Gurney Paragon, Shopping complex in George Town, Malaysia
Gurney Paragon is a shopping complex in George Town featuring two residential towers reaching 155 meters tall and a nine-story retail building along Gurney Drive in the downtown area. The structure houses more than 200 shops spread across multiple floors, with a cinema and other entertainment venues.
The site between Gurney Drive and Jalan Kelawai covers 10.21 acres and was formerly occupied by the St. Joseph Novitiate, built in 1925 and later used by Uplands School; the building is listed as a Grade II protected heritage structure. Developer Hunza Properties built the RM450 million complex, whose mall opened on 23 July 2013 after subsidence forced a stop-work order and delayed the planned 2012 launch. The restored novitiate reopened in late 2012 with 25 outlets and won a FIABCI Prix d'Excellence silver award for restoration.
The mall occupies the site of the St. Joseph Novitiate, a 1925 building later used by Uplands School and listed as a Category II protected monument. Its restored shell opened in late 2012 with 25 outlets, mostly food and drink such as T.G.I. Friday's and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and a historical mural wall beside it recounts the building's past. The restoration won the FIABI World Prix d'Excellence silver award, a first for a Malaysian heritage project.
The complex has a cinema with IMAX screenings and a large bookstore on the upper floors for browsing and relaxing. Mornings and weekdays are less crowded, making it easier to navigate the shopping areas without rush.
BookXcess on the seventh floor holds a bookshelf 70 m long and 10 m high, described as the country's longest and tallest, stocking over a million titles. The shelf occupies most of the floor.
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