Nordicum - Real Estate Annual Finland 2014 | Page 52

Spearheading Change Shopping centre Ainoa is the latest piece of the puzzle in the reinvention of the legendary Tapiola Centre Tapiola, the iconic “Garden City” of Espoo, is going through a serious beauty treatment – and there are a lot of exciting things going on at its very core, in the Tapiola Commercial Centre. As shopping centre Ainoa opened its doors in October, yet another step was taken on the road to fully return Tapiola to her former glory. O wned by Tapiola KR III Real Estate Fund, the newcomer is still relatively small – with 10 000 square metres and 30 shops – but the aim is to expand the shopping centre significantly in the years to 50 Nordicum come, says Kirsi Borg, head of new entity Promote Tapiola. “We are looking to have 40,000 square metres and 100 shops by 2017, if everything goes according to plans,” she says, adding that the launch of the first phase has surpassed all expectations. “We are very excited about a great start and are confident that Ainoa will become a real meeting place for the local community.”