Chief executive Datuk Paul Ng Kee Seng said the newly refurbished Menara Hap Seng, previously known as MUI Plaza, offered more than just office space.

The hallmark of the office tower is the Podium, a three-level block created as a grand lobby.

The Podium has an executive lounge, cafes, restaurants, banks and specialty stores as well as a landscaped garden overseeing the city. Soon, tenants and guests will get to enjoy valet and concierge services.

Datuk Paul Ng Kee Seng at the preview to Menara Hap Seng

There is also an auditorium and seminar centre with a combined capacity of 220 people available for conferences and meetings.

The office tower was 99% occupied while the occupancy rate of the 80,000-sq-ft Podium was 65%, Ng said at a press preview of the building yesterday.

“We're confident of seeing full occupancy at the Podium by year-end,” he said, adding that space rental was from RM5 to RM20 per sq ft, depending on the location.

The company intends to attract visitors to Menara Hap Seng over the weekends by organising events like flea markets, musical presentations, fashion shows and singing competitions.

Hap Seng Land has spent some RM60mil to refurbish the office building, which it bought in 2004.

Ng said the commercial building was likely to contribute significantly to the group's earnings by fiscal year ending Jan 31, 2010.

Following the success of refurbishing Menara Hap Seng, the company might use some of the concepts in other properties, he added.