Having clients walking through a shopping mall to reach their upper floor offices was not the professional image tenants on the southern side of Washington Mall wanted to portray.

However, their concerns could soon be remedied if a major overhaul of the mall’s Reid Street and Washington Lane entrances gets the go-ahead.

It would mean a new dedicated business entrance on Reid Street similar to the separate lobby entrance on Church Street.

A planning application has been submitted.

“Office tenants that have vacated the building have cited the access through a shopping mall as being a problem for them when bringing clients to their workplace,” said Paul Slaughter, director and general manager of Washington Properties (Bermuda). “They would prefer to use a designated office entrance to convey their professionalism to clients and business partners.

“Washington Properties intends to finish the office lobby interior to the same high standard as that seen in the new Church Street office lobby, adjacent to the mall entrance.

“The change from retail use to office lobby on the Reid Street frontage will be done with the intention of creating a high quality, vibrant office entrance, so that this office lobby space adds to the vitality of the streetscape.

“We intend to upgrade the adjacent shop fronts on Reid Street and create a wider entrance on Washington Lane. We believe the proposed refurbishments will significantly improve the visual amenity of both Reid Street and Washington Lane, and will add to the character and texture of the City of Hamilton.”

According to the planning application the new office entrance will be at the western Reid Street entrance and located in the spot currently occupied by the retail outlet Sail On.

The Reid Street entrance will also be modified to include a hinged glass sunshade stretching the length of the building, replacing the existing sunshade which has to be retracted in inclement weather.

The application also proposes removing two of the parking lots on Reid Street and extending the sidewalk and installing removable benches and planters to make the area outside the building more pedestrian friendly.

Tina Sjoberg, of Linberg & Simmons, wrote in the application: “Pedestrians will be able to enjoy sitting outside in a shaded area, waiting for friends or stand and chat while allowing other pedestrians to continue walking around the main pedestrian route uninhibited.”

The Washington Lane entrance to the mall will also be enhanced with the indoor stairwell being replaced by an escalator. However, the plans do not include the locations of either the Matchbox on the mall’s ground floor or the Accessory Box on the second level.

Asked about the businesses, Mr Slaughter said: “The affected tenants are aware of our plans, which are subject to financing and finding alternative accommodations.”