Icon making a comeback

ONE of the city's most iconic buildings is set to return to its former glory - in name at least.

Griffith City Plaza, on the corner of Banna and Jondaryan avenues, will undergo a dramatic transformation over the next month, receiving a $200,000 facelift and reverting to its old name, The Co-op.

Italian restaurant Il Corso is shifting to the new premises, joining Best and Less and the recently established Griffith Dental Lounge as anchor tenants.

The Griffith Co-op is one of the city's most fondly remembered businesses, setting up in the early 1920s and falling into voluntary liquidation in 1990.

Griffith City Plaza managing agent Brian Bertolin said the refurbishment would breathe new life into the centre and into the bottom end of Banna Avenue.

"Many people, particularly over 35s, still relate back to the building as the Co-op and it seemed a natural thing to have it revert to its previous name," Mr Bertolin said.

"Being such a landmark property in Griffith and essentially the start of the retail sector in Banna Avenue, we believe it will give this end of the CBD a real facelift."

The exterior of the building will be painted a dark grey as part of the renovations, with the words "Co-op" to be emblazoned in massive blue letters on the Jondaryan Avenue side.

The building's awnings will be removed and a large mural chronicling the history of the site will be installed.

Il Corso is expected to open on the ground floor by early December.

Mr Bertolin said the name Griffith City Plaza had reached its used-by date.

"People were getting confused between it and Griffin Plaza," he said.

"The centre was meant to be a retail hub back in the day but it never took off.

"Now the bottom floor is retail and the other floors are more offices and other things."

The site is owned by the Melbourne-based Liuzzi Property Group.