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One Utama Shopping Centre & The Curve, Bandar Utama
The ever popular One Utama Shopping Centre, located off the Lebuhraya Damansara Puchong (LDP) opposite Taman Tun Dr Ismail and adjoining to Damansara Utama, is one of the hottest shopping malls in Petaling Jaya. Opened for business in 1995, the 186,000-sq metre retail mall has emerged as the mega shopping mall for Petaling Jaya residents. During the weekends or public holidays, the shopping centre is thronged by people from all walks of life, from the urban population comprising office workers, corporate leaders or students from the local colleges and centres of higher education.
The second phase of the shopping mall, completed in 2003 with 279,000 sq metres of retail space had added to the total retail floor area of 465,000 sq metres. The old phase had Jaya Jusco as its anchor tenant and had 250 shops and the TGV (Tanjong Golden Village) cinema chain. The new phase has 400 shops with U Parkson and Giant Fresh Supermarket as the anchor tenants. The extended family also includes various renowned international boutiques that have opened their first signature stores in the country. These include retailers such as Sisley, Tommy Hilfiger, Kenneth Cole, Ralph Lauren and Brooks Brothers. For those who are health-conscious, there is also a new concept fitness centre called Celebrity Fitness.
The two unique features at the extended shopping centre also include a three-level overhead pedestrian mall (Sky Mall) and an underground tunnel (Tunnel Link) which links the original phase with the extended one. For recreation, there is the Rainforest, a breath-taking indoor conservatory inspired by Malaysia’s tropical rainforests. This showcase of biodiversity of the Malaysian rainforest boasts of many species of flora and incorporates many facilities such as alfresco dining, a canopy walk on the Rainbow Suspension Bridge, a rock-climbing feature and a waterfall.
The extended phase also has Pets’ Wonderland that stretches to the Lakeside area and an aviary that has many bird species. Apart from that, One Utama is also a disabled-friendly place with spacious corridors, several lifts and washroom facilities for the disabled. To cater to the thousands of people visiting the shopping centre daily, there are more than 7,000 car parking bays available. With such services for its customers, One Utama was recently awarded the National Creativity Award by the Malaysian Innovation & Design Centre.
The Curve
Sprawled over a 13-acre site in Mutiara Damansara in Petaling Jaya, The Curve comprises a cluster of distinctive buildings casting an exciting labyrinth of themed-courtyards and streetscape malls. These unique features at The Curve offer a complete shopping and dining experience for the discerning crowd. With 250 dining and fashion outlets of popular brands from around the world, this is absolutely the place where you will find a vast variety and choices in fashion, guaranteed fun-filled entertainment and sumptuous food.
Mutiara Rini Sdn Bhd, a member of the Boustead Group and the developer of the 360-acre Mutiara Damansara, wherein the RM250 million The Curve (construction cost at RM194 million) is located, offers the latest in food and fashion. The Curve is a 3-storey sprawling mall comprising 680,000 sq ft of retail space and 250 shops. It is part of a 60-acre (34 acres commercial & 26 acres corporate lots) commercial precinct comprising the IKEA, Ikano Power Centre and TESCO set within the beautifully landscaped Mutiara Damansara township.
Tenants occupying the mini anchor stores begin with 10,000 sq ft whilst the main anchors occupy up to 24,000 sq ft each. The Mutiara Damansara township draws from an existing catchment population of some 450,000 residents from the nearby townships of Bandar Utama, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kota Damansara, Damansara Perdana and the fringes of Kepong.
Accessibility to this shopping mall is not a problem as there are five separate ways to come to this piece of prized development. Access is via the New Klang Valley Expressway, LDP, Sprint Highway, Penchala Link, and Jalan Surian.
Rentals for The Curve are at an entry rate of RM3.80 psf to RM28 psf, about 20% lower than that of One Utama, the neighbouring commercial centre. Plans are afoot for the addition of an LRT service and shuttle services to bring shoppers to this locality.
