Willa Shopping Centre in Hyvinkää opens up 29 March

The shopping centre comprises more than 40 stores and office facilities on two floors and has a total floor area of some 22,000 square metres.

This is the shopping centre's first phase, which is owned by Varma. The developer and main contractor was YIT Rakennus Oy. Willa is Varma's single largest construction project in 2012, representing a total invest-ment of approximately EUR 75 million.

"Owing to its size and central location, Willa is a sensible addition to Varma's investments, which aim at securing pensions. The shopping centre's lessees include well-known commercial operators who will add to the attractiveness of the centre," says Varma's Leasing and Maintenance Manager, Ismo Kukkonen .

For Varma, Willa is also an investment in work carried out in Finland; the shopping centre will employ 350-400 people.

The sustainability of the shopping centre's energy solutions has been taken into account during construction. The technological solutions enable the energy consumption to be controlled, which helps keep maintenance costs down.

Willa adds to Hyvinkää's commercial appeal

Among the stores that will open their doors in the first phase of Willa are K-Citymarket, Vero Moda, Vila, Only, Jack & Jones, Lindex, Seppälä, Intersport, Instrumentarium and Seppälä. Service providers include Liikuntakeskus Willa sports facilities and Mehiläinen, a private medical centre.

"Willa is located in the heart of Hyvinkää, next to the commercial and cultural centre Wanha Villatehdas and the library. It will serve as a new leisure time and meeting centre, which can be easily reached by foot, public transport and car. The shopping centre offers a comprehensive selection of fashion stores, restaurants and services - all under one roof," says Johanna Harjunmaa , the Director of Willa Shopping Centre.

The completion of Willa is an important milestone for Hyvinkää as a whole.

"A shopping centre in the core of Hyvinkää has been a long time coming, and there have been many obsta-cles, but now things are looking good. Willa will provide a major boost to Hyvinkää's commercial offering and appeal. Along with Willa we have first-rate flats in the centre and a perfect venue for arranging public events, not just in Willa, but also in Villatehdas and the area between these two," says Raimo Lahti , Mayor of Hyvinkää.

The second phase of the centre, with more than 60 additional stores, will be completed in October 2012.

Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Company is the largest earnings-related pension insurer and investor in Finland. The company is responsible for the statutory earnings-related pension cover of more than 870,000 people. Premiums written totalled EUR 4.0 billion in 2011 and pension payments stood at EUR 4.2 billion. The company's investment portfolio amounted to EUR 31.9 billion at the end of 2011.

Willa Shopping Centre is a modern centre being built in Hyvinkää city centre. Once completed towards the end of 2012, Willa and the adjoining stores of Anttila and Prisma will form a shopping centre with a total floor area of 54,000 square metres and more than 100 stores and service providers. The shopping centre is owned by Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Company and Kiinteistö Oy Ficre.

For further information, please contact:
Ismo Kukkonen, Leasing and Maintenance Manager, Varma, tel. +358 40 590 3223
Johanna Harjunmaa, Shopping Centre Director, Willa Shopping Centre, tel. +358 50 326 5638