International wholesale centre targeted for 2014

KUALA LUMPUR: The International Wholesale Trade Centre (IWTC) in Serdang, Selangor developed by Metro Kajang Holdings Bhd is slated to come on stream in 2014 barring any delays.

Metro Kajang Holding Bhd’s Senior Manager of Business Development and Investment, Ahmad Yani told theedgeproperty.com that the mixed development comprises retail space, a hotel and serviced apartments with an estimated total gross development value of between RM900 million and RM1 billion.

Construction is targeted to start by end-2010 or early-2011, Ahmad adds.

Located in Serdang Lama, along the KL-Seremban Expressway. the IWTC will have a nett saleable area of 1.4 million sq ft. It will sit on 12 acres of leasehold land made up of several parcels of land combined together.

This new centre will be competing with other wholesale centres such as Kenanga Wholesale City along Jalan Kenanga off Jalan Loke Yew in the city centre and GM Klang Wholesale City in Bandar Botanic, Klang.

Ahmad said besides local retail tenants, it will also be wooing retailers from ASEAN nations to fill the 2,000 retail lots available.

The retail area will be housed in a 4-storey building offering 800,000 sq ft of nett lettable space. Unit sizes are from 100 sq ft to over 2,000 sq ft.

“Lots can be combined for larger floor space if required. The rental rate is RM16 psf for ground floor lots,” said Ahmad.

The ground floor retail is zoned to contain amenities and retailers for accessories, gifts and toys, F&B outlets, service centres like banks, travel agents, money changers, clinics, logistic companies and so on. The first floor will be the fashion zone with clothes and shoes. The second floor will have furniture, stationary and sports items. The top most floor will feature hardware, kitchen and bath items, building materials, electrical products along with dried and canned food items.

The hotel portion of the development will be in a 17-storey tower with 400 rooms while the serviced apartments will be housed in another 17-storey complex with the unit sizes ranging from 600 sq ft to 1,200 sq ft. The selling prices have yet to be determined.

An artist's impression of the IWTC