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Top Ryde City
Top Ryde City logo
View of Top Ryde City from Devlin Street
Map
LocationRyde, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates33°48′44″S 151°06′22″E / 33.812182°S 151.1060215°E / -33.812182; 151.1060215
AddressCnr Devlin Street &, Blaxland Road
Opened11 November 1957 (original)
20 August 2010 (current)
OwnerBlackstone
Stores276
Floor area78,125 m2 (840,931 sq ft)
Floors6
Parking6,150
Websitewww.toprydecity.com.au

Top Ryde City, previously known as Top Ryde Shopping Centre, is a large shopping centre in Ryde, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. It is owned by Blackstone.

History

[edit]
La Strada section of Top Ryde City
The original Top Ryde Shopping Centre in 2006

20th Century

[edit]

The original Top Ryde Shopping Centre was opened on the current 3.5 hectare site on 14 November 1957 by the Premier of New South Wales Joe Cahill.[1] It was the first post-war major open-air shopping centre built in New South Wales[citation needed] and the second post war and open-air mall-type complex built in Australia after Chermside Drive-In Shopping Centre in Brisbane.[citation needed]

The centre was the dream of Peter Benjamin from the retailing family who opened A.J. Benjamin's in the suburb of Chatswood.[citation needed] Benjamin had travelled to the United States in 1953 where he visited about 20 shopping centres in the new American style and met up with friend Peter Yeoman who was completing postgraduate studies in Detroit on the subject of American shopping centres. Together they devised a design for such a shopping centre in Sydney. Yeoman came up with the idea of the apricot brick and the windowless building with vertical divisions, while Benjamin sketched the layout for retailing.[citation needed]

Top Ryde was anchored by Sydney-based A.J. Benjamin & Co department store, Franklins supermarket, a chain variety store and 45 other shops grouped around a pedestrian mall, with 400 parking spaces. The centre feature modern sculpture centre which was a focal point designed by artist Gordon Andrews, a personal friend of Peter Yeoman. Top Ryde was established with the motto "come as you are...shop in comfort" offering a new experience for the shopper who until this time would have needed to travel to Sydney or Parramatta to gain access to a major department store and such a wide range of variety shopping.[2]

In 1962, Top Ryde was sold to Lendlease who undertook expansion of the centre.[citation needed] Woolworths was opened in 1963 in addition to the expansion of the centre which also included a variety store, several speciality shops and another 200 car parking spaces. The A.J. Benjamin store closed and was taken over by Grace Bros in 1964. As regional shopping centres became the focus of community activities and associated recreational activities a Ten Pin Bowling Alley opened in the 1970s known as BowlAustralia's WondABowl- Top Ryde.[citation needed]

In 1981 the GPT Group acquired ownership of Top Ryde Shopping Centre from Lendlease.[3]

In 1985 Grace Bros closed its store after 21 years of trade.

Top Ryde Shopping Centre underwent $9 million refurbishment in 1986 and changed its name to Top Ryde Shopping Square. A new multi-storey carpark was constructed, new tiling and lighting added, travelators linking the lower concourse and the roofing of the mall area. The lower concourse featured a new food mall with 17 speciality stores. Venture then moved into the space vacated by Grace Bros.[4]

In February 1989 Grosvenor International Australia purchased Top Ryde Shopping Centre for $42.5 million from GPT Group.[5]

Top Ryde Shopping Centre was listed for sale by Grosvenor International Australia with an expectation of $53 million in September 1995.[6]

21st Century

[edit]

Top Ryde Shopping Centre was listed for sale in early 2000.[7] In October 2000 Bevillesta Group purchased Top Ryde Shopping Centre for $57 million from Grosvenor International Australia after two months of negotiations on the sale. Bevillesta Group intended to develop a major expansion on the centre and add discount department stores, cinemas and potentially a residential tower above the centre.[8]

With the opening of Macquarie Centre in 1981 and the continual growth of nearby centres such as Westfield Hornsby, Westfield Parramatta, Birkenhead Point Outlet Centre and most recently the opening Rhodes Shopping Centre in 2004 had severely affected the retail trade of Top Ryde.[9][10]

The ageing Top Ryde Shopping Centre had 20,449m² of retail space, a three-level office building and parking for more than 1,000 cars on a site area of 3.2 hectares. Towards the end of the centre's life, it was almost a dead mall featuring Woolworths, Franklins, along with three mini-majors such as BowlAustralia's WondABowl ten-pin bowling centre, Double Bay Clothing Warehouse, Go-Lo Discounts and 84 specialty stores which were predominantly banks and service stores.[11] The centre was situated over 2 floors. The lower level had direct access to the bottom carpark level and featured Woolworths and a small food court. It was connected to the upper level via a travelator. The upper level contained Franklins and access to Blaxland Road and Devlin Street, as well as access to bus services.[citation needed]

