Source: The Straits Times –11 October 2013 Rivervale Plaza - renewed, refreshed Rivervale Plaza is finally ready. For two years, Sengkang’s oldest mall was in shambles. Mired in construction woes, shoppers endured dust and congested passageways while the losses mounted for tenants. A $10 million upgrade was delayed after initial contractor Technobuilt went bust. The saga became a hot-button issue in January’s Punggol East by-election.Now, the hoardings have peeled away to reveal a bold red-and-grey mall, with a modernist facade of glass and steel at Block 118 Rivervale Drive. And Sengkang’s shoppers are returning, along with the smiles on tenants’ faces. “Business dropped by half when construction work was delayed. Now we’re even seeing 10 per cent more profits than before the renovations,” said Mr Robin Tan, 51, who owns a religious goods store. Corridors are brightly lit, the tiles are shiny and the entire plaza is air-conditioned – a far cry from the drab two-storey open-air complex it once was. The Housing Board, which manages the mall, also expanded the floor area of the plaza’s existing shops, put in new escalators and upgraded the toilets. Not everything has changed though. Mom-and-pop stores such as bakeries, a provision shop and a stationery outlet, dating back to the plaza’s early days in 1999, still line its perimeter. These 38 stores, the existing supermarket, wet market, food courts and tuition centres are complemented by 10 new shops and 24 retail and food kiosks, selling Japanese and Western cuisine, for instance. All the units and kiosks have been rented out and most of them have already started operating. Madam S.E. Chan, 55, who owns Sengkang Books and Stationeries on the second floor, added: “There’s a bigger area to display our products now and noise doesn’t travel as much, thanks to the new design. ”Still, she hopes more can be done to liven up the quieter second storey of the mall, which is home to several tuition centres and a music school. The mall is popular with housewives and retirees in the morning. By midday, students throng the area for lunch. And in the evenings and on weekends, the mall draws in families. Housewife Ms Komathi Paramasivam, 29, said there is now more space for children to run around and play. So far, the HDB has been getting positive feedback from both tenants and shoppers. “They like the air-con and the bigger variety of shops. Some residents have said that the new shops have also created job opportunities for them,” said a spokesman. With the crowds returning, shop owners told The Straits Times that they now hope to recoup the losses they suffered over the past two years. “Sengkang is a young estate and I believe the mall will be well-frequented as new housing projects come up over the years,” said new tenant Simon Oh, 46, who manages a DIY shop offering items such as lights and key duplication services. Added Mr Bob Norman, 38, a manager at hairdresser Barber Point: “When all the shops and the mall is operating at full capacity, this place will be even more lively than it is now.
Posted on: Tue, 22 Oct 2013 04:06:04 +0000
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