...Johannesburg *Discussion* [ARCHIVED #1] [Archive]

joburg

August 15th, 2006, 04:14 PM

Aengus Lifestyle Properties redefines city living

Johannesburg’s revitalisation has seen a once dormant and underutilised city centre become a trendy and increasingly desirable residential address, and pioneers like Aengus Lifestyle Properties are taking the lead in developing upmarket living space in the city.

Richard Rubin is one of the bold, trendy developers who is dedicated to making city living a luxurious, safe reality. Rubin left a career in advertising and together with Gavin Meskin, started Aengus Property Holdings three years ago. In partnership with JSE Ltd listed ApexHi Properties, an R8bn company and one of the top performing property stocks listed on the exchange, a subsidiary company, Aengus Lifestyle Properties was formed. Standard Bank has provided the requisite financial support to make the development opportunities a reality.

Rubin says Aengus Lifestyle Properties offers a lifestyle, not just a place to live. “We have seen insatiable demand for upmarket rentals in the city. We are targeting young up and coming professionals as living in the city becomes an increasingly attractive option.”

A range of stylish lifestyle developments in and around the city has helped Aengus become a major player in the urban renewal around Africa’s economic capital. It has completed the Braamfontein Lofts project – a project that was fully let within 24 hours. Aengus specialises in rentals, and unlike its competitors, their apartments are not yet available for purchase.

“We are also nearing completion on The Tribeca Lofts, which features 141 studio apartments on the corner of Jeppe and Eloff Streets. Our other major project, the R45 million Fashion Lofts situated in the new and exciting Fashion District, is scheduled for completion early next year,” Rubin says.

Lofts @ 66 is the second major holistic lifestyle project Aengus has completed. Where there was once a 15 storey office block, there are now 150 themed apartments and two penthouses offering amazing views of the city. “This is not just a place to stay. This a place to enjoy living in the city, with a full range of opportunities and facilities at hand,” Rubin adds.

“We’ve aimed to provide residents with a complete lifestyle solution,” Rubin says. “We provide our tenants with a 100 seater cinema room where residents can watch the latest DVDs, a laundry room, an internet café, DSTV in every room, and a convenience store.” In addition, Aengus has partnered with the local gym, DVD store and other suppliers to provide Lofts @ 66 tenants with a lifestyle card which offers them discounts at a variety of local suppliers.

The lofts are designed according to specific city- based themes – Jozi, New York, Paris and Tokyo.

“This is what we specialise in. We have turned defunct office blocks into apartments with immaculate finishes, stylish kitchens and bathrooms, screed flooring, and “pay as you go” water and electricity facilities,” Rubin said.

The building is in the heart of the city Central Improvement District, in Johannesburg’s CBD, overlooking the Johannesburg High Court and situated between Pritchard and President streets.

“The lofts range in size from 30 square metres to 120 square metres. We’ve designed all of them to convey a unique feeling of space,” Rubin said.

The Lofts have 24 hour security, biometric access control, and guests have to sign in and go through a fingerprint registration process. Tenants drive into to the parking within the building, and take a lift to their floor. All the apartments have intercoms linked to the security downstairs. “We realise how important security is, and we’ve taken it very seriously at all our projects,” Rubin says.

Rentals at Lofts @ 66 range from R1800-R5000.

Aengus is also extending its reach beyond Johannesburg, and is working on its first development in Durban.

joburg

August 15th, 2006, 04:18 PM

^^ I quite love Aengus... So far they have..

- TriBeCa Lofts
- Braamfontein Lofts
- Lofts @ 66 (that's the 15-storey one opposite the High Court)
- And Fashion Lofts which will be completed next year..

Kinda like the way they design each building according to a city.. must get photos for ya'll!

joburg

August 15th, 2006, 04:20 PM

very poitive tom, what Joeys needs now is fresh new build investment not fix me upers like has being happening.

ye i agree... i want something NEW dammit.. :(

joburg

August 15th, 2006, 11:36 PM

Gauteng Global City
14 Aug 2006 - Business Day -

Intro
Plans are afoot to turn Gauteng into a global city. With Steve Topham from International Organisation Development South Africa (IODSA), and Keith Beavon author of “Johannesburg - The Making and Shaping of the City”

Gauteng Global City
Presenter: Lindsay Williams Guest(s): Topham, Beavon

Plans are afoot to turn Gauteng into a global city. With Steve Topham from International Organisation Development South Africa (IODSA), and Keith Beavon author of “Johannesburg - The Making and Shaping of the City”

LINDSAY WILLIAMS: “A city region that can effectively compete in the global economy is the key to South Africa’s growth and development, and our ability to address poverty, unemployment and under-development,” says Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa. “After 120 years sub-Saharan Africa’s most important city Johannesburg and its sister Gauteng cities must play an even greater role in the economic future of South Africa and the continent.” To achieve this Mbhazima Shilowa has launched the Gauteng Global City region. Keith, I started with Steve Topham the other night on Summit Television, but since then you’ve had time to think about this whole Gauteng Global City project - is it bigger than maybe you even realised?

KEITH BEAVON: It is larger than I thought it was - it’s much bigger than just Johannesburg and the PWV region. It extends from the Tshwane Metropolitan area in the north, across to Rustenburg and down to Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp in the south west, and down as far as Sasolburg to the south. The eastern extremity is in the complex of Witbank, Middleburg and Secunda. That’s a very large area. The hard core of this must inevitably be the old PWV region - Pretoria, the central Witwatersrand and down to Sasolburg, Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging.

LINDSAY WILLIAMS: The geographical aspect. Steve, what is IODSA?

STEVE TOPHAM: We provide technical assistance to the Premier’s office in developing and supporting the concept. To pick up on what Keith said - the core of the Gauteng Global City region is the Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni metros. The built-up area includes the three metros, Magalies City out to the west, and then down to Vereeniging and Vanderbijlpark in the municipality of Emfuleni. Basically in administrative terms we’ve got three metropolitan authorities, and three district municipalities that have all agreed to work together to improve their planning and approaches to development.

LINDSAY WILLIAMS: So it’s as simple as that? You’ve all got together and said we’ve got these three regions and urban conurbations - - they’re already there and urbanised, we’ve just got to work together to coordinate services. What’s the process of this launch?

STEVE TOPHAM: That’s really the core of the concept. When we talk about building a globally competitive city region cities don’t compete - businesses compete and create employment and growth. What city administrations and provincial government has to do is to create the right circumstances in which enterprises can grow and prosper. The main concept underlying the Gauteng Global City region is how do we increase cooperation to allow businesses to grow and develop to expand and compete externally rather than the tendency for cities to compete between themselves?

LINDSAY WILLIAMS: So that’s the spirit of cooperation. Keith, you were at the Premier’s launch a couple of days ago - what did you get out of that presentation?

KEITH BEAVON: First of all he’s very enthusiastic, and good with a crowd - he speaks very well. He presented a very clear argument that this region’s population is increasing, and will be about 14.4-million in 10 to 14 year - and that in order to make the region work more efficiently than it’s working at the present time, to cut back on unemployment and increase job creation it needs to be competitive, and attract foreign and local investment - and therefore it has to in a sense “tidy up it’s act.” He was blunt in terms of pointing out things that would have to be done - which would be seen as stumbling blocks at the present time.

LINDSAY WILLIAMS: Steve, maybe you can tell us about “tidy up it’s act” and the “stumbling blocks”?

STEVE TOPHAM: An example of what’s happening that relates to property investment - if a company was interested in locating near to a freight airport projecting more growth in the future, at the moment municipalities working individually have come up with proposals for four separate freight airports in the province. Clearly Gauteng doesn’t support four, and there’s the risk of waste and duplication. Also, would an investor know where to go and which are the real runners here? By building and strengthening cooperation, by making sure that plans are a lot more closely aligned, and focusing development efforts that kind of thing would be avoided in the future. That’s what we’re talking about - improving efficiency and management across the whole of the city region.

LINDSAY WILLIAMS: How’s it going to work practically? We’ve had the launch with a very charismatic Premier talking, and he’s won over a sceptical Keith Beavon - where’s it going to go from here?

STEVE TOPHAM: Firstly it’s leadership - city regions internationally are characterised by strong leadership and a strong vision. It’s not only the Premier, the three mayors of the three metropolitan municipalities and the mayors of the three district municipalities have all agreed to work together on this - so that’s a major step forward. There’s going to be an alignment of development plans, and there’s an agreed vision that will be launched next month. There’s a 30-year plan for the city region that we will launch in February 2006. Things are starting to come together. The hard choices will come out about where should investment go - how do we make sure that there are no winners and losers here? That’s the kind of thing that gets hammered out in discussions and debates working with the political leadership, and also at senior officer levels.

LINDSAY WILLIAMS: Theoretical agreed vision is a great thing - and I support that wholeheartedly - but service delivery has come into focus as the South African economy has boomed over the last 12 or 13 years since democracy. How can we change the perception of the way that municipalities deliver services? This is a big service you’re talking about…

STEVE TOPHAM: Absolutely. I would probably argue that things have been getting better - there are major strides forward in service delivery - but as Professor Beavon said earlier Gauteng is going to be a big place in the future. By 2015 there will be 14.4-million people and it will be bigger than Los Angeles. We’re in a race to sustain and continue to grow the economy, and to meet the demands of population growth - that demands redoubled efforts, and also a lot more capacity with municipal officials managing good service delivery.

LINDSAY WILLIAMS: Keith, Steve called you professor - that means he’s getting quite serious about the whole thing! You spoke about transport the other night, and that’s got to be the key to this whole thing. You can talk about three different municipalities, with mayors phoning each other up - but if you can’t get a bus or a train from one to the other then this whole scheme seems to fall on its head?

KEITH BEAVON: A statement someone made at the Urban Age conference that was held in Johannesburg a few weeks ago really caught my imagination. They were saying how the poor people on the south western side of Johannesburg in the region of Ennerdale - that if you don’t have the money to take a taxi to Johannesburg there is no bus, and that if you needed to get to the Johannesburg General Hospital it’s a four-day walk. The unfortunate thing is that as a result of the apartheid system the poor people of the greater Johannesburg area are concentrated on the periphery - and it’s those people that need the services more than most as they can’t afford cars. They can't find the public transport that they want. The difficulty with providing public transport is that the densities are too low to make it profitable for the whole area - how one overcomes this problem is something I can’t answer. Certainly the rail system is reasonably good in terms of its main spines - one could spread out from that. About 20 years ago there was a high speed train experiment held in the Witwatersrand - between Johannesburg and Pretoria. They took a normal 3’6” gauge - which is the main line system in South Africa - and using a system of Sheffield bogies on the coaches, and changing the suspension on the electric unit they were able to reach speeds of something like 160 kilometres an hour on the standard track. Now if you have fast-moving trains, and you can link to that spine - I’m sure the money would be better spent doing that than developing the Gautrain which I don’t see as part of the solution at all.

LINDSAY WILLIAMS: That’s unfortunately a bit late now! Steve, the transport aspect?

STEVE TOPHAM: I don’t want to get into a debate about the Gautrain - as you say it’s there, it’s a statement. More interesting I think over the next 20 years is where would the next phase of Gautrain go? There’s an argument you could extend it to the south and deal with some of the issues that the professor has raised. The point about having to walk to the Johannesburg General Hospital - it’s not just about single centralised facilities, major efforts are going into decentralising facilities out into the dormitory townships and so on. The steps towards establishing a single transport authority - which would reduce this individualism among municipalities in the way in which public transport is handled - I think would be a major stride forward, and help to improve the planning and coordination that’s been highlighted as a major need.

LINDSAY WILLIAMS: When does the breaking down of individual administration systems start - therefore launching this project?

STEVE TOPHAM: Under the constitution there are three spheres of government - we’re not talking about the creation of a megacity government here. This is not the Tokyo model, and I want to make that very clear. It’s actually about intergovernmental cooperation, and if you like the breaking down has already started - the mayors have already agreed to work together, and the Premier is working together with them. The officials have been working together for the last year on putting this together - so the first steps have already been taken.

LINDSAY WILLIAMS: Keith, your final word?

KEITH BEAVON: How many minutes can I have?

LINDSAY WILLIAMS: You can have 30 seconds.

KEITH BEAVON: I wanted to raise the whole business of educating the youth to the complexities of the region they live in - this sort of stuff should be taught in schools, and it’s not.

LINDSAY WILLIAMS: So it’s back to basics.

joburg

August 15th, 2006, 11:44 PM

If ya'll too bothered to read all of that, some of the cooler things said..

"... at the moment municipalities working individually have come up with proposals for four separate freight airports in the province. Clearly Gauteng doesn’t support four, and there’s the risk of waste and duplication. Also, would an investor know where to go and which are the real runners here? By building and strengthening cooperation, by making sure that plans are a lot more closely aligned, and focusing development efforts that kind of thing would be avoided in the future. That’s what we’re talking about - improving efficiency and management across the whole of the city region. "

"... By 2015 there will be 14.4-million people and it will be bigger than Los Angeles..."

"... They were saying how the poor people on the south western side of Johannesburg in the region of Ennerdale - that if you don’t have the money to take a taxi to Johannesburg there is no bus, and that if you needed to get to the Johannesburg General Hospital it’s a four-day walk. The unfortunate thing is that as a result of the apartheid system the poor people of the greater Johannesburg area are concentrated on the periphery - and it’s those people that need the services more than most as they can’t afford cars."

"...The difficulty with providing public transport is that the densities are too low to make it profitable for the whole area - how one overcomes this problem is something I can’t answer. Certainly the rail system is reasonably good in terms of its main spines - one could spread out from that. About 20 years ago there was a high speed train experiment held in the Witwatersrand - between Johannesburg and Pretoria. They took a normal 3’6” gauge - which is the main line system in South Africa - and using a system of Sheffield bogies on the coaches, and changing the suspension on the electric unit they were able to reach speeds of something like 160 kilometres an hour on the standard track. Now if you have fast-moving trains, and you can link to that spine - I’m sure the money would be better spent doing that than developing the Gautrain which I don’t see as part of the solution at all. "

The last point I found most interesting of all... perhaps the R20-billion should have rather been spent on improving the efficiency of the rail system, and extending the system and making it safer and more reliable. Just a thought... though I still support Gautrain, because I think it's a good move in the right direction.

And as for the low-density problem in Gauteng... well, that's kinda easy me thinks. Just force developers to build up...

Jakes1

August 16th, 2006, 01:33 PM

emporis was one of my fav sites when I discovered it a while ago, one thing irritates me though. I don't know who is responsible for the jozi CBD updates, but man, that is soooo dated. Would be great to see exactly which buildings are being refurbished. Or am I expecting too much?

hsark

August 16th, 2006, 02:46 PM

Jakes1

August 16th, 2006, 02:51 PM

well, refurbishment does not seem to make saboy to happy from the likes of it. Fact: a lot of developments in jozi goes unnoticed because of the sheer numbers. I agree that we dont have the same amount of highrise developments, but there are loads of development to be seen (if one can manage to ignore those puke horrid tuscan crap). And with the gautrain we are going to see increasing densification, good times for us high-rise lovers.

Jakes1

August 16th, 2006, 03:02 PM

very poitive tom, what Joeys needs now is fresh new build investment not fix me upers like has being happening.

I don't necessarily agree with you SA BOY. Jozi CBD has a lot of incredible buildings that need to be refreshed before any new building investment can follow. And you only need to travel to sandton to see how new building investments are not always as glam as they seem. In my view most of those that left the CBD traded cool buildings in the CBD for European low-rise crap in Sandton. In any case, refurbishment is not necessarily only fix-me-uppers. Look at all the buildings in main street - awesome. You have to respect history. And I would be much more excited to see the Kwa-Dukuza Egoli hotel re-open than to see another 7storey Italian fake rise in the North. Jozi CBD is slowly coming back to life, although I doubt if it will ever reclaim lost glam. But revitalising the CBD buildings means that it will be a real place, and not an artificial attempt at Dubai-world.

joburg

August 16th, 2006, 08:33 PM

Guys don't be hard on SA BOY... it isn't technically his department considering he doesn't even live in Joburg, nor is it his home city.

In fact, on the contrary, a shit load of credit should be given to him, because the stuff that is on emporis just wouldn't be there if it weren't for him. He's managed to gather a lot of information that isn't readily available, and has summoned people to go take photos of buildings and do floor counts etc.

SO BRAVO GILES!!! :D

The problem is that first, it's difficult finding information about the buildings because a great deal of them (particularly in Hillbrow) are run-down and abandoned by their owners. And the second problem is that it requires someone dedicated to cut thru all the red tape that is the Joburg City Council to get information about buildings, take photos of the buildings, find out who the architects are and what height they are and how many floors they are, and then collate it all...

It's a lot of work...

I remember trying to find out the heights of some buildings... and people would give me blank stares and would wonder why the hell I'd want information like that.

Maybe it'll begin to get a bit easier with the Joburg Housing Company taking many of the the buildings back and fixing them up again, but there are still many forgotten buildings in the city.

So Jakes... I'm sure if you wanted to, SA BOY wouldn't mind you helping out on the emporis section of Joburg?

joburg

August 16th, 2006, 08:43 PM

Fact: a lot of developments in jozi goes unnoticed because of the sheer numbers

Yeah you're right... there is a lot. I just don't like the majority of them... :lol:

Check below this post....

joburg

August 16th, 2006, 08:45 PM

R100m mixed-use development for Diepkloof
August 16, 2006
By Anish Abraham

SOWETO'S steady move away from being a dormitory township serving Johannesburg has been given a boost with the construction of a R100-million mixed-use development in Diepkloof.

The development, under the auspices of the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC), will comprise a shopping centre, a townhouse complex and an enlarged Soweto Hospice.

The JPC is the manager of the City's property portfolio.

Located within the Diepkloof Business District, the development will take place on a 10-hectare piece of council-owned land, already home to the Diepkloof Community Centre and the Diepkloof Clinic.

Plans to turn the vacant area into a mixed-use development were first discussed in 2004.

http://www.joburg-archive.co.za/images_2006/aug/diepkloof000.jpg

"The Johannesburg Property Company has packaged the land and leased it to the developers. The leases will generate half a million rand per annum in rental," says JPC's project manager Alan Dinnie.

"This will serve as an impetus and focus for further redevelopment and growth in Diepkloof."

The shopping centre, called Diepkloof Plaza, is a joint venture between McCormick Property Development and Shanduka Properties that will offer 20 000m² of retail space and cater for both open air and covered business and retail facilities.

With a façade made of a combination of face-brick and cut stone, the complex has been designed to reflect a boulevard feel with wide pedestrian walkways and manicured gardens.

Sired Properties will develop the residential component of the project, at a cost of around R17-million. Aiming to acquaint Sowetans with townhouse living, the complex will comprise high-quality units of 90m² at rental rates of up to R3 200 a month.

