The mall, a landmark in the River Valley district, will transform into a lifestyle destination to offer its diverse base of customers an even more contemporary shopping experience.
Artist’s impression of a new and vibrant Great World City. Picture: Allgreen Property Limited
SINGAPORE – Great World City is ready for its next chapter with a major Asset Enhancement Initiative (AEI). The mall in the heart of the River Valley district will undergo extensive works after nearly 20 years of service. The enhancement works will add new vibrancy, creating a more contemporary and elegant lifestyle destination at the mall for shoppers.
The AEI will be carried out in phases over a period of two years, with some disruption to existing businesses in the mall. Customers will still be able to enjoy the wide variety of amenities and lifestyle services during the refurbishment.
Work will commence in mid-April 2018 and is projected to be completed by the third quarter of 2020. This will coincide with the much anticipated opening of the Great World MRT Station along the Thomson-East Coast line in 2021.
Lee Yew Kwung, CEO, Allgreen Properties Limited, said: “With the revitalization of Great World City, we are very excited to bring a new-found vibrancy to the River Valley area whilst maintaining its roots as a beloved leisure and lifestyle destination. We look forward to bringing our customers an enhanced shopping experience in the near future.”
Contemporary design for an uplifted shopping experience
Great World City’s façade will be refreshed to reflect an exciting and contemporary design. Entrances will have a distinctive and signature look, resulting in an impactful design statement that will welcome all shoppers. The skylights, flooring, and ceiling will be updated with artistic flair and modern details.
The space within the mall will be re-organized to create an intuitive flow for shoppers who can also expect new distinctive entrances that are designed to be seamlessly integrated with the mall’s brand new exterior. A reconfiguration of the interior walkways and escalators will ease navigation and improve accessibility.
Shoppers will be greeted with uniquely-designed dual-level retail pods in the foyer, in addition to the shop fronts along the aisle. These uniquely-designed self-contained pods will house creative retail concepts and are one of the first to be seen in Singapore’s shopping malls. Shoppers can expect a lively and vibrant shopping experience in Great World City with these creatively-designed shop spaces.
Artist’s impression of the unique dual-level retail pods in Great World City. Picture: Allgreen Property Limited
On Level 1, shoppers can enjoy a short stroll with a view of beautiful landscapes on their way to a dedicated F&B zone, located at the perimeter of the mall. F&B tenants in this dedicated zone will also trade at slightly longer hours over the weekends and on the eve of public holidays.
Meanwhile, on Level 2, an outdoor playground will be created near the existing pedestrian overhead bridge to keep children entertained while their parents are shopping. Great World City’s office tenants will enjoy hassle-free access to the mall, with plans to directly connect the office lifts to Level 3 of the mall. Previously, tenants had to take the lift to Level 1 office lobby before gaining access to the mall.
“Since we began operations at Great World City, we have always been happy with the mall management’s support and tenant mix. I am excited to see the improvements which will cater to the rising expectations of today’s shoppers. With the improved accessibility that the upcoming MRT station brings, as well as the AEI’s new theme, I am confident that Great World City will continue to bring in better shopper traffic,” said Francis Wong, CEO, W Optics.
Echoing similar sentiments, John Yek, CEO, of RE&S Holdings Limited that operates dining outlets such as Kuriya Dining and Ichiban Boshi, said: “We are proud to have served our shoppers for many years, and we look forward to continue serving them during this AEI. We are excited to see the changes in the mall, and to be part of this enhancement.”
Exciting retail concepts
The mall’s new look will come with a carefully curated mix of approximately 50 new tenants, including a cluster of Japanese-focused retail and F&B tenants to cater to the Japanese community living in the vicinity. Great World City will also be ramping up its F&B offerings, from the current 20 per cent to 30 per cent of net lettable space when the AEI is completed.
In addition to a diverse range of new concept stores, the food court will bring a whole-new dining concept and experience when they relocate from Basement 1 to Level 3 in Q1 2019.
To better cater to the needs of the community around Great World City, Basement 1 will now feature a new food hall concept alongside other retailers and F&B operators for a marketplace experience.
Improved connectivity to public amenities
Once the renovation is complete, there will be three main access points from Great World City to the upcoming Great World MRT station. A new retail link on Basement 2 with extended shopping choices will provide the public with seamless access between the mall and the upcoming MRT station.
Great World MRT station will also be accessible from Level 1, and the pedestrian overhead bridge at level 2 that connects Great World City from the station.
Business as usual during revamp
Great World City today. Picture: Allgreen Property Limited
The mall will remain open and accessible at all times during the enhancement work and tenants will continue to operate with minimal disruption during this period. Major retail, dining and lifestyle tenants such as Zara, Golden Village, Best Denki, Cold Storage, Imperial Treasure Cantonese Cuisine, Kuriya Dining and Food Junction will be unaffected and Great World City’s customers can continue to enjoy these outlets and services during the revamp.
“Golden Village has been an anchor tenant at Great World City for more than 20 years. Over the years, we have continually invested and upgraded our facilities to cater to the entertainment aspirations of movie-goers here. We look forward with excitement and anticipation to an invigorated shopping experience.” Clara Cheo, CEO, Golden Village Multiplex said.
Other than the mall’s physical upgrading, Great World City recently launched its loyalty programme, the Great V-aap in Q3 2017. The app rewards shoppers with shopping vouchers or carpark rebates when they shop at Great World City and Tanglin Mall. Great V-app is available for download in both Apple Store and Google Play Store.
Article contributed by Allgreen Properties Limited.
