Though not immediately apparent, especially when the question revolves around who’s the largest in the land of giants, come June 2022, IOI City Mall might just fundamentally shake things up in the mall-obsessed Klang Valley.
The reason? IOI City Mall is on course to stage a coup on the current holder of the largest shopping centre in Malaysia, 1 Utama, when phase 2 opens for business, thereby inheriting the coveted title and moving it from Petaling Jaya to Putrajaya.
Just how massive is IOI City Mall?
Initially opened in November 2014, the maiden phase of IOI City Mall offers a net lettable area of 1.5 million square feet.
For comparison, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur leases out 1.6 million square feet. Consisting of a diverse entertainment and retail mix, crown pullers of IOI City Mall phase 1 include District 21 (a post-apocalyptic-themed sports and recreation park), Icescape Ice Rink, GSC Cinemas, and fast-fashion and sports brands Uniqlo, Under Armour, Adidas, H&M, Muji and Guess. Currently counting approximately 350 tenants, it also houses an home improvement outlet, a supermarket and a department store.
Works on phase 2 got underway in June 2018. Though met with a delay engendered by the MCO, the structural completion of phase 2 was declared on 6 October 2020, smoothing the path for the anticipated opening in June 2022. Without the MCO derailment, however, phase 2 would have been ready in November 2021.
Phase 2 alone will endow IOI City Mall with another 1 million lettable square feet, elevating it (2.5 million square feet) above 1 Utama (2.19 million square feet), Sunway Pyramid (1.7 million square feet), and Mid Valley Megamall (1.82 million square feet).
According to multiple news reports, the take-up rate of phase 2 is encouraging. IOI City Mall has secured GSC and AEON, among others. The Sun divulged further that luxury retailer Valiram Group and Japanese furniture purveyor Nitori have signed up. Nitori will make its Malaysian debut in January 2022 at Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport KL.
Apart from a 40,000-square-foot exhibition hall and an al fresco dining arcade, other additions encompass a canopy-covered outdoor street retail promenade, a business hotel, an all-suite hotel and 3 office towers. Moxy Putrajaya is envisaged to be part of IOI City Mall’s vision, joining the existing Le Meridien Putrajaya and Putrajaya Marriott Hotel.
Hero and feature images by IOI Properties Group
This article first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Kuala Lumpur.