A study commissioned by the City's economic development unit in 2003 found that the combined annual buying power of Soweto residents was more than R10,5-billion, R4,3-billion of which is disposable income.

However, the research found that R3,4-billion of this disposable income was spent outside the township.

"The legacy of apartheid left townships as dormitory, single-use areas. This development rectifies this imbalance by providing Diepkloof with its very own neighbourhood centre," says Dinnie.

The Hospice Association of the Witwatersrand will also be developing the 7 900m² Soweto Hospice on the premises, at a cost of around R8-million.

The facility will include an in-patient unit with a capacity of more than 12 000 bed days a year, with male, female and paediatric sections. The paediatric section is the first paediatric palliative care unit to be developed in a previously disadvantaged area.

"All three developments have a minimum of 50 percent Black Economic Empowerment shareholding and are thus all empowering property deals," Dinnie adds. The BEE component to investors participating in the development was a prerequisite set by the JPC.

Development at the hospice site has already started, while construction at the other two sites is set to start within the next few months. Construction of the hospice and townhouse complex should be completed in early 2007, with the Diepkloof Plaza shopping centre being completed later in the same year.

The property company has also identified further sites for office development and Dinnie expects those parcels of land to be released for development by mid-2007.

"Soweto is starting to attract serious investment. This can be seen from the number of well-established developers who are beginning to show a growing commitment to economic development in Soweto," he says.

joburg

August 16th, 2006, 08:48 PM

Soweto is like the Umhlanga of Joburg... developers are busy ravaging the place. Might not be as high-end as Umhlanga, but I think about three new malls have opened in the area in the past year, and now with this development above and Orlando eKhaya, things are happening down south..

Mo Rush

August 16th, 2006, 09:34 PM

joburg

August 17th, 2006, 12:29 AM

There is a heck load of development in Soweto where previously there was none. It's an explosion of development. Like Umhlanga.

See? :)

Jakes1

August 17th, 2006, 10:53 AM

Hey joburgboy! and SABOY! never meant to bash you dude! sorry if it came over like that...

dysan1

August 17th, 2006, 09:13 PM

SA BOY

August 18th, 2006, 07:35 AM

thanks tom for the words of endorsement . I meant that compared to durbs and slap stad , the new build highrise enviroment in Joeys is dormant. Now Im comparing what I have listed on emporis and the U/C approved and proposed for Durban is alot. Joeys needs the bad buildings made good or should I say the dormant buildings populated but it also needs cranes on the skyline and CBD. It needs inner city of fringe CBD high rise residnetial to bring people back into the city. The odd office to residential conversion here and there is not going to make any impact on the dead city syndrome.

Dont get me wrong Im a big advocate of joeys regaining her past glory but for that to happen the CBD needs inner city investment on a big scale andm needs new build. I mean the last high rise of any significance was the KEH or joburg sun tower and that was in 1985. Thats 20 years and still no towers on the drawing baord. Compare that to durban and Cape twon and you can see what im refering to.

SA BOY

August 18th, 2006, 08:02 AM

u shud smak sa boy over the head thats his dept. his too busy with his beloved durbs at the moment it seems
Well guys considering that when I first started with emporis as the editor for SA , there were 20 buildings listing IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY. AT that time I lived in Sydney and now live in Dubai, so for someone who hasent lived in SA for about 8 years I think I have done a pretty ggod job. I have relied on guys like tom for snippets of info and what ever help guys could afford me like street address, photos etc.

If you guys feel strongly enough about it then please feel free to help me improve the site by spending days photographing buildings from all sides, writing down accurate addresses etc such as I have on my trips back to SA. Once I spent 5 full days of my 10 day holiday in Durban walking almost everystreet to get the info, then met with and liased with the durban planning dept who gave me loads of stats from the old drawings.
This is a labour of love and there are no thanks yous just shitty comments like these

hsark

August 18th, 2006, 11:41 AM

hey now i was trying to make a crack at u, u know if i had more time i would help n a digi cam plus ive been trying to get the other forumers to get some info for u ....i did try to join ssc but i lost my cam so .....

joburg

August 18th, 2006, 11:56 AM

Mmmm... we need more Joburg forumers.. or at least ya'll need to be more active bunnies...;)

joburg

August 18th, 2006, 01:15 PM

Bridge Precinct gives Braamfontein another lift
August 18, 2006
By Lucille Davie

A NEW development, the Bridge Precinct, takes Braamfontein another step further in its rejuvenation drive.

The precinct consists of five properties for rental - three buildings and two parking lots - in the process of being developed by Danaug Investments. The first property, referred to as No 1, on the corner of De Beer and Smit streets, saw its tenant, Ayanda Solutions, an office furniture company, move in this week.

The precinct is a block away from the Nelson Mandela Bridge, linking Braamfontein with Newtown in the CBD.

The Braamfontein Regeneration Project has seen the suburb being spruced up: trees have been planted, new lighting has been installed, street furniture like benches and artwork have been positioned along the pavements, and new paving has created focused areas.

Like the city centre, it had seen an exodus of businesses to the northern suburbs, and over the past decade had become rundown and untidy. But now the previously vacant shops have been largely filled by restaurants and food chains. This has had a ripple effect, and owners have responded by fixing up their shop fronts, extending their shopping hours, and bringing tables and chairs out on to the pavements.

Guards now patrol streets; toilets have been constructed in alleyways, some of which have been fenced off for safety; and streets are being regularly swept.

The Danaug directors are architect Jonathan Gimpel, responsible for the Media Mill and Atlas Studios developments in Milpark, and Steven and Justin Blend, who bring financial and legal skills to the company.

No 1, built in 1906 as a hotel, has been refurbished, retaining the tall, pressed-steel ceilings, fireplaces and shuttered windows.

"We basically had to strip the building down to its bare bones and refurbish it from the bottom up," says Gimpel. "The result is an excellent, strategically positioned A-grade property." The parking area will provide 50 parking spaces.

Danaug is looking for retail or commercial tenants for the other two buildings, and won't start renovating the buildings until tenants have been found. The reason for this is that they prefer to renovate to the tenants' needs. Rentals go for between R45m² to R75m².

"The inner city has a bright future and our move to the Bridge Precinct will contribute towards turning that vision into reality," says Ayanda Solutions CEO Bheki Vilakazi. Ayanda has their main office in Randburg.

Justin Blend says they'll be looking for office services industry companies.

"The idea is to bring a high visibility, offices services precinct to life in a key position to service the new look Braamfontein and Joburg CBD as well as the peripheral areas."

Blend says Danaug will be providing security for the precinct, as well as renovating the small park across the road from the buildings.

Danaug's total investment in the precinct is R20 million.

joburg

August 18th, 2006, 01:18 PM

http://www.joburg-archive.co.za/images_2006/aug/bridgeprecinct.jpg

The one dude is who is involved with Danaug Investment... is 22 years old. Doing his final year LLB at Wits. Makes me feel rather inadequate.. :(

But big ups to him.. must be a shit load of work!

Jakes1

August 18th, 2006, 02:22 PM

Soweto and Umhlanga? lol...Should i say Sandton and Umlazi then too? Townships are going through alot of development in the 3 main cities, i do however wonder if too many shopping centres are being built in Soweto, what thought has been given about the massive effect this will have on the CBD retail environment? I believe many developers build with disregard of the effects on existing infrastructure...the Effects of Malls on the CBDs of Nelspruit, Pmb, Bloem, George and now most likely East London are a case in point.

Yes it is great to see alot of money being pumped into the townships, but sometimes i think many of the investors decisions are foolhardy.

Also alot of developments in Jozi go unnoticed for there is nothing special about another estate or complex...is there?

I agree with you that a lot of developers don't take the consequences of their actions into account in the long run. In pretoria, midrand, centurion and the north of joburg a lot of shopping malls are planned - I don't believe half of them will be sustainable in the long run. I disagree with you concerning that there is no real developments that are worth mentioning in jozi. A lot of crud (the majority, unfortunately) but a lot of cool stuff too.

joburg

August 19th, 2006, 12:21 PM

oh by the way Mikey... meant to reply to you earlier...

Yes I do think that the new malls will have a detrimental effect on the CBD retail environment, because currently this is where most Sowetans shop. But I think most people find it quite inconvenient because it's a mission having to go so far to just go shopping. I remember a friend I had who lived in Soweto who found it so hilarious that they had like only one fast-food joint in Soweto... if you wanted anything else, you had to go to Southgate, which isn't far, but I don't think it offers enough choice for the growing market.

ok so ends my blah blah blah.

joburg

August 20th, 2006, 06:41 PM

yo biatches...

article in the Sunday Times Metro today.... the City's new Spatial Development Framework for 2006 - 2007 details how Rosebank, Houghton, Melrose, Sandton and Randburg are "set for a big squareeze"

Changes include...

- development of 200 homes per hectare, at the intersection of Glenhove and Oxford Road in Houghton..

- high densiry residential developments along Jan Smuts Avenue and Oxford Road in Melrose and Rosebank

- Densities of between 50 and 100 homes per hectare in Sandton's Weirda Valley, Dannhof, Sandhurst and Chislehurston

- Blocks of flats along William Nicol and Henrik Verwoed Drives and Main Road in Randburg

Reason for this is that as many residents as possible need to have easy access to the planned Sandton and Rosebank Gautrain stations.

Of course, the NIMBY's are pissed off....

"we are quite a long way away from the actual functioning of the Gautrain"

"you don't throw this at people without debating it. there hasn't been anyu debate"

"It does even give height restrictions. there is no assurance that the infrastructure will cope."

:blahblah:

But the funniest of all.......

"Developments of 10, 20 and 30 storeys are happening all over the show, despite objections"

So says Sandton Councilor Gilda Hurwitz. reallly, dahling Gilda, WHERE might I find these 30 storey developments?

I'll post the full article later..

dysan1

August 20th, 2006, 07:31 PM

"Developments of 10, 20 and 30 storeys are happening all over the show, despite objections"

So says Sandton Councilor Gilda Hurwitz. reallly, dahling Gilda, WHERE might I find these 30 storey developments?

LOL...poor old gilda was looking out the window after a hard day at hyde park and confused the massive bags blocking her window for buildings.

dysan1

August 20th, 2006, 10:30 PM

Please dont take this as me being negative about Jozi, for i think this article raises many valid concerns regarding inner city development at present.

Jozi's Designer Flats Are Empty - 2006/08/16

Despite the perception that downtown, inner city living is fast becoming a preferred choice among Joburg's trendy set, owners of upmarket office-to-flat conversions are apparently battling to find tenants.

Property commentators say it's one thing for developers to sell high-end CBD products off-plan to buy-to-let investors - typically priced at between R10 000 and R15?000?sq?m - but to let these units once completed is an entirely different matter.

The general view is that a lack of infrastructure such as shopping facilities and restaurants as well as crime and grime are seeing high-income tenants staying put in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg.

Pace Property Group MD David Green, who is involved in a number of inner city office-to-flat conversions, says while there is huge demand for bachelor and one bedroom flats priced at rentals of below R5?000/month, the inner city is not attracting upmarket professionals (owner-occupiers or tenants) to the extent that many expected.

Green believes the reason is that upmarket CBD developments are simply too pricey, competing with developments in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg.

"Why would someone pay R15 000/sq?m in downtown Jo'burg when they can buy a new apartment for less in Sandton?" Green says tenants are also unlikely to pay R10?000/month for a luxury apartment in the inner city when they can rent in Hyde Park at the same price.

Trafalgar chairman Neville Schaefer, who manages about 3?000 rental flats in Johannesburg's inner city, Hillbrow and Berea, agrees that demand for upper priced rental accommodation has yet to materialise in Jo'burg's CBD.

He says while inner city property owners can easily fill their flats with lower and middle-income tenants who are prepared to pay between R1?800 and R3 000/month, there's little if any demand for units priced above that.

Schaefer says despite talk of upmarket retail, leisure and entertainment offerings coming to the CBD, the reality is that the inner city doesn't offer sufficient infrastructure to support high-end living. "I would be nervous to invest in anything priced at R600?000 or more in the inner city," he says.

Meanwhile, developer Urban Ocean has sold all 135 luxury apartments at The Franklin, the old Ernst & Young building across from the old JSE headquarters in Diagonal Street, from R299 000 right up to R1,8m. Buyers are still waiting for occupation. But whether investors will find tenants at reasonable rentals remains to be seen.

Scramble for inner city conversions continues
The extent to which the office-to-flat renewal and conversion trend is gaining momentum in downtown Jo'burg is highlighted in the latest annual South African Property Report by JHI Real Estate.

The report states that a key challenge facing the City of Johannesburg Property Company is to supply sufficient stock to the more than 200 investors and developers currently clamouring for inner-city buildings to rehabilitate. Some of the most popular areas for office-to-flat conversions are Braamfontein, the Newtown precinct, the financial district west of the CBD, the Absa precinct and the retail precinct (the area close to the Carlton Centre and Supreme Court).

JHI Real Estate chairman Les Weil says inner city housing stock is expected to increase significantly over the next few years as developers and property investors take advantage of tax concessions to build and renovate buildings in designated inner city areas.

He says even institutional investors are now looking at rehabilitating some of their old office buildings that were previously boarded up. For instance, the Old Mutual Property Group and City Property Administration have joined forces to convert redundant office space into more than 400 middle-income residential apartments in downtown Jo'burg.

But Weil says that not all proposed office-to-flat conversions will go ahead as escalating building costs have made some of these projects less viable. He argues that margins have no doubt shrunk, and developers have to be careful that they don't price themselves out of the market.

On the eastern side of the inner city completed units sell at roughly R3?000 to R5 000/sq m while units in the more upmarket western side around the financial district will fetch between R7?000 and R10 000/sq m, says Weil. - Joan Muller

Article courtesy of Finweek.

joburg

August 20th, 2006, 11:32 PM

yah.. I had an inkling that people aren't as crazy about the city as some would have us believe, and I think it's all due to a negative perception. People still view the city as a bad place to live in or be in, and there is a mindset which is deeply engraved in many suburbanites that suburbs are the way to go. The CBD was dealt a bad blow this past week when the Heartlands closed down. Some people say it was because of the shit music they played (ala me), others say it was because the fickle Joburg crowd got bored with it, but others say it was because it was just in a bad part of town....

Having said all this though.. there are many more people interested in the city where previously there were none, and in the property section it's not uncommon at all to see estate agents selling off CBD buildings as investments. And the facts do speak for themselves.. things are slowly nudging ahead. And you can see the change visibly in Braamfontein, which although does not attract many yuppies yet, it attracts students, and these students will one day become yuppies in their own right.

So it is changing, but it's slooooow, and it's still taking a massive heave to get people back again. And I believe that one-by-one, the many pieces of the puzzle (like the Bridge Precinct, or Aengus) will fit together to bring it together again.

joburg

August 21st, 2006, 12:04 AM

Um... this might seem reallly weird for all you peeps who don't like Haagen Dazs Ice Cream as much as I do... but I saw in Sandton this evening that they are opening up there.. and I'm like quite happy about it. :)

joburg

August 21st, 2006, 12:08 AM

Here's that article...

ROOMY SUBURBS SET TO BECOME FLATLAND
City decides to expand skywards to cope with housing squeeze

ISAAC MAHLANGU

PLANS are afoot to turn some of Joburg’s spacious northern suburbs into flatland — with up to 200 homes for every hectare.

The moves are outlined in the City of Joburg’s new Spatial Development Framework for 2006-07, which details how Rosebank, Houghton, Melrose, Sandton and Randburg are set for a big squeeze.

The final draft of the document is expected to be released this week, and plans are expected to be passed by the council during its next meeting at the end of this month.

But early indications are that city folk — such as Sandton resident Niva Waldeck — are not going to like it. Waldeck no longer enjoys the morning sun since a three-storey block of flats went up next door, blocking light to her home.

Occupants of a nearly completed building about 3m from her home in Morningside, Sandton, will have a commanding view of her driveway and garden from their balconies.

“It’s a complete invasion of privacy. It is devaluing my property — who will want to live here?” she said.

Changes mooted by the draft document include:

•The development of 200 homes per hectare, or 10000m² of land, at the intersection of Glenhove and Oxford roads in Houghton;

•High-density residential developments along Jan Smuts Avenue and Oxford Road in Melrose and Rosebank;

•Between 150 and 200 homes per hectare in large parts of Rosebank;

•Densities of between 50 and 100 homes per hectare in Sandton’s Wierda Valley, Dennehof, Sandhurst and Chislehurston; and

•Blocks of flats along William Nicol and Hendrik Verwoerd drives and Main Road in Randburg.

The reasons for this, the document states, is for as many residents as possible to have easy access to the planned Sandton and Rosebank stations of the Gautrain railway.

Plans in Randburg were in line with the city’s moves to “revitalise” the neighbourhood with “retail, office and residential development”.

But many residents, who claim they haven’t been consulted, are far from happy.

Rosebank Action Group member Judith Briggs said the proposals were “too high and too soon. They are talking up to 200 units per hectare, which is huge for this area.”

She said the council was rushing into high-density plans without checking what the roads, sewerage and other infrastructure could handle.

“We are quite a long way away from the actual functioning of the Gautrain,” she said.

“You don’t throw this at people without debating it. There hasn’t been any debate.”

Houghton ward councillor Marcel Ravid said the draft looked “very scary”.

“It does not even give height restrictions. There is no assurance that the infrastructure will cope,” she said.

Sandton ward councillor Gilda Hurwitz said the developments already under construction were gobbling up all of the available space in the area.

“Developments of 10, 20 and 30 storeys are happening all over the show, despite objections,” she said.

Sandton Residents’ Association chairman Dion George said the lobby group was worried about the area’s parks disappearing.

Rosebank councillor Ian Ollis said higher densities were a necessity, but added: “I am not sure that [the council has] chosen the right areas.”

Council spokesman Nthatisi Modingoane said there “should be no upper limits on the number of dwellings” in the city’s nodes.

He said that “the approach chosen by the City of Joburg is vertical expansion to accommodate growth”.

dysan1

August 21st, 2006, 04:20 PM

wel if there arent the amenities in the cbd, the lifestyle we want doesnt exist yet, so obviously u wont be able to attract the people. great apartments is one thing, but u need the services and facilities. until those come u wont get the wealthy in at all

joburg

August 21st, 2006, 05:37 PM

joburg

August 21st, 2006, 07:47 PM

Residents up in arms over airport plans
By Shevonne Henry

JOHANNESBURG – Massive planned extensions to the Johannesburg International Airport, including three new runways, have angered residents around the area.

This follows the leaking of a 35 page document stipulating a 15-year extension plan by the Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa).

The document reveals that Acsa intends extending the airport into the Bonaero Park area and along Great North Road, in Benoni, over a 16-year period.

