City Government welcomes KCC Mall

..THE City Government of Zamboanga has welcomed the soon-to-open Koronadal Commercial Corporation (KCC) Mall, which broke ground on a 3.5-hectare property along Governor Camins Avenue in Zamboanga City. Mayor Celso Lobregat, who graced the mall’s groundbreaking on Wednesday, said several big mall operators in Manila have already signified their intention to invest in Zamboanga City and “KCC Mall is so far the first to have officially broken ground.” “The SM (Shoe Mart) is still locked up in negotiations with local landowners while Robinsons has already bought the land (along Nuñez Extension) beside KCC Mall’s property,” Lobregat said, adding that Gaisano has also eyed on a property along Alejo Alvarez Street. Lobregat said the construction of KCC Mall will start in November this year and is expected to finish within 18 months. It will be called the “KCC Mall de Zamboanga,” he added. “It is a multi-level structure adopting the cascading or terraces design of the floors considering its proximity to the airport,” Lobregat said, even as he expressed confidence that the opening of KCC Mall will further boost Zamboanga City’s economy. The mall’s construction is also expected to offer job opportunities for local people. KCC started in 1951 as a textile store in Koronadal City and then expanded in 1989 into a supermarket department store called the KCC Shopping Center. The KCC opened in 1992 its first store in General Santos City called KCC Warehouse Plaza. In 1996, KCC Warehouse Plaza was renamed KCC Mall of General Santos City and after four years, KCC Shopping Center expanded into KCC Mall of Marbel. The mall was rebuilt in 2004 after a tragic fire in 2002. (Bong Garcia) ..