A model integrated ultrapolis of the future, having everything in one place.
BY MAK KUM SHI
makks@thestar.com.my
Overview of i-City from western side.
Western Klang Valley has been thriving due to the rapid growth of the Klang Valley. The increasing population density in the Petaling district of Selangor has resulted in a population spillover to surrounding areas within the Klang Valley, including Shah Alam and Klang.
Prominent townships with thriving communities have been established in this region, with numerous housing estates and institutions of higher learning. However, with the increasing scarcity of land in the area, newer developments have been designed around an integrated concept.
According to the Smart Cities Council, a traditional city faces several inherent challenges, particularly in planning, and infrastructure. Planning of cities tends to be ad hoc and decentralised, resulting in cost savings not realised and limiting potential for scalability of investments. Infrastructure runs inefficiently, and costs more money and resources to run.
As a result of how traditional cities are developed, people rarely find government services, offices, residences, entertainment centres, and retail outlets all in one place. A city’s transportation system becomes congested and impacts emergency response times. Telecommunication infrastructure, solutions, and policies are not integrated, resulting in the lack of global competitiveness, not just in the telecommunications industry but also the national economy. This impacts energy efficiency, health services, water distribution services, public safety, and payment services among other factors.
i-City’s Leisure Park with an average of 90,000 visitors weekly.
It’s time to be smart
A smart city solution addresses these challenges. Planning is coordinated and holistic, while resources are shared, resulting in fully realised cost savings, scalable investments, and improved city planning and forecasting. Infrastructure is optimised with cutting-edge technology, saving money and resources.
When this happen, a complete and singular online presence would enable citizens to easily find and use services, participate in smart city initiatives, enable two-way communications between government and people, make specialised services available to the individual citizen, and allow citizens to contribute to and access real-time intelligent city data.
This would enhance quality of life, by enhancing the way people live, work, study, and play; and bringing businesses, government services, technology, and solutions, all to one place.
This is what i-City aspires to be, by becoming the ultimate destination to live, work, play, dine, and shop in one place.
With the expected convergence of transportation infrastructure, such as the Kuala Lumpur – Klang Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), LRT 3 Line, Federal Highway, and West Coast Expressway (WCE), i-City, which is a transit oriented development (TOD), and the surrounding region, are expected to contribute to and reap the benefits from this convergence.
Luxurious urban lifestyle living facilities within the residences.
Other highways that are accessible from the region include the Kemuning-Shah Alam Highway, North South Central Link Highway (ELITE), New Pantai Expressway (NPE), Shah Alam Expressway (KESAS), Guthrie Corridor, and the North-South Highway (PLUS).
These highways are important from a logistics point as these transportation networks allow them to easily distribute their products, not just in the Klang Valley, but also to the rest of the country and beyond.
IQI Group Holdings chief economist Shan Saeed said, “Whenever I look at any place or land, I look at population and job creation. Shah Alam will remain on investors’ radar because it is close to Port Klang. The Japanese have chosen Penang and Port Klang as their manufacturing hub for the long term.”
Big global partners for a global community
From suites, small offices home offices (SoHos), service apartments, and residences with interior design themes from London, New York, and Paris, i-City’s residential enclave boast of a wide range of residences for discerning buyers and investors.
Rozel Corporation founder and managing director Gan Tai Hwa commented, “Given the quality and design of our products, we are very confident that it will be on par with the commitment of i-City to its purchasers.”
Best Western Hotel, DataCentre and SoVo on the eastern side.
The business enclave, a MSC CyberCentre development, brings together corporate towers, cyber office suites, and data centres. 50,000 knowledge-based workers are expected when completed.
With its hospitality enclave, consisting of Best Western (now in operation), Hilton Double Tree (expected to be open by 2018), and a five-star hotel, taking form, i-City would be able to address the demand for short-term accommodation and hospitality services, from tourists and the business community.
Its Central i-City Mall is intended to bring shopping experiences at Western Klang Valley to the next level. It had recently held its groundbreaking ceremony and is scheduled to open in Oct 2018.
This is a RM850mil investment by I-Berhad and Central Pattana Group (CPN), Thailand’s largest retail developer. For the first year, 20 million visitors are expected.
Henry Butcher Retail Malaysia managing director Tan Hai Hsin shared, “i-City, the city of digital lights, offers many business opportunities for retailers. The 72 acres mixed development has retail space next to theme attractions, food and beverage outlets for on-site office workers, shops in a regional shopping mall, as well as retail lots below high-rise towers.”
Tan added, “The latest retail development in i-City is High Street @ i-City. It has two levels of retail shops with a total net floor area of approximately 180,000 sq ft. It is anchored by Red Carpet wax museum, Trick Arts Museum, and a fitness centre.”
A breathtaking view of i-City from the southern side.
Tan said, “High Street @ i-City is connected by a pedestrian bridge to Central i-City Mall. It is also connected by another pedestrian bridge to a large outdoor theme park. This retail podium is supported by 6,500 car parking lots below.”
The global partners are converging in this big city, and resulting in a cosmopolitan and global community. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that i-City is glowing brighter as the jewel of Western Klang Valley. The pulse of Selangor indeed.
Catch their global partners in action at the upcoming StarProperty.my Fair i-City Edition from April 22-24, 2016 at i-City.
Over 80% take up on launch day
i-City unveiled its last tower block, located on its western parcel, on Feb 27, 2016. Called Hyde Tower, this tower block is fully fitted and furnished to a London interior design theme.
Hyde is 43-storey tower block with units ranging from 465 to 769 sq ft, with one and two bedrooms, and a choice of standard duplex layouts and limited dual-key units. Hyde Tower is directly connected to the Central i-City Mall via a pedestrian bridge.
The direct flyover from Federal Highway is now completed and the i-City LRT station is expected to complete in 2020. This RM9bil freehold ultrapolis development with a mix of residential, commercial and recreation is also set to be a successful Transit Oriented Development (TOD) in providing convenience, affordability and active lifestyles to the community in and around i-City.
