions, including a four-year period for substantial construction to commence.
“The proposed partial demolition and adaptive reuse of existing buildings on the site for new and refurbished office, hotel and amenities, dining and retail uses will contribute to the activation of the immediate surroundings, particularly St Georges Terrace and Hay Street Shopping Centre, at weekends and at night,” the report said. The statement was included.
St Martins Center is believed to be the Perth CBD’s largest estate, comprising three office towers at 40, 44 and 50 St Georges Terrace, the Hay Street shopping center and arcade overlooking heritage assets, the McNess Royal Arcade and the Bridal House.
Office towers have 13 storeys, 14 storeys and 34 storeys, the tallest of which is known as the St Martins tower.
“The adaptive reuse of existing buildings, including the McNess Royal Arcade and the Bridal House, will positively increase activity and amenity levels in the area and contribute to the built environment and positive sustainability benefits in the city, which includes a number of recently preserved, heritage-listed properties,” the city’s report says.
“The design is well thought out, of high quality and will contribute positively to the existing built form in the area.”
The Kuwaiti government put the asset on the market but a sale to Melbourne-based Quintessential Equity fell through in 2023.
Former St Martins Center anchor tenants who have recently relocated include Caliber, KordaMentha and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.
The proposed redevelopment of St Martins Center has been designed by architecture firm Woods Bagot and details were announced earlier this year.
