BMSPA 2021: Staying true to its purpose - The Waterfront @ ParkCity

10 Years and Above Retail (Gold)

The Waterfront @ ParkCity

At a time when conventional “big-box” malls dominated the market, ParkCity Group, the developer of award-winning township Desa ParkCity in Kuala Lumpur, opted to build an open-concept, family-oriented retail centre in the township instead. The goal was to rise above convention in creating a mall that serves the needs of the local community.

Completed in June 2008, The Waterfront @ ParkCity (The Waterfront) is located on a prime site next to the township’s 13.19-acre Central Park with a 6.34-acre man-made lake.

“We believed the concept of a community mall would draw a new landscape to the retail environment in Malaysia. The Waterfront was planned as a neighbourhood mall to serve the community of Desa ParkCity,” ParkCity Group CEO Datuk Joseph Lau tells EdgeProp.my following The Waterfront’s Gold win in the 10 Years and Above Retail category of EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed & Sustainable Property Awards 2021.

Introducing the new mall concept was a challenge as Desa ParkCity was a new residential development then.

“Not only was it an unknown address, but we also had to move both retailers’ and consumers’ mindsets from the enclosed air-conditioned mall to the open-air street mall concept. We had to have constant engagement with the community and retailers. Our persistence helped us break this barrier,” Lau shares.

Owned and managed by Renown Point Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of ParkCity Group, tenants of The Waterfront with 124,471 sq ft net lettable area, were selected to deliver a variety of offerings to meet everyday needs such as F&B, grocery, leisure, education and health care.

Today, The Waterfront has an estimated footfall of 400,000 a month comprising not just Desa ParkCity residents but also people from as near as Kepong to as far as Cheras and Klang. Many of them are also regular visitors to the Central Park, a popular pet-friendly park which in 2020 won Gold at EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed & Sustainable Property Awards in the 10 Years and Above-Specialised Category. The latest retail centre in the township called Plaza Arkadia also bagged the Gold in the Below 10 Years Mixed Development (Entire) category that year. ParkCity Group itself was a recipient of EdgeProp Malaysia’s Responsible Developer: Building Sustainable Development Award in 2019. One of its latest projects in Desa ParkCity is ParkPlace which saw a strong take-up of more than 86% within one single weekend launch in Sept 2020.

Emphasis on sustainability and the community

As an open-concept mall, most of The Waterfront’s outlets have double-shop frontage, thus providing ample natural ventilation. Trees are also planted at the open carpark to reduce carbon footprint.

“The green concept flows seamlessly between the retail centre and the green outdoors (the Central Park). This helps to cool and improve air quality,” says Lau.

Residents are encouraged to walk to the park and they can do that easily and safely via wide walkways. Among security measures taken are CCTV cameras, frequent site visits by the security team as well as a 24-hour hotline.

The Waterfront is often a hub of activity as the tenant mix and community activities here are aimed at bringing people together.

Like the Central Park, The Waterfront attracts pet lovers too as most of the outlets at The Waterfront welcome pets.

The mall is also a favourite spot to usher in the new year with its 8 to 10-minute-long fireworks display. Although the usual celebrations could not be held to welcome 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the developer was undeterred and had transformed the Park Entrance at The Waterfront into a Magical Wonderlights show instead.

Besides festive events, other community engagement activities regularly held at The Waterfront are markets and bazaars, kids’ carnivals, fitness bootcamps and others. The retail centre also hosts a Food Charity Box and a Recycling Centre which provides weekly collections.

Refreshed look  

Despite following a strict property maintenance regime on The Waterfront, ParkCity knew it was time for an upgrade after 10 years. Hence, in 2018, the Group spent some RM15 million to refresh The Waterfront facade, enhance the tenant mix, and to improve traffic circulation and visitor experience.

Among the new additions were 5,000 sq ft retail space, 20 retail outlets, new escalators and lifts, a grand staircase from the ground floor to the first floor and a new entrance from the Central Park to the first floor. The upgrades have paid off as seen in the mall’s 99% occupancy. New outlets include Jibby by The Park by The Serai Group, Naughty Babe Dirty Duck, and Italian restaurant Eatalia by Brava.

“The new offerings are in line with the growth and needs of the community.

“To us, sustainable property management is a commitment to deliver on our promise and standards set for the township and its assets. We want to continuously improve in building a sustainable living environment for our community and society in general,” Lau concludes.

Check out the microsite for Edgeprop’s Best Managed & Sustainable Property Awards 2021 here

This story first appeared in the EdgeProp.my E-weekly on April 9, 2021. You can access back issues here.

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