Plans include the development of the runways, two of which are planned for completion in 2015. Midfield implementation for 2012 includes a terminal complex with a capacity range of between 5 million and 15 million annual passengers.

The document, which was discussed at a residents’ meeting, shows that some of the criteria identified for the runways were capacity gain and long term sustainability.

Residents said they had been left in the dark about Acsa’s plans and were concerned about environmental issues like the future of Blaupan Dam, traffic congestion in Bonaero Park and Benoni, pollution and noise, as well as devaluation of property.

Acsa apparently discussed issues with the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality on a high level behind closed doors. A follow-up meeting for residents is to take place on September 11, at Bonaero Park Primary School. – CNS.

hsark

August 22nd, 2006, 12:26 PM

screw them we need the a bigger airport whoses watched that aussie movie the castle same thing happened there and it was the barlo group

Jakes1

August 23rd, 2006, 12:08 PM

I know a lot of you read this, but I got quite excited about it!

Coca-Cola moves
Africa HQ to Jozi
International beverage giant Coca-Cola is relocating its Africa group head office from Windsor in the UK to Johannesburg, a move seen as a clear signal of the company's commitment to the African market, and South Africa in particular.

August 22, 2006
By SouthAfrica.info reporter

Coca Cola is to set up shop in Joburg, using the city as a gateway to African markets.

"THE commercial aviation infrastructure, the telecoms infrastructure, the whole commercial environment is improving across Africa, and now is the right time for us to move our base to Africa, and Johannesburg is the location of choice," Alex Cummings, president of Coca-Cola South Africa, said on the Moneyweb Power Hour.

South Africa is by far Coca-Cola's largest market in Africa, two-and-a-half times that of the second biggest, Nigeria. It makes up 40% of the company's African revenue.

In 2005, Coca-Cola's South African turnover grew by 8% to 10% - a higher rate than GDP, which stood at 4.9%.

"South Africa ... has the most developed infrastructure," Cummings said. "South Africa is our biggest business and, frankly, Johannesburg is the business capital of South Africa. And so if we're going to move to South Africa, Johannesburg was the logical place to base our offices."

The move to Johannesburg will integrate the group's leadership with the 60 000 associates who make up the Coca-Cola System in Africa, and bring its leadership closer to customers, suppliers and business partners.

The Coca-Cola Company first entered Africa in 1928 with a beverage manufacturing plant based in South Africa. Since 2000 the company and its bottling partners have invested more than U$600-million in plants, manufacturing and distribution across the continent.

Painting Africa red According to company statistics, Coca-Cola sells an average of 235 beverages, of all products, to each man, woman and child in South Africa every year - a rough total of over 10-billion units. The world per capita average is 77 units.

In an article on brandchannel.com titled Painting South Africa R, Ron Irwin argues that Coke's success in Africa "has been due to its savvy advertising as well as its ubiquitous involvement in local community life.

"City dwellers in South Africa cannot fail to notice the Coke signs installed in every shop and roadside stand, but Coke has taken the initiative to reach poorer South Africans in rural areas as well. To this end it has initiated sports sponsorships, sports development, entrepreneurial development, scholarships and education projects.

"It has also relentlessly found ways to get its products trucked into even the most remote corners of Africa, and has cultivated a reputation for corporate honesty and openness that has won the respect of African businesspeople from Cape Town to Madagascar."

Coca-Cola Africa's group office relocation will begin in January 2007 and should be complete by June of that year.

Caisson Boy

August 23rd, 2006, 12:36 PM

ye but the amenities do exist but people just don't think they exist. you can get everything in the CBD that you can get in most shopping malls, from Woolies to Edgars to Pick 'n Pay.

Perhaps one of the only things we're lacking is that of nightlife, but that too, the good nightlife of Joburg isn't more than a 15 minute drive away.

There is still a great deal of business in the city, and the crime and grime situation, while it isn't perfect, it isn't drastic either.

i still maintain that it's all about perception... most people still perceive the place as a no-go zone, even though it is in reality an OK zone. we need to change that perception, and for that, we need new BIG projects like the GGP.

Darlings and sweethearts. I'm sorry, but it takes a bit more than an Edgars, Woolies and Pick'nPay to make me wanna move in. No way Josay. Take a look at the Cape Town CBD, and you'll understand what makes a city centre attractive: Lots and lots and lots of street cafés, nicely organised informal trading, trendy shops (NOT Edgars), boutiques, flash car showrooms, lots of pedestrianised areas, clean and leafy open spaces, pubs and bars where people can go after work, and clubs and restaurants where people can spend their evenings and nights.

I have this fabulous book from about 1983 called "Hillbrow". It has the most fantastic pictures about Hillbrow's nightlife and street culture from the disco era. Geez, what a friggin fabulous place Hillbrow was back then. Just bookshops, music stores, clubs, bars, cafés everywhere.

And that's what it needs again today, not bloody Edgars Woolies and Pick'nPay.

joburg

August 23rd, 2006, 12:56 PM

Unfortunately you're right. I'm going to go huddle in a corner now and cry. :(

Need to get that book.

Caisson Boy

August 23rd, 2006, 01:27 PM

Unfortunately you're right. I'm going to go huddle in a corner now and cry. :(

Need to get that book.

Ah mate, don't do that. Your thing says "Embrace Diversity", but I feel like I could just embrace you right now! Have you gone all foetal now? Shit, I'm sorry man!

O but you're right about that book. It is fabulous. What a rare find that was too. I think I found it in a second hand store in Mowbray or something, a few years ago. As soon as I have a scanner up and running again, I'll put some of those pics on the Joburg gallery thread.

joburg

August 23rd, 2006, 01:55 PM

hehe. nah i'm all good. ;) just a bit bleeeeugh about joburg and its denizens at the moment.

do you have an ISBN number for that book? I might be able to order it if it is still in print.

Jakes1

August 23rd, 2006, 02:50 PM

Remind yourselves that CT CBD did not just spring out of the ashes. Shops and people take a loooong time to return. As the area becomes more diverse, so does the shops open. but jozi CBD will be different from ct, with a definite more african flavor. CT feels very european, i doubt if thats the way to go for jozi. Office workers will soon start living in the CBD, but it will not resemble sandton or rosebank. This will not be another sterile melrose.

But in the future I can see a lot of jazz clubs opening, pubs etc. Remember that the jozi CBD is huge as well, one decent development is good, but it takes a long time to spread. And joburg, that is where the students come in. Braamfontein's lift will be because of students in the area. This will spread.

Have faith boet. Read an article in the Star yesterday just stating again that demand is outstripping supply in the CBD in terms of accomodation. Why do you think loft@66 was fully rented in one day? The Carlton is 85% occopied (office) and the retail section is almost full.

We must all keep in mind that Jozi CBD fell like a brick. The damage was immense, but even the small efforts now were almost unthinkable only 3years ago! The CBD will rise, not to equal her past european glory, but rather as something entirely new. Sandton is the heart of business, hopefully the CBD can one day become the heart of the city.

Joburg, dont spend time on death of joburg. Those guys are sad. I challenge anyone of them to make a difference. I know that they bemoan the state of the city, but they will never get of their arses and do anything. They like to complain. Bitter, sad, rascist and angry. Nothing will ever please them.

No wonder Jozi kicked them in the butt. Just sad that a few tourists are taking their advice. But i guess that those are the few with low IQ's in any case. That blog is out dated, ill-informed and total bull. Hope you feel a bit better today. There is always hope man!

Jakes1

August 23rd, 2006, 03:41 PM

I also realise that this article is almost two months old, but still - giving a very different take on the situation of the jozi CBD. Remember, that with a regeneration project such as this there are bound to be failures. But don't let that distract from the successes. I think a lot of developers saw themselves making easy money in the CBD. This was their first mistake. There is no such thing as easy money. But there is such a thing as smart money!

"Trendy business returns to Jozi CBD - 2006/06/21

It's hard not to notice the new buildings and developments changing the Jozi city skyline at a bewildering pace. The latest trend is a move back to the inner city that is fast becoming an entertainment venue, buzzing with pavement cafés, shops, shows and exhibitions – all within walking distance.

Needless to say, this has had a positive impact on the commercial sector. More and more retailers, entrepreneurs, corporates etc are moving back. As we know, space inside the city is a commodity and because it is precious, its value is bound to keep on rising. Property Developers Urban Ocean, were the first to capitalize on this valuable space and have subsequently acquired buildings within the Financial District. To date they own approximately 22 buildings, all of which are being refurbished into luxury apartments and top notch offices and retail sectors.

So why the sudden resurge to the inner city? Firstly, the cost of leasing space in the CBD is lower than established markets and innovators are getting great deals for their space. Urban Ocean's rentals start at R45/sqm for loft style offices. Also, since the city has been relatively unoccupied for several years (from a business perspective), new tenants are currently getting access to prime development spaces, before the wave of the masses. The idea of having offices in old buildings (between 50 and 100 years old) is very appealing, especially to the media and creative industries. For example, National Bank House, which is a media hub with tenants such as Studio 7, Trigger, Grey White Productions, Icons Models and AMM Casting has a distinct allure to these industries as the loft office feel is easily replicated here. Exposed ceilings, sealed brick walls and parquet wooden floors combined with modern design elements such as sand blasted glass, hi-tech equipment and funky lighting lends itself to the perfect space for creatives to re-establish themselves.

Secondly, the whole inner city has been earmarked to cater for call centres from South Africa and abroad. There will be a broadband services roll out, which will reduce costs of connecting broadband by as much as 80 %. Outsourcing their call centres to South Africa is a very good alternative for international companies as South Africa's standard of English is internationally acceptable. This combined with the broadband strategy, the low rentals, close proximity to bus stations, train stations and taxi ranks, as well as large empty buildings allowing for open plan floor layouts, makes Johannesburg a great option. The fact that many of the big multinationals' SA offices are in surrounding areas e.g. Sandton, West Rand, East Rand, Pretoria or even the CBD and Braamfontein gives Johannesburg preference over Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Durban.

The immediate and long-term benefits of moving back to the city also serve as great incentives to invest in the Financial District. Comments Christo van Zyl, Project Manager, Urban Ocean, on the immediate benefit; "Traffic is a concern with the amount of traffic flowing towards business zones in the northern suburbs in the morning and away from these areas in the afternoons. By acquiring offices in the Financial District, the tenant's staff has a 99 % guarantee that they will always drive in the opposite direction to the peak hour traffic flow".

The long-term benefits play a valuable role in the decision-making process. As rentals are still relatively low, one can sign a medium to long-term lease at the current rental and with an annual escalation, you can be assured that in 3-5 years time you will be paying just over R55 per sqm while the market price would be close to R90 per sqm. The reason for this increase is due to the tremendous growth and investment (private and public sector) into the city. It is the same as investing in shares, the earlier one can predict the trend and get in first, the more money you will make, or in this case save.

Comments Herman Schoeman, Urban Ocean's Leasing Manager; "The city will follow the trend of most world cities with regards to renewal. In the 80's New York was one of the worst places to live, work or play, but today it is one of the most sought after and property is unaffordable. By getting in now, businesses will not have to pay high premiums and they will also be play an important role in the regeneration of the city. For many companies it is important to be seen to make the first move i.e. to be the trend setters rather than the followers".

Furthermore, crime has been reduced by over 80 % over the last three years in the CBD. This means that vagrants and criminals are looking for "greener pastures" elsewhere. The addition of CCTV cameras on every street has made it nearly impossible to commit a crime in the city. Thus new tenants will benefit from a more secure and controlled working environment

So who is moving back? Well, the caliber of homeowners has most certainly had a direct impact on the profile of businesses moving back to the city. The profile of these home owners are mostly young up-and-coming business men and women as well as the more elite businessmen who conveniently have a penthouse pad for use after those late night office meetings and let us not forget about the many celebrities such as American football legend Randall Cunningham, the mayor and his wife, as well as local TV presenters and stars!

The business trend has previously been for gun-shops and micro lenders, hawkers and the like, and now stylish hair salons, upmarket clothing boutiques, reputable fast food outlets, trendy restaurants and coffee shops are all returning.

As the majority of businesses in the CBD Financial District consist of all major banks whose staff need to eat, have their hair cut or need to shop, businesses are guaranteed clientele. The regular businessman can now get the same high quality business suit, tie or shirt just down the block. Furthermore, the social culture of Johannesburg is ever prevalent and evidence of this can be seen in the number of well-known coffee shops making their debut on the sidewalks.

Never before has the opportunity been better to have your business be part of a flourishing inner city renewal and with the building of new Gautrain between Johannesburg and Pretoria, clientele will literally be arriving on your doorstep!

For more information contact 011 838 9879 or 082 800 7008."
http://www.property24.com/Property24/hub/RegionalNews_Full.asp?articleid=3516

joburg

August 24th, 2006, 04:43 PM

Coca-Cola moves Africa HQ to Jozi
August 22, 2006
By SouthAfrica.info reporter

Coca Cola is to set up shop in Joburg, using the city as a gateway to African markets.

"THE commercial aviation infrastructure, the telecoms infrastructure, the whole commercial environment is improving across Africa, and now is the right time for us to move our base to Africa, and Johannesburg is the location of choice," Alex Cummings, president of Coca-Cola South Africa, said on the Moneyweb Power Hour.

South Africa is by far Coca-Cola's largest market in Africa, two-and-a-half times that of the second biggest, Nigeria. It makes up 40% of the company's African revenue.

In 2005, Coca-Cola's South African turnover grew by 8% to 10% - a higher rate than GDP, which stood at 4.9%.

"South Africa ... has the most developed infrastructure," Cummings said. "South Africa is our biggest business and, frankly, Johannesburg is the business capital of South Africa. And so if we're going to move to South Africa, Johannesburg was the logical place to base our offices."

The move to Johannesburg will integrate the group's leadership with the 60 000 associates who make up the Coca-Cola System in Africa, and bring its leadership closer to customers, suppliers and business partners.

The Coca-Cola Company first entered Africa in 1928 with a beverage manufacturing plant based in South Africa. Since 2000 the company and its bottling partners have invested more than U$600-million in plants, manufacturing and distribution across the continent.

Painting Africa red According to company statistics, Coca-Cola sells an average of 235 beverages, of all products, to each man, woman and child in South Africa every year - a rough total of over 10-billion units. The world per capita average is 77 units.

In an article on brandchannel.com titled Painting South Africa R, Ron Irwin argues that Coke's success in Africa "has been due to its savvy advertising as well as its ubiquitous involvement in local community life.

"City dwellers in South Africa cannot fail to notice the Coke signs installed in every shop and roadside stand, but Coke has taken the initiative to reach poorer South Africans in rural areas as well. To this end it has initiated sports sponsorships, sports development, entrepreneurial development, scholarships and education projects.

"It has also relentlessly found ways to get its products trucked into even the most remote corners of Africa, and has cultivated a reputation for corporate honesty and openness that has won the respect of African businesspeople from Cape Town to Madagascar."

Coca-Cola Africa's group office relocation will begin in January 2007 and should be complete by June of that year.

mike2005

August 28th, 2006, 03:23 PM

exactly. Now the cape CBD is bloody awsome. It has everything one needs in a CBD and will be even better once mandela rhodes place is completed. But dont forget 6 years ago the CPT CBD was awfull. Im sure what we have seen in CPT can happen in Joburg in the south western part of the CBD ie main street etc. What I love about Cape Town is that the CBD is just so vibrant and interesting and generally very safe both in the day and at night.

joburg

August 29th, 2006, 11:51 PM

Gauteng commuters get a voice

August 29, 2006
By Lucky Sindane

JOBURG commuters are set to benefit from the newly launched Gauteng Commuter Organisation, which will address challenges faced by public transport commuters on a daily basis. Gauteng MEC for public transport, roads and works, Ignatius Jacobs, officially launched the Gauteng Commuter Organisation last Friday in Johannesburg.

The initiative is aimed at strengthening the voice of commuters in building, amongst others, an efficient, safe and environmentally friendly public transport system. It includes buses, taxis and trains.

"Our organisation will speak on behalf of commuters; we want to make sure that issues facing commuters are properly addressed," said James Mothupi, chairperson of the Gauteng Commuter Organisation.

Formed in partnership with the Gauteng department of public transport, roads and works, the mass-based Gauteng Commuter Organisation is the first of its kind in the country.

In October last year a Gauteng Commuter Indaba was held with taxi owners and associations, bus and rail operators and commuter organisations and Gauteng provincial government to work towards developing an efficient and integrated inter-modal public transport system.

"We want to make sure that together with public transport operators in the rail, bus and taxi industry, we achieve the type of public transport that all of us can be proud of," said Jacobs during a press briefing. "We also seek to collectively stem the tide of the rising cost of fuel on commuters and to reduce the economic cost of congestion on our roads."

The Gauteng Commuter Organisation will be an independent and autonomous body that will champion the interests of commuters in the province.

The Gauteng department of transport is currently in the process of finalising a new commuter subsidy for Gauteng.

"Only a fraction of Gauteng commuters use either bus or rail services in Gauteng but they enjoy the benefits of government subsidy. On the other hand, the majority complements do not enjoy any form of subsidy," said Jacobs.

"We need a subsidy system that is biased towards the majority of public transport users, especially the poor, and to work together with operators to deal effectively with the challenges in rail, bus and the taxi industry and to equally spread the services amongst commuters," he added.

joburg

August 29th, 2006, 11:54 PM

joburg.co.za has just launched a weekly newsletter called the Limewire dealing with entertainment and stuff going on in Jozi. Check it out... http://www.joburg.co.za

Harkeb

August 30th, 2006, 02:44 AM

New Braamfontein Precinct Started - 2006/08/29

The rejuvenation of Braamfontein is enjoying a further boost with the news that Danaug Investments has unveiled the first component of its Bridge Precinct development on the strategic Smit Street East-West axis.

The development consists of three properties offering some 4000sq m of prime commercial and retail space, as well as two vacant stands which form invaluable parking. Collectively they constitute the "Bridge Precinct" in view of their proximity to the iconic Nelson Mandela Bridge.

Danaug has extensively refurbished the first of the properties, on the corner of Smit and De Beer Streets, retaining many of its attractive architectural features, notably lofty pressed ceilings, shuttered windows and character fireplaces.

The first tenants in the new development, Ayanda Solutions, an empowered, office furniture company, will occupy 800sq m, in what was originally a hotel built in 1906. Over the last 100 years the property has been converted from the hotel to offices to a school and now it has been developed to a magnificent office furniture showroom.

Directors include Jonathan Gimpel, Steven and Justin Blend. Together they bring architectural, financial and legal skills to the property development sector, making this a formidable team devoted to the revival of the inner city with the emphasis on accommodating clients' individual needs.

"We basically had to strip the building down to its bare bones and refurbish it from the bottom up," says Danaug's Jonathan Gimpel. "The result is an excellent, strategically positioned 'A' grade property."

