City or Perth backs $240m St Martins Centre revamp

A redevelopment of St Martins Centre has been recommended for approval after the City of Perth backed the $240 million proposal.

The Metro Inner North Development Assessment Panel is scheduled to decide on St Martins Properties’ plan for the asset at 40-50 St Georges Terrace, at a meeting next week.

Kuwaiti government-owned St Martins Properties proposes to convert the three skyscrapers known as St Martins Centre 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 timeframe to substantially start construction.

“The proposed partial demolition and adaptive reuse of the existing buildings across the site for new and refurbished office, hotel and amenities, dining and retail uses will contribute to activation of the immediate locality especially St Georges Terrace and the Hay Street Mall on the weekends and nighttime,” the report read.

St Martins Centre is believed to be Perth CBD’s single largest landholding, comprising three office towers at 40, 44, and 50 St Georges Terrace, the arcade facing Hay Street mall and heritage assets, the McNess Royal Arcade and Bridal House.

The office towers are 13-storey, 14-storey and 34-storey high, with the tallest known as St Martins tower.

“The proposed adaptive reuse of the existing buildings including the McNess Royal Arcade and Bridal House will positively increase levels of activity and interest in the locality and add to the built form environment, which includes a number of recently conserved heritage listed properties, and positive sustainability benefits in the city,” the city’s report read.

“The design has been well considered, is of high quality and will positively contribute to the existing built form in the locality.”

The Kuwait government put the asset on the market but a sale to Melbourne-based Quintessential Equity fell through in 2023.

Former St Martins Centre anchor tenants that have recently relocated include Calibre, KordaMentha, and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.

The proposed redevelopment of St Martins Centre was designed by architecture firm Woods Bagot, with details unveiled earlier this year.