The Colombo at stage two
Caroline Cooper-Dixon says the demand for space in a second stage of The Colombo mall in Sydenham is ramping up.
However, as managing director of the retail centre Cooper-Dixon said she would be picky about getting tenants who would make the most of the space and both bring foot traffic to the mall and do well as businesses.
Caroline’s mother, Lilly Cooper, director of Cooper Developments, bought the former Spotlight Mall in December 2010 and appointed her daughter to take charge of the mall’s redevelopment and ongoing direction.
Cooper-Dixon said The Colom- bo would be hosting a Dynamic Night of Food, Fashion & Design on Thursday with most of the tickets already sold for what will be the first in a series of events.
About 300 will attend, including fashion followers and corporate groups. Food outlets from within the mall will support the event as will Hotel Montreal, on the cocktail and drinks side.
‘‘This year 2015 has really been about introducing events, changing the space, keeping it evolving and so forth,’’ Cooper-Dixon said.
The evening is to celebrate four years of trading for the centre within a retail section of Sydenham that was hit hard by the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. The mall was strengthened as it was redeveloped.
Cooper-Dixon can see new developments coming back along the retail frontage of Colombo St, including the development of new office space in a nearby multilevel building that was once a base for Work and Income NZ. That will bring more than 300 staff into the area. ‘‘Sydenham’s grungy, cool feel appeals to businesses, as does its proximity to the centre,’’ she said. While she was ‘‘very much head down’’ in terms of her management of The Colombo’s retailers, she saw that both jewellery and banking had developed a strong presence in the wider area.
Stage two of The Colombo would add about 1000 square metres with some retailers already committed, Cooper-Dixon said.
A ‘‘collective’’ group of independent fashion-design retailers would occupy one gallery space.
The first part of stage two, on the site of the old Postie Plus, will open from the end of next month.
Cooper-Dixon studied design in London before returning to New Zealand to work as a commercial leasing and sales consultant before taking on the management role at The Colombo.