ShC of Kyiv under construction – to be or not to be, that is the question?

Kyiv has waited for several years already for big “advent” of trading areas, you know that such trading monsters as Troyitskyy shopping mall, Lybid plaza, Master Park, MEGA, Odyssey, Esplanade, the shopping mall in 10 Moskovskyy prospect and so on had to be put into operation long ago. But what can we see in practice – other shopping centers are built and put into operation in time practically – Bilshovyk and Komod have been opened, Materyk in Borshchahivska street is going to start work. The rest of the complexes have to be working for several years already, but in some of them even construction has not been started yet. Socmart company in the coarse of the research of commercial buildings of Kyiv under construction and design (a unique Data base of shopping centers, business centers, offices, stores in the stage of construction and design has been gathered), decided to find out what is happening to the planned projects in reality. Our interviewers had visited all supposed sites of constructions of complexes with trading components, and what we have found out: among 96 commercial projects under construction only 38 projects (or 39,5%) have weighty trading components (street retail in residential new buildings have not been included into the sample group). 

 Among complexes, which opening time is constantly postponed, only Esplanade and Troyitskyy shopping mall are really being built. However, there are certain problems with them too, erection of Esplanade in Sportyvna ploshcha has been put on hold for several times (as it is known there were problems with permit documentations), but for last half of the year the construction is proceeding at a rapid pace. There will be 125000 sq. m. in the complex-colossus. Six levels of Esplanade have been planned for a shopping mall. The closed corporation Mandaryn Plaza is an investor. They want to complete the construction of the complex in Sportyvna ploshcha by the end of the year, what seems real judging by the construction pace. Although, the erection of Troyitskyy shopping mall in 53-55 V. Vasylkivska (before it was Olympic Plaza) is proceeding, its soon putting into operation is doubtful. They often stop the construction. For the first time they had to do so owing to the requirement to go out of Olimpiyskyy stadium, for another time because of problems with fire safety of the complex. The ukrainian company NEST and the foreign company Hanner had acted as investors, but recently it has become known about secession of Hanner from this partnership (it seems that the company is tired to fight Ukrainian reality during the construction of the shopping mall). The total area of Troyitskyy shopping mall has to make 106 thousand sq. m., 40000 sq. m. of them are intended for a trading-recreational part. Interests of automobilists are respected in the shopping mall and there will be an automated car park for 1250 cars. 

Building of the rest of shopping centers (putting into operation some of them was planned for 2005) has not even been started. The supposed zone of construction of Lybid Plaza is enclosed with a green fence. There is not even a fence in Zdolbunivska street (Master Park), there is only a huge empty zone for the future construction. They can not find a vacant area in Boryspilska line for erection of MEGA complex. In 12 Bulgakova street (complex Odyssey) building really takes place but not of a shopping complex, it is an extension for school, which is situated at this address. In 10 Moskovskyy prospect, where a shopping mall (35000 sq. m.!) has to be open this year, stands with pedlery (Petrivka market) are situated.

More information about shopping centers (hotels, offices, stores), which are really in the coarse of construction, with names of companies-investors, owners, general contractors, general designers, with full names of responsible people and their contacts you can find out when buying Data base of commercial projects of Kyiv under construction and design (80638191330, socmart.kiev@gmail.com)