Work Begins on Sh1.3bn Cedar Mall in Nanyuki

Construction has commenced with the groundbreaking of Cedar Mall, a new 12,000 square metre shopping centre located on Rumuruti Road in the heart of Nanyuki, Laikipia County.

The Sh1.3 billion mall, the biggest development of its kind in the Mount Kenya region, is being undertaken by Esteel Construction Ltd., while the professional team comprises Bowman Associates (architects) and YMR Partnership (quantity surveyors).

Work on the mall will be funded by HF to the tune of Sh820 million with the co-owner Kiloran Development Group – an investment vehicle of Britons – raising the balance of the cost.

Andrew Gartrell, managing partner of Kiloran said: “We are very happy to have commenced construction on Cedar Mall. We expect phase one to open in September 2016.”

The shopping mall is expected to host Chandarana Food Plus as its anchor tenant. Major national and international shops, restaurants, coffee shops, and a food court will also be part of phase one construction.

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Cedar Mall adds to a growing list of modern facilities that are being developed in strategic parts of the country to attract an expanding number of consumers with disposable income.

Nairobi has been the site of a mall construction boom, but the trend now seems to catch up with strategic towns away from the Kenyan capital including Nakuru, Naivasha, Kisumu, Meru, and Eldoret.

According to Knight Frank, a global property consultancy, despite the rising number of large shopping malls in various parts of the country, demand for retail space is rapidly growing due to the flourishing mall culture.

The property consultancy reckons that investors have recently shown interest in retail space since it attracts higher rental yields than office, residential, and industrial properties.

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