A development application was lodged in 2006 by Bevillesta Property Limited to demolish the shopping centre and build a mixed-use development on the site.[12]

In July 2007, the centre was demolished and construction began on $1.2 billion redevelopment of the site. Lend Lease design and Krikis Tayler were the architects for the new shopping centre. Plans for the new centre was to contain a "self-contained village" with shops, community facilities, offices and apartments on a 33,000m² site. The centrepiece of the new centre would be a 200 metre central street known as La Strada which would lead into a 2000m² plaza. An outdoor dining, library, gym, retail and business facilities would be grouped around that plaza.[13]

Bovis Lend Lease was responsible for the project management, design and construction of the new shopping centre after being awarded the $470 million contract in September 2007. Demolition works on the old centre were completed in February 2008 with construction works on the new centre commenced in April 2008.[14] The first concrete slab was poured in July 2008.[15]

Big W store in Top Ryde City

Stage one of the redevelopment opened on 5 November 2009 with the opening of 120 stores below ground on lower ground levels 1 and 2 on the Tucker Street side of the development. The lower ground 1 level included the opening of Big W, Dick Smith, JB Hi-Fi, 14 specialty stores and 17 food outlets in the food court. Woolworths, Dan Murphy's, Golden Banana and 10 specialty stores opened on the lower ground level 2.[16]

The corner of Devlin and Pope Street side of the development was completed in early 2010 with the ground level area completed and paving underway and the formation of levels 3 and 4.

Stage two of the redevelopment opened on 20 February 2010 with the opening of five specialty stores on lower ground level 1 and the opening of Aldi, Franklins and around 10 specialty stores on the lower ground level 2. On 16 March 2010, the ground level and the first section of La Strada (fashion precinct) were completed and included the opening of Rebel Sport, Australia Post and around 13 specialty stores.[17][18]

Stage three of the redevelopment opened on 4 August 2010 with the opening of an additional 150 specialty stores and two more levels of retail which included the two level Myer department store on the ground level and level 1, Freedom Furniture on level 1, the completion of the La Strada fashion precinct and the opening of the first four restaurants in La Piazza.[19]

Top Ryde City had its official opening on 20 August 2010 which was presided over by Prime Minister Julia Gillard.[20]

On 16 December 2010, the eight screen Event Cinemas complex which features a 25 metre VMAX screen opened on level 1 just in time for the Tron Legacy film.[21]

The final works which included a childcare centre, medical centre, Gymnasium, The new Ryde Library and The Ryde Planning and Business Centre all opened in February 2011.[22][23] There were plans for Strike Bowling to open February 2011, but the plans were cancelled and the bowling alley never opened.

The southern pedestrian overpass opened in December 2009 and the northern pedestrian overpass was opened in August 2010.

The development of the project encountered a number of problems, including issues of worker safety in the surrounding roads[24] and a near fatal workplace accident.[25] In addition to this, the local Chamber of Commerce raised some concerns with the project managers about the movement of trucks near the site, although these seem to have been dealt with by the project managers with the termination of contracts with trucking companies.[26]

The original owners of Top Ryde City entered administration in 2011 with McGrathNicol appointed administrator.[27] Top Ryde was sold to Blackstone in November 2012.[28][29]

A development application was lodged in November 2013 to convert three retail tenancies on level 1 to restaurants and construction of outdoor balcony and awning facing the La Piazza, the addition of a new entrance to the centre from La Strada and the addition of a travelator across La Strada linking level 1A mezzanine car park with level 1 of the centre. On lower ground 2, a development application was lodged to reconfigure the layout the southwestern end of that level to accommodate a 5,104m² major tenant. The reconfiguration would involve the replacement of the Supa IGA, Pharmacy 4 Less, The Reject Shop and three smaller tenancies. The shopfront of the major tenant would extend into the mall area and involve the removal of several kiosks.[30]

In 2014 property developer Crown Group Holdings completed the final apartments in its 653-apartment development, Top Ryde City Living. The seven-tower residential complex is home to more than 600 residents and positioned above Top Ryde City Shopping Centre with views to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Blue Mountains and North Shore.[31][32]

The development was awarded the NSW President's award in 2014 by the Urban Development Institute of Australia.[33]

Recent development

[edit]
La Piazza section of Top Ryde City

On 5 May 2015, Myer announced that it will close its store in Top Ryde City after four years due to poor sales with many customers increasingly shopping at other Myer stores such as Parramatta, Chatswood, Macquarie Centre and Sydney. Myer closed its store in late July 2015 and as part of the $40 million redevelopment of the centre, the space was to be handed over to Coles and a mini-major such as H&M, Zara or Uniqlo.[34][35][36][37][38]

