From left :Central i-City Mall is the biggest shopping centre in Shah Alam; The Jewel, standing at 73 levels, will dominate the Selangor skyline in 2025.
ONLY 40 per cent of the 13 million square foot of approved gross floor area (GFA) of i-City had been completed as at end-2018, says Tan Sri Lim Kim Hong, executive chairman of I-Berhad.
This means I-Berhad will be busy in the next 10 to 12 years finishing the development and, along the way, could add new products in line with demand and market trends.
“It has been said that great cities have to continuously recalibrate, renew and reinvent them selves in response to ever-changing demographic, technological, economic and global achievements. Without a centre or centres of intellectual capital that a re-actively engaged in understanding and helping to navigate the multiple factors shaping the future, big cities cannot become great cities,” said Lim.
“Against this backdrop, i-City would continue to push the boundaries with its development of work places of the future.
A relatively-recent concept to Malaysia, modular office buildings will be championed and showcased in i-City, one which we believe will be the way for commercial development in the near future.”
He said recognising the constant evolution of living patterns of the millennial generation, co living spaces would also be introduced in the coming phases at i-City.
“As cities become more expensive, co-living addresses some of the issues around urban living.”
INTERNATIONAL CITY
Lim said from i-City’s perspective, being “international” not only means catering to the international community, but also being an investment location of choice for global companies.
When the i-City project started, a partnership was formed with Serv Corp of Australia to provide managed services to the development. This venture resulted in i-City being the first smart city in the country with Cisco Smart + Connected Community platform.
In addition, i-City was the first property development project in the country to provide fibre-to home connectivity and high speed broadband back in 2008 when dial-up were still the standard bearers.
i-City is also the country’s first property development project that features the City of Digital Lights theme park.
With a million LED lightscape and various rides and attractions, it is now a much sought-after spot for night tourism in the country.
The i-City Cybercentre Office Suites was the first syariah-compliant MSC Cybercentre inthe country, following a strategic alliance with the Al Rahji Banking Group from Saudi Arabia in 2010.
Last month saw the opening of the RM850 million Central i-City Mall, making it the largest shopping destination in Shah Alam with local and international luxury brands. Anchor tenants include Sogo Department Store, TGV Cinemas and Village Grocer.
Come 2020, the Double Tree by Hilton will open its doors with its 300 elegant rooms equipped with state-of-the-art technology.
Lim said the opening of the Double Tree by Hilton and Best Western i-City hotel (in 2015) are a catalyst in getting international hotel chains and other multinational companies to look at Shah Alam in a new light.
In 2020, i-City will also reap the benefits of an eco-friendly, car-less mode of travel once thethird line of the light rail transit system (LRT 3) is completed with a station/stop right at CentralWalk. CentralWalk is one of the key features of i-City.It has multiple blocks comprising shopping, hospitality, leisure, convention and medical hubs.This U-shaped complex stretches from the Red Carpet 2 to Central i-City Mall, before U-turning to join the 73-storey The Jewel — set to be thetallest structure in Shah Alam and possibly in Selangor, too!
The Jewel,which will dominate the Shah Alam skyline by 2025 and cement i-City’s place in Selangor’s development history, comprises off a five-star hotel and premium retail space.
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