1.15-bln-USD Grand Central shopping mall opens in Birmingham

The crowning glory to a 1.15 billion U.S. dollars facelift in downtown Birmingham, Britain's biggest city after London, opened its doors Thursday.

Grand Central is a stunning undercover shopping mall, built above the city's main New Street railway station that has also been transformed as part of the project.

Described as the biggest refurbishment project in Europe, the transformation employed 3,500 construction workers.

The complex, which has created more than 1,000 permanent jobs, is expected to attract 50 million visitors a year and boost Birmingham's ratings as a leading European shopping destination.

The work on rebuilding the bland and much criticized railway station, famed for its forest of concrete, was completed recently after five years of work.

Despite the massive engineering and construction task, the new-look station remained operational throughout the work for the 170,000 passengers a day who use what is Britain's busiest provincial station.

One commentator described how years, arriving at New Street railway station could be likened to "stepping into a dimly-lit concrete box filled with fetid air."

Others described the station as a concrete tomb, buried beneath the city.

More than 6,000 tons of concrete were removed to enable natural light to reach the station, once voted Britain's ugliest single building.

Now a new futuristic, glass covered concourse has been opened, five times larger than the concourse at London's busy Euston Station.

Thousands of people queued to be the first to visit Grand Central when it officially opened this morning.

Sir Albert Bore, leader of Birmingham City Council, said the station and Grand Central would act as a "catalyst" for regeneration and help attract new businesses to the city.

"With its stainless steel facade wrapping around the entire building, Grand Central makes an impressive impact on Birmingham's ever improving architectural landscape. The creation of over 1,000 jobs in retail, hospitality, catering and customer service also provides a significant number of opportunities for local people," he added.

The shopping center houses 66 new shops and restaurants, with well over half of them never before seen in Birmingham.

Richard Brown, Grand Central development director, said: "The years of wait have been well worth it. Not only is New Street Station a magnificent new development for passengers and commuters, but Grand Central also offers a unique and unforgettable shopping experience for all."

"We are proud that Birmingham is at forefront of such an impressive aesthetic design which will be enjoyed and admired by people across the UK and worldwide," he added. Endit