http://chief.co.za/tourjoburg/Joburg_043.jpg

http://www.joburg-archive.co.za/images/may/centralplace3.jpg

http://files.photojerk.com/andrewharv/joburgcptower1.jpg

http://files.photojerk.com/andrewharv/joburgcptower1b.jpg


NAME: Central Place
LOCATION: Newtown
STATUS: Proposed
FLOORS: Lowrise commercial w/ 18F and 25F towers
HEIGHT: ???
USE: Commercial, retail, residential (future)

Information:
Central Place borders Jeppe and Henry Nxumalo streets and consists of a U-shaped, three-storey, brick building. Besides housing the GTA, radio station Kaya FM will take up residence and restaurants and bookstores shortly will move into the remaining ground floor space. A carbon copy of Central Place is to be built on the opposite corner of Dolly Rathebe Road and Henry Nxumalo Street.

Residential space is to be introduced on the eastern corner, opposite the Turbine Hall, on the corner of Jeppe and Miriam Makeba streets. The complex will also contain two cinemas, restaurants, a gym and other retail outlets. All buildings are to have underground parking. This is expected to cost R200-million.

Site Plan:
http://files.photojerk.com/joburg/centralplace2.jpg

http://www.chief.co.za/Joburg/Newtown/Central_Place1.jpg

THANKS TO HSARK FOR THE FOLLOWING:

More Newtown housing planned
17-Aug-2005

Business Day -
ANOTHER major residential development is being planned for the popular Newtown precinct in the inner city.

The R150m development, which will consist of four high-density apartment blocks, will be launched in October, and follows the successful launch of the mixed-income Brickfields development in Newtown on Friday.

Large private property player Zenprop is one of the financial backers and co-developers of the Newtown Central Place Project, which is the planned development of the land around Central Place opposite the Mary Fitzgerald Square.

The four apartment blocks, with a retail and studio component below will cover 18000m², forms part of the project.

"There will be four apartment blocks in a high-density urban form with retail below, parkscapes and parking underneath," says Zenprop joint CEO Rodney Weinstein.

Weinstein says there will be 240 units in eight- to 22-storey apartment blocks with views over the city. Prices will range from less than R300000 to just under R2m. "It’s a great site. There will be penthouses, and what we are doing are split-level apartments with balconies and big private, open-space areas with swimming pools and good security," says Weinstein.

The development was inspired by the mixed-use Melrose Arch project, and will cater for middle and upper income groups.

Weinstein says Zenprop may also be involved in another scheme ,which will see in another mixed-use development, including 120 residential units being built in Central Place.

These and other developments are a clear sign that inner city rejuvenation efforts are bearing fruit.

At last week’s launch of the Brickfields project, Taffy Adler, CE of the Johannesburg Housing Company, the developer of Brickfields, said the R121m project had attracted a lot of interest.

Brickfields, the largest public- and private-funded residential development in the inner city, attracted more than 8000 people to its site in the two months before launch.

Adler says that when the rental accommodation project was launched in July, 1300 people moved in. Rentals range from R1200 to R3200.

the world is going inner city high rise residential crazy, Sa needs to catch up- quick smart

Is this the once that Neil is complaining about?

"Weinstein says there will be 240 units in eight- to 22-storey apartment blocks with views over the city. Prices will range from less than R300000 to just under R2m. "It’s a great site. There will be penthouses, and what we are doing are split-level apartments with balconies and big private, open-space areas with swimming pools and good security," says Weinstein.
"

Yup I think it is. I think he said this one has also been delayed.

zzzz....

There is a real need for middle-income housing in newtown. The success of brickfields is proof. But heritage concerns and in-fighting have delayed multiple newtown developments.

My fear? You start a hype, and then you don't follow up. And once an area cools down, people loose interest - and to get them interested again proves to be impossible. I spoke to many people (owner of Capello's, Khaldi's etc) and they say they hoped it would be busier by now - and that newtown needs to speed up.

I hope they do. Because if this babe cools down, it would be a shame.

Jakes1, could not have said it better myself, thats exactly what i feel. Time is running out for the CBD, things must speed up or people/investors are going to loose interest and move some where else (rosebank, sandton and dear i say fourways blaaar.)

BTW in Durban at the mo so expect alot of photos soon soon. All the best.

There is a real need for middle-income housing in newtown. The success of brickfields is proof. But heritage concerns and in-fighting have delayed multiple newtown developments.

My fear? You start a hype, and then you don't follow up. And once an area cools down, people loose interest - and to get them interested again proves to be impossible. I spoke to many people (owner of Capello's, Khaldi's etc) and they say they hoped it would be busier by now - and that newtown needs to speed up.

I hope they do. Because if this babe cools down, it would be a shame.

Yes, the city officials should capitalize on the current momentum behind CBD revitalization and approve more projects. This is short lived and most investor's plans are mostly based on taking advantage of the 2010 buzz and time is running out while building costs are escalating too, which makes new projects that much more difficult to accomplish with the original planning budgets.

I remembered that emporis (when it was updated regularly) posted a development of something called central place.
Here's the web address not much use but had a couple of drawings.

http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=centralplacetower1-johannesburg-southafrica

Its all i ever new about the project. I rate if there was more of an emphasis on publicizing developments there would be more pressure on officials to act quicker
Probably not!

Yes, the city officials should capitalize on the current momentum behind CBD revitalization and approve more projects. This is short lived and most investor's plans are mostly based on taking advantage of the 2010 buzz and time is running out while building costs are escalating too, which makes new projects that much more difficult to accomplish with the original planning budgets.


I guess the city has taken a step forward in making sure that approve more projects. Check the following article

New building plans centre to open

Plan approvals are expected to speed up, with the opening of a new customer-friendly centre. A fast-track service will also be available.
November 26, 2007
By Tabisa Mntengwana

A NEW City facility for processing building plans opens on Wednesday, 28 November that promises to give customers fast and friendly service.

