Press Release - Viana do Castelo, September 17^th 2003

Innovation and quality fo Viana de Castelo's commerce 

Estação Viana opens on November 19^th

• A € 43,8 million investment
• 18.480 m2 GLA hosts 7 anchor shops, 17 restaurants and 88 satellite shops
• More than 87% of the GLA already committed
• 6,7 million visits/year scheduled
• Creation of 900 new direct jobs
• Environmental quality and security systems ensured by sophisticated solutions

Shopping and leisure centre Estação Viana presents the tenants with the "keys" to their shops today. This event means that November 19^th will be the inauguration date and that the construction works for the tenants already committed can now begin.

Held in equal shares by Sonae Imobiliária and Estação Shopping, Estação Viana represents an € 43,8 million investment and will have a Gross Lettable Area (GLA) of 18.480 m2 for a gross construction area of 58.166 m2. This revitalizing pole of the city will allow the population of the surrounding regions to satisfy their shopping and leisure needs in Viana do Castelo.

With seven anchor shops (Zara, Cinemas Castelo Lopes, Worten/Vobis, FASHIONlfa, Sportzone, Bowling Bugz and "Supermercado da Estação" ), 17 restaurants and 88 satellite shops, a total of 112 shops, Estação Viana  has already committed over 87% of its GLA, and among the satellite shops are several prestigious brands, such as Stradivarius, Pull&Bear, Massimo Dutti, Berska, Often, Kiddys Class, Mango, Quebra Mar, Perfume & Ca., A Loja do Gato Preto, Blanco, McDonalds, etc.

Besides the commercial offer, a cultural space to vitalize even further the Viana do Castelo city centre will be created near the Estação Viana's south entrance. This space will have about 600 m2 and will allow for exhibits and quality events to be brought into the city.

Built on a 17.080 m2 site located on Av.ª Humberto Delgado, Viana do Castelo's new centre is scheduled to have 6,7 million visits per year and serves a population of over 133 thousand people in a 30 minutes catchment area. Estação Viana will create 900 direct jobs. The scheduled annual sales, not including the supermarket, reach € 30,2 million.

Among other infrastructures, the Estação Viana will ensure a cross over the railway which will connect the road transport interface and the railway station, as well as a parking lot of 600 spaces which will help overcome one of the city's biggest constraints.

The transport interface building will be handed over, once it's built, to the Viana do Castelo City Hall, thus becoming a city asset.

Maximum security and environmental quality

Benefiting from Sonae Imobiliária's vast know-how in the development of shopping and leisure centres, Estação Viana abides to the company's rigorous demands in terms of comfort, security, integration in the surrounding environment and environmental quality.

For example, the new centre comprises the most sophisticated solutions for such important aspects as the separation and treatment of residues or the monitoring of water and air quality. The centre's energy management and saving system is fully computerized (BMS - Building Management System).

As far as safety is concerned, the Estação Viana will benefit from some of the most modern support systems, such as the automatic fire detection system (SADI), the closed circuit television surveillance system (CCTV), the automatic intruder alert system (SAI), the fire fighting system (RIA) or the access control system.

Estação Viana- Tenant's List