COMO shopping centre and medical hub is The Parade's newest lifestyle destination

After two and a half years of anticipation, the impressive eight-storey COMO complex finally opened to the public with a bang on June 21. “To have a $120 million development like this delivered on time with everything that’s happened in the last two years is unheard of, and a real testament to developer Pep Rocca,” says Michael Cavallaro, who is responsible for sales as the Director of Varo Property.

All but a handful of the 84 dwellings have already been snapped up, which Cavallaro puts down to the unique lifestyle offering. “South Australia has never seen this type of development before - you’ve got a mixture of two-storey townhomes, which we call sky terraces, along with apartments and a large mezzanine level in the middle of the development that serves as a common area for the residents.”

And he says that the stone benchtop finishes and floor to ceiling tiling are just the beginning of the elite lifestyle offering. The mixed-use model includes a vibrant ground floor retail precinct with a next generation Coles supermarket that showcases the latest in design alongside a range of premium retailers including Vintage Cellars, Thomas Farms butcher, Sushi Hub and a Boost Juice Kiosk. Over the coming weeks, the revitalised Norwood Mall will complete its transformation into a convenient hub for all your shopping needs by welcoming FineCo Market Asian grocery, mouth-watering pastries from Mascovado patisserie and a gentleman’s barbershop.

The new look Norwood Mall also means that finding a park on The Parade has never been easier – with 347 carparks spread over three levels, there are an extra 50 public spaces – and the wellness hub on level one burnishes COMO’s status as a true lifestyle hub. “We’re trying to be a one-stop shop for everything you need,” says Cavallaro. “You can go to the Medical Centre and find a GP, dentist, physio and Pilates. And the residents love the fact that if they run out of milk they can just pop downstairs to Coles.”

And with COMO open for business, Cavallaro is already turning his attention a few blocks south to The Parade’s next luxury living development. Civil works have commenced at ORTA, which will be completed by mid-2025, and within three days of launching, 53 of the 65 dwellings had already sold.