Early years
Frankston's CBD originally featured three distinct main shopping centres: Bayside, Balmoral Arcade and Quayside. These would later form into the Bayside Shopping Centre as known today.
The original Bayside Shopping Centre opened on 3 October 1972, located between Beach Street and Ross Smith Avenue. It launched with the anchor tenants of a Myer department store, a McEwans hardware store (now known as Bunnings, moved to the Frankston Power Centre), a Ritchies (IGA) supermarket and 52 speciality stores. It was owned by the National Mutual Life Association of Australasia. [1]
Balmoral Arcade, a former distinct shopping centre, was developed in 1973 by Hanover Holdings at the western end of Station Street, between Shannon Street (now a pedestrian mall) and Key Street, opening with 19 speciality stores. [2]
Quayside Shopping Centre debuted in 1991 in the area between the aforementioned stores, located on the former car-park between Ross Smith Avenue and Station Street. It featured a Target department store, Coles supermarket and 72 speciality stores. The Bayside and Quayside malls were now additionally linked by an enclosed pedestrian path straight through Ross Smith Avenue.
John Gandel who owned Quayside acquired Bayside and Balmoral during the late-1990s. Subsequent ownership transfers would place it under the administration of CFS Retail Property Trust (and later, Vicinity Centres). CFS Retail Property Trust would be the one upgrading the premises from now.
Growth
In 2004, Bayside underwent a $63 million redevelopment including a new multi-storey carpark and 55 new stores including a Kmart, Aldi and Woolworths. A second-floor bridge was also erected over Beach Street to accommodate pedestrian activity and traffic between the two sections. The development was completed and opened to the public in March 2006.
An entertainment precinct on Wells Street, accessible from the Shannon Street Mall, was constructed and featured a 12 screen Australian Multiplex Cinema complex (now run under Hoyts), a Strike Bowling Bar, Holey Moley and 10 restaurants/food outlets.
An upgrade in 2011 brought the combined total cost of development to AU$200 million since 1999, with the reconfiguration of tenancies including an entire level dedicated to fashion stores, a brand-new third-level food court and the addition of an Aldi supermarket in the 2004 aforementioned North building. [3] [4]
