A relocation and $250 million makeover for Sydney Fish Market
The state government has revealed plans that will take the Sydney Fish Market to a new home.
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has outlined a $250 million makeover of the landmark site, transferring it to a new Danish-designed building next to its current spot, backing onto Wentworth Park on the south side of the bay.
She said she hoped the new use of the site would pay for its redevelopment at no cost to taxpayers.
"The Sydney Fish Market is an iconic part of our city but there's no doubt it needs a huge makeover," Ms Berejiklian told reporters. "I know, with a makeover, there will be even more tourists and even more locals enjoying this."
Danish designers 3XN Architects, which are behind Sydney's Quay Quarter Tower will design the new building and work is expected to begin in late 2018. Construction is expected to be completed in two to three years.
The Sydney Fish Market has been standing on its current site since 1966 and there has been lots of talk about investors developing it.
The owners, Sydney Fish Market Pty Ltd, reported a $978,000 net profit after tax last financial year. That was well down on the $1.7 million profit the year before with the company spending several hundred thousand dollars in a legal dispute over the market redevelopment involving Robert Deans, a real estate developer.
Sydney Fish Market Pty Ltd general manager Bryan Skepper said the plan was to create "the world's best fish market” which would absorb growing visitor numbers.
"At the moment we get 3 million visitors a year to the site and our modelling predicts that could go to 6 million," Mr Skepper told reporters.
The City of Sydney sat on the selection panel choosing the tenderer for the new market.
"The City is supportive of the Sydney Fish Market remaining in Blackwattle Bay and not being relocated to another area of Sydney," a council spokeswoman told the Sydney Morning Herald.
by Leon Gettler, June 30th 2017