The state-of-the-art facility, at the Metrolink in Braamfontein, will help customers with their building plans applications, assessment process and complete applications.

"The modern, visually appealing surroundings of the Metrolink are evidence of a bold customer-friendly approach," says Ruby Mathang, the member of the mayoral committee for development planning and urban management. "The emphasis is definitely on making the approval of building plans as smooth and as quick as possible."

A helpdesk at the Metrolink "is a key feature of this new approach". Staff will advise applicants on the technical and administrative details necessary for building plans approvals.

They will be able to get help with screening building plan applications before submission so that customers understand the criteria for complete submissions.

It will also check that building plans applications have the necessary documentation and requisite town planning approvals as well as comments from council departments and municipal entities.

According to the City's development planning and urban management department, a fast track plans assessment process managed by a team of plans examiners will be put in place.

The system will accommodate all complete applications, which will be directed to the fast track unit. "Customers can expect approvals within 24 hours."

All complex applications that require specialist expertise will be dealt with at the plans examination unit on the sixth floor of the Metro Centre building, in Braamfontein.

Three senior officials will oversee various functions at the new facility, including the day-to-day running of building plans approval, the implementation of the fast track approval system and other administrative functions.

Payment for building fees can be made at the cashier in the Metrolink between 8am and 3.30pm; credit and debit cards facilities are available.

For all building enquiries, customers should contact 011 407 6058 or 011 407 6217. "This is in addition to the web-enabled plan-tracking service that can be accessed on the City's e-services website," according to the department.

I'm crossing my fingers for this one to start this year.

I think this development has collapsed and the high-rise towers are not going up. No news on them in at least two years.

Needs to be flagged "Never Built"

The 3F was built - No 1 Central Place
The others - not sure it will be correct to put them as 'Never Built'. Need to do some digging first. Chances are that they're still in a bureaucratic bundle. Many JDA projects seem to be unfortunately.

I agree with Tom, other development coming to Newtown is the replica on No 1 Central place. I think this one will part of the total R2 billion that is gonna be spent in Newtown for residential and retail evelopments, but I think the height will not be 25 floors.

will they however form part of this development??

Not sure as yet.

Yes, they will form part of the development. It's all clustered in one central place.
I think the only reason these projects are taking an age are, again, because of bureaucracy. Look how long Fashion Kapitol is taking? Transport House?
Yet they ARE happening - just at a snail's pace.

I had been considering a return visit to Joburg - That is until told by a friend who travelled there last year that he had been robbed three times in four days - sensibly he had deposited his passport, jewelry etc. in his hotels safe deposit. He tells me no amount of money could convince him to return there!

I had been considering a return visit to Joburg - That is until told by a friend who travelled there last year that he had been robbed three times in four days - sensibly he had deposited his passport, jewelry etc. in his hotels safe deposit. He tells me no amount of money could convince him to return there!

Welcome ymmoy.

Sorry to hear about your friend. I don't know where he was and what he was doing to be robbed three times in four days. I have been living in joburg for 28 years and have not been robbed or mugged or hijacked once. I regularly walk around the inner city and other such areas - sometimes at night. No problems. I avoid the really bad areas and practice common sense and i've been ok.

Please don't let one or two gory stories put you off ... but don't be foolish either. Tourists (or touristy looking people) are a target no matter where you go.

Ive never been a victim of crime in Johannesburg (in Pretoria I had a few less pleasant experiences). I live in an apartment block in Killarney. We haven't had a breakin at the apartment in years. I walk to the shopping centre to rent dvds and buy milk etc at any time of the day. When my friends come, they park in the Mall and then they walk back around midnight (before the parkade closes). Never had any issues.

I just came back from walking around the Johannesburg CBD. Camera in hand. Cellphone. R800 and around US$200 in my wallet (although I generally don't do this, forgot some of my left over per diems in my wallet).

There are security guards on every corner. I talked on my cellphone. I took pictures. I basically walked from the Johannesburg Library to ABSAs new campus, past the High Court down to FNB. A good 1.5 hour walk.

Jis, life is bad. Such a beautiful spring day! A good 28degrees!

I had been considering a return visit to Joburg - That is until told by a friend who travelled there last year that he had been robbed three times in four days - sensibly he had deposited his passport, jewelry etc. in his hotels safe deposit. He tells me no amount of money could convince him to return there!

Where the FVCK did he go????

Ive got the feeling the guy is lying. just another typical sterio type who has never done a round and about in the city.

My black friends here will forgive me for this one... but really, did he go into Alex wearing a sign that says "I hate k_ffirs" or what.... lol.

Im sorry, I think he's talking SHYTE!!

^^ We've had okes like this come to Cape Town threads and make similar claims, of being robbed at gunpoint, mugged, car smashed into and mugged again in the space of a week.

I think either these claims are, as you said, a bunch of shyte, or they do carry a sign saying, "I'm a target, I hate Africans, come rob me, tons of cash!"

How these "so-called tourists" come here and get struck by lightning umpteenth times, but I, who has lived here almost my whole life, has been mugged once (when I was walking at night near a taxi rank, so I was a bit foolish) and car broken into twice, is beyond me... do the math of the odds of one thing happening to a tourist in a week's visit, versus 20 years of residency!!!

^^ Well said Annman. I think it's all a little bit sensationalist

Yep. The only time I've been mugged was once on Durban Beachfront (very bad holiday on the whole - never again lol).

Really wonder how on earth these people manage to be victimised so many times within a few days.

^^ They run around townships looking like this...

http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/places/villages/northWest/graphics/awb.gif

I'd victimize that too! :lol:

hahaha lol