Monday, October 31, 2011

Developer says no more work being done as contruction completed

Easy to get lost: Poor signage at Solaris Dutamas has become a bane for both tenants and visitors.
Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/10/31/central/9796783&sec=central (By JASTIN AHMAD TARMIZI, 31.10.2011)
CLAIMS made by the tenants and owners of commercial units in Solaris Dutamas Kuala Lumpur about their problems with the joint management of the retail and office has been refuted by the developer and management of the development.
The developer and management of Solaris Dutamas, Sunrise Bhd community and customer development general manager Anne Tong denied that there was still construction works and flying debris as claimed by the stakeholders. “It is impossible that at this stage there is still construction works and debris as the development is already completed. “Whatever works done in the development at the moment are the renovation works within Publika, which is the shopping mall within the Solaris Dutamas development. “Some of the works are by the individual retail outlets done by the tenants or shop owners themselves,” she said during an interview which was also attended by Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, in respond to the claims made by the stakeholders.
However, Tong admitted that there were problems with the signage in the development which was also one of the problems cited by the stakeholders. “We understand that the signage here can be a bit difficult. However, we have engaged a consultant from Singapore to work on upgrading the ‘wayfinding’ signage for the development. As this is an ongoing exercise, changes will be gradual,” she said. Tong added with regards to the high parking rates and claims, that the revised rates would not encourage more customers and they would resort to other malls claimed by the stakeholders were incorrect. “The revised parking rate is fixed at RM1 for the first three hours and RM2 per hour for the subsequent hours not RM1 for the first hour. “We believe this price is reasonable as it is comparable to other shopping malls in the Klang Valley and it is relatively cheaper than several shopping complexes nearby,” she said adding that the parking rate is maintained at RM1 per entry during the weekends to attract and encourage more shoppers.
When asked about the claims by stakeholders that their units are not given proper publicity, Tong said they could not allow the business operators to hang their own buntings and banners along the corridors and the car park as it would affect the outlook of the development. “Just like any other shopping areas, we cannot let them place their buntings and banners as the outlook and appearance will be affected. “We have to maintain and control this,” she said adding that they have also given publicity for many of the outlets in Solaris Dutamas by featuring them in the Sunrise news bulletin without charging them.
Some 200 tenants and owners from Block C and D signed a petition recently to the management of the development and organised a press conference with Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng to highlight the issue. Most of them said there are several things that have hampered their business in the area with one of the most pertinent problem was the delay in the completion of Publika shopping mall and the commercial units claiming there was debris flying around that was affecting their business.
The tenants and owners claimed that the construction was still going on although the works at Solaris Dutamas should have been completed two years ago. They are also unhappy that their units are not given proper publicity and are treated as a separate entity from Publika that has received numerous advertisements and articles in the local media.
Deciding to take matters into their own hands, the business operators printed their own buntings and banners along the corridors and the car park. However, they were told they could not do that and the security guards had gone around collecting the banners and placing them in the carpark to be picked up by respective owners.

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