Les Grands Prés

Description

On the outskirts of the characteristic old fortress city of Mons (capital of the province of Hainaut), Foruminvest realised a 37,000-m² shopping centre with a large Carrefour hypermarket and a parking lot with 2,800 parking spaces. The development is part of a 60-hectare city expansion plan on former university land. The range of shops complements those available in the city centre and returned Mons to its former status as the beating heart of the region, as well as putting the city on a more competitive footing with cities such as Brussels and Lille. In close cooperation with the city of Mons, the regional authorities and Redevco (the owner of the Carrefour hypermarket), Foruminvest has set up a sizeable investment fund, which over the next 10 years will invest in the reconstruction and renovation of the old city centre. Foruminvest is also helping to restore the city’s residential function and encouraging young entrepreneurs to set up shop in Mons. As part of this effort, Foruminvest has improved the existing facades, streets and parking facilities. Thanks to these efforts, Foruminvest has created 1,000 new jobs; 850 in the shopping centre and 150 in the city centre. Mons has 100,000 inhabitants and is just a 30-minute drive away for another 500,000 potential consumers. Foruminvest has created an attractive and comfortable shopping centre walking distance away from a charming, historical city centre. Working with MallConnect, in 2016 Foruminvest added another 10,000 m2 of retail space and an IKEA. ICSC Award: Second place in the Best shopping centre in Europe in the large shopping centre category.