On Friday 30 October 2009, a 7,000sqm Edgars will open to supplement its High Street shopping offering.
The Piazza represents the largest development completed within Melrose Arch since its first phase by its owners Melrose Arch Investment Holdings, a joint venture between Amdec Property Development and Property Partners. It comprises in excess of 60,000sqm of lettable retail and office space.
In March 2009 The Piazza introduced some 100 new shops spanning 30,000sqm of retail and leisure space.
Edgars has virtually doubled its originally envisaged trading area in The Piazza, Melrose Arch.
"We have added a substantial additional area to the development's footprint to yield a 6,300sqm trading area to accommodate Edgars desired design objectives, supported by some 700sqm of back-of-house space," says Nicholas Stopforth of Melrose Arch Investment Holdings.
Construction of the Edgars space commenced in end October 2007 and, together with beneficial occupation which has already been given to Edgars, the construction and fit-out period lasted 24 months.
Currently undertaking its trading preparations, the opening of Edgars new concept store will have a two-fold impact on Melrose Arch, explains Edgars Operations Executive, Michael Kimmings. "With its flagship status, it will be a dynamic single-level iconic department store which offers Melrose Arch shoppers a wider choice of quality products, new brands, superb ranges and extensive variety of the latest fashions, sportswear and much more, complementing the existing retail variety which can be found at Melrose Arch," says Kimmings.
Edgars is not the only respected brand to pin its colours to the second and third phases of The Piazza, Melrose Arch, which are being constructed in tandem. Protea Hotels has taken beneficial occupation and is fitting out its new 200-key hotel at Melrose Arch which is set to open at the end of February 2010.
"The significantly increased level of office space, both in Melrose Arch and the surrounding area, has increased the demand for business hotel rooms," explains Stopforth.
To this end, the new Protea Hotel will offer an alternative to the existing Melrose Arch African Pride Hotel, which is also operated by Protea.
Taj, as part of its international expansion into South Africa, identified Melrose Arch as the location that desired destination from which to operate its first 5-star hotel in Gauteng. The 150-key hotel is set to enhance the already strong international and national appeal of Melrose Arch when it opens in late 2011.
"The construction of the second and third phases of the Piazza have been strategically planned to limit the construction and fit-out inconvenience to almost zero," says Stopforth.