Investment in the five properties which make up "Bridge Precinct" will ultimately cost R20m, confirming the confidence which Danaug has in the future of Braamfontein.

The idea is to bring a high visibility, office services precinct to life in a key position to service the new look Braamfontein and Joburg CBD as well as the peripheral areas.

"What we look for are synergies with our tenants and the area they serve. This is exactly the premise upon which the Bridge Precinct has been established," says Danaug's Justin Blend.

Bridge Precinct offers prospective tenants high standards of accommodation at rates varying between R40 뻉70 per sq m.

In terms of transportation upgrades Gimpel points to the metro's plans for a circular system of bus links, taking in Braamfontein, Ellis Park, Newtown, Downtown and of course the Gautrain terminus at Park station.

"The Bridge Precinct is the culmination of two years of hard work, which could only have been made possible with the assistance of the Johannesburg City Council and their Better Buildings project," comments Steven Blend.

Upgrades to the area's infrastructure in terms of security and cleanliness are taking place in Braamfontein at a rapid rate. Bridge Precinct will be both a catalyst and a participant in this rejuvenation process.

joburg

August 30th, 2006, 10:35 AM

Ye the Bridge Precinct is kewwwl... that Justin Blend dude is only 22 and doing final year law at Wits. I have no clue where he gets the time to do all this jazz. And he also has time to represent SAUJS in Rwanda. And then blog all about it. http://supernatural.blogs.com/weblog/2006/05/justin_blends_r.html

It's impressive...

Mosi-oa-Tunya

August 30th, 2006, 11:44 PM

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8078/3331/1600/breestreet05.0.jpg

joburg

August 31st, 2006, 09:40 AM

Bringing this in from the Shebeen..

Regarding the hotels in Joburg - ye, there aren't any of the big ones in the city. But it would be a bit stupid for the hotels to open up there.. not because it's a dangerous spot, but because they're already open in Joburg. The Hilton, Hyatt, Crowne Plaza, the Sandton Sun and Towers, the Michelangelo, the Park Plaza... they're all up in Rosebank and Sandton.. and these are all within a ten minute radius of the city.

And as for the decaying signs.. ye, there are decaying buildings. But I can show you a ton of buildings which have been totally revamped by TURF and the Joburg Housing Company, and I can show you entire areas which have been totally transformed. There is indeed a long way to go, given the fact that we're the biggest of all SA CBDs and that we've been thru a lot of shit, but we'll get there.

mike2005

August 31st, 2006, 01:29 PM

Joburg I agree. There are lots of run down buildings but far fewer than there were 5 years ago and the south western CBD is now bloody awsome. Joburg has come along way but it is defo getting there. As I posted in the gallery section last year the southern life centre was totally empty and now it is almost full with call centres. Also the JCI building on main street was empty two years ago and now it is almost full. Just mentioned those two as they are my fave buildings in the city and am so pleased they are now being used to capacity again.

hsark

August 31st, 2006, 03:47 PM

Mo Rush

August 31st, 2006, 03:56 PM

Jakes1

August 31st, 2006, 04:55 PM

Some updates! Well, don't promise them to be too objective - because I am falling in love with joburg city centre. The Newtown in Newtown (duh) is almost completed and looks very cool and hip. But man, it is in such a crummy part of town! Hopefully The Mills and The newtown will succeed in blowing life into this area.

Anglo's new offices are going to rock. Work is continuing at the franklin. Brickfields is a prime example of how lower cost housing can still look amazing. Sci Bono is also revamping.

Main and Fox streets look INCREDIBLE. New restaurants include Nino's, dulci's, Capello's, Nando's and a few lesser known places. I walked everywhere - Commisioner, Rissik, Fox, Main (basically the whole south western part) and it is getting harder to find rundown places. And soon the Ashanti and Dogon redevelopment will begin, plus they are building a new parkade for hollard i think. In commisioner street there is a lot of revamping of incredible buildings, and corner house is such a gem!

the area around joubert park is crummy, but there are a lot of buildings being renovated. Lofts@66 soooo cool. The area around the carlton needs a lot of work - ugly one/two storey industrial buildings. And just last week another illegal one burnt down, killing eight.

Positives?
Generally the city is a lot cleaner. In some areas it is hard to find litter on the streets (especially south western).
I never once felt unsafe (security cameras and gaurds all around)
It is friendly (people chatting and one kid even came up to me, asking if I would mind taking a picture of him!) - I thought i was getting mugged (cynical northern suburb resident!)

Negatives?
A lot of grafiti - creates a very rundown feel - especially in newtown, and also around the station area (rissik bridge)
Lack of parking (will always be a problem) and as such it is difficult to get to many places to look around
Areas like newtown have a lot of rundown and ugly buildings (same with carlton area).
The area around the oriental plaza looks incredibly intimidating - not sure if it is unsafe, but it looks crap (again - carlton area).
Rissik street will soon undergo a revamp with the start of construction of the Shakespear Place - but the barbican and the post office is still sad to see (why doesnt anyone buy the Barbican - it is such a gem!)?
Taxi ranks should be the focus of cleaning crews - in newtown and around joubert park this is evident. Don't our commuters deserve safe, clean transport hubs?

I also crossed over into braamies, and the place looks better every time. R20mil is very little for the bridge precinct but I think it is only for the revamp of that one building? The glass bowl apartment thing looks beautiful, same area. Also heard a rumour that the old 18storey monstrosity on the corner (the one with the revolving restaurant) is going to house the new wits arts gallery! Saw renderings, very awesome, glass glass glass!

Is heartlands really closed now? It is in a bad part - but I hope they keep at it.

All in all, the city is coming back to life. In fox street office workers are sitting outside for lunch, typing away on laptops (this would have been suicide 5years ago). There is a lot of grime, but heck, you can't compare it with what it was just 3years ago!

The buildings are soooo beatiful, art deco everywhere. And now I understand why there is such a controversy concerning the Kopanong Gov Precinct. I dont think we need extra open space, but rather user friendly buildings. And those earmarked for demolition are beautiful in their own right! Don't kill me, but I like them!

Jozi has a long way to go, but slowly but surely she is stepping forward. If you visit the CBD, get your mindset right. It is not glam, and she is still in need of intensive plastic surgery, but the life is coming back!

joburg

August 31st, 2006, 07:41 PM

Very cool updates Jakes! Went to the Gerald Sekoto exhibition today at the Standard Bank... love the gallery, not so keen on the artist though. lol. But the surrounding area was soooooo cool. Felt totally safe. But I think what you say.... "It is not glam, and she is still in need of intensive plastic surgery, but the life is coming back!" is like totally right! ;)

joburg

August 31st, 2006, 07:47 PM

Just seen GREAT news on joburg.org.za... The Lion King is coming to Joburg. http://www.joburg.org.za/2006/aug/aug31_lionking.stm

"JOBURG is about to get two firsts for the country: the first theatre performance of The Lion King, and the first theatre to seat 1 900 people.

The theatre, an extension of the Montecasino complex in Fourways, is being constructed specifically for The Lion King, as no theatre in the country is big enough to house the spectacular production. It will be called the Montecasino Teatro and will be one of the 10 largest lyric theatres in the world.

The production will open in Johannesburg in June 2007, when the theatre is complete.

The South African production will have an entirely local cast of 53, a 20-member orchestra, plus a technical crew of 40.

Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa said at the announcement this week: ''Gauteng will never be the same again.'' He cautioned the developers to consider the road infrastructure around Montecasino, and the need to expand it to cope with the flood of theatregoers. "

joburg

August 31st, 2006, 07:50 PM

Date: 31 Aug 2006
Title: Wits hosts 2010 impact dialogue on Johannesburg and SA
http://www.buanews.gov.za/view.php?ID=06083116451002&coll=buanew06
By Lavinia Mahlangu, tel: (012) 314 2175

The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) will be hosting a colloquium on how the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup will affect city life in Johannesburg and its broader impact on South Africa.

Entitled "2010 and the Life of the City", the dialogue will see discussion surrounding, amongst others, the legacy 2010 will leave for the country, lessons to be learnt from this year's World Cup hosted by Germany and the issue of sports events as engines for sustainable development.

Representatives of FIFA-SA and the Chief Directorate: 2010 at the national Department of Sports and Recreation are to open the colloquium on 4 September with a presentation entitled:
"Preparing for the African World Cup".

The event will run until 6 September.

The colloquium is to be co-hosted by the Wits School of Architecture and Planning, the Centre for Urban and Built Environment Studies (CUBES), the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research (WISER), the Human Sciences Research Council and the Goethe Institute.

"The colloquium forms part of on-going dialogue that began last year with WISER and seeks to continue a conversation about 2010 and what it will mean for South Africa and all South Africans," said Alan Mabin, organiser of the colloquium and acting director of CUBES.

The official film of the 2006 World Cup hosted by Germany and won by Italy in July, "Red, Black and Gold" will be screened at the dialogue.

Decision making processes and the inner-city poor will be discussed, as will soccer stadium venue selection and the FIFA World Cup in relation to urban women.

Of interest to many South Africans who have been buying property with the hope of providing accommodation to soccer fans during the tournament, will be a discussion entitled "Consuming the imagination: Fantasies about wealth and the 2010 Soccer World Cup in contemporary Soweto."

As many as three-million tourists are expected to descend on South Africa during the World Cup, 40 percent more than the average annual number of tourists, the Airports Company of South Africa has said.

These tourists are expected to spend billions of dollars not only on soccer related activities in South Africa, but on a diverse range of activities in various sectors throughout the region and the continent.

This is in line with FIFA and the South African government's positioning of the 2010 World Cup as an African World Cup. - BuaNews

joburg

August 31st, 2006, 08:21 PM

as for the ct cbd who can remember the bombing going on down there i remember a car blowing up outside my dads office "former bp hq in town" and the bombs at the waterfront the local gov and business owners have done a great job , i mean who wants to go to work if u might be blown up ? ps 20mil that a bit too small *bram project*

I remember way back in 1993 being in a church in the middle of town when a bomb went off a few blocks away. Was a week before the election. The whole place shuddered. And also remember having a braai on voting day and we heard the bomb at Joburg Airport and we all knew what it was.

And ya'll remember the bomb at the Planet Hollywood in Cape Town planted by Pagad? That got them packing their bags.. :(

Jakes1

September 1st, 2006, 02:27 PM

Anyone with news on the new wits art gallery? I saw a rendering of it in a newspaper, and they also said that a mayor restaurant chain is looking into the reopening of the revolving restaurant at the top of this tower.

Where are all the joburg forum people? And although I know this is the Jozi forum, I read that Pretoria might get its own little melrose arch development in Brooklyn. Brooklyn is a developing hotspot, with three new multistorey blocks going up (not a lot of floors though). Hatfield is also exploding, together with Hillcrest.

Read in the Sydney Morning Herald that Australia and New Zealand are looking into being able to host the 2010 CUP. Idiots. Just because they murder us at rugby doesnt mean we are inadequate with everything else. And at least FIFA is still supporting us, but we have very little time left guys. BUILD BUILD BUILD!

Those deadlines are going to close in on us faster than we think!

What are other's thoughts concerning the CUP? Can we or can't we? I think south africa always pulls through in the end - and we can't afford to loose this one. It would devastate our chances for anything else! Byebye olympic dreams etc. Byebye Africa. WE WILL DO IT. WE WILL DO IT WELL. Bloody arrogant ausies. Probably a couple of boeremag expats that wrote to the sydney herald. or that guy from the deathofjoburg blog.

People like that piss me off. They don't offer any solutions, they refuse to work with the government and just moan, whinge and complain. What happened to proactive solutions?

Thank you for tolerating my springday rage...
I am looking forward to going home early!

ciao

mike2005

September 1st, 2006, 03:03 PM

Jakes1 I totally agree with you both about the world cup and the CBD (apart from the government precinct point: im a huge supporter of the project and I think it will breath much needed life into that part of town). Its not as if the aussies have any better stadiums than we do!! The world cup will be awsome and we will show the world what a special country SA is.

Jakes1

September 4th, 2006, 10:37 AM

Some updates!

"Joburg Central Update - August 2006

Dear Readers Welcome to the August issue of the Joburg Central Update, our forum to educate the public about the numerous positive developments in the CBD. This newsletter, an initiative of the Johannesburg Inner City Business Coalition (JICBC) and Central Johannesburg Partnership (CJP) serves to highlight some of the opportunities that exist in the CBD with particular focus on the City Improvement Districts. If you require specific property information please visit www.joburgcentral.co.za.
www.joburg.org.za www.joburg.org.za

The Inner city is alive with dance, music and art. There are a number of exhibitions on at various venues throughout the city and the Arts Alive Festival sees a comprehensive mix of music genres and dance coming to the city throughout the month of September.

We welcome all contributions relating to news and events within Joburg Central and value your feedback. We would appreciate it if you would distribute the newsletter to your colleagues, tenants and security managers in the area. If you are interested in advertising in the newsletter or on the website, please contact Katie Engelbrecht on (011) 537 0652 or e-mail katiee@kum.co.za

Regards,
The Joburg Central Team

In this issue
Shakespeare Place 2 The Carlton Centre Food Court for 'Cooking Mamas' Clean and Green Art in the City: The Parking Gallery The Standard Bank Gallery Museum of Photography, Museum Africa
Shakespeare Place 2

Following the sell out success of the first Shakespeare Place, Urban Ocean launched Shakespeare Place 2 on 1 August. Thirty eight out of 43 units were sold before the doors were opened at the launch. Keeping with the usual high standards of design, the interior of the units are modern and sleek. Shakespeare Place 2 offers residents the convenience of an on site gym, coffee shop and retail. A romantic sky lounge is a new addition to the development which gives residents a social space to watch the sun set, or rise, over the city! Shakespeare Place 2 is located at 41A Rissik Street. Interested buyers can contact Christo van Zyl. More details are available on the website.

The Carlton Centre

Looking down onto the city, it takes a few moments to get orientated before realising that the tiny bridge in the distance is actually the Nelson Mandela Bridge. The floor to ceiling glass doesn’t only offer the best view in Johannesburg, but a small dose of vertigo too. The Marung Restaurant and Bar @ the top of Africa is a venue for hire, a restaurant with full breakfast, lunch and supper menu and a bar. Access to The Top of Africa is through the Carlton Centre. With 97 percent of the retail space occupied, it is safe to say that the Carlton Centre has been revived. Any boards that might be up at the moment are only concealing the renovations that shop owners are undertaking to further spruce up the interior of their shops. The success of the office space in the Carlton Centre is not far behind with 85 percent occupancy. And what of the once famous Carlton hotel? Signs of life are making their way into the ballroom with the highly popular television series Strictly Come Dancing broadcasting live from The Carlton Hotel every Saturday night. Negotiations are currently under way which will see the hotel up and running. It is only a matter of time, so watch this space! Contact details for the restaurant are available on their website.

Food Court for 'Cooking Mamas'

The design of new stalls for the 'Cooking Mamas' in Kerk Street is currently under way. It is not a process that can be rushed as input from all interested parties will be considered before the stalls are implemented. The Central Johannesburg Partnership (CJP) do not want to neglect the needs of the informal traders, the public or property owners in the Retail Improvement District. The idea is to designate a block to the 'Cooking Mamas' supplied with street furniture to create a dedicated food court. Zukiswa Shirindi (pictured) is available to address any concerns or queries. (011) 688 7808.

Clean and Green

The City of Johannesburg embarked on a three month long campaign to promote the clean up of the inner city. At the end of the three months, problem areas were identified such as the need for speedy and continuous collection of rubbish to avoid bins spilling over into the streets. Pikitup are in the process of finding solutions to the excessive amounts of waste that requires collection. One solution comes in the form of buy back centres located across Johannesburg. There is a list of these centres on the Pikitup website. Another way to reduce the amount of refuse people throw away is to encourage initiatives such as collect-a-can. A variety of cans can be collected, from beverage cans to old paint tins and aerosol sprays. The amount paid out per kilogramme varies, starting at 44c per kilogramme for beverage cans. Previously unemployed, collectors are now able to sustain an income through the collect-a-can project. For details of your nearest collection point call (011) 466 2939.

Art in the City: The Parking Gallery

Dorothee Kreutzfeldt will be holding an exhibition, Adversary, for one night only at The Parking Gallery on 5 September. Dorothee, along with Willem Boshoff, were judges at the recent Martienessen Exhibition at Wits School of the Arts. For a map and more information go to the website or call Simon Gush on 073 024 7308.

The Standard Bank Gallery

The Gerard Sekoto: from the Paris Studio exhibition consists of a small but choice selection of works on paper as well as a display of Gerard Sekoto memorabilia. A number of drawings on the exhibition provide fascinating insights into Sekoto's working methods. The exhibition runs from 10 August to 30 September 2006 at the Standard bank Gallery, corner Simmonds and Frederick Street, Johannesburg. Tel (011) 631 1889 for more information.

Museum of Photography, Museum Africa

'WOMEN MINERS' highlights the changing underground mining environment in South Africa, an environment from which women were until 10 years ago excluded. Today, increasing numbers of women are taking on traditionally male jobs in mining, both above and below ground, and Jansson's work highlights the beginnings of meaningful transformation in an industry that for decades symbolised the harsh realities of apartheid South Africa. The photographer, Eva-Lotta Jansson is a Swedish photojournalist based in London and Johannesburg.The exhibition runs until 1 October 2006 at the Bensusan Museum of Photography, Museum Africa, Old Market Building, 121 Bree Street, Newtown, Johannesburg.
Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 09:00 -17:00 (Closed on Mondays)
Enquiries: Zola Mtshiza, Exhibitions Curator (011) 833 5624 x 255

You may subscribe or unsubscribe by sending an email to communications@kum.co.za."

Jakes1

September 4th, 2006, 10:52 AM

Some more good news...

You know I have been complaining about the johannesburg sun standing empty? When it was completed the two skyscrapers formed the largest hotel complex in Africa, this was in 1985. Two towers, one about 40 storeys and one 22, I think. Well, an overseas architect firm is busy redisigning the 22storey building into an African Themed hotel. And also planning to redevelop that amazing 40storey glass tower into residential apartments - might be starting next year!

As for Newtown. Over R500million worth of investments in terms of mixed used developments are currently held up because of heritage concerns. Transport House is next in line for refurbishment though. These heritage concerns is a pain in the butt, to say the least, but lets think about it. In my view it would be better to be sensitive in terms of heritage, and develop buildings that complement the history of the areas, in stead of destroy it. I dont think we want jozi cbd to be another soulless sandton or mellrose. It is amazing what architects can do to incorporate state of the art design while preserving heritage. Think of the Drill Hall, the Turbine Hall, Corner House and of course wonderful Constitution Hill! But these developments must go through to get Newtown really cookin! The planned parkade in Newtown seems to be met with many complications, and as such it is held up.

