On Friday 30 October 2009, a 7,000sqm unique Edgars store is set to open, providing the proverbial ‘crowing jewel’ of the Melrose Arch Piazza’s increasing popular retail mix which brings safe, ‘High Street’ shopping to residents of the city and visitors from all over the world.
The first property development in South Africa to cater for the real needs of people in today’s world by providing an integrated environment in which they can live, work, play, shop and stay all in the same space, Melrose Arch epitomizes the fresh international concept of a multi-use retail, dining business, residential and recreational precinct, in a safe, vibrant, public area.
The Piazza represents the largest development completed within Melrose Arch since its first phase by its owners Melrose Arch Investment Holdings, a joint venture between Amdec Property Development and Property Partners. It comprises in excess of 60,000sqm of lettable retail and office space, as well as a magnificent open-air public space.
In March 2009 The Piazza, Melrose Arch, introduced some 100 new shops spanning an incredible 30,000sqm of sophisticated retail and leisure space. Now an extraordinary new Edgars concept store is joining the mix.
Edgars has virtually doubled its originally envisaged trading area in The Piazza, Melrose Arch, to accommodate an iconic retail store, which would not be possible to create in a lesser space.
“We have added a substantial additional area to the development’s footprint to yield a 6,300sqm trading area to accommodate Edgars desired design objectives, supported by some 700sqm of back-of-house space,” says Nicholas Stopforth of Melrose Arch Investment Holdings.
In fact, in order to facilitate Edgars’ increased space requirements, Melrose Arch undertook substantial demolition work as well as reconstruction -- an investment which the owners consider to be an investment ‘well-spent’.
Achieving this has been no simple task. Construction of the Edgars space commenced in end October 2007 and, together with beneficial occupation which has already been given to Edgars, the construction and fit-out period of 24 months. “The entire professional team, as well as the contractor Murray & Roberts, has pulled out all the stops to keep the development on schedule and, at this stage, no delays are expected for opening,” notes Stopforth.
Currently undertaking its trading preparations, the opening of Edgars new concept store will have a two-fold impact on Melrose Arch, explains Edgars Operations Executive, Michael Kimmings, “With its flagship status, it will be a dynamic single-level iconic department store which offers Melrose Arch shoppers a wider choice of quality products, new brands, superb ranges and extensive variety of the latest fashions, sportswear and much more, complementing the existing retail variety which can be found at Melrose Arch,” says Kimmings.
As the final retail ingredient of The Piazza, the cutting-edge Edgars store also completes the holistic entity creating an important dynamic for the energy and pedestrian flows through the retail experience of the Piazza.
Edgars is not the only respected brand to pin its colours to the second and third phases of The Piazza, Melrose Arch, which are being constructed in tandem. Protea Hotels has taken beneficial occupation and is fitting out its new 200-key hotel at Melrose Arch which is set to open at the end of February 2010.
“The significantly increased level of office space, both in Melrose Arch and the surrounding area, has increased the demand for business hotel rooms,” explains Stopforth.
To this end, the new Protea Hotel will offer an alternative to the existing Melrose Arch African Pride Hotel, which is also operated by Protea. The hotel’s second major investment in Melrose Arch is testament to the success and growing popularity of this precinct which has become a must-visit on the Jo’burg visitors’ itinerary -- alive with energy, social interaction and African Internationalism.
Taj, as part of its international expansion into South Africa, identified Melrose Arch as the location that desired destination from which to operate its first 5-star hotel in Gauteng. The 150-key hotel is set to enhance the already strong international and national appeal of Melrose Arch when it opens in late 2011.
And, all this is happening in Melrose Arch’s concentrated retail node, without causing disruption to the ever increasing number of shoppers visiting The Piazza, Melrose Arch.
“The construction of the second and third phases of the Piazza have been strategically planned to limit the construction and fit out inconvenience to almost zero,” says Stopforth. Construction access is limited off busy streets with all personal entering the site through restricted basement areas.
Publisher: eProp
Source: MADC
