musiccity
July 3rd, 2011, 05:01 AM
The 35,000m² Whale Coast Village Mall, planned for Hermanus, will boost the local economy and create approximately 2,500 direct and indirect jobs for the local population. The new mall will introduce big city choices while embracing the village values of the charming seaside town.
Jannie Kruger, CEO of Retail Africa, says a major driver for the project team was to incorporate the strong heritage character of Hermanus. “The centre of Hermanus is characterised by beautiful, historical buildings that we have used as reference points in the design process. The mall will reflect the typical Cape vernacular, combining a fisherman’s village feel with elements drawn from the surrounding Hemel-en-Aarde winelands area,” says Kruger.
The Whale Coast Village Mall will be a high-quality, low-impact building that will harmonise with the scenic surrounds of Hermanus, similar to the way The Constantia Village in Cape Town complements the Constantia Valley winelands area.
Whales and other local elements will conceptually feature in the design, creating public art throughout the mall – a distinctive Retail Africa calling card – think Irene Village Mall with its unique bovine art.
“Whale sightings are a massive draw-card for Hermanus, so much so that the local authorities have begun to market the coastline and surrounding area as the Whale Coast. Furthermore, Retail Africa places a strong emphasis on “people’s places”, which are the softer, well-landscaped spaces that encourage shoppers to relax and enjoy some downtime,” says Kruger.
The Whale Coast Village Mall will serve a growing population of about 50,000 households in Hermanus, as well as tourists, weekend pleasure-seekers and communities from the surrounding Overstrand area – including Gansbaai, Kleinmond, Pringle Bay, Betty’s Bay, Botrivier and Caledon – as far as Bredasdorp.
Retail Africa commissioned three studies (Dirk Prinsloo, Fernridge and Doug Parker) to establish the need for a shopping mall in the area. Kruger says that the research showed the population in the Overstrand area grew by 14% per annum between 1996 and 2001, and then by between 7% and 8% per annum from 2001 to date.
Importantly, the mall will positively impact the local economy by reducing the flow of consumer spending out of the area to Somerset West. In addition, a development of this size will generate approximately R4.5 million in property tax for the area in the following 10 years. It will create about 600 temporary jobs during the construction phase and 1,000 permanent jobs in the mall itself. The development is expected to create approximately 2,500 direct and indirect jobs over time.
The Whale Coast Village Mall will be conveniently situated close to the intersection of the Hemel-en-Aarde Road and the R43 – the main feeder road from Cape Town.
Kruger says that the mall will be centrally located in the Hermanus catchment area with Hermanus, Voëlklip and Eastcliff to the east and Onrus, Vermont and Hawston to the west. The site received an 80% rating from the research consultants. “The Hermanus village-proper is too small and contained to accommodate a mall. There is a dearth of parking space and no legroom for national retailers or a cinema complex. The Whale Coast Village Mall will offer all of this, with the focus on comparative and high-end fashion,” he says.
The mall will accommodate about 100 tenants, including tenants such as Pick n Pay, Game, a cinema complex, various national fashion retailers – Woolworths, Truworths, Foschini, Edcon, Mr Price and Pepkor Groups – and various convenience and household goods stores. Two thousand open parking bays have been planned for the convenience of shoppers.
The zoning application for the Whale Coast Village Mall is being finalised and Retail Africa is hoping to start construction in early 2011 and possibly opening the mall in late 2012.
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/4316/wcvm2.jpg
http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/6871/wcvm3.jpg
http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/6416/wcvm4.jpg
Source (http://www.retailafrica.co.za/)
Jannie Kruger, CEO of Retail Africa, says a major driver for the project team was to incorporate the strong heritage character of Hermanus. “The centre of Hermanus is characterised by beautiful, historical buildings that we have used as reference points in the design process. The mall will reflect the typical Cape vernacular, combining a fisherman’s village feel with elements drawn from the surrounding Hemel-en-Aarde winelands area,” says Kruger.
The Whale Coast Village Mall will be a high-quality, low-impact building that will harmonise with the scenic surrounds of Hermanus, similar to the way The Constantia Village in Cape Town complements the Constantia Valley winelands area.
Whales and other local elements will conceptually feature in the design, creating public art throughout the mall – a distinctive Retail Africa calling card – think Irene Village Mall with its unique bovine art.
“Whale sightings are a massive draw-card for Hermanus, so much so that the local authorities have begun to market the coastline and surrounding area as the Whale Coast. Furthermore, Retail Africa places a strong emphasis on “people’s places”, which are the softer, well-landscaped spaces that encourage shoppers to relax and enjoy some downtime,” says Kruger.
The Whale Coast Village Mall will serve a growing population of about 50,000 households in Hermanus, as well as tourists, weekend pleasure-seekers and communities from the surrounding Overstrand area – including Gansbaai, Kleinmond, Pringle Bay, Betty’s Bay, Botrivier and Caledon – as far as Bredasdorp.
Retail Africa commissioned three studies (Dirk Prinsloo, Fernridge and Doug Parker) to establish the need for a shopping mall in the area. Kruger says that the research showed the population in the Overstrand area grew by 14% per annum between 1996 and 2001, and then by between 7% and 8% per annum from 2001 to date.
Importantly, the mall will positively impact the local economy by reducing the flow of consumer spending out of the area to Somerset West. In addition, a development of this size will generate approximately R4.5 million in property tax for the area in the following 10 years. It will create about 600 temporary jobs during the construction phase and 1,000 permanent jobs in the mall itself. The development is expected to create approximately 2,500 direct and indirect jobs over time.
The Whale Coast Village Mall will be conveniently situated close to the intersection of the Hemel-en-Aarde Road and the R43 – the main feeder road from Cape Town.
Kruger says that the mall will be centrally located in the Hermanus catchment area with Hermanus, Voëlklip and Eastcliff to the east and Onrus, Vermont and Hawston to the west. The site received an 80% rating from the research consultants. “The Hermanus village-proper is too small and contained to accommodate a mall. There is a dearth of parking space and no legroom for national retailers or a cinema complex. The Whale Coast Village Mall will offer all of this, with the focus on comparative and high-end fashion,” he says.
The mall will accommodate about 100 tenants, including tenants such as Pick n Pay, Game, a cinema complex, various national fashion retailers – Woolworths, Truworths, Foschini, Edcon, Mr Price and Pepkor Groups – and various convenience and household goods stores. Two thousand open parking bays have been planned for the convenience of shoppers.
The zoning application for the Whale Coast Village Mall is being finalised and Retail Africa is hoping to start construction in early 2011 and possibly opening the mall in late 2012.
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/4316/wcvm2.jpg
http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/6871/wcvm3.jpg
http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/6416/wcvm4.jpg
Source (http://www.retailafrica.co.za/)