Delta builds "planet" worth EUR 200 million - Construction of Serbia's largest shopping mall kicks off 2013 at Autokomanda

Construction of the largest and most exclusive shopping mall in Serbia, where visitors will have a chance to shop at 250 stores, watch movies at high-tech theaters and enjoy using wellness and spa services, will commence in spring 2013 at Autokomanda in Belgrade.

The company Delta Real Estate, a member of Delta Holdinga, has announced recently that it will invest EUR 200 million in the construction of this facility, which will be situated on the most attractive land lot in Vozdovac, between the highway, Oslobodjenja Boulevard and Tabanovacka Street.

It is the first shopping center that is not located in New Belgrade. It will be twice as big as Delta City Shopping Center and 70,000 square meters bigger than Usce Shopping Center.

Delta Planet, which will be spanning 200,000 square meters, is planned to receive first visitors in autumn 2014.

- We came out of the crisis in the first quarter of this year. With this investment we want to start a cycle of big investments in Serbia. Delta Planet will not be a shopping mall intended only for the citizens of Belgrade and Serbia, but also for visitors from all over the region. The opening of this facility will enable the employment of about 5,000 jobs - Jelena Krstovic, vice president of Delta Holding, said at the presentation of this new project.

Delta Real Estate Group CEO Vojislav Glavinic said that that shopping center would be the group`s largest investment in the following period, adding that it was the second largest real estate investment in Serbia since 2000.

- Last year Delta Real Estate announced that it would focus on the development of shopping malls and retail parks. We left the crisis behind us and now have several projects in the pipeline, the largest of which is Delta Planet. Ami Mur, an architect from Israel, has worked on the design for this shopping center. He is the author of more than 60 similar facilities located worldwide. The plan is to hire 60 construction companies from Serbia, that is, 6,000 construction workers, to build this facility - said Glavinic.

Delta Planet will offer future customers 250 outlets to shop at. Minimum 50 brands are expected to present their offer to people in Serbia for the first time ever, while at least four most attractive brands will operate stores spanning more than 3,000 square meters.

When asked by eKapija to say which new brands in our market would be tenants at Delta Planet, Glavinic answered:

- We cannot reveal the names of these brands yet because negotiations are still underway. All of them are large multinational companies that find this region interesting. The interest expressed by future tenants is huge. The names of all new brands we believe will be attractive to visitors with different purchasing power will be announced as soon as we sign agreements with them.

Stores, service shops, restaurants and coffee shops will occupy two levels of the future shopping mall. There will be a hypermarket beneath these two levels, while the floor above them will feature movie theaters, spa and wellness center, sports facilities and everything related to healthy life.

- The roof of the facility will be turned into a green oasis spanning 6,500 square meters. Delta Planet will be the first facility in Serbia to comprise IMAX theaters. There will be 2,300 parking spaces in underground garages and on outdoor parking lots – said Delta Real Estate Executive Marketing Director Vidra Vucevic.

- Some brand new construction solutions will be applied to the facility at Autokomanda. It will be the first green shopping mall, which will be in line with the latest environmental standards and use renewable energy sources, with high energy efficiency and full control of the emission of harmful gases - Glavinic explained.

The main entrance will be situated on the side facing the roundabout Autokomanda, featuring a large square and open-air cafes.

A LED facade spanning about 5,000 square meters will be located on the side facing the highway. The opposite side, that is, the one facing Tabanovacka Street, will feature a vertical facade made of natural materials, with trails and green areas.

Delta gives up construction of business tower at Autokomanda

According to an earlier plan, Delta also wanted to build a business tower in this location. As Delta Real Estate Group CEO Vojislav Glavinic told eKapija, they gave up the construction of that tower in order to increase the surface of the shopping mall.

Acquisition of land lot at Autokomanda

Delta took over the company Autokomanda in 2005 for EUR 17 million, thus also acquiring 3.3 hectares of land, about half a hectare of which will be used to build a new road. In order to be able to build the shopping mall Delta Planet and a business tower, the company had to provide additional hectares at Autokomanda. But its owner Miroslav Miskovic failed to do that in 2008 because Delta was not the best bidder for a 2.8-hectare land lot that was offered for sale at an auction. That lot was acquired by Petar Matic, owner of MPC Holding.

Delta purchased additional 2.8 hectares last year, after Matic returned the lot to the city. He justified that move with the economic crisis.

Delta was the sole bidder for that land lot at Autokomanda and got it at the starting price, that is, for about RSD 1.090 billion.

S.O.