On the 9th of June Echo Investment presented details of a new retail project – Galeria Echo Katowice, which is to be built at the junction of Kościuszki Street and Kolejowa Street.

“The southern part of Katowice is one of few places in Poland which has such excellent conditions for developing a commercial project: a very low retail space saturation index (224 sqm/1,000 residents with the average index for large cities of around 1,000 sqm). The second element is a high purchasing power – 121% of the national average,” says Marcin Materny, director of Echo Investment"s Shopping Centre Department. The facility is being developed in the southern part of Katowice, on Tadeusza Kościuszki Street – one of the main traffic routes in the city which is used by as many as 15,000 cars per hour. Before the concept of the centre was developed, the potential of its location had been analysed carefully. A research carried out by GfK Polonia confirmed the assets of the southern part of Katowice. Expectations of both residents and tenants were studied. “Shopping is not enough nowadays. Modern consumers expect much more. They want a better developed area and better organized time. It is not what they can buy but in what style that matters more and more these days. That is why in our project we focused on three main features: a varied offer, comfort and a friendly atmosphere. It results in accentuating the entertainment, recreational and gastronomy functions. Another priority is the convenient access and parking as well as comfort of shopping. Our vision is a friendly shopping centre: friendly for customers, friendly for tenants and friendly for the environment,” adds Marcin Materny. Galeria Echo Katowice will be built on a plot with an area of 54,000 sqm. The facility will offer a retail and entertainment area of 42,000 sqm on three floors. Apart from shops and service outlets of the most popular chains as well as a supermarket, the facility is planned to include a 7-screen cinema, a billiards club, a playground for children, squash and badminton courts, a restaurant including terraces as well as a medical centre. The entirety will be complemented by an external square including some places for rest, a skate park and an ice rink in winter. www.echokatowice.pl www.echokatowice.pl