More exciting stuff? ABSA bought up a whole block south of their main campus, east of the Carlton and will start redevelopment soon. Would loove it if someone could get more info about this! And hope you guys read about how good the carlton is doing. The hotel will hopefully be open again soon! That area really looks great, so I think it will happen soon. Ster Kinekor is also refurbushing their cinemas at the carlton. Now if only someone will buy the IBM building.

The barbican, I found out, is owned by Old Mutual, they are not planning to sell it at all and rather seems keen to develop the site themselves. And I foresee that as soon as Rissik street becomes very trendy this will happen.

I dare all of the jozi forumers to do some research! There is a lot that is happening in the cbd, and we miss a lot of it. Dogon and Ashanti, Shakespear Places (1 and 2), Mapungubwe, The Franklin, The Steytler, The Newtown and many more - that was just of the top of my head.

Viva Jozi. A city with soul.

Jakes1

September 4th, 2006, 12:22 PM

Asshole of the week nominee... Mosi-oa-Tunya (or something similar) for his uninformed attacks and general lack of objective negativity. I will never bash anyone who gives constructive input concerning urban decay and ways of managing it. But this oak loses the plot. Puts in pictures from websites with ZERO credibility (read doj) and thinks he made a wonderful point. Gets an erection when posting a new tuscan/balinese/french crap unimaginative piece of suburban nimby shit. Clearly your passions are not decent developments mosi. Yes, jozi CBD did take a lot of hits since 1995. What do you propose we do? Lets look at the most promising ways on dealing with the decline of the johannesburg CBD.

1. Bulldoze the entire CBD? this makes sense, because then johannesburg can triple in size and be the largest urban sprawl ever. In any case, the fact that two hotels closed down indicate that the entire area must be scrapped of the face of the earth.

2. Leave the CBD to rot? This makes sense as well, because then we can assume that urban decay is a south african phenomenon and that it will never spread past the cbd. Or we can assume that as soon as it spreads beyond the CBD we can bulldoze other affected areas and just keep on constructing new sandton's ad infinitum. If crime rises in an area it is a clear sign that you must abandon your multimillion investment and just build a new tuscan two storey one in a "safer" location.

3. Reinvest in excisting infrastructure, redevelop, deal proactively with urban decay? You would probable argue that this is not a good solution, seeing that no other city but Joburg has inner-city blues. you would also propose that we rather complain about decay, take nice pictures of it and that we blame the evil government. You would also state that it is liberal and utopian to think a couple of bucks can turn an area around. you would propose all sane people buy houses 45km from where they work and live in "safe" neighbourhoods called LA BELLE TUSCANY and LA MAISON SACRE. Sad thing is, YOU ARE WRONG...

We need to reinvent our CBD's, as joburg is clearly busy doing now. We need to find creative solutions. We need to accept that there are certain realities that constrain our efforts, and work around them. We need to have a clear picture of the challenges facing us. We need to think creatively, be objective and realistic, but that does not mean we cannot be passionate and visionary. Without passion and vision failure is inevitable.

Thank you for not really adding a lot of value to this forum. Your arguments does not make any sense.

And untill you propose workable ways of dealing with a worldwide phenomenon of urban decay (think London, NY, Chicago, Boston, Toronto, Los Angeles, Sydney, Amsterdam, Paris, San Fransisco and JOHANNESBURG) I will not be interested in your little outdated ideas and negative pictures of parts of joburg that have already been revamped. And dont think for one moment your little development postings get my blood pumping with adrenalin and excitement. I think they would be nice places to retire to, but then I get worried about the long-term sustainability of sprawls such as these (think sunninghill, fourways, dainfern etc). In ten years these areas will be out of fashion, out of style, facing the same socio-economic challenges and in the end they will be ten times more difficult to keep safe. Do you have any idea how much pressure continual and unabated urban sprawl puts on a city's infrastructure?

Read through my three options on dealing with urban decay again mosi, and tell me which one makes most sense, financially, ergonomically and in terms of long-term sustainability?

Jakes1

September 4th, 2006, 04:17 PM

Just a note: want you guys to check this out with me.

I was on that hateful blog (deathofjoburg) earlier today and I entered a reply. i dont think the real realist will have the guts to put this up on his forum without extreme moderation, so I paste it here to hold him to account.

"Hi mr realist. Being as realistic as you are I thought it wise for you to at least update your blog with realistic updates? Dont you think that would be realistic?

Your pictures of the Drill Hall does not give a clear picture, as it has been rebuilt and renovated - actually won an architectural prize.

The stampeding Impala? Also actually back at their post - well, not entirely, moved to main street.

The Carlton Centre? 83% occupied
The Carlton Retail area? 97% full, and being renovated as we speak - new cinemas, shops etc.
Carlton Hotel? Currently Architects are working on the new design.
The Johannesburg Sun? Approved to reopen (as African Themed hotel) soon(the 22storey tower) with the 40 storey part refurbished as a Condominium.
The Turbine Hall? Welcome to new corporate offices.
The old Ernest and young? Welcome to the luxury Franklin (SOLD OUT)
Ashanti (SOLD OUT)
DOGON (SOLD OUT)
Mapungubwe (SOLD OUT)
Shakespear place 1 and 2 in Rissik - opposite post office (SOLD OUT)
Corner House (SOLD OUT)
Penmore Tower (SOLD OUT)
The Newtown (SOLD OUT)
Lofts@66 (fully rented in 24hours)
All of the above are luxury apartments.

If you travel down main street you will find new restaurants on street level such as Capello's, Nando's, Wimpy, King Pie, Dulci's, Palio's, The good old Coffee Shop, Nino's and many more. You will find street sculptures and fountains and people sitting working on laptops in front of the old standard bank building in fox street.

ABSA have acquired a whole city block south of its current campus, east of the carlton and due to start construction soon.

In Newtown alone R500million worth of projects are waiting to be given a go ahead.

Bree Street? I dare you to walk down there as I did the other day.
Taking pictures, nogal...

In short, Here is a realistic, OBJECTIVE overview for you to chew on. The CBD is in dire straits. Some areas look awful. Other areas look incredibly good and clean and its safe and pleasant. Constitution Hill (how easy do you ignore development)
The CIVIC theatre with the new ballet school?

What do you propose mr realist?
1. That we buildoze the CBD - and then watch how the greatest urban sprawl ever hit gauteng? In Short: Bulldozing the CBD will not solve any problems.
2. That we flee the CBD and rebuild elsewhere? Great idea, but because urban decay is a worldwide phenomenon soon the new area will decay to, and with it we will need to flee again. (you cant construct sandton's ad infinitum?)

3. That we invest in our existing infrastructure, redevelop and solve problems creatively. This is what the JDA, UrbanOCean, UrbanInc and many others have been doing. What have you been doing? How are you helping? What are your solutions?

And if you are such a realistic realist such as the one you claim to be, be a good jaguar and post this anonymous post on your little piece of vile crud.

I dont mind you showing off Jozi's underbelly at all - it is there for all to see. But you cant claim to be realistic and still have outdated pics (claiming to be present) now can you?

so REAL updates would be nice.
another good thing would be some REAL analysis of why things look the way they do.
That would be REALISTIC and as such you would do your name proud.

I have the sneaking suspition that you are going to be the only person ever to read this post. because your REALISM wont allow for comments such as mine to be heard"

Sorry about posting it here again guys. But just need a place to make sure this message gets through to that vile, bitter little imp. Will delete soon, thank you for bearing with me. You can all pounce on me later for being a very busy poster today, and accuse me of taking over the forum. Didnt mean to do it!

Ciao

Mo Rush

September 4th, 2006, 06:40 PM

mike2005

September 5th, 2006, 01:15 AM

cheers for all those posts jakes. I agree with you totally. I love the CBD and in 2 years I have seen so much improvement down there. Lots more work needs to be done but it is on its way back.

Pule

September 5th, 2006, 12:53 PM

I'm meeting Neil Fraser next week friday, I hope that I will come with some good news in regards to the new projects in Jozi.

Jakes1

September 5th, 2006, 01:23 PM

Can you believe it. Mr realrealist posted my message. The bug has a bit of guts afterall. Still not changing his galeries though - allthough they are 5years outdated. The reply I got? Whats the use of throwing money at the problem... To him south africa and johannesburg are lost cases and all whites should leave and let the place destroy itself. Not entirely what you would call a joyfull bunny...

Must be unpleasant living with such an intense hatred as your only driving force. I mean, he clearly hates the direction the country is going in. But he also hates those who offer workable solutions to problems. Because he wants to tell everyone: "I told you so."

Shame, the boet will never be happy...
Lets pity him for 34seconds

Jakes1

September 5th, 2006, 01:31 PM

Mo_Rush, those pics are horrific, but many (if not most) of them are outdated. True, the CBD is not a fluffy bunny hugging versace environment, but since 2002 things started turning around bigtime.

Did you see he wants to start a CapeTown blog too? Because he hates south africa and all thats in it...

Pule

September 5th, 2006, 04:26 PM

Project to explore
cheaper building options
A new housing innovation hub project will use materials other than brick and mortar to test cheaper building options to bridge the gap in the housing market.

September 5, 2006
By Ndaba Dlamini

JOBURG is looking at cheaper alternatives for building houses to enhance energy efficiency and, at the same time, cut down the housing backlog in the city.

The housing innovation hub project, initiated by housing minister Lindiwe Sisulu in 2005, will see an initial 20 houses being built around the city, according to Patrick Shao, deputy director in the City's housing department.

"The main objective of the project is to use materials other than brick and mortar. Materials such as insulated pre-cast concrete and other forms of traditional and modern technologies available will be used to build homes for the affordable housing market."

A housing innovation hub currently exists in Soshanguve, where 19 show houses have been built by the National Home Builders' Registration Council (NHBRC) in association with ABSA.

The average time to build one house is five days and, already, the houses are in demand, says Shao.

In addition to injecting innovation into the housing industry, the project is also meant to bridge the gap in the housing market. "People earning up to R3 500 are already catered for in the subsidy market. The government is serving this market but there is no housing development for people earning between R3 500 and R7 500, or there are no new houses being built that cost between R50 000 to R150 000.

"In terms of the housing subsidy scheme, these people do not qualify for subsidies and, previously, the banks were not servicing this market in terms of the housing loan scheme because they were considered a risk."

The subsidy market will also be catered for in the project, says Shao. This market will qualify for housing units with a minimum size of 45m² at less than R31 929 while the affording income beneficiaries (those earning R3 500 to R7 500) will not have size limitations imposed, but a maximum cost of up to R180 000 will be imposed.

The housing units are designed to be energy-efficient, says Shao. "They are cooler in summer and warmer in winter and they are individually fitted with pre-paid electricity meters. Some models are fitted with solar systems as a means for providing energy," he says.

The 20 show units to be built in Johannesburg will cost R25 000 a unit.

Five units will be built - at a cost of R800 000 - in each of the housing projects in Kliptown, Golden Triangle, Cosmo City and Lehae before the end of this calendar year, according to Shao.

"After the construction of the show units, people will be able to view and say whether they like them or not. After that, the City will embark on a roll-out plan that will see the change in the housing development in the low income market in the city."

With an estimated 215 000 households living in informal settlements and backyard shacks, the rollout will ease the housing shortage in the city.

Already, the City's housing department has an ambitious housing master plan in place in order to create sustainable, affordable and safe housing opportunities for the city's indigent and homeless by 2009.

"Besides changing housing typology, the project is designed to cater for the poorest of the poor who live in backyard shacks and informal settlements. Hopefully, the project will help ease shortage of affordable housing in the City," says Shao.

dysan1

September 5th, 2006, 10:00 PM

Wow all those posts...

Its at times like these when people go on hate campaigns that i am kinda glad that they forget about durban existing.

People like that must have empty souls and lives not worth living

joburg

September 6th, 2006, 06:59 PM

The barbican, I found out, is owned by Old Mutual, they are not planning to sell it at all and rather seems keen to develop the site themselves. And I foresee that as soon as Rissik street becomes very trendy this will happen.

I read in the latest Property Magazine that the Barbican is to be converted into a gym, a boutique hotel and will feature a retail component too. But alas I find no information online. :(

But you're right.. we should do more research..

joburg

September 6th, 2006, 07:05 PM

You know I have been complaining about the johannesburg sun standing empty? When it was completed the two skyscrapers formed the largest hotel complex in Africa, this was in 1985. Two towers, one about 40 storeys and one 22, I think. Well, an overseas architect firm is busy redisigning the 22storey building into an African Themed hotel. And also planning to redevelop that amazing 40storey glass tower into residential apartments - might be starting next year!

That's SUCH cool news... do you have any more information? Like who the architect/developer is, and whether it's a hotel chain etc. It's great news because it'll provide a much needed lift to the surrounding area.

joburg

September 6th, 2006, 07:11 PM

I was on that hateful blog (deathofjoburg) earlier today and I entered a reply. i dont think the real realist will have the guts to put this up on his forum without extreme moderation, so I paste it here to hold him to account.

I find it best to stay away from that stupid blog, because then my blood boils and I get all rah rah rah. But then I find that it really is to no avail, because they're really only racist little twurps with too much time on their hands and a whole lot of self-pity, and it's useless arguing with them because they seem to whack off by talking about the good old days and how those darn blacks have taken over everything and how if you give them a little freedom, they take it and throw it back in your face. And the same losers prance around sites like crimeexposa.co.za and the like.

It borders on hilarious and deeply disturbing.

joburg

September 6th, 2006, 07:24 PM

Mageba Investment Properties is planning to build a 15-storey (read: build), 200-unit residential building on a 3000m² piece of land owned by the company in the Park Station area, Braamfontein.

The high-rise residential building, which will cost about R150m, will be developed in partnership with the Gauteng Partnership Fund, a joint development initiative of the private sector and government. The fund facilitates low-income housing and investment.

According to the firm's MD, the 15-storey building aims to provide rental stock for middle- to low-income earners.

“That is the market we aim at. As far as the inner city is concerned it is important to house your working class. Those are the guys who need the taxis and trains, and everything converges around Park Station.”

Observe the links:
http://www.mageba.co.za
http://www.eprop.co.za/news/article.aspx?idArticle=7788

dysan1

September 6th, 2006, 09:30 PM

Where was the Joburg Sun news found? like stuff to back it up? wld be good

Pule

September 7th, 2006, 08:58 AM

I love this Sandton pic, click on the following link

http://www.sandtoncentral.co.za/sandton_central.php

Jakes1

September 7th, 2006, 11:37 AM

Hi Dysan1. I sent an email to Neil Fraser, basically just a short message to tell him about my experience of the inner-city. In it I mentioned how sad the Johannesburg Sun situation is, and he gave me the information. Basically a overseas group of architects are finalising the design on the one tower (to become an African Themed Hotel) while others are looking into using the main tower for condominiums. Obviously none of this has been approved yet, but I really hope it does go through. But the Johannesburg Sun is in a less happy part of the CBD. But Lofts@66 is accross the road, as well as the High Court - so here is hoping.

there is a need for accomodation in the CBD in terms of hotels, hopefully this will pull off. But still, most firms choose to put their workers in Sandton or Melrose, which makes sense - because there they have everything they need. If you plop someone down in the CBD at this stage, what will they do after dark? Apart from going to the movies at the Carlton? One could always argue that Newtown with its hip clubs are just down the street. But unless the perceptions about CBDs in SA change drastically it nothing is going to come of it! But as all the new developments fill up with residents (Including middle to lower income places) life will begin to return to the CBD, even at night. Here's hoping!

Jakes1

September 7th, 2006, 11:41 AM

"I read in the latest Property Magazine that the Barbican is to be converted into a gym, a boutique hotel and will feature a retail component too. But alas I find no information online."

Wow! that would be awesome. Old mutual is finally waking up it seems. The Barbican would be well situated in terms of the new government precinct, as well as the banks. so a small boutique hotel would be good. I reckon the guys from the shakepeare 1 and 2 next door will also need some of the amenities. That would be my happiest day! To see this wonderfull piece of architecture revived. Hopefully we will get some news soon.

Did anyone find out what the plans are for that 70's revolving restaurant monster on the corner of Wits? I saw renderings in a prop mag somewhere - it feels to good to be true...

joburg

September 7th, 2006, 12:17 PM

I sent an email to Neil Fraser, basically just a short message to tell him about my experience of the inner-city. In it I mentioned how sad the Johannesburg Sun situation is, and he gave me the information. Basically a overseas group of architects are finalising the design on the one tower (to become an African Themed Hotel) while others are looking into using the main tower for condominiums.

That's kewwwwwwwwl!! Neil Fraser knows his stuff... he's da guru of the inner city! As you said, the surrounding area isn't as grand as the rest of the city, but it's not a complete disaster area. It needs something big and exciting to get people to live there again and to make the area look and feel safe.

Any ideas?

I would create a brand new shopping mecca. Something like a square surrounded by high class shops and restaurants. I would revamp the Carlton Centre Parkade because at the moment it is like soooooo 70s. Then I would also revamp the Carlton Centre, and reopen the Carlton Hotel. Then I would create a pedestrianised shopping street in the two blocks between the Carlton Centre and the Small Street Mall. I would revamp the Small Street Mall, and create four blocks of shopping heaven. This would then tie up with a square similar to Sandton Square, which would be located behind the High Court.

joburg

September 7th, 2006, 12:29 PM

Check my plan out...

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g102/joburgboy/GoogleEarth_Image.jpg

Jakes1

September 7th, 2006, 12:34 PM

Sounds very ambitious. I am not totally sure if the highend shops will return that readily, Sandton has hit the CBD with a large blow. I do agree, however, the space should be utilised more creatively. I think they are doing something with the parkade, a lot of builders busy there - they seem to be clearing the ice-rink (wonder what is going to go in its place?). I suspect it is only more parking (hohum). The Carlton is in need of an extensive revamp, especially its retail area at the base - I think this will happen soon (hope hope hope). The hotel is actually quite nice (even with its rather garish 70's skin). The shopping mall extents via small street to the old Johannesburg Sun and Lofts@66 - an upgrade of this would mean a lot...

The strategy seems to be one of identifying key routes and cleaning them up. Soon this spreads. I am very excited about ABSA investing in the Carlton area as well - that is such a very horrible part of the CBD!

Well, lets keep our ears to the ground. I am quite excited about the lower-cost housing in the CBD as well. It makes sense - and will give the CBD an even more lively feel. These are the people that need to be closest to transport hubs - I am glad they get the opportunity to live closer to work. I don't think upmarket developments should be the only focus at this stage. Our economy seems to be cooling down a bit, with a weakening rand (again, sigh) plus houseprices are not skyrocketing anymore. The spendingspree might be abating, and with it more sustainable developments must be at the centre.

joburg

September 7th, 2006, 12:43 PM

But unless the perceptions about CBDs in SA change drastically it nothing is going to come of it! But as all the new developments fill up with residents (Including middle to lower income places) life will begin to return to the CBD, even at night. Here's hoping!

