Saturday, July 07, 2007 Part of mall’s expansion opens, work continues on lagoon area
AFTER its groundbreaking a year ago, the multi-million-peso expansion of Ayala Center Cebu (ACC) finally opened its doors to the public.
Cebu Holdings Inc. (CHI) president Francis Monera said the opening of the expansion is a welcome development for Cebuano shoppers and is seen to drive consumer spending on clothing, fashion accessories and information technology, to name a few.
He is confident it will spur growth in the number of foreign and local visitors who visit the mall to shop, dine or unwind.
The megacomplex, which is how the new building will be known, has five levels with basement parking floors, and adds over 6,000 square meters of gross leasable area, that can hold about 50 tenants.
Complementary
The site is situated where the public utility jeepney terminal used to be. The terminal has been transferred to an adjacent lot.
Some 20 shops have already opened in the expansion building, which is targeted to complement the existing shops in the mall, bringing together local and international brands in fashion, beauty and digital entertainment.
The ground floor hosts imported brands while some renowned local brands can be found on the second level.
The third level, on the other hand, houses shops for computers and related devices as well as digital gadgets.
The new building will also house Rustan’s Fresh Supermarket at the lower ground floor, which is expected to open in the coming weeks.
Monera told reporters that the megaxomplex, which is set for soft opening this Monday, “will give a new dimension in the Cebuanos’ lifestyle shopping.”
Meanwhile, the Ayala-led CHI, owner and operator of ACC, has already begun the construction of the mall’s lagoon area, which will be home to shops catering to a wide range of shoppers and diners.
Monera said ACC will provide more than 8,000 square meters of additional leasable area and will accommodate around 50 shops and restaurants. (MMM)
