Złote Tarasy sets a date
Złote Tarasy, Warsaw's long-awaited 225,000-sqm shopping, office and recreational complex, will finally be open for business in February next year.
Marcel Kooij, managing director of the development, said: "We believe the set date gives our tenants sufficient time to complete the fit-out of their retail units. We have been able to fix the opening date thanks to a combined effort with Skanska, the general contractor, and all co-operating partners to solve the outstanding issues. We are now progressing rapidly towards the successful completion of the Złote Tarasy retail center."
The complex's retail section provides around 63,500 sqm of retail space, housing over 200 stores and service units. Restaurants, cafes and bars will occupy 4,500 sqm of the floor area made available for rent, making it the largest concentration of food and beverage establishments in Warsaw.
Ironically, this is a possible reason for the postponement of the opening of Złote Tarasy. Concerns about the social effects the center may have on the surrounding ródmiecie area were raised by urban environmentalists, which resulted in the revocation of the original building permit. Warsaw's chief architect, Marek Borowski, also expressed concern that smaller shops would not be able to compete with Złote Tarasy and that it would create "dead ground" in the heart of the city. Construction works were due to finish on November 1, but this deadline was not met.
The developer of the Złote Tarasy project is Dutch company ING Real Estate. It is hoped that it will eventually own 50 percent of the project, alongside Rodamco Europe, which is expected to own the other 50-percent share.
