Platinum Icon Mall nears completion
Koketso Kgoboge | Friday June 29, 2018 15:03
The developer, Solomon Tiro revealed the complex is 50% complete and it is running parallel with their projections of starting operations at the beginning of December this year.
“By August, we want to be done with the roofing and the exterior so we can focus on the interior. I would say we are halfway now,” he said.
Tiro was updating a delegate of the leaser, Palapye Development Trust board who toured the construction site on Wednesday.
He said the mall has secured 70% tenancy, adding that it was a blessing in disguise to resume the construction of the mall behind their competitors. He said the late development has given them an advantage to compete better.
Tiro said they had committed funds to ensuring the mall was visible, easily accessible and attractive. In fact, he said they spent P6 million raising the ground before construction for visibility purposes.
He said they are building a mall that is more versatile for evening outings and have dedicated the large front segment to a food court as an anchor. Amongst the eatery tenants that have already secured spaces at the mall are Rodizio, Capello, Café Portugal, Tswana Franchise and CFC.
“We reckoned our competitors are not versatile enough and we want to create a mall that is also entertainment-oriented and that is a go-to area in the evenings,” he said.
“The mall is well-aerated with vast parking spaces and very user-friendly. That is our competitive edge. We want to be convenient and very accessible to locals and passersby.”
Tiro said the mall would also have a recreational park with five-a-side soccer pitches at the back and a state-of-the-art children’s court in front. He said there is also an open space at the back for a Piazza for entertainment purposes.
He said they are mulling a prospect of bringing a nightclub to the mall as per request from some client that he could not reveal. However, he said that is an issue for another day.
He revealed they have also reserved a one-hectare area adjacent to the mall for the construction of a state-of-the-arts hotel.
“That would be phase two of the property. We are finalising with the client we can’t reveal now, but it’s a big brand of Hoteliers,” he said.
He acknowledged the encouragement and cooperation from the Palapye Trust.
He said he appreciated the commitment of the Trust to developing a project that would not only uplift the face of the village, but would also improve the lives of members of the community and the economy of the country.
The trust Board was impressed with the development. The chairperson of the Board, Akanyang Gaboitsiwe said the development was satisfactory.
“Once the project is complete, I believe the community will also be impressed and will benefit hugely from the development. We will be pleased to see this development create employment openings for our community,” he said.