Eco-centric establishment for KL North

Ekovest brings to Titiwangsa a first-of-its-kind, riverfront promenade and integrated retail mall.

Ekovest Bhd hopes to revitalise the Jalan Pahang area with a revolutionary eco-development fit for patrons of all ages. The development will stand next to a riverfront promenade, a rare feature for most neighbouring buildings in the locale. The development, dubbed EkoRiver Centre, will be the first commercial development in Malaysia under the Kuala Lumpur River City (KLRC) master plan.

The EkoRiver Centre project is a 600,000 sq ft retail component spread over six floors, complete with a total of 3,000 basement and elevated car parks, with one of the mall’s floors solely dedicated as a convention facility.

The total net lettable area (NLA) of the retail mall stands at 400,000 sq ft while the convention centre reserves 130,000 sq ft. All 600,000 sq ft NLA of the commercial components will be held as assets to lease for recurring income. According to Ekovest, the tenancy mix is yet to be finalised.

The retail mall is scheduled for completion by 2018 and will be accessible via a grid located at Jalan Pahang and optionally from DUKE 2, which is set to complete by 2016. The parcel stands on a 7-acre plinth of freehold land.

Above the EkoRiver Centre will be an iconic 68-storey tower that will house corporate offices, a hotel offering hotel suites as well as VIP suites totalling up to 390 rooms. The establishment will also hold a 190,000 sq ft convention centre located at the highest floor of the retail mall, while the roof top of the mall will be a public park, accessed directly from the riverfront promenade via designated escalators.

The river promenade featured at EkoRiver Centre will be made accessible to the public via water taxis from Kuala Lumpur as well as river tours along this revived section of Sungai Gombak. Some planned water activities for the promenade include stage performances, cultural and tourist promotions and al fresco dining. Additionally, the river front is also fully accessible to the public.

One would wonder as to the inspiration that brought about such a magnificent concept for the future of this locale in north Kuala Lumpur. To this, Ekovest managing director Lim Keng Cheng explains, “The seamless integration of the KLRC master plan with urban transportation offered via the DUKE and the upcoming MRT2 line will rejuvenate this part of KL north, turning the area into a destination of choice.”

Lim adds, “The availability of leisure spaces, modern office suites and tourist attractions to showcase the diversity of Malaysian culture and shopping amenities located just minutes away from the city centre, will make this project popular as it mirrors existing projects, including the San Antonio Riverwalk (USA), the Cheonggyecheon River Restoration (South Korea), the Battersea Power Station (UK) as well as the UK Galleria in Hatfield.”

The architecture of the EkoRiver Centre is commendable, given the intertwining futuristic and natural accents painted across the development, thanks to Arkitek KDI Sdn Bhd (KDI) which is responsible for the EkoRiver Centre brainchild.

The company is also the appointed architect for Ekovest’s flagship 12-acre integrated commercial project known as EkoCheras at Jalan Cheras and other Ekovest’s key developments such as EkoAvenue, EkoQuay and EkoGateway in the capital city.

KDI holds a track record that speaks for itself, having completed major commercial mixed developments locally as well as abroad, including The Robertson (KL), Meena Plaza, C15 City of Light (Abu Dhabi) and Danga Bay (Johor).

The architect’s design for EkoRiver Centre reflects a rational approach, with a futuristic, iconic and integrated complex, bringing people from various locales to gather at a vibrant commercial and recreational hub to live, work and play. The design will also help to promote the KL River Centre as a tourist and shopping destination to relax and unwind.

In terms of safety, patrons can be rest assured as EkoRiver Centre will be equipped with state-of-the-art security system comprising entry and exit checkpoint barriers, CCTV systems, round the clock guard patrol with a central command station and latest card access system for authorised access to the respective components of the centre, including the car parking facility.

For those looking to call EkoRiver Centre home, the idea is not far-fetched as in June this year, one of Ekovest’s three EkoTitiwangsa towers was launched, enjoying up to 90% in sales as of now. Units are sold from RM800 per sq ft feet for a typical 825 sq ft unit.

“The units sold at EkoTitiwangsa reflect the current pricing regime in the area for residential service apartments and looking at the entire master plan, this is a low entry price to own a property in an upcoming area in KL north,” Lim says. The EkoTitiwangsa service apartments commenced in July 2015 and are expected for completion in early 2019. - By StarProperty