Predevelopment work began in mid 2015 with the relocation and closure of stores on the lower ground level 2 around the former Supa IGA supermarket and the closure and relocation of stores including Freedom Furniture on the former Myer level 1 and ground level.[39][40][41] Works for both Kmart and Coles commenced in October 2015.[42]

On 16 June 2016, a full line Kmart discount department store opened on lower ground level 2. The 5,500m² store occupied the former Supa IGA and 12 specialty stores.[43][44] At the same time Woolworths opened its refurbished store with great fanfare by giving away $25 gift vouchers and 'goodie' bags to the first 200 customers.[45]

On 9 November 2016, the official opening on level 1 occurred with the opening of a full line Coles supermarket and adjoining Liquorland store on the former Myer level 1 and Freedom Furniture space, a new fresh food precinct, Rashays casual dining restaurant, The Reject Shop and around 25 new specialty stores.[46][47][48][49]

The final works of the $40 million development concluded on 22 July 2017 with the opening of Harris Scarfe which opened its first full line Sydney store on the of the former Myer ground floor space.[50][51]

On 17 August 2017, TK Maxx opened its store on the ground level next to Harris Scarfe.[52]

In December 2019, Harris Scarfe entered voluntary administration .[53] The store at Top Ryde City had permanently closed amongst the 20 other stores in February 2020.[54][55] This store was temporarily replaced by Supreme Furniture which opened on 1 August 2020 and closed at the end of 2020.

On 5 November 2021, The Entertainment and Education Group (TEEG) opened its first dual-branded Timezone and Zone Bowling opened on the former space of Harris Scarfe. The 3000m² venue features 140 arcade games, 12 bowling lanes, a laser tag arena accommodating up to 24 players, a seven-car Spin Zone Bumper Car arena, a Winners Vault prize selection area and three multi-purpose party rooms accommodating up to 90 people to celebrate birthdays or corporate gatherings.[56][57][58][59]

Tenants

[edit]

Top Ryde City has 78,125m² of floor space.[60] The major retailers include Big W, Kmart, Aldi, Coles, Woolworths, TK Maxx, JB Hi-Fi, Rebel, Fitness First, Timezone & Zone Bowling and Event Cinemas.[61]

Transport

[edit]

Top Ryde has bus connections to the Sydney CBD, North Shore and Northern Suburbs, as well as local surrounding suburbs operated by Busways. The majority of bus services depart from Devlin Road in front of the shopping centre's main entrance and Blaxland Road. There is no railway station at Ryde, the nearest stations are located at Meadowbank and West Ryde.

