Washington Mall is to start a massive $8 million programme of improvements fuelled by Bermuda’s economic recovery.

Some of the upgrades were put on hold after the worldwide recession in 2008 — but mall owners Washington Properties said economic recovery on the island and vacant space being filled had kick-started the improvement programme.

The news was revealed in a memo to mall tenants that was obtained by The Royal Gazette.

The memo said: “Some of these works have been on hold since the recession, with large areas of the office floors having been vacant since 2008.

“Now that the economy is improving and long vacant spaces are being occupied, we feel it is the time to revive these projects.”

Work has already begun to fit out office space on the fourth floor of the mall for a new tenant, who will take over 22,000 square feet of Washington House and 9 Reid Street.

Washington Properties is constructing a new corridor to link the two buildings together.

And the Reid Street entrance will be upgraded with a new entrance and shopfronts, while a new high efficiency air-conditioning system will be installed.

In addition, solar panels will be installed on the roof to reduce reliance on fossil fuel-generated power.

The mall’s elevators will also be refitted and new tiling to replace ceramic tiles in the older sections of the mall will be laid down.

The memo to stores in the mall said the work would cause some disruption.

But it added: “We trust you will appreciate that these works will greatly improve the facilities at Washington Properties and will ultimately benefit all tenants. We appreciate your patience and understanding.”