Aldar Properties, Abu Dhabi’s leading listed property development company, has awarded a Dh318-million ($86.5 million) contract for Al Jimi Mall’s refurbishment and expansion works to Pivot Construction Company.

This is the latest component of Aldar’s recently announced Dh3-billion ($816 million) investment strategy, said a statement from the company.

Al Jimi Mall remains a key retail asset in Al Ain. It is currently fully occupied with footfall of eight million visitors a year and this investment will bring new retailers to Al Ain as well as enhancing the overall shopping experience.  

According to Aldar, this investment will add an additional leased space of 33,000 sq m GLA (gross leasable area) bringing the total leased area to 76,000 sq m of retail space. More than 50 per cent of this new space is already committed to new tenants interested in operating at the popular mall, it stated.

The expansion work will be completed by end of the first quarter of 2018, it added.

Talal Al Dhiyebi, the chief development officer at Aldar Properties, said: "With the renewal programme, we aim to catch up with the very strong consumer demand Al Jimi Mall is enjoying."

"This initiative demonstrates our commitment to offering visitors a memorable shopping and entertainment experience, one that perfectly resonates the 15 years heritage of the mall and sets a new benchmark in both design and retail mix," he stated.

The project will include an expansion to the west side of the mall; the ‘West Wing’ adding 51 new units over three levels.

This will provide additional retail space as well as new dining and entertainment outlets to increase number of visitors at Al Jimi Mall and reinforce its position as a modern shopping destination in Al Ain, said Al Dhiyebi.

An expansion to the north side of the mall, the ‘Retail Park’ will consist of three huge Retail Boxes with sizes range from 1,500 sq m to 6,500 sq m designed in a flexible way to accommodate different retailers’ area requirements, family dining and coffee shops, an event plaza and a front-door on-grade parking for more than a thousand additional cars, said the UAE developer in its statement.

The project will also include a refurbishment for the existing mall, including entrances, public spaces, canopies, flooring, toilets, food court and sightlines, it added.-TradeArabia News Service