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "Top Ryde Shopping Centre : 40 years 1957-1997". 23 September 1997. Retrieved 23 September 2017 – via Trove.
  2. ↑ "THE SHOPPING MALL MUSEUM". Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  3. ↑ Corrigan, Majella (19 October 1988). "GPT PUTS TOP RYDE CENTRE UP FOR SALE". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 22 January 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  4. ↑ "Top Ryde City | The Dictionary of Sydney". Dictionaryofsydney.org. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  5. ↑ McKAY, BEVERLEY (22 February 1989). "GROSVENOR EXTENDS MAJOR SHOPPING CENTRE HOLDINGS". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
  6. ↑ House, Kathryn (26 September 1995). "Grosvenor hopes for $53m for centre". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
  7. ↑ House, Kathryn (8 August 2000). "Private investor in $60m shopping centre deal". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
  8. ↑ House, Kathryn (19 October 2000). "Beville buys $57m centre". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
  9. ↑ "History of Top Ryde City". City of Ryde. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  10. ↑ "Official Faces of Top Ryde City". University of Technology, Sydney. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  11. ↑ House, Kathryn (12 February 2001). "Beville plans `lifestyle' upgrade for ageing Top Ryde". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
  12. ↑ "Redevelopment 2006". www.ryde.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  13. ↑ Perinotto, Tina (22 May 2007). "Croatian-style makeover for centre". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  14. ↑ "Development & Construction Update". www.toprydecity.com.au. 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  15. ↑ "Construction start on Top Ryde City". Green Street News. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  16. ↑ "TOPic RYDE Newsletter Summer Edition Issue #4 - 2009" (PDF). www.toprydecity.com.au. 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  17. ↑ "TOPic RYDE Autumn Issue #5 - 2010" (PDF). www.toprydecity.com.au/. 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  18. ↑ "New development makes Ryde a 'top city'". www.systemaire.com.au. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  19. ↑ "TOPic RYDE Winter Edition Issue # 6 - 2010" (PDF). www.toprydecity.com.au/. 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  20. ↑ "Revitalisation of Top Ryde City". Archived from the original on 27 March 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  21. ↑ Team, The IF (16 December 2010). "New Event Cinemas complex opens in Ryde today". IF Magazine. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  22. ↑ "February 2011 opening of stores". Ryde.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  23. ↑ "Top Ryde Shopping Centre". Peloton Constructions. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  24. ↑ "Cumberland Newspapers | Northern District Times". Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  25. ↑ "30-tonne collapse at shopping centre site". ABC Newsaccessdate=23 September 2017. 2 February 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  26. ↑ "Echo, March 2008" (PDF). March 2008. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 March 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  27. ↑ "Receivers called in as huge Top Ryde Shopping Centre runs up $700m debt six months after opening". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  28. ↑ "Blackstone buys Top Ryde shopping centre for $341m". The Australian. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  29. ↑ "Blackstone pulls trigger on $700m Top Ryde retail centre". Australian Financial Review. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  30. ↑ Bailey, Sandra (2013). "Top Ryde JRPP reportx". apps.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  31. ↑ Jonathan Chancellor, "Crown secures Top Ryde City Living sellout"" Property Observer, 17 November 2014
  32. ↑ Development unit a key buy Northern District Times 26 November 2014 page 9
  33. ↑ "Crown Group Awarded Industry's Top Design Award". Robbreport.com. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  34. ↑ "Myer confirms exit from Top Ryde, abandons speciality store plans". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  35. ↑ "Myer to exit Top Ryde City shopping centre as part of transformation plan". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  36. ↑ "Myer to close Sydney store". SBS News. 1 June 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  37. ↑ Retail, Inside (1 June 2015). "Myer to exit Top Ryde City". Inside Retail Australia. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  38. ↑ Bennett, Tess (1 June 2015). "Myer announces store closures in Sydney and Melbourne after review". Appliance Retailer. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  39. ↑ "Development Updates - Info - Top Ryde City Shopping Centre". www.toprydecity.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 July 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  40. ↑ "Coles and Kmart are coming to Top Ryde City - Development Updates - Info - Top Ryde City Shopping Centre". www.toprydecity.com.au. Archived from the original on 17 December 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  41. ↑ "Store Movements - Development Updates - Info - Top Ryde City Shopping Centre". www.toprydecity.com.au. Archived from the original on 17 December 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  42. ↑ Cummins, Carolyn (2 June 2015). "Top Ryde centre moves to next growth phase with new look Coles and Kmart". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  43. ↑ Deare, Steven (16 June 2016). "Kmart Top Ryde opens at Top Ryde City shopping centre". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  44. ↑ Retailbiz (1 June 2016). "Kmart Top Ryde is coming". retailbiz. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  45. ↑ Cormack, Lucy (15 June 2016). "Top Ryde Kmart store opening - and Woolworths goodies - attract early morning crowd". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  46. ↑ "Shopping centre's biggest expansion". Daily Telegraph. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  47. ↑ "Top Ryde City Shopping Centre Level 1 Opening | i2C". www.i2c.com.au. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  48. ↑ "Top Ryde City, NSW". Shopping Centre News. 28 November 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  49. ↑ "A new fresh food precinct anchored by Coles has generated a buzz in Top Ryde City and created 115 jobs". The Daily Telegraph. 15 November 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  50. ↑ Brook, Benedict (1 October 2016). "Harris Scarfe announces ambitious expansion plans including first Sydney department store". News.com.au. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  51. ↑ "Retailer's first Sydney department store to open". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  52. ↑ "Discount giant TK Maxx is here". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  53. ↑ Cummins, Carolyn (11 December 2019). "Harris Scarfe department chain enters receivership in horror year for retailers". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  54. ↑ "National chain announces closure of 21 stores". Archived from the original on 27 August 2025. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  55. ↑ Blake, Dean (6 January 2020). "Harris Scarfe closing 21 stores". Inside Retail Australia. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  56. ↑ "Ryde Community Gets Ready for Brand New Timezone and Zone Bowling". TEEG. 1 November 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  57. ↑ "Timezone, tenpin bowling opens at Top Ryde, Dee Why, Mt Druitt". www.dailytelegraph.com.au. 4 November 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  58. ↑ "New Timezone and Zone Bowling opens at Top Ryde City". www.ausleisure.com.au. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  59. ↑ "Timezone and Zone Bowling at Top Ryde City". Concrete Playground. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  60. ↑ Top Ryde Shopping Centre Ampac
  61. ↑ Top Ryde City, Sydney JLL
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