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The exit point in the City Center parking area |
City Center’s project to expand the mall’s parking area by adding a third level of spaces is set to be completed before the beginning of Ramadan, according to a company official.
Director of City Center, Amer Sandawi told Gulf Times that the addition of another 400 spaces will mean that the capacity of the mall’s car park will rise to 2,000 later this year.
He said that the recent introduction of parking charges at the shopping centre has been a success.
“The response from the tenants and customers has been really good,” he said adding “tenants are happy that their customers are finding it easy to get parking.”
“For sure, some of the staff are not so happy with parking outside, but this is about helping the customer,” he added.
At the moment, the upper level of the car park is closed for the renovation, meaning that the current parking capacity of the mall is 1,200.
However, Sandawi explained that construction is continuing around the clock in the hope that the work can be completed ahead of the current schedule.
Sandawi explained that the addition of the 7,000 sqm area will also provide space for 50 more outlets, most of which will be service providers.
“They will mainly be service-orientated stores, such as barbers, banks, laundries, travel agents, etc,” he explained.
He added that City Center will also be opening Go Sports and bhs stores in the future. The mall will also be undergoing a refurbishment of the back area, as well as the communal spaces, such as the toilets and other general areas. This work is set to begin after Ramadan and should take some nine months to complete.
“2011 has been a very good year,” he said, “especially with the new parking, now people can find places and our customer profile is changing step by step.”
“People are thinking that something is happening and things have changed,” he said, adding “when everything is completed by the end of 2013, City Center will be ‘the mall’ in Doha once more.”