You're right.. It's mainly the artistic and creative crowd which makes it's way into Newtown and the Joburg CBD. I myself am going to Fuel Cafe tonight. that place is fab. Something with even more glitz and glam needs to open up though, so we can attract the money-wielding crowds who go to The Palms or Taboo or FTV Cafe etc in Sandton and Rivonia.. they are the people who will get things going.

But it are a changing.. a new club just opened up on the 1st of September. No clue where it is in Joburg, but it's somewhere in the CBD. Must find it. http://www.jhblive.com/live/publications_view.jsp?pub_id=63257

http://www.jhblive.com/userimages/min_head.jpg

joburg

September 7th, 2006, 12:50 PM

Sounds very ambitious. I am not totally sure if the highend shops will return that readily, Sandton has hit the CBD with a large blow.

lol... ye.. I be dreaming 'n idealising a bit. :D

So then.. maybe, instead of going for the high-end shops, we should set up local designers along this strip? The Fashion precinct has had a number of local designers open up shop, but the place isn't marketed well enough... people have no clue what it is or what it is about. There was a tiny bit of PR with the recent SA Fashion Week, but not enough me thinks.

I was really uberly impressed with Durban's Florida Road because the place is brimming with local design. I could have bought this gorgeous bag at this cafe/shop at like 11pm at night... we should encourage something similar here me thinks.

joburg

September 7th, 2006, 12:56 PM

Did anyone find out what the plans are for that 70's revolving restaurant monster on the corner of Wits? I saw renderings in a prop mag somewhere - it feels to good to be true...

The renders are somewhere back in the old thread... When I have time, I'll make a development thread for it. I'll also try contact someone from the Wits School of Arts, because this is their baby.

dysan1

September 7th, 2006, 01:07 PM

good to see some excitement and positivity in the Joburg thread!! This has been lacking in hear for a long time! Hopefully u guys can change the cities suburban mentality!! Because passion is infectious. Prime example. When the Umhlanga new town and point projects were in the early phases everyone in Durban laughed at it, said it could never be done, and that both wld be big flops for people wanted their gardens, and were not prepared to live so close to their neighbours.

However, as is evident now, everyone is clamouring to get into those areas, and the spill over effect these areas have created is a passionate, undying optimism among Durbanites. Hopefully the same results can be achieved in Jozi!

And yes tom...late night shopping in Florida Road is great. (remember that clothing dude from taco zulu? well his stuff is now in the FunkBox store just yp the road from the his "promotions" venue. Also open late like E2 the one with the bag...and they have new bags now too...lol)

joburg

September 7th, 2006, 01:08 PM

Check it out.. Braamies is moving on up...

The City Bakery

The romanticised ideal of waking up in a super trendy loft apartment, taking in the spectacular view of the city and then popping over the road for freshly brewed coffee and croissants is now a reality. The City Bakery is open! Located at 6 De Beer St, in the lime green building, Gert Du Toit and Stuart McClarty are hard at work preparing the most irresistible doughnuts, an assorted range of Italian breads and a number of other goodies to complement ‘the best coffee in Johannesburg’. Open from early, 6:30am, until 5pm Monday to Friday and from 7am to 1pm on Saturday, Gert and Stuart aim to become the friendly local bakers of the Braamfontein community. Apart from all the baked goods, The City Bakery serves breakfast and lunch and can cater for cocktail parties with a variety of platters to choose from. To place an order, or for more information call (011) 339-3932.

joburg

September 7th, 2006, 01:11 PM

(remember that clothing dude from taco zulu? well his stuff is now in the FunkBox store just yp the road from the his "promotions" venue. Also open late like E2 the one with the bag...and they have new bags now too...lol)

New bags huh? Best I go down to Durbs again for some shopping..... :D

by the way, forgot to credit the above news re the City Bakery.... It's information from a lady called Katie Engelbrecht, who writes the monthly newsletters relating to development in the city.

dysan1

September 7th, 2006, 01:22 PM

yeah....shopping.....

Anyway...:)

Jakes...where in jozi do u stay? one of those lovely estates or townhouses u so love..."cream puff"

Jakes1

September 7th, 2006, 01:39 PM

yeah....shopping.....

Anyway...:)

Jakes...where in jozi do u stay? one of those lovely estates or townhouses u so love..."cream puff"

Ag you know us armchair revolutionaries! I stay in Centurion, because for my work I have to travel a lot between the two cities. Centurion is where bad architecture goes to commit suicide, but you get to "like" the place after a while. at least its convenient - and the people are friendly. yip, so I am a suburban boykie hey. havent managed to move into the security gated community thing yet - live in an older suburb with those lovely spanish houses that we so loved in the 80's (tuscan design of yesteryear!). So although I am such a total subarbanite, I love the vibe and colour of the busier parts of the city.

At least my residence is not a cream-puffy tuscan/tudor/balinese vomit vomit pink aboration. But an architectural statement? Cant afford one yet! So will have to make due with what I have.

Exciting news for Hatfield in Pretoria. While I was studying, the lower end of Hatfield really went to pieces. Crime, decay etc. Now an entire block has been demolished to make way for a R280million development - comprising of 693flats, with retail included (think 4000sq meters). So all of you who remember Ed's Diner, the first ever Cafe Bugatti's, Meet&Eat and all of those favorites - they are gone. Tings&Times moved as well. That entire city block is gone! Completion 2008. Nice multistorey as well, because I think a current 12storey building will form part of the redevelopment. Will try to find some renderings and post it on the forum. There was a picture in PretoriaNews today, but I don't have a scanner at the office. I know its Pretoria, but hey, close to Jozi in any case!

I am sooo excited about that art gallery in braamies! Hope it happens, the area needs it. And will visit the bakery when Im due for another early morning meeting with the Wits people.

Plus, Im off to Maputo for the weekend. Then next week I am in Durban on business. Florida Rd here we come!

Pule

September 7th, 2006, 02:02 PM

Jakes, you must make sure that you have a camera with you when you go to alll these places. When you got time, go to Pretoria CBD and get some shots for us, the last time my friends hijacked me to go there, I saw one nice building being constructed going up, it was at its 4th floor, I don't know the height nor I remeber the street name.

Pule

September 7th, 2006, 02:06 PM

Here are news regarding that Hatfield Precinct. I think we must re-open the Pretoria Thread again, 'm sure Jakes can help with the posting of developments, etc.

Pretoria, 2 August 2006 - The newly announced Hatfield Precinct is a significant urban renewal project with the first phase having a total estimated project value of R280 million. The project will bring a significant capital contribution to the revitalisation of the Hatfield metropolitan node within the City of Tshwane’s Metropolitan Spatial Development Framework plan. As such the development will leverage new growth to improve existing areas of opportunity in Hatfield. This mixed-use development will address the needs of the area in terms of housing as well as retail, complimenting each other as an increasingly popular urban lifestyle attraction, says Russell Inggs, CEO at City Property Administration.

The Hatfield development is part of the Premium Properties Limited portfolio. Premium Properties is a listed property loan stock company and their total portfolio comprises 139 properties, being commercial, retail, industrial and residential buildings. The Hatfield development includes a consolidation of seven core properties, which are situated in the street block bounded by Hilda Street to the east, Burnett Street to the south, Festival Street to the west and the railway line to the north. The first phase of the development will provide 693 residential units, 4 000m2 retail space and 839 parking bays, all within easy walking distance to the University of Pretoria. While the development will provide upmarket student accommodation, more permanent residents will combat the seasonal nature of students and encourage a 24 hour functioning urban precinct. Residents will enter a safe environment where they can access the secure foyer to their apartments via lifts from a two-level super basement parking area.

The project has commenced with demolition recently completed and excavation underway. The buildings are expected to come on stream on a phased basis between August 2007 and March 2008.

By the way the Architect are Studio 3 Architects.

Pule

September 7th, 2006, 02:16 PM

Informal traders
market for Randburg
A new traders market is just one project in a bigger plan to improve Randburg's image and boost business confidence.

September 7, 2006
By Michael Tsingo

INFORMAL traders in Randburg will soon be able to sell their wares from stalls in a new Traders Market in the Randburg Mall taxi rank.

The market, a project of the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), will be ready for use by the end of September, according to the JDA's development manager, Ursula Ntsubane.

Located at the intersection of Hendrik Verwoerd Drive and Jan Smuts Avenue, the market is classified as a type A trading facility, which is a permanent structure associated with a taxi rank.

According to Ntsubane, there are 120 selected traders who will be accommodated over time. The first phase sees some 110 stalls being erected.

http://www.joburg-archive.co.za/images_2006/sep/randburg000.jpg
Trading stalls facing Hendrick Verwoerd Drive

The facility is serviced with cooking stoves, storerooms, water, electricity, and other necessities like toilets. Such a market "will uplift Randburg traders, making sure that they are trading from a safe and clean environment", said Ntsubane.

To benefit from this market, a trader has to be a South African resident and should also have a long trading history in Randburg, she added.

The selection criteria were drawn up after informal traders moved to Randburg during the market construction period. "When traders hear that a market is going to be built in a place they move into that area in the hope that they will benefit. When we did a survey, there were only 120 Randburg traders recognised," explained Ntsubane.

The market forms part of a comprehensive plan to revitalise the declining district, and turn Randburg into a business destination after years of neglect and decay.

Randburg CBD's road to recovery started when it was declared a city improvement district in 2004 in an effort to deal with the district's problems and win back business confidence.

This was followed by the launch of the Randburg Management District in April 2005, a joint effort by the City and the local business community to give Randburg a makeover. The management district borders Selkirk Road in the south, Dover Street in the north, Kent Avenue in the west and Hendrik Verwoerd Drive in the east.

The City has also earmarked R5-million to finance a three-year plan for upgrading the CBD infrastructure, and boosting economic and social development.

The construction of the Randburg Traders Market also marks the start of a new campaign by the City to control illegal informal trading in Randburg CBD.

According to Xolani Nxumalo from the City's economic development unit, there are some 400 informal traders in the Randburg CBD, despite it being a restricted trading area.

The City intends to issue notices informing traders about the restrictions – set in place to clean up the area, making it more attractive to businesses and to encourage investment.

The restrictions have been drawn up in terms of the Business Act 71 of 1991.

Once the notices have been issued, a period of 21 days will be given for objections, after which the traders outside the market will have to stop selling their wares in the CBD.

Jakes1

September 7th, 2006, 02:23 PM

Hi pule,

Will try to take more pics. Dont get to Pretoria that often, mostly in joburg. But quite a few developments are taking place in the sister city.

joburg

September 10th, 2006, 01:22 PM

This is great news for the Victory Theatre, and the surrounding area as a whole..

Joburg’s old Vic coming back to life
10 September 2006
CHARLES MOLELE

SOUTH Africa’s controversial magazine publisher Joe Theron has splashed out R24-million renovating the dilapidated Victory Theatre in Orange Grove, east of Joburg.

The local publisher of Hustler, an international adult magazine, is turning the 85-year-old theatre into the permanent home of the world famous music production Umoja, The Spirit of Togetherness.

“Once we complete all the work in December, the theatre will definitely be one of the country’s top stage production and entertainment venues,” said Theron, speaking from his Hustler office in Sydney, Australia.

The four-storey theatre, where workers are busy tearing down walls and ripping up old wooden floors, will feature an orchestra pit, restaurant, soundproof music bar and a four-storey parking lot.

Along with other renovations, the large windows overlooking Louis Botha Avenue will be double-glazed, to cut down on traffic noise and the floors will be replaced.

The theatre will also contain 520 seats and the restaurant and bar — with a view down Louis Botha Avenue and across to Sandton — will be able to accommodate 620 people.

Theron said the theatre would fulfil his dream of finding a permanent home for the hit musical.

“Umoja is the best [musical] show South Africa has ever had ... and over the years I’ve realised that because the demand was high, we needed a place where it can run full time,” said Theron.

After four years of touring 26 countries, Umoja now has a home at one of the city’s oldest theatres.

The show is a revue of home-spun music from traditional rural songs to kwaito and pantsula jive.

The plot concerns a young man’s journey from his family’s kraal in the Drakensberg, through the shantytowns of Durban and Soweto, to the new kwaito clubs.

Theron, who first saw Umoja in 2001 and sold his R3-million Houghton mansion to finance the production’s debut in London’s West End, said he always knew the show would be a success.

The musical, which was created by Todd Twala and Thembi Nyandeni, performed in sold-out venues across the world.

Now Theron hopes that the show’s cast of 40 performers from disadvantaged communities will also draw record crowds when it is staged at the theatre in Orange Grove.

While searching for a permanent venue for Umoja almost two years ago, Theron said he didn’t think twice about paying R2.5-million for the old theatre, which has staged a number of successful productions, including Ipi Tombi.

Ipi Tombi ran on-and-off for about 20 years.

Apart from Umoja, the theatre will now also feature popular local musicians, including Johnny Clegg.

The “White Zulu”, as Clegg is popularly known, has booked the Victory Theatre for several shows early next year.

His manager, Roddy Quinn, said they had chosen the venue because it was specifically being renovated for music performances.

Theron said he had no doubts about the future success of the theatre.

“Whatever I touch and do goes well. I have never failed in anything that I do,” he said.

When Umoja featured on London’s West End, Theron then reportedly said: “If it runs to full houses, we stand to make about R1.7-million a week in profit on ticket sales alone.”

Umoja, which won the SA Music Award for the Best DVD last year, was also awarded the Arts and Culture Heritage Award in Canada.

joburg

September 10th, 2006, 11:17 PM

^^ Took photos of the site today...

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g102/joburgboy/Photo-0924.jpg

The entrance, with the parkade at the back. I don't really like the modern aesthetics it appears to be taking on, and prefer the theatre in its original state, which was rather art deco if I remember correctly.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g102/joburgboy/Photo-0923.jpg

And as I said above, the new theatre will be good for the surrounding area. Fairway Mansions is right next door to the theatre, but as you can see, it doesn't exactly front anything sexy.

joburg

September 10th, 2006, 11:23 PM

Read in the paper today that residents in Bonaero Park (the suburb towards the 'back' of the airport') are in discussions with ACSA over the expropriation of their land for construction of two new runways...

I agree that it's necessary, but like I said in the aviation thread, they should first look at either further developing Lanseria, or more practically, developing Durbs and Cape Town and encouraging growth there.

Jakes1

September 11th, 2006, 11:59 AM

Quite scary to say the least. That is a whole neighbourhood. Cannot imagine the stress that people who own property there are under.

Jakes1

September 11th, 2006, 12:01 PM

but in other news. Really excited about the Vic theatre! Cant wait to go see Umoja.

Pule

September 11th, 2006, 12:20 PM

Umoja is great bro. My friend bought a DVD of the one that was hosted in London. I'm going to their next show.

Pule

September 11th, 2006, 12:21 PM

Vast Investment Options In Jozi - 2006/09/11

Email Article
City officials used the second day of the infrastructure conference outlining investment opportunities in the property market, city buses, inner city regeneration, sporting facilities, tourism ventures and the upgrading of water infrastructure in the city. By Anish Abraham

Potential investors have until 15 October to submit firm proposals indicating how they intend seizing on the many investment opportunities the City of Johannesburg has to offer.

This was said by City Treasurer, Jason Ngobeni at the end of the two-day infrastructure conference held at the Sandton Convention Centre from 29 to 30 August.

Though individual companies are free to submit proposals, Ngobeni said it would be more beneficial for potential investors to submit proposals as a consortium between themselves and financial services providers.

"We will then look at all received proposals and try to determine the economic value that they could add."

Ngobeni said the City expects investors to propose various funding mechanisms, from public-private partnerships to special purpose vehicles and asset-backed financing. Those who attended the conference have until the end of September to engage with the relevant departments or municipal-owned companies to get a more detailed picture of their capital infrastructure plans.

City officials used the conference, described as the first of its kind in the country and continent, to outline the City's various projects and programmes, with a particular focus on existing investment opportunities.

The conference is aimed at soliciting development and funding proposals from private investors, so that the City can eradicate its R8-billion backlog, as well as develop other possible public-private partnership ventures.

One event which promises attractive investment opportunities, said City officials, is the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

Infrastructure developments related to this soccer spectacle will be spearheaded by the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), which is overseeing plans to revamp the Ellis Park precinct, as well as areas around Nasrec and Park Station in the inner city.

Lael Bethlehem, CEO of the JDA, envisages a vibrant retail and trading area around Park Station, which caters for commuters not only from Johannesburg, but from around the country and other parts of the continent.

Giving the site a higher status is the fact that it will also be the location for the Johannesburg Gautrain station. Accessibility to such a vital transport line opens up opportunities for investment in retail, commercial and residential units.

As such, the agency has planned for an International Transit and Shopping Centre to be developed around the station. Decks can also be used to build over the railway lines to the west of the station, opening up more floor space.

Vast opportunities also exist in terms of providing space for commercial, retail and residential purposes, as well as car-park facilities in major developments such as those taking place around Ellis Park and Nasrec. Such integrated facilities at these developments would ensure that enough rental income is generated to cover the operating costs.

"Obviously this is a very expensive project and will only work if it is done in partnership with various private sector players," Bethlehem said.

To ensure projects related to the World Cup are carried out without any hitches, the City has created a dedicated 2010 Unit, which is based within the Office of the City Manager.

The unit co-ordinates larger projects like the precinct development plans in Nasrec and Ellis Park, the training venues and related transportation, water and electricity infrastructure.

It also places a special focus on pedestrian mobility as well as the promotion of non-motorised transport, like bicycles. Whereas investments in the recent World Cup in Germany were mainly from the private sector, the bulk of spending in South Africa will come from government.

"The focus is not just on stadiums, but entire precinct development. These are projects that will transform the landscape of Johannesburg for the better," said Carmel Joseph, an official from the unit.

Perhaps the most attractive investment opportunities lie in the burgeoning property market.

The Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) used the conference to outline its plans to release council-owned land to investors and property developers.

The JPC has already released land for development projects totalling some R7,5-billion, including projects at Orlando Ekhaya, Bruma Lake and the Randburg CBD.

The regeneration of the Bruma area is seen as vital, as it is the main entrance point to Johannesburg from the international airport, and the regeneration of the Randburg central business district is a current mayoral priority.

"The Better Buildings Programme and tax incentives such as the Urban Development Zone also play a vital role in our inner city urban regeneration efforts," said Gugu Mazibuko, the company's managing director.

In terms of the programme, buildings in a poor physical or financial condition can be given over to investors in return for refurbishment, management and ensuring the rates and services charges are paid to the City.

Approximately R950-million is owed by over 3400 properties around the City, with the highest concentration of these defaulting properties located in the CBD, Hillbrow and Yeoville.

