VillaMar Shopping Starts Construction in Praia Grande, in the Mirim Neighborhood, Near the Municipal Palace, and Plans to Open in September 2027. With 160,000 Square Meters and Over 300 Stores, the Plan Promises 4,000 Direct and Indirect Jobs and Strengthens the Presence of the Mendes Group in the Baixada Santista.
The VillaMar Shopping has begun construction in Praia Grande, on the coastline of São Paulo state, and puts significant numbers on the local radar: 4,000 direct and indirect jobs, over 300 stores, and 160,000 m² of planned area. The construction site opens a practical discussion about scale, urban infrastructure, and the impact of a new commercial center in the Mirim neighborhood.
With an expected delivery date of September 2027, the VillaMar Shopping was announced for an area close to the Municipal Palace, at a point described as strategic for access and integration into the urban environment. From there, the question shifts from being “just another mall” to what kind of city Praia Grande is consolidating and who benefits or suffers from this change.
Construction in Mirim and the Timeline Defining Expectations

The beginning of the VillaMar Shopping construction places the Mirim neighborhood at the center of a project that promises to redefine the flow of people and services in Praia Grande.
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The expected completion in September 2027 creates an objective time frame that often guides decisions regarding commerce, hiring, and logistics in the surrounding area.
By situating the development near the Municipal Palace, the VillaMar Shopping approaches an administrative and urban reference that tends to concentrate traffic and demand for services.
The longer the construction cycle, the greater the chain effect, because job creation is indicated both during construction and after the opening, according to the project’s own presentation.
160,000 m², 300 Stores and What These Numbers Mean in Practice
The project assigns the VillaMar Shopping a total of 160,000 square meters and over 300 stores, covering retail and services.
In technical terms, this suggests an operation with multiple profiles of occupation, ranging from anchor stores to service provision, with a direct impact on labor demand and the design of both internal and external circulation.
The promise of approximately 4,000 direct and indirect jobs is one of the main arguments for economic impact.
The real effect depends on how these jobs are distributed over time, the type of roles created, and how much the local economy can absorb and retain these positions, especially in the retail and service sectors, which are noted as the most heated.
Location Between Avenues and the Pressure on the Road System
The VillaMar Shopping is described as being located between important roads, including President Kennedy and President Castelo Branco avenues, which reinforces the perception of accessibility as a pillar of the development.
In projects of this scale, the “where” is not a detail: it is the variable that determines whether the flow is absorbed functionally or becomes a bottleneck, especially during peak hours.
At the same time, easy access is not synonymous with small impact.
A shopping center of this scale tends to redistribute traffic, alter travel patterns, and reorient consumption towards a specific hub, changing the dynamics of nearby neighborhoods and also areas that previously concentrated street commerce.
Urban Remodeling and the Transition from a Vacation Town to a Metropolitan Profile
The VillaMar Shopping appears as a piece of a larger narrative: Praia Grande moving away from being seen only as a vacation destination and approaching a more dynamic metropolitan profile, without abandoning its tourist base.
This transition usually accompanies new commercial centralities and changes in land use, with effects on service availability and the pace of urban growth.
The project is also presented as aligned with safety and accessibility standards, featuring modern structures and diversified commercial spaces.
These requirements influence everything from architectural design to daily operations, and help explain why developments of this type often reposition the standards of consumption and leisure, creating a “new center” reference for the city.
Mendes Group, Baixada Santista and the Effect on Surrounding Valuation
The Mendes Group’s investment is described as a regional presence expansion, with the VillaMar Shopping being treated as a landmark of economic development in the Baixada Santista.
In practice, this could mean a greater ability to attract capital, services, and entrepreneurial initiatives, especially as the construction begins to draw suppliers and contracts throughout the building period.
The project’s presentation also mentions prospects for property and infrastructure valuation in the area, with expectations for new projects emerging in the next five years.
This is a sensitive point, because valuation can mean opportunity for some and cost pressure for others, depending on income, rent, and the ability of existing businesses to adapt.
The VillaMar Shopping arrives with a defined scale, a central location in Mirim, and a set deadline for September 2027, promising to impact employment, circulation, and how Praia Grande sees itself within the Baixada Santista.
The ongoing discussion is not whether the development is large, this is already in the numbers, but rather what the urban and economic balance will be when the doors open.
If you live in Praia Grande or frequent the Mirim neighborhood, what change do you consider most likely with VillaMar Shopping: more jobs close to home, more traffic on the avenues, or an increase in value that makes it difficult to live and maintain businesses in the area? And looking ahead to 2027, what do you think the city needs to do beforehand to ensure that this impact does not become a problem?

O que precisamos na verdade e de uma estratégia para sanar o grande problema das nossas ruas e calçadas nos bairros Mirim, Caiçara, e no Real, porque há muito mato, lixo, entulho deixando com aspecto de abandono.
Nao sei como esses vereadores ainda tem vergonha de nós pedir voto.
Nos Socorre por favor.
Esse empreendimento é particular, nada a ver com a prefeitura ou vereadores. Se informe antes de comentar qualquer bobagem.
A cidade precisa, cuidar da pavimentação de suas ruas, que estão muito esburacadas, precisa escoar as águas das chuvas que empoçam em toda a Presidente Castelo Branco e a Presidente Kennedy durante as chuvas de verão e de mais segurança.
Esse empreendimento é particular, nada a ver com a prefeitura ou vereadores. Se informe antes de comentar qualquer bobagem.
Mas o local mostrado na imagem não é onde o shopping está sendo construído e sim o terreno ao lado do litoral plaza onde o Neymar Sr quer fazer o novo ct do santos.