Vicinity Centres to sell $1 billion worth of shopping centres
Vicinity Centres are set to sell up to $1 billion of neighbourhood shopping centres to fund the development of its prestige retail projects.
In 2016 the firm offloaded four shopping centres worth $841 million in Victoria, with Mirvac and Blackstone and Mirvac the buyers.
Vicinity Centres have said they will pour the proceeds of the next batch of centres for sale to redevelopment The Glen and Box Hill Central in Melbourne, Chatswood Chase (above) and Bansktown Central in Sydney, as well Galleria in Perth.
Grant Kelley, Vicinity Centres chief executive and managing director, told The Australian the decision came after reviewing their portfolio.
"Following an extensive review of our portfolio, it is clear that we need to focus our resources on creating destinations that provide market-leading shopping, dining and entertainment experiences," Kelley said.
Vicinity’s portfolio includes Chadstone, the Queen Victoria Building and DFOs.
Macquarie Capital have been appointed by Vicinity Centres to be its corporate advisor on the asset sales program for the sale of up to $1 billion of the sub-regional and neighbourhood shopping centres, with sale proceeds through JLL to be reinvested into value-accretivedevelopment opportunities.
"This continues Vicinity’s focus on ongoing portfolio enhancement and delivering superior income and sustainable long-term capital growth for securityholders."
Mr Grant Kelley, CEO and Managing Director, said since the merger in 2015, it had created "significant securityholder value and improving portfolio specialty sales productivity by 22% to $10,243 per sqm."