Over R1-billion has already been invested in inner city property since the tax incentive came into effect, and Linda Vilakazi-Tselane, acting director of the Department of Economic Development, says they hope to have secured a further capital investment of R5-billion within the Urban Development Zone.

Uhuru Nene told delegates about prospects in developing houses for mid-income groups.

Nene said the City faced a huge challenge in its aims to deliver 100 000 houses over the present five-year mayoral term.

"These are not just RDP houses, but mixed-income developments. We currently get funding from provincial government, but we also really need the private sector to partner us," she said.

Moving from RDP projects to more sustainable mixed-income and mixed-use developments forms part of the national department of housing's Breaking New Ground programme.

Nene said the current housing market was "dysfunctional" as there was a huge gap in the price difference between low-cost houses provided by government and entry-level bonded houses.

"There is no service to cater for those who earn between R3500 and R7000 per month and want to enter the housing market," she explained.

The department is also piloting a small-scale housing project where new building materials, methods and typologies are being tested.

"The Gauteng department of housing has a five-year plan to construct 50 000 affordable rental units as part of the Breaking New Ground programme, which includes 5000 units through the Johannesburg Social Housing Company (Joshco)," said company head Rory Gallocher.

Joshco is a city-owned entity responsible for providing low-cost housing services and products to residents. However, Gallocher said some 23 percent of its income is derived from instalment sale products.

Gerald Dumas, Joburg Water's managing director, highlighted opportunities available in upgrading water infrastructure. "You can gain comfort from knowing that your tap water is of the highest quality and rated amongst the best in the world."

He said main challenges faced by the water utility were the need to replace ageing infrastructure and the installation of prepaid water metering systems. The change in the metering system has the potential to save the company up to R160-million per year.

Dumas also gave the audience an insight into the Gcin'amanzi project, which aims at replacing ageing infrastructure, installing prepaid meters and fixing leaks in houses in Soweto. "We are losing seven billion litres of water on a monthly basis, resulting in a loss of income of up to R20-million," he explained.

Despite obtaining funding from a French development agency, there is still scope for partnerships with the private sector in rolling out the project throughout Soweto and other townships.

Even Metrobus needs funding to increase its fleet ahead of the 2010 soccer tournament.

"We have buses that are older than some people here," said Jeffrey Ngcobo, strategic operations manager at Metrobus, to chuckles from the conference hall.

It is no laughing matter though, as the company's vintage buses cost a small fortune to run: it costs Metrobus R8 per kilometre to maintain, and that's before diesel usage, which costs up to 35 percent more than the newer Volvo buses in its fleet.

Ngcobo outlined potential public-private partnership opportunities at the bus company, ranging from providing a comprehensive integrated Information technology system, to customer information display systems and to creating a more accessible and safety compliant headquarters for the company.

"We are also looking at acquiring 182 buses in the 2007-8 and 2008-9 financial years, so that the average age of buses in our entire fleet is less than eight years old," he added.

The tourism and hospitality industry also anticipates huge business growth ahead of the 2010 World Cup. Johannesburg Tourism Company chief, Eddy Khosa, said they were doing their best to get visitors to spend more time and money in the city.

Together with the Gauteng Film Office, the company is calling on the private sector to invest in a landmark Kliptown project that will see the establishment of a film academy and studios, as well as facilities for promoting cultural entertainment.

Apart from the above, opportunities also exist for creating surrounding infrastructure such as bars, restaurants, residential chalets and arts and crafts shops.

"Tourism has been identified as one sector that can help reduce unemployment in South Africa. We estimate that 2400 sustainable jobs will be created through this project," said Khosa.

Safety and security of residents is also a major issue, and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department will require an additional 300 CCTV cameras to cover the inner city and other areas. The network currently has 200 cameras connected to it.

"We are taking a block-by-block approach to reclaim the inner city," said Chris Ngcobo, Metro police chief.

The newly formed Community Development Department also has a vital role to play in the run up to the soccer spectacular, as it is upgrading the various stadiums around the City.

Johannesburg is unique, as it will be hosting games in two venues, something that other cities have not done before. Official matches will be held at Soccer City and in Ellis Park.

It is also upgrading other smaller stadiums like Orlando, Dobsonville and Rand Stadiums, with the possibility of using them as training venues during the World Cup.

"There is also the need for more social infrastructure as the City expands. This goes beyond just the stadiums themselves, but for all manner of surrounding support services," said Xolile George, lead official from the department.

Just as with the potential advertising opportunities at the fresh produce market, the same is also possible at the 14 taxi and trading facilities run by the Metropolitan Trading Company. Its facilities are valued at between R900-million and R1-billion.

More importantly, 11 of those 14 facilities form part of the City's Strategic Public Transport Network, and will thus be situated on high-density transportation routes.

Opportunities for private sector involvement also existed in making facilities friendlier for use by people with disabilities and redesigning street trading stalls to ensure they enhance the ambience of the city.

"We want to move taxi ranks away from being associated only with crime, grime and filth," said CEO of the Metro Trading Company, Kgosientso Ramokgopa.

All these measures are an effort by the company to reduce its dependence of the core City administration for subsidy funding.

Closing the conference, city treasurer Jason Ngobeni thanked everyone for their participation, adding that it was vital for the City to solve its problems through meaningful partnerships.

"The City's ability to pay for all its capital projects is limited. We cannot afford anything more than R3-billion per year, and for a city of our size should be spending closer to R7-billion a year on capital infrastructure projects," he explained.

"The solution lies with you, and we are asking you to share those ideas with us," Ngobeni stressed.

Pule

September 12th, 2006, 03:13 PM

Upgraded backyard
rooms for 20 townships
A new programme to be unveiled on 13 September aims to provide alternative housing to backyard shacks that have become an eyesore in 20 townships around Gauteng.

September 12, 2006
By Tammy O'Reilly

PEOPLE living in backyard shacks stand to get new rooms or their own houses with the launch of the Top 20 Townships programme by the Gauteng government.

On Wednesday, 13 September, Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa will unveil the government's multibillion-rand plan to house backyard dwellers in townships and informal settlements, at the Mehlareng Stadium in Tembisa.

A pilot project is already under way in Orlando, Soweto, where over 750 units are being built to house families relocated from backyard shacks. For homeowners, this project will offer an opportunity to upgrade the shacks in their backyards into proper rooms. In some cases shack dwellers will be relocated to new property elsewhere.

There are more than 35 000 families living in backyard rooms across Johannesburg, but with the launch of the programme, tenants could get improved accommodation.

Backyard shack dwellers are an eyesore in many Johannesburg townships. But they offer a more affordable and readily available housing option to newly arrived migrants desperate for accommodation. This kind of living is attractive because facilities like electricity and water are accessible from the landlord's property and rental is low.

The townships earmarked for the programme are: Atteridgeville, Boipatong, Bophelong, Daveyton, Duduza, Kagiso, Khutsong, Katlehong, Kwa-Thema, Mamelodi, Mohlakeng, Munsieville, Ratanda, Refilwe, Rethabiseng, Saulsville, Sebokeng, Sharpeville, Soshanguve, Soweto,Tembisa, Tsakane and Wattville.

The project is expected to be completed by 2009.

Mo Rush

September 12th, 2006, 04:13 PM

bulldozers would be fun...

romanSA

September 13th, 2006, 03:11 PM

Hi Jo'burgers - did anyone see the Business Day today? There's a cool ad featuring a big pic of Table Mountain... but with the JHB skyline in the forefront! It looks pretty cool! Needless to say, even Carlton Centre was dwarfed by the Mountain!

Pule

September 13th, 2006, 03:23 PM

Jah, its an SAA's Credit Card advertisement.

joburg

September 13th, 2006, 03:59 PM

joburg

September 13th, 2006, 04:10 PM

Read in this week's Financial Mail that the Auto Africa show which takes place every two years in Joburg is in the top 10 of motor shows around the world, and will place it amongst the top motor shows in the world such as Frankfurt.

Organisors are hoping to attract 225,000 people this year (to be held in early November at NASREC), and the show will be used as a platform to launch all sorts of vehicles coming on to the SA market.

mike2005

September 13th, 2006, 04:23 PM

Auto Africa is a very impressive event. I am going to pop up for it.

joburg

September 14th, 2006, 12:14 AM

Hamlet the ballet is also rather lovely. Different kind of show to Auto Africa... hehe.. but I found it quite magical. Produced by the South African Ballet Theatre.

Pule

September 14th, 2006, 11:30 AM

City to gain trees in Gautrain removal plan
Allaying residents' fears that the Gautrain project will lead to the loss of the urban forest, the City has announced that every tree removed will be replaced by three new ones.

September 14, 2006
By Lucille Davie

THE City is to gain trees through the Gautrain street tree removal programme – every tree removed will be replaced by three new ones.

This was announced by Gautrain spokesperson Barbara Jensen, at a media briefing on Wednesday. "The currency is trees," she added.

Each tree removed will be replaced by three 100L indigenous trees of between 3.5m to 4.5m in height.

http://www.joburg-archive.co.za/images_2006/sep/gautrain000.jpg
A golden trumpet tree in Rosebank

Last week a golden trumpet tree or tabebuia chrysotricha, on the corner of Jellicoe Avenue and Oxford Road in Rosebank, was the first tree to be removed.

Radio 702 talk-show host Jenny Crwys-Williams hosted a programme last week on the removals and the public responded vehemently, indicating they were not willing to give up their trees.

Johannesburg City Parks was overwhelmed with telephone calls from the public in response to the programme.

The city has one of the world's largest urban forests, with around 10 million trees in gardens, parks and on streets.

"The City [is] committed to ensuring that fewer trees are removed and as many tree[s] as possible are planted in the process," the committee member for environment, Prema Naidoo, said at the press briefing on 13 September. "This approach would therefore ensure that the environment is not lesser off, post the development of the Gautrain Express."

City Parks had conducted an intensive analysis and evaluation of the trees affected by the construction of the Gautrain, he added. It was ascertained that 300 trees would have to be removed for the train, of which 203 are exotics.

The logistics
"Out of the 100 tree[s], 95 trees which included Washingtonias, white stinkwoods, pinoaks, jelly palms, leopard trees, tabebuias and strelitzias, will be uprooted and replanted in Emmarentia, Soweto and along the Golden Highway. This is due to the location and high survival rate of these species."
Naidoo said that the life span of the present trees is between 20 and 40 years – although some of the trees are around 70 years old. The new trees will have a life span of up to 100 years, increasing the life span of the City's trees three-fold.

"As trees get older they have to be replaced anyway," said Mike Griffiths, senior manager of street trees for City Parks.

He added that private bodies had approached the City regarding the removal and replanting of the trees, and they would only be considered if they were prepared to fit the bill, which could include interference with underground service systems and possible damage to residents' walls with extensive root systems. They would have to be removed within specified time frames.

Griffiths said that the City had undertaken similar projects in the past, with some success. He indicated that there was a 95 percent survival rate for transplanted trees, but added that one could never be sure with factors like the shock of removal and inclement weather playing a decisive role in a tree's survival.

The process of a tree successfully being re-established could take up to a year, he added.

Naidoo said that the value of the City's trees was R1,9-million, and the cost of replanting a single tree was R1 000, while maintenance once transplanted was R1 000.

Etienne van der Lith, environmental manager for the Gautrain construction consortium Bombela, said the cost of replanting and replacing the trees was R1,8-million.

Naidoo emphasised that the City would not be responsible for any removal and transplanting costs - these would be paid by Bombela.

The removal is expected to start in several weeks, once tenders have been received and evaluated.

Naidoo said that it was important that the tree removal programme tied in with the City's "safe, clean and green city" policy.

At the same time, he said that "the City regards the Gautrain as a very important project, and when completed, it will be a great success".

joburg

September 14th, 2006, 03:52 PM

Agree.. they should keep the trees. They're one of the things that make Joburg look pretty..

hsark

September 14th, 2006, 04:02 PM

def true

joburg

September 15th, 2006, 10:13 AM

http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/9144/gautrainjia2ka2.jpg

Cross-referenced from aviation/gautrain thread.

You can see the new international pier in this shot, as well as the extension of the parkade, the new transit hub between domestic and international incorporating the Gautrain train station, the Gautrain route, and also the new centre which if I'm not mistaken will be set up by Blue IQ as a sort of information centre for Gauteng.

At the rate that this airport is going, I don't know why they just do not start building the midfield terminal already, because unless they divert some traffic to other airports, we're going to be needing it soon anyway. And with that will come more parkades, and more terminal space, and the construction will never stop.

Pule

September 15th, 2006, 11:24 AM

Gents, As I said before I'm having a meeting with Neil Fraser today about investing in JOburg's CBD but we will also touch base about the future of the city and other related stuff. I hope to hear about new developments in the CBD. Even though I like malls, I agree with the gents that we need what I call "High Street Shops" whereby we can have streets that can have what shopping malls have got.

Jakes1

September 15th, 2006, 02:01 PM

Source: thepropertymag.com

Words: Rosanne Buchanan Photography: David Ross

Johannesburg’s inner city is just waiting to take off. Skeptics are wary of investment opportunities but those involved in the rejuvenation are passionate about its future. There has been much talk about urban renewal in the inner city but walking around the revamped areas in town, one gets the sense that it is actually going to happen. There’s building work and renovations wherever you look and an international ‘High Street’ living thing going on with popular coffee shops and retail stores on street level. And the streets are cleaner than they are in most upmarket suburbs. No litter, just spic and span cobblestone paving and neat signage in what has become known as the financial and mining district. This is where the corporate ‘die hards’ like Anglo American, Standard Bank, First National Bank, Gencor and Absa are still based.

There’s no doubt that the city has had a tough time over the past 15-odd years. Businesses and residents vacated the city because of crime and decay set in. Sandton became the business hub of Johannesburg but now traffic congestion and high rentals in Sandton have forced businesses to look elsewhere. Government initiatives to bring investment back to town are starting to pay off and are in keeping with international trends that enable a city to revive.

Investors also qualify for tax write-offs under the Urban Development Zone regulations. Basically, developers can deduct renovation costs against income over five years, or new building costs over 16 years. Purchasers deduct a percentage (30 per cent) of the purchase price over a period of five years as additional tax deductions.

(Left: Love the look of a library but don’t have time to read the books? A witty tromp l’oeil wallpaper like the one in Alfonso’s study is the perfect solution. )

The Nelson Mandela Bridge, which opened in 2003, has made access to the city centre easy. As confidence levels improve and crime is reduced (some reports say by 80 per cent), businesses have come trailing back into town.

There are people putting their money where their mouths are when it comes to investment and many residential developments are already sold out. Even the developers are passionate about Johannesburg.

‘It’s not just about our developments and the properties we’re selling, it’s about the journey of the city,’ says Urban Ocean director Alfonso Botha. He and partner Duan Coetzee have invested in 22 buildings around town, including National Bank House, a classic turn of the century building with fine architectural details. It is situated in Market Street and adjacent to another gem, CornerHouse, also from the same period and built in the same architectural style.

According to Alfonso, National Bank House is currently being converted into a six-star New York-style hotel, with part residential mix, part office space. The tenant mix now consists of a modelling agency, an ad agency, a photography studio and a film production house.

Other developments in the Johannesburg CBD
Urban Ocean is currently busy with about 10 inner-city buildings, among these are: CornerHouse – 52 hotel rooms, 15 loft apartments (R1- to R3-million, sold out); Franklin House (formerly Ernst & Young building) – 135 apartments (from R600 000 to R3.2m, only five units left). Shakespeare Place (formerly Shakespeare House) – 60 apartments (from R579 000, sold out) but at Shakespeare Place Two (known as SP2), corner of Rissik and Market streets, 48 apartments are currently selling from R495 000 to R4m. Only three units left. National Bank House – 52 luxury hotel rooms. For more info visit www.urbanocean.co.za

(Left: Alfonso Botha’s unusual combination in his eclectic inner-city apartment of African and European, old and new, rough textures and sophisticated lines, made it the perfect set for The Apprentice. )

Atterbury Property launched one very successful conversion in Braamfontein last year (College House, 85 apartments, prices ranged from R325 000 to R395 000) which was 75 per cent sold pre-launch and is currently busy with two inner-city conversions: Mapungubwe luxury apartments – 128 apartments (from R431 000 to R808 000, four units left). Most of the apartments (91) form part of a rental pool and will operate as a hotel run by the Fair Cities hotel group. Ready for occupation in February 2007. Also Isibaya House – 103 apartments (from R344 000, 80 sold to date). Ready for occupation in February 2007. For more info visit www.atterbury.co.za

37 Quinn Street (former headquarters for Premier Milling) owned by Urban Solutions architectural firm, will be converted into 30 urban chic flats and seven penthouses, and will include two levels of offices. The block will be called The Newtown, and will be ready by the end of the year. Units priced from R490 000 to R1.7m (a few still available). For more info visit www.thenewtown.co.za

The 70-year-old Barbican building (owned by Old Mutual Properties) is undergoing a R120m refurbishment and will open as an upmarket members-only private club with a car showroom, a gym, and a cigar and champagne bar. Reports say it is due for completion at the end of 2007. The government announced its plans for the Kapoing Government Precinct more than a year ago. The area will be situated between Simmonds, Anderson and President Streets, and 17 buildings (11 heritage) will be upgraded.

City Property has acquired 43 buildings in the CBD and plans to launch 855 residential units, including Plaza Place (211 flats), Harland House (105 flats), Leisk House (94 units) and Persam House (192 flats). Developer Brian Green, who built the popular 44 Stanley Avenue precinct in Milpark, has acquired FNB House in Commissioner Street and plans to convert the building into 22 loft apartments and a food emporium.

The Affordable Housing Company owns 33 buildings in the CBD, Braamfontein and New Doornfontein. A total of 29 buildings will be residential and the plan is to have 2 500 units for rent over the next five years. The independently-owned seven-storey Steytler office block, corner Market and Loveday, has been converted into 22 residential flats, ranging from R417 000 to just over R1m. Most of the units have already been sold.

Former Miss SA Basetsana Khumalo, together with black women’s investment group Phab Holdings, has invested in two Hollard office buildings – Nos 6 and 10 Anderson Street – with plans to convert them into 126 residential apartments ranging from R250 000 to R1m. The buildings are to be renamed DoGon and Ashanti and reports say some of the apartments have been sold as sectional title and will go into a hotel rental pool scheme to be managed by Urban Hip Hotels. The Sunday Times reported at the end of July that 110 units had already been sold.

The 1906 Frank Emery heritage penthouse apartment on the top floor of National Bank House is where Alfonso has lived for the past two years and he raves about his inner-city lifestyle. ‘It’s such a privilege to live in such a beautiful building,’ he says, adding that it was the first reserve bank of South Africa and architects Leck & Emley also designed the Rand Club building (featured in The Property Magazine August 2006).

