Mayland multiplies

“The opening of our third Warsaw outlet forms part of our consistent development strategy for expanding our multi-channel sales in Poland. We are investing in the online sale of furniture, which will soon be available in selected markets, as well as new and existing stores. I believe that Ikea Wola will help us to realise our vision of improving many people’s everyday lives. By saying many, I mean our customers, employees, suppliers and local communities,” explains Anna Pawlak-Kuliga, the CEO of Ikea in Poland. The first Ikea in Warsaw opened in Ursynów in 1990 and was moved two years later to the centre of the city. In the next few years stores were opened in Janki (1993) and Targówek (2001). Ikea Wola is the first of its Polish stores leased from a developer unconnected with the group – Mayland Real Estate. “We are planning a thorough redevelopment and revitalisation of the 15-year-old shopping centre to adapt it to current customer expectations. We have already transformed an old hypermarket into the modern Centrum Riviera centre in Gdynia and we are currently carrying out a similar project with Serenada in Kraków,” says Maciej Kiełbicki, the managing director of Mayland RE. By cooperating with our new anchor tenant, Ikea, we will create a unique shopping centre for people interested in interior design and who want to do quick and convenient everyday shopping. I believe that Galeria na Woli will be welcomed by residents of both the local district and Warsaw as a whole,” he adds. What other changes are planned for the centre? After the redevelopment project is completed, it will contain a smaller Auchan (8,000 sqm, 5,000 sqm of which will be the sales area) and another 40 shops over a combined area of 10,000 sqm. “We will also be moving the main entrance and making alterations to the façade,” says Maciej Kiełbicki. The architectural design of the changes has been prepared by the Blue Architektura studio. The second stage of the redevelopment will add another 25,000–30,000 sqm to the mall.

Ster changes its course

In the meantime, Valad Europe and Mayland Real Estate have signed a letter of intent to jointly extend the Ster shopping centre in Szczecin. The project is to be developed on an 8 ha site west of the shopping centre on ul. Ku Słońcu. The project will increase the retail area from its current 43,000 sqm to 67,600 sqm and to include 160 retailers. The additional 25,000 sqm will be occupied by a cinema and complementary entertainment providers, a food court with 15 units and 400 seats, along with 100 other retailers, most of whom will be fashion brands. The construction of the new section of the centre is to start next year or in early 2018, while its completion is expected in autumn 2019. Mayland is to be responsible for the development of the app. EUR 50 mln project. The location is covered by the local zoning plan. The Ster shopping centre in Szczecin, which was opened in 1999, includes an arcade including a Bi1 grocery hypermarket, which replaced Auchan, as well as shops of brands such as: GoSport, RTV Euro AGD, Empik, Smyk, Sephora, CCC, New Yorker, Rossmann and KFC – a total of 60 retail and service units. A retail park including brands such as Castorama, Statoil, a Feu Vert car service station and a McDonald’s will be located next to the main building. The shopping centre was last refurbished two years ago.