Malta International Airport inaugurated its SkyParks Business Centre late yesterday, and its chairman said that given that the centre already has 80% occupancy, the company is eying the building of a second.
Michael Hoeferer said that SkyParks was already the leading business address on the island. Its inauguration, he said, was another milestone in the history of the airport, with 2012 being the 20th anniversary of the Air Terminal inauguration and the 10th anniversary of the privatisation of MIA.
The building of the business centre, he explained, was another step in the development of thec ompany's diversification strategy.
"Airports all over the world are realising their potential in becoming a hub of end-user activity rather than just a point of transition. Hence the major decision to invest in a Business Centre. We are proud of this building not only because it is aesthetically pleasing and eco-friendly in its operation, but most of all because we have managed to attract important partners to set up here and at the same time have a service offer which complements the existing myriad of services available within the Terminal perimeter," Mr Hoeferer said.
MIA CEO Markus Klaushofer said the building was an investment with a total capital expenditure of €17 million, with overall development spanning over 22,000 square metres.
"From an energy efficiency perspective, this is the first Grade A office building in Malta, obtaining the highly acclaimed BREEAM certificate, which includes aspects related to energy and water use, the internal environment such as health and well-being, pollution, transport, materials, waste, ecology and management processes," he added.
The first tenants include Vodafone, Air Malta, Bank of Valletta, Forestals Group, Talbot & Bons, Maleth Aero, Hyperion Aviation, Hermes Aviation, MiChild, AgriHoldings, Headlines Newsagent and Momentum Consult.
At the end of the ceremony, an art installation entitled 'SkyScape' was unveiled on the terrace of the building. This work of art is by local artists Kane Cali, Neil Pace O'Shea and Vanessa Borg. 'SkyScape', in a metaphoric sense, contains the soul of aviation and it is reminiscent of the sleek vessels that bring us to meet the sky. The installation is a glass structure built in layers, which when stacked on each other, reveal abstract forms related to various plane noses at the moment of takeoff. 'SkyScape' was chosen after a public call for artists, with more than 25 concepts submitted.