Biggest retail park in the West for 2010 opening

Construction work has begun on the new €400million 'Crown Square’ development on the east side of the city – set to be the single biggest retail park in the West of Ireland.The development on the site of the former Crown Control factory in Mervue is expected to be completed by summer 2010.Talks are continuing to secure an anchor tenant for the development and are understood to be at an advanced stage, with a major DIY and hardware chain to take centre stage.The site, which is being developed jointly by prominent Galway developers Padraic Rhatigan (of JJ Rhatigan) and Walter King (of GK Developments), will comprise approximately 23,500 square metres of retail accommodation, 131 high quality apartments and 9,000 sq. m. of office accommodation.There will also be 9,300 sq. m. of additional accommodation including hotel, crèche and leisure facilities.A feature element of the new development will be a public piazza which will be used for civic events or an outdoor market.Mr Rhatigan said the massive new retail and residential development will be high quality and an exciting move for Galway. He said he has drawn on his company’s experience from other landmark developments such as Heuston South Quarter and the New Radisson Hotel in Dublin to ensure the quality of this development will be second to none.“The vision for the team working on this development is to deliver a shopping and living experience where everything looks and feels better, as such, our tag line for Crown Square is 'everything is better’ and it will be — this is a very exciting project for Galway,” Mr Rhatigan told the Galway City Tribune.Aidan Gavin of letting agents DTZ Sherry Fitzgerald said the anchor tenant will be an 'asset’ to Galway. “Talks to secure the anchor tenant are at the final stages. We are looking forward to releasing the name as we ................