Shopping malls are becoming an integral part of every community especially in cities and the surrounding areas. The convenience of getting multiple services at one location is what primarily drives many Kenyans to prefer shopping at malls rather than waste time going from shop to shop. Typical features of modern malls include supermarkets, restaurants, pharmacies, banks, boutiques and others.
Milele Mall is one of the new such facilities coming up in Ngong on the outskirts of Nairobi. It is owned by Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) Ngong Diocese. The mall is being built within a parcel of land measuring 4.25 hectares that was previously underutilized.
The project kicked off in February 2013 and is nearing completion. Some of the big tenants include Tuskys Supermarket (anchor tenant), I&M Bank, Chase Bank, AAR Medical Centre and Innscor.
Architectural features
The roof structure is supported by two major trusses spanning almost 80 metres anchored on the ground floor. The building contains many windows to provide maximum natural lighting. The arcade has an atrium which is roofed with polycarbonate to allow natural lighting. Louvers have been used to allow for air circulation. Recycled water from the water treatment plant is to be used in the washrooms for flushing and irrigation.
Facilities
Facilities at Milele Mall include parking with at least 200 bays, elevators, borehole and a standby power generator. The compound will have a perimeter wall backed up by CCTV and security guards.
Access to the development
Milele Mall will be accessed through Ngong Road. The exit is through an access road that connects to Ngong town. There’s also a service entry and exit through a different access road.
Challenges
The mall had been designed to have at least four floors. However, due to some financial constraints, the team has managed to cap it at two.
