Almost curtains up for the Mall of Engomi

The residents of Nicosia are getting ready for a brand-new shopping experience once the newly redeveloped Mall of Engomi opens next month. Atterbury Europe Development Manager Roux Gerber gives us a virtual introduction to this highly anticipated new mall in Cyprus

The last month before opening time is always a frenetic hive of activity… how are things going on the site at present? Everything on track?

We’ve been extremely excited to watch the fresh modern look and feel of the new Mall of Engomi take shape, but even more so for the new shopping offerings that will be available to the residents of the Engomi precinct in Nicosia.

The site is in “finishes” mode, with beneficial occupation already granted to many tenants for shopfitting. On the exterior the new façade of the building is being installed, while the interior design elements are being applied inside. This means that tiling, painting, ceiling works, fitment of shop fronts and lights, decorative wall finishes, bathroom fit-outs and installation of services all happen simultaneously.

Everything is on schedule with tight deadlines linked to the importation of material and fit-outs. The major challenges of this re-development related mainly to tenancy and execution.

On the leasing side, the tenants believed in the same vision as that of the landlord, namely to provide an offering focused on the demand of a specific target market, and secondly to have exciting brands committed to the new Mall of Engomi, despite the current challenges that COVID-19 brought to the market, and with a view to long-term success.

On the construction side, the pandemic is also affecting how delivery is being executed, with remote management via Teams and Zoom, within a fixed budget and with the limited resources available on the island. We have worked with material choices that are locally available, and had minimal importation.

Our on-site project manager, Polys Tsiartziazis, was thrown into the deep end, but he rose to the occasion with strong leadership, keeping the contractors’ delivery and tenants’ fit-out processes under full control.

What has been happening on the site in the last month, and what still needs to be done before this phase can be ticked off as finished?

The next month’s focus will be on finishes and detailing, and commissioning of the reinstated upgraded services of the mall. This applies to both the main contractor and each individual tenant’s fit-out contractor. Efficient coordination of works in the same confined space during the next few weeks will certainly avoid confrontations and ensure successful delivery of the end result.

Has there been any further impact of the COVID-19 restrictions on the project, or have you been able to carry on as planned? Was festive season trading impacted in any significant way?

COVID-19 brought a new dimension to development in a number of significant ways, from the timeous ordering of materials and additional safely measures to off-site management and decisions done via video platforms. All this within reduced working hours with a reduced work force, which requires strong support and management of the professional team and on-site management processes.

The planning for the redevelopment of Mall of Engomi was done in the early days of the COVID-19 crisis and the team produced a programme and procurement strategy that could mitigate some of the pandemic-related challenges. The plan proved to be successful, but the pandemic still had a minor impact on the delivery.

As for the festive season, trading restrictions did have a negative impact, but we planned for it, hence the decision to have a two-stage reopening of Mall of Engomi. This was the only way we could give our existing tenants the benefit of maximum trading time within the timeline of the redevelopment process.

How is the leasing going – how much of the mall is already let and how many opportunities are still left?

The leasing process is being managed on site by Julian Smith, General Manager of Mall of Cyprus and Mall of Engomi, and has been done exceptionally well – more that 80% of the mall’s lettable area has been secured. Various deals and negotiations are ongoing on the remaining spaces and the team remains positive that they’ll have the mall fully let by the third quarter of 2021. The uncertainty about whether government might impose further trading restrictions in future affects the decision-making process of a tenant who has to commit to a new scheme, but deals are being structured in a way to suit both tenant and landlord during this difficult period in the retail environment. We’re in discussions with a potential tenant on every available space, but we will always welcome any new interest.

You told us last time that a whole new tenant mix would be targeted; are things going according to plan? Any particular tenants that you are excited about?

The new-look Mall of Engomi has been tailored to the target market and the leasing team has managed to secure several new brands that add an exciting new dimension and complements the existing tenants. The mall is anchored by existing loyal tenants Sklavenitis and Superhome, and it’s great to also retain the familiar faces on the fashion side, OVS and NEXT, alongside the new addition of Beauty Line, which enhances the health and beauty offering. We’re thrilled to have Hollard and Barrett, Cablenet and Melirreton to star as the new street face of The Mall of Engomi. And inside, the modern food court with its abundant natural light and comfortable spaces protected against the natural elements will be home to Piatsa Courounaki, Mailos Pasta, Coffee Berry and Rokoko, with other exciting names to follow. We’re also glad to be offering our younger customers a brand-new entertainment offering by Player, which is a leader in the entertainment sector on the island.

The opening is taking place in two phases – what are the exact plans?

The redevelopment is done in one continuous phase while the opening of Mall of Engomi will be done in a phased manner. The first phase is planned for the end of April, with the reopening of the two anchor tenants, who have been trading throughout the redevelopment for the majority of the time. The food court and the ground floor will also open then and after that the other tenants will be opening on a case-by-case basis up to the planned inauguration of the mall at the end of June 2021. By that second phase the remainder of the tenants will be open for trading. We’ll confirm new tenants as deals are finalised.

For leasing opportunities, please contact Julian Smit, Julian.Smith@ma llofcyprus.com or +357 97 777009.