2010 CIJ Awards Poland - Galeria Victoria - "Best Shopping Centre Development in Poland"
The beautiful and unique Galeria Victoria retail and entertainment shopping centre, opened in Wałbrzych on 16 October 2010, has won the “Best Shopping Center Development” award in the 2010 CIJ Awards Poland competition, organised by Central & Eastern European Construction & Investment Journal. The award was granted by a jury selected from a cross-section of the real estate industry at the 2010 CIJ Awards Poland gala dinner, which took place on 4 November 2010 at the InterContinental Hotel in Warsaw. Richard Keen, Managing Director of Keen Property Partners, received the prize on behalf of Keen Property Partners Retail, the developer of Galeria Victoria.
“We are extremely proud that Galeria Victoria was chosen the best shopping center of the year 2010. It is a project into which everyone involved put their heart and commitment from the very start,” said Richard Keen, Managing Director of Keen Property Partners. “Galeria Victoria is unique in several ways. It is an exceptionally beautiful building designed by international award-winning architects Chapman Taylor on the site of the old Victoria coal mine. It is also the first modern retail and entertainment complex in Wałbrzych, visited by almost 110,000 people in its first two days after the Grand Opening. Additionally, Galeria Victoria has created an excellent catalyst for economic revival and the development of business in Wałbrzych, and plays a significant social function for the city’s inhabitants.”
Galeria Victoria is the first modern retail, entertainment, residential and hotel complex in Wałbrzych and the surrounding region, bringing the first multiplex cinema (Cinema City), restaurants and coffee shops and many highly-desired Polish and international retail brands to the city for the first time. The construction of Galeria Victoria started in February 2009. The two-storey shopping complex houses an Intermarché Super supermarket (approximately 3,000 m2) and approximately 120 shops, giving the people of Wałbrzych access to well-known and popular clothing brands, a retail park (over 6,000 m2), a Media Markt electronics store (approximately 3,300 m2), and other services located in a retail area of over 43,000 m2. In the recreation zone (2,300 m2), the mall’s customers will find a modern Cinema City multiplex cinema with seven screens (including three adapted to broadcast films in the 3D format), Kinderplaneta playground for children, and 13 restaurants, snack bars and coffee shops. 1,390 underground and ground parking spaces have been created for customers with cars.
The following companies and brands can be found at Galeria Victoria: 4F, 5.10.15, adidas, AGATA MEBLE, Altero, Ambra, Americanos, Apart, APS Apteka, Big Star, Biuro Podróży, Biuro Podróży Itaka, BOOT SQUARE, C&A, Camaïeu, CCC, Cinema City, CROPP, Cubus, DEICHMANN, Doriano, Douglas, Empik, Era, FIDO, Game Zone, Gatta, Glitter, HighLand, HOUSE, H&M, Inmedio, Intermarché Super, Jeans Club, Kantor, KappAhl, KFC, Kinderplaneta, Kuchnia Polska, Leonardo, Lodziarnia Ożóg, MANGO, Martes Sport, Media Markt, Megapunkt, Mituu, MOHITO, Mount Blanc, New Yorker, Nike, ON i ONA, Orange, ORSAY, Pawo, Peacocks, Pierre Cardin, Play, Plus GSM, Puma, Quadri Foglio, Quazi, Reebok, RESERVED, Rossmann, Ryłko, Salvador Caffee, Sferis, Six, SMYK, Solar, Sphinx, Step In, Stradivarius, Subway, SUNSET SUITS, Swiss, Syrena, Takko, TALLY WEiJL, Top Secret & Friends, Triumph, Vision Express, W.Kruk, Willsoor, Wojas, WOK, Wójcik, Wrangler Lee and Yes. World-leading commercial real estate consultants CB Richard Ellis are acting as investment and leasing advisor, and are responsible for leasing the mall.
Galeria Victoria is a unique shopping mall in terms of design, location and gross area. It has been designed to revitalise a hitherto neglected part of the city centre, creating a new public space and focal point for the community, with additional functions such as open-air concerts in the amphitheatre in summer and an ice-skating rink planned for the winter months. The value of the investment, together with the planned hotel and residential elements will be approximately EUR 95 million. The mall has been developed by Keen Property Partners Retail, who specialises in the acquisition and development of local and regional retail centres, a sector with high growth potential. In 2009, KPP Retail was ranked 25th in the ranking of top European developers published by PropertyEU magazine. Galeria Victoria was designed by award-winning architects Chapman Taylor. Apart from the beauty and uniqueness of the building itself and its location, the planned hotel and residential elements of the project make it a very attractive opportunity for retailers to expand their customer base.
Galeria Victoria is located on a 10-hectare site at 64, 1 Maja Street in the city centre of Wałbrzych, on local route 367, leading to Jelenia Góra and adjoining national route 35, leading to the border crossing with the Czech Republic in Golińsk. Galeria Victoria is very near the city centre, with vehicular and pedestrian access from all directions. This location makes the retail and entertainment complex an ideal and convenient place for shopping and recreation for the residents of Wałbrzych, Świebodzice, Świdnica, Strzegom, Legnica, Jelenia Góra, Kłodzko and Kamienna Góra. Situated only 17 km from the Czech border, Galeria Victoria is also the nearest shopping destination for people visiting Poland from the Czech Republic.
