Sharjah and DS0 to get Avenues malls

BZ021115-JB-RECON- Marcello Larizza, General Manager- Shopping Malls, Line Investments and Properties during the Recon Middle East and North Africa conference at Ritz-Carlton Dubai International Financial Centre on Monday 02, November, 2015. Photo by Juidin Bernarrd

Line Investments & Property, the shopping mall development and management arm of the Abu Dhabi based Lulu Group International, has announced the launch of two new projects in Sharjah and Dubai Silicon Oasis, or DSO.
The new developments were showcased at the annual RECon Middle East & North Africa convention, which brings together shopping mall owners, developers and suppliers in the region. Line Investments & Property had a senior management delegation on site at the convention to showcase the new shopping malls, which include Avenues Mall Sharjah and Avenues Mall Silicon Oasis.
The projects will be designed by Design International from London, who have been appointed for the architecture of the new flagship malls.
Located in the Samnan area in Sharjah, north of the Cricket Stadium, the immediate trade area of Avenues Mall Sharjah consists of 600,000 people.
The mall is a two level retail and leisure destination, with a total gross leasing area of 43,000sqm. It will include a 10,300sqm hypermarket and a 5,700sqm department store.
In addition, Avenues Mall Sharjah will boast a selection of casual dining restaurants that will, in addition to the food court outlets, constitute a food-street concept.
A 4,000sqm cinema and a 3,600sqm family entertainment centre will also be supported by over 2,100 parking spaces.
Marcello Larizza, general manager of shopping malls at Line Investments & Property, told Khaleej Times that the project is slated to open in the second quarter of 2018.
He described the project as a large community mall, and noted that the location of the mall is very important since there are no other shopping malls in the immediate vicinity.
The Avenues Mall Silicon Oasis, on the other hand, boasts a total gross leasing area of 72,000sqm. It will also include a 10,299sqm hypermarket, a 6,635sqm department store, with a 34,798sqm array of retail shops and services.
Adding to the mix are 13 casual restaurants and cafes, in addition to 25 food court units. A 6,800sqm multi-screen cinema will compliment a 5,000sqm family entertainment centre, a 2,900sqm bowling centre, and a 2,000sqm gym. Phase one of the mall will open in the second quarter of 2019. "In terms of offerings, we are trying to attract new brands and international players for both the malls. Footfall in both malls is going to be very good, especially for the mall in Silicon Oasis. Both population and household incomes are going to grow in the next couple of years, so this is good news for both our projects," said Larizza.
Davide Padoa, chief executive officer of Design International, noted: "One of the things that we wanted to focus on in both the projects is unique and iconic design. Since Sharjah is the cultural capital of the UAE, we went for a contemporary design that reflected this fact. The design is inspired by the traditional wooden boats, called abras, which are used to ferry people across the creek. The mall will also boast a very tall shop front that will be easily seen from afar."
The design of the Avenues mall in Silicon Oasis, on the other hand, will feature five facades. Each section is described as a different 'world' that will offer something unique and different for customers. A design that welcomes an abundance of natural light ensures that the mall is one of the greenest in the region, Padoa said.
- rohma@khaleejtimes.com

• Sharjah