SIME Darby Property Bhd’s first wholly-owned retail mall, KL East Mall, is expected to open its doors in March 2020.
Located at the 65ha integrated KL East development in Taman Melati, KL East Mall has a gross built-up of about 1.2 million sq ft and a net lettable area of 384,210 sq ft.
Sime Darby Property investment director and Malaysia Vision Valley CEO Datuk Redza Rafiq hopes the mall, which has a gross development value (GDV) of RM2.6 bil, will be a catalyst for the property firm’s KL East mixed development.
“Our serviced residence development, The Ridge, is an ongoing project with an estimated GDV of RM806.5 mil. It has 38 storeys, consists of two towers and it is expected to be completed by May 2020.
“The project sits on the foothills of the Klang Gates quartz ridge – enveloped in natural rainforests, parks and gardens. It also houses a forest park and features inviting social spaces and facilities designed to build a strong community,” he says.
KL East is positioned as a boutique lifestyle retail mall that will serve the surrounding upmarket neighbourhood of the middle to middle upper-income brackets.
“KL East Mall is in an ideal position to enjoy a primary catchment of 1.28 million population with healthy purchasing power, through a total household income of RM29.5 bil per annum. The mall is also well positioned to attract a large student population, as there are various educational institutions within its proximity.
“We expect to see more people coming to KL East once developments in the area are fully complete. The growth in population will help transform KL East into a future business and education hub, making KL East Mall perfectly poised to reap the benefits of its thriving population,” says Redza.
He says the integrated development stands apart from the rest with its central location, offering infrastructure and transport connectivity plus a host of retail, service and recreational facilities.
Strategic location
Located less than 15km from the Kuala Lumpur city centre, KL East is a development in the city with a facility dedicated to rainforest regeneration, with more than 50% of green open space, says Redza.
The interesting parts of the nearby area are the famous hiking trail Bukit Tabur as well as the world’s longest quartz ridge and a potential Unesco World Heritage site, the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge.
Bukit Tabur has become the local favourite hiking spot for regular and new visitors due to the easy access and rich greeneries nearby the city.
“KL East is also an integrated transit adjacent development due to the Gombak integrated transport terminal, as well as a bus terminal for buses to Genting Highlands, all within easy reach via an 800m pedestrian walkway.
“Situated at a focal point of numerous major intersections, KL East Mall is linked by six highways such as the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2), Damansara-Ulu Klang Expressway (DUKE), Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE), Karak Expressway, Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH) and Setiawangsa-Pantai Expressway (SPE),” Redza says.
KL East Mall comes with four retail floors designed as a trendsetting epicentre, encompassing fashion, music, style and art.
It is also well-positioned to attract a large population of students, as within its proximity, there are educational institutions like TAR University College, International Islamic University Malaysia and Universiti Kuala Lumpur British Malaysian Institute.
“We expect to see even more people coming to KL East once developments in the area are completed. The growth in population will help transform KL East into a future business and education hub, making it perfectly poised to reap the benefits of its thriving population,” Redza says.
New attractions
KL East Mall centre manager Dylan Chan says the shopping centre has over 75% occupancy rate.
“Although the retail market is currently tough, we are confident that our mall has its own unique positioning. City centre malls like what we are developing now are more sustainable as compared to neighbourhood malls,” he tells FocusM.
Retailers within the mall were carefully selected to provide visitors with unique shopping options.
“Our forte is on highly personalised services, which will lead to an unforgettable shopping, dining and leisure experience.
“What we want to do is provide a refreshing change for tired minds and souls, a different and unmatched offering compared to other typical urban malls, providing easy access for shoppers,” Chan says.
He adds that the mall is the first to have an ice-skating rink, rock-climbing facilities and cinema under one roof.
The key tenants comprise well-known brands such as Jaya Grocer, Camp5, MBO, Blue Ice-Skating Rink, Toys“R”Us, Harvey Norman, Jungle Gym and Café Chef Wan.
The mall boasts attractive opportunities for various businesses such as fashion, electronics and gadgets as well as home supply stores, as the target market is urbanites from all walks of life.
Its extensive retail offerings are complemented by a wide selection of F&B slots catered for foodies, walk-in diners and lifestyle-oriented shoppers.
Chan says the mall is set to provide urban shoppers with an exceptional experience due to its great location, neighbouring an 83-acre (33.6ha) forest reserve that inspires wellness and appreciation for mother nature.
To date, the company has a total land bank of 8,000ha of remaining developable land. It has also built 23 active townships/developments with a global reach that encompasses assets and operations across the Asia Pacific region and the UK.
In the UK, as part of the Malaysian consortium, Sime Darby Property is the developer of the iconic Battersea Power Station project in central London. – Jan 6, 2020
