ShoppingCentres: The €650 million Dundrum Town Centre will shake-up the retail market in the capital, writes Fiona Tyrrell
The first and largest phase of the State's biggest shopping centre will open tomorrow.
The €650 million Dundrum Town Centre has 130 shops and boasts one of the most interesting line-up of tenants on offer in an Irish shopping centre.
It will open for business at 10am tomorrow on schedule and just-in-time for the important pre-Easter period.
With average rents of €3,000 per sq m (€279 per sq ft) it is estimated the centre will generate a €40 million rent roll for Joe O'Reilly and Liam Maye's Castlethorn Construction.
The House of Fraser, the first in the state, is the main anchor of the centre. It will operate from a 13,000 sq m (almost 140,000 sq ft) store dominating the main entrance to the shopping centre.
H & M, Daisy & Tom, Molton Brown, Massimo Dutti, Jane Norman, Mamas and Papas and Paul Sheeran Jewellers are among stores opening in the State for the first time in Dundrum Town Centre.
Castlethorn's policy of holding out for the best names paid off when top UK department store Harvey Nichols decided to open its first Irish store in Dundrum. The luxury lifestyle store will open in the autumn anchoring a high street style fashion district of up to 15 designer brand stores.
Other tenants of the shopping centre include a 24-hour Tesco, Easons, Penneys, Marks & Spencer, Argos, Monsoon, River Island, Zara, Jack Jones, and Pull and Bear.
Up to 4,000 construction, fitting and marketing staff were on-site over the past week putting the finishing touches to the centre, according to Jeanette Jordan, marketing strategy advisor, Dundrum Town Centre.
Almost all units in the centre are occupied and deals are being finalised on the remaining few, according to Bannon Commercial, which is joint letting agent with Hamilton Osborne King for Dundrum Town Centre.
The centre has 15 cafés and restaurants, including the Sky Bar, which offers views over Dublin.
The 92,000 sq m (over 990,000 sq ft) shopping centre forms part of a new town centre for Dundrum village. On a 17-acre site the town centre will eventually comprise a civic space, which is due to open in the autumn.
This phase will incorporate a 160-seat theatre space, which will be handed over to amateur dramatic groups in the area, a 12-screen cinema complex with seating for over 2,200 people, a band stand and restaurants.
The final phase of the project will involve the redevelopment of the old Dundrum Shopping Centre. Last year An Bord Pleanála approved plans for the demolition of the centre and its replacement by a mixed-use scheme extending along the village's main street, dismissing appeals by local residents.
The development includes three anchor stores and 76 retail units, as well as offices, a 105-bedroom hotel and a new public library. Due to open in 2008, the 66,000 sq m (over 710,000 sq ft) development will focus on young fashion and sports wear.
The Dundrum Town Centre is well served by pedestrian access points from Main Street, Dundrum and a walkway from Balally Luas stop, which is a few minutes' walk from the centre. Vehicle access is via a number of entrances off the Dundrum bypass.
Each level of the centre will have two car-parking levels, accommodating a total of 3,500 cars. Real-time technology helps drivers find free spaces as well as locate their car.
The centre will be open from 9am to 9pm from Monday to Friday and from 8.30pm to 7pm on Saturdays, and 10am to 7pm on Sundays.
