IN ABOUT four months, partygoers in the Klang Valley will have a brand new venue where they can let down their hair and dance the night away, when popular nightspot Zouk KL moves into its new home.
The iconic venue, which has been a part of Kuala Lumpur’s club scene for more than a decade, will be moving out of its premises in Jalan Ampang to a spacious 60,000 sq ft lot in TREC, a multi-million ringgit purpose-built entertainment hub.
TREC, which stands for “Taste, Relish, Experience and Celebrate,” is set to be the largest lifestyle and entertainment complex in the country once completed and will cover an area of about six football fields.
With an investment of RM323.6mil, TREC — prominently located opposite the upcoming Tun Razak Exchange Centre will definitely stand out amid a sea of office blocks and residences.
“The new Zouk KL is currently 93% close to completion and is well on track to open by July with nine zones within the building.
“We are planning to open the club on a floor by floor basis to keep the excitement alive for our patrons,” said Zouk KL founder Cher Ng.
Ng said the new venue, costing about RM38mil, would make the club, ranked 52nd in the world in 2014 by DJ Mag, the most expensive nightspot built in the country.
More options for fun
Ng and businessman Datuk Douglas Cheng, together with Berjaya Assets Bhd, are the brains behind TREC.
They came up with the idea after years of involvement in the development, entertainment and food industry.
Zouk KL and the two-storey Electric Boulevard are part of TREC’s phase one, which will be the first to open its doors to the public.
According to Ng, who is a prominent figure in the entertainment scene both here and in Singapore, Electric Boulevard was designed to be a bustling complex filled not only with gastro bars, but also boxes for comedians to perform.
During a recent interview, Cheng said 95% of the lots in Electric Boulevard had been taken up, with the majority being popular local brands.
Among the notable tenants are Artebar, Friendscino Restaurant & Bar, TBF & Co, Japanese Gastrobar,The Scene by Pisco, Live House, Mercedez Benz, Mango and Route 66.
The Electric Boulevard houses 35 units ranging in size from 1,400sq ft to 4,000sq ft while the second phase will see an additional 42 units added, ranging from 220sq ft to 3,200sq ft.
The second phase will play host to the Hive, Alcove, Terraces and Rhapsody Square and Quad themed zones and is scheduled to open in November.
Ng said the Alcove zone, which would house 12 single-storey units, was dedicated to the younger audience where they intend to give exposure to up-and-coming indie brands alongside cafes and snack bars.
Those looking for a different dining experience should pay a visit to the Hive or the Terraces, which allows patrons to dine in style while enjoying the view.
The Hive comprises a two-block cluster of 23 double semi-detached outlets between 1,600sq ft to 1,800sq ft located on the street level with an al fresco concept.
There will also be 6 rooftop gardens with dual frontage of the Royal Selangor Golf Club golf course and the street.
The Terraces, meanwhile, will feature four luxurious double-storey bungalows that will see guests dining in gourmet restaurants overlooking the picturesque golf course.
Big plans ahead
According to Cheng, TREC is in the Kuala Lumpur Tourism Master Plan where it has been earmarked as one of the designated entertainment and F&B zones.
“Kuala Lumpur lacks an entertainment hub like those in our neighbouring countries such as Singapore and Hong Kong.
“That is why we want to make TREC a place both locals and tourists can visit for a meal or to party,” Cheng said.
He said their vision for TREC was to be the one-stop integrated entertainment district similar to that of Hong Kong’s Lan Kwai Fong, Shanghai’s Xin Tian Di and Singapore’s Clarke Quay.
His team believes traffic will not be an issue in the area as those visiting TREC will have up to three different entry and exit points, with major roads in the city linking to the development.
“Patrons can come into TREC from Jalan Kampung Pandan, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Jalan Cheras, the Sungei Besi Highway, Jalan Tun Razak, the MEX Highway and the Smart Tunnel, hence we anticipate a smooth traffic transition once we get into full swing,” said Cheng.
There will be plenty of parking as well, as TREC will offer more than a 1,000 parking bays spread throughout a five-storey complex and a sub-basement once it is completed.
Additionally, Cheng said neighbouring building owners had agreed to allow the public to utilise their parking bays after office hours.
Safety is one of the team’s highest priorities but policing such a large area will need a large team of personnel and devices to ensure it is secure at all times.
Cheng said they had been spending months trying out different security systems and said the one they eventually settled on was extremely costly but worth every penny.
Cheng and Ng are definitely looking forward to the launch of TREC, and are already making big plans for the complex’s first-ever New Year’s Eve party this year-end.
