AFTER A FIVE MONTH SLOW DOWN, Work on construction of Polus Center Constanţa picks up speed

• TriGranit will invest around 140 million Euros in this project

• The retail center is scheduled for opening in Q4 2009

Work on Polus Center Constanţa, a project developed by TriGranit with an estimated cost of 140 million Euros, picked up speed starting at the end of June, when construction resumed at full capacity. 200 to 240 builders are working every day on the construction of Polus Center Constanţa, and their number is constantly increased as work is progressing.

Arpad Török, development director of the project, said that the first part of the roof"s metallic structure is scheduled to be completed by the end of September. He added that work on the special foundation, consisting of 3,200 high-depth reinforced concrete pillars was completed, and work has begun on the structural frame and on the infrastructure of the building.

Work on the commercial center began in 2007 and was scheduled to be completed in Q2 2010. The project was however delayed by the geological structure and uneven surface of the land. Arpad Török said for "BURSA", that the situation required the casting of the foundation pillars at a depth of 15 meters and the grading of soil to bring it up to ground. The new deadline for the completion of the project was set for Q4 2010.

Polus Center Constanţa covers a total area of 15 hectares and will have a gross building area of 112,000 sqm, of which 48,130 sqm which include retail and services, as well as entertainment areas. The retail center will create 2,000 new jobs and will include over 170 commercial and services units, including restaurants, plus a multiplex cinema with eight projection rooms and a 16,000 sqm "Auchan" hypermarket. Arpad Török says that it has already leased a sizeable part of the commercial center. Polus Center Constanţa will have 2,215 parking spots, of which 1,125 underground and 1,090 above-ground, in front of the main entrance.

Polus Center Constanţa is located in a highly developed urban area, on the Aurel Vlaicu boulevard, the current bypass road around the city center.

TriGranit is currently working on projects in seven European countries, with planned investments of 4 billion Euros. Arpad Török said that in spite of the global crisis, 2008 was one of the busiest and most successful years of the company, as it completed three projects, launched four new new ones and received five international awards.

In 2010, the company plans to complete and officially launch "Polus Center Constanţa" and "Arena Centar" of Zagreb, which required investments of 290 million Euros.