The penthouse won the Bentley Best Urban Redevelopment Award in the London Awards of International Homes and was also used as the set for the reality TV series The Apprentice. ‘I love the fact that my traffic experience of the day depends on the speed of my lift and, when I walk 30 metres outside my front door, I can pick up a brilliant cappuccino from the authentic Italian Pinos Coffee Shop around the corner.’He says there’s a sense of community developing in the inner city unlike any other suburb of Johannesburg where the doormen know your name and also form part of the security network.

He rattles off facts and figures about the city: R7-million being spent on a ‘Clean and Green’ campaign; the fact that the government has bought 17 buildings for a government precinct (between Simmonds and Anderson Streets) where 10 000 people will be working; more than 200 advocates have moved back to town after moving away a few years ago to once again be close to the law courts. The total investment in the inner city is believed to be in the region of R2-billion. This includes upgrades and refurbishments of existing buildings.

(Left: The compact yet uncramped layout of a bachelor pad in Shakespeare Place from several angles shows what a difference the intelligent use of mirrors, levels and lighting can make. The bed is on a slightly raised platform and can be shut off from the kitchen and living area by a bank of sliding mirrored screens. The chandelier helps define the dining area. Although small, the apartment is far from crowded or uncomfortable. )

Along with urban renewal comes high-density living. Old art deco corporate buildings are being converted into apartments, and existing residential buildings are being improved for both residential and office purposes. Developers like Atterbury and City Property are other major players in residential conversions and upgrades. Already the financial district and its surrounds is a space where you feel comfortable and safe walking around. It’s almost… upmarket.

When Alfonso heard The Apprentice was coming to South Africa, he actively sought out the producers to view his 900m2 apartment as a possible location for the series. And they were blown away. He commissioned Maira Koutsoudakis from Life Interior Architecture to come up with a design for the penthouse.' My brief was to rediscover the city and carry this into the grandeur of the apartment,’ says Alfonso.

Maira calls it: ‘An excavation of the urban experience to analyse the fabric of the city and what it would be like to live as the Randlords did in the early 1900s’. She calls her design an ‘Afro-luxe identity’ to celebrate heritage, contemporary relevance and the organic aesthetic.
She kept the existing architectural mouldings, fixtures and fittings such as the wood panelling, the parquet floors and original chandeliers. She chose colours like smoky grey and espresso brown to reflect the city at dusk.The Johannesburg wallpaper has iconic references including images of aloes, assegais, elephants, giraffes and diamonds to South Africa’s collective past, she says. She talks about the juxtaposition of old and new as another nod to history and heritage. Like the wooden dining room table designed by Italian craftsmen in 1900, which adds character to the building. Life has also built up a team of suppliers that includes the Retrenched Mineworkers Association in the Lesotho Highlands, who made the solid sandstone tables.

Alfonso’s favourite room is the Jacuzzi room featuring the ceiling dome which he says feels is like a spa. ‘The room has a steam room and opens out onto a pool outside on the roof.’ One of the Urban Ocean residential developments is Shakespeare Place, a funky luxury bachelor pad conversion on the corner of Market and Rissik Streets. True to their promise of top finishes, the range of furnishings include Kahrs wooden flooring, Duravit and Hansgrohe sanitaryware, Bosch stainless steel appliances, oak veneer and solid oak carpentry. The 60 apartments, ranging in size from 48m2 to 300m2, sold out so quickly that Shakespeare Place Two (SP2) is currently underway and only a handful of those are still available.

Interior designer Jeremy Stewart from Source Interior Brand Architects explains the brief for the apartments: ‘Both designs incorporate an open-plan, urban loft-style layout with kitchen, lounge, dining and bedroom with en suite bathroom.’ He adds: ‘The SP2 design offers the option of a stylish gas fireplace for those crisp winter nights. The designers have incorporated roof garden terraces/balconies as an additional option, similar to those in New York and Paris. These will overlook the central courtyard of the SP retail precinct.’

According to Jeremy, there will eventually be about five buildings, spanning a whole city block, converted into these exclusive lock-up-and-go bachelor-pad apartments (all between 40m2 and 80m2) combined with an edgy retail component. ‘It will form part of a premier lifestyle hub in the regeneration of the city offering high street shopping, incorporating open courtyards with all the conveniences of modern urban living,’ says Jeremy. SP2 is a very different look, focusing on a ‘night and day’ theme reflecting the two faces of the city.
There’s lots of white on white, reflective surfaces and natural light timber finishes to represent ‘day’ and darker, richer colours and finishes that resemble urban sunset. But it will be a long time before the sun sets on the new Joburg.

Pule

September 15th, 2006, 02:17 PM

Me and my business partners just signed for one apartment at Isibaya the other day. We believe in the city, even Hillbrow is coming to life now.

joburg

September 15th, 2006, 04:38 PM

Constitutional Court building wins award

September 15, 2006
By Lucille Davie

http://www.joburg.org.za/temp/concourt8.jpg

THE Constitutional Court has received another award: the SA Institute of Architects' (SAIA) Award for Excellence.

Awarded every second year for an exceptional achievement in architecture, the award was conferred on 1 September at a gala event in Bloemfontein.

"It is the most prestigious award in architecture and the highest accolade that the SAIA and the architectural profession can confer on a building," said a SAIA press statement.

The court, with its distinctly African architecture and people-friendly atmosphere, sets a new standard in court construction that breaks from the usual stuffy, unwelcoming court buildings of the past.

The court was designed by OMM Design Workshop and Urban Solutions Architects and Urban Designers.

Architect Paul Wygers of Urban Solutions said he felt great satisfaction with the project and the award.

The award is not the result of a competition, and as a result, more than one award may be given, or none at all. The award is sponsored by Corobrik.

In addition to the court, three other projects were given excellence awards:
* Beauf Constance, a family residence on a wine estate in Constantia, by Metropolis Design;
* Singita Lebombo, a tourist facility in the Kruger National Park, by omm Design Workshop;
* the South African Embassy in Berlin, by MMA Architects.

Over 30 projects completed during 2003 and 2004 were submitted for the award, and adjudication took place during May, June and July last year. Twenty-nine projects received the SAIA Award of Merit, and four of those were selected for the excellence award.

In 2005 the court received two other awards: a merit award from the Gauteng Institute for Architecture; the Building Project winner of the Fulton Concrete Award of the Concrete Society of Southern Africa.

The building has received accolades from other architects.

"The architecture possesses an African grandeur, dignity and great scale resulting from the building of grand voids, rather than eurocentric grand solids; not grand form, but grand space. It is a building to be physically experienced, not seen from a distance; a building carefully made, people-friendly, culturally respectful and responsive, a beacon on the hill serving as a marker in the urban landscape," say architects Thorsten Deckler, Anne Graupner and Henning Rasmuss in their book Contemporary South Africa Architecture in a Landscape of Transition.

Two months ago the corrugated iron construction walls went down around the western and southern edges of the site, as the project neared completion. Now the site is accessible from both the east and the west, showing off its welcoming walkways and attractive textures around the court building. Some buildings still need to be renovated: the old Queen Victoria Hospital and the Old Fort; and the recreation grounds in the north-east corner.

The site can accommodate just over 1 600 cars in its six-level basement parking, and large circular spaces will function as exhibition and outdoor decks. A museum, a hotel, a coffee shop, a tourist office and retail space were part of the original plan, and still need to be completed.

joburg

September 15th, 2006, 04:41 PM

I hope to hear about new developments in the CBD.

Well.. any juicy news? :)

joburg

September 15th, 2006, 04:52 PM

Has anyone seen that they are adding floors to KPMG Crescent? I'm glad to see that they're now going up instead of out. And they're not going out because there simply isn't any space to go out.

joburg

September 22nd, 2006, 08:04 AM

Shoooe! It's been a while..

joburg

September 22nd, 2006, 08:07 AM

The Rosebank Hotel is set to regain former grandeur
19 Sep 2006 - Sunday Times - Thabo Mkhize

The hotels are among 16 establishments bought by the Hospitality Property Fund (HPF) early this year. In total, eight Gauteng hotels were bought by the group, which listed on the Joburg Securities Exchange in February.

HPF paid a “reasonable” R70-million for the Rosebank Hotel alone in a buying spree that saw it dish out about R972-million for a total of 2107 rooms.

The Rosebank Hotel is set to regain some of its former grandeur as the company plans to refurbish rooms and public spaces.

Ridwaan Asmal, the group’s chief financial officer, said plans were underway to give the landmark Rosebank Hotel, which celebrates its 75th anniversary in September next year, a major face-lift.

“We have already improved our sales and marketing drive. We plan on improving our rooms, foyer and restaurants. We want to establish it as one of the best four- star hotels in the Joburg area.”

He said guests had responded positively to the improvements that had been made since the new owners took over.

Other hotels bought by the group include the Birchwood Executive Hotel and Conference Centre in Boksburg for R219.5- million, the stately Mount Grace Country House and Spa in Magaliesberg for R122.5-million, as well as shares in the Courtyard hotels in both Sandton and Rosebank.

Asmal said the company had also paid R130-million for the Champagne Sports Resort in the Drakensberg, KwaZulu-Natal, a R96-million stake in The Radison Hotel Waterfront in Cape Town, and R71.5-million for the Kopanong Hotel and Conference Centre in East London.

He described HPF as “South Africa’s first specialist listed property fund invested exclusively in hotels and resorts”.

And, he said, the company was keen on increasing its impressive portfolio by snapping up more three, four and five-star establishments.

Built in 1932, the Rosebank Hotel underwent its first major expansion in the ’80s with the addition of 210 new rooms. In 1993 a further 106 rooms in the north tower
were added.

The fund’s chief executive officer, Bruce Hutchison, has spent the past 38 years working in hotels around the globe, including Hilton hotels in Berlin, Chicago and London. He also worked with hotel and casino magnate Sol Kerzner.

The Mount Grace won an award this week for its spa and has long been favoured as a weekend retreat for the more affluent residents of Gauteng. It counts among its past guests President Thabo Mbeki.

joburg

September 22nd, 2006, 08:11 AM

New lane to be added to N1 freeway
21 September 2006 05:08
http://www.mg.co.za
Johannesburg, South Africa

A new lane will be added to the N1 freeway between the Allendale and Buccleuch interchanges to alleviate congestion, the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) said on Thursday.

"As of October 2 there will be a full additional lane between the two interchanges open to all road users in congested periods," said Sanral project manager Alex van Niekerk.

This project would also include a high-tech vehicle monitoring system to improve the flow of congested traffic on that stretch of road.

The Ben Schoeman freeway (N1) is the busiest highway in South Africa, sustaining between 160 000 and 180 000 vehicle trips per day.

In conjunction with this, a three-day Department of Transport pilot project will attempt to determine the feasibility of a high-occupancy lane on the N1.

This pilot would be implemented "sometime during October", said Alfred Nhlapo, spokesperson for the Gauteng transport department.

"[Provincial minister] Ignatius Jacobs will issue a statement to the media and public next week," he said.

Earlier media reports indicated that the left-hand lane would be closed to driver-only cars as a result of the pilot project.

"One lane will be used [for the pilot]; at this stage we do not know which one," said Automobile Association spokesperson Gary Ronald.

"They [Department of Transport] clearly haven't made up their minds yet, but it doesn't matter. It's three days in a month and all the [media] confusion is quite frankly an overreaction. This is purely an experiment," he said. -- Sapa

joburg

September 22nd, 2006, 08:12 AM

^^ Hows THAT for traffic alleviation? THink it'll be work? Dunno how they're gonna implement it. Their traffic system will have to be uber advanced... joburgbers are not prone to obeying traffic rules.

waltjie

September 22nd, 2006, 09:33 AM

none of this actually makes sense to me.... how does having a 'high tech' system with cameras and what not solve the problem??? the problem isnt that folk dont know where to drive or anything... i mean really, you sorta carry on straight and eventually get there... and whether you force full cars into one lane, and the rest into another..... they all have to pass through eventually..... makes no difference at all. yet another job-creation scheme? id say.....

only solution is to implement a mass transport system and convince people somehow to use it... or... make a double decker highway like the M1 past the CBD... ha ha.

Martsbra

September 22nd, 2006, 09:58 AM

they just added the extra lane officially - coz everyone uses it anyway

(and u know who I mean by everyone..)

waltjie

September 22nd, 2006, 10:21 AM

For the latest news on the Gauteng Government Precinct, get your hands on a copy of yesterday's Star and refer to pages 8 and 17.

hsark

September 22nd, 2006, 12:00 PM

can u scan it i didnt manage to get a copy of the paper

joburg

September 23rd, 2006, 12:02 AM

^^ Ditto. Or maybe just provide highlights of it?

One cannot get it off the Star's website as it's premium content. *rolls eyes*

joburg

September 23rd, 2006, 12:16 AM

only solution is to implement a mass transport system and convince people somehow to use it... or... make a double decker highway like the M1 past the CBD... ha ha.

I think it was Jakes1 who was telling me about the new highway being built... can't remember where exactly, but it will ease a lot of the traffic me thinks.. but alas, will probably mean more sprawl and more smog.

Anyway noticed that with this massive increase in people having cars, that car dealerships give really shit service? And they can afford to do so, because the motor industry in South Africa is absolutely rolling in the cash at the moment...

joburg

September 23rd, 2006, 12:37 AM

ok one more thing..
went to the new Haagen Dazs this evening. i didn't have any ice cream because the line was too long. but the shop is very pretty, and it's got pink lighting too... ;)

joburg

September 23rd, 2006, 03:59 PM

http://www.melrosearch.co.za

Melrose Arch will be hosting an exciting champagne event between September 27 and 28. “Melrose Arch champagne,” taking place on the central square, will feature many big name champagne houses.

Champagne houses that will be participating in this event are Gosset, Billecart-Salmon, Taittinger, Bollinger, Veuve Clicquot, Laurent Perrier, Launois Pere Et Fils, Marguet-Bonnerave, Lanson, Heidsieck Monopole, Vranken, Jacquart, De Venoge, Pommery, Louis Bouillot and Joseph Perrier

joburg

September 23rd, 2006, 04:02 PM

No more 9 to 5 in radical new traffic plan
http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/articles/article.aspx?ID=ST6A207508
CHARLES MOLELE
17 September 2006

A RADICAL move by the city to ease traffic congestion could see Joburgers ditch their 9am to 5pm working hours.

Metro can reveal that the city is in talks with big business to adopt a more flexible approach and allow employees to stagger their working hours.

They are also trying to get more people to work from home, saying that businesses could save millions.

Council spokesman Alfred Xolani Sam said plans were already at an advanced stage to roll out the Variable Working Hours initiative. It could take effect as early as next year.

This follows the release of the National Travel Survey, which showed that South Africans who use their own vehicles to get to work spend at least an hour and a half in traffic each day.

This is compared with the 10 million people using public transport, who spend two hours getting to and from work.

The Statistics SA survey was undertaken to help government plan to alleviate transport problems and congestion.

Sam said council had already held several meetings with business organisations to assess how the plan could be rolled out in Africa’s wealthiest city.

He said employees of the city and its partner organisations, like Joburg Water, as well as those working for companies in Braamfontein and Sunninghill had filled in questionnaires to gauge their opinions.

Joburg traffic spokesman Wayne Minnaar lauded the project, saying it was long overdue.

He said 25 years ago there were only 25000 cars in Joburg, compared with 1.6 million today.

“It’s a marvellous idea because ownership of cars is on the increase. Our traffic department now registers up to 60000 a month, and this has proven to be a nightmare for our roads.”

Sam said that, according to the proposal, an employee could begin and end his or her working day at any time — provided the required number of hours were worked.

Keith Brebnor, chief executive of both the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce (Nafcoc) and the Joburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry — which represent an estimated workforce of 988000 — said the idea had received overwhelming support from members.

“Traffic congestion is one of the biggest headaches for business. We support the idea without reservation. If it is done properly, and there is buy-in, it would work.”

A spokesman for banking giant Absa, Errol Smith, said it also supported the initiative and had, in fact, already begun implementing flexi-time in its management structures.

“The rest of the world has already adapted to flexible working conditions,” he said.

Vodacom spokesman Dot Field said some of its employees were also working flexible hours.

Kagiso Urban Management said its clients — which include companies such as Liberty Life, Nedbank, Standard Bank, Absa and Investec — had embraced the idea.

joburg

September 23rd, 2006, 04:04 PM

^^ And how's that for traffic alleviation??

I'll take the 9am - 6pm shift...

joburg

September 23rd, 2006, 04:10 PM

R100m World Cup boost for Lanseria
AMUKELANI CHAUKE
17 September 2006

LANSERIA International Airport is set to undergo a R100-million face-lift as it prepares for an influx of foreign visitors ahead of the 2010 soccer World Cup.

This is in addition to R58-million already spent on expanding its runways and taxiways and installing hi-tech navigation systems to bring it in line with international standards.

The Gauteng province has also set aside R120-million to build and upgrade roads leading to the airport.

Metro has established that Lanseria’s managers are in negotiations with the local World Cup organising committee to move more than 50000 soccer officials, players and administrators coming to South Africa through the airport.

Lanseria, in the northwest of Joburg, had 160000 passengers pass through it last year.

But with its revamp this number will rocket to 800000.

Lanseria’s manager, Gavin Sayce, said the privately owned airport was also looking into introducing more local commercial flights.

“Traditionally Lanseria International catered for corporate clients and housed private planes.

“But last year we contracted [low-cost airline] kulula.com to introduce commercial flights between Joburg and Cape Town. We hope to expand this in the near future.”

At least 350000 foreigners are expected to flock to South Africa for the soccer showpiece.

Sayce said: “It is too early to comment but we are in talks with the local organising committee to have Lanseria fly in the Fifa delegation and match officials during the tournament as well as fly them around the country during its duration.”

He said the airport boasted a range of private jets that it leased out and this would enable officials to be transported faster between cities.

He said planned upgrades to the airport include:

•The construction of a new terminal alongside the existing one that will serve all international arrivals and departures;

•The building of several new aircraft hangars;

•Expanding the car park; and

•Building a new control tower.

Sayce said plans were still being finalised, adding that the project was expected to cost tens of millions of rands.

He said that by early next year more commercial flights to cities such as Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth would be introduced.

Riaan Venter, chief engineer at the Gauteng Department of Public Transport, Roads and Works, said upgrades to roads leading to the airport would be completed before December 2009.

He said major work had already begun on the K29 highway — which leads to the airport and has only a single lane at present — to turn it into a dual carriageway.

The highway is an extension of Hans Strydom Drive, from Randburg, and cuts past low-cost housing development Cosmo City and the N14 offramp to Pretoria.

Venter said: “The upgrading of the existing route takes place mainly in the rural areas and no residential areas will be affected.

“Construction will be phased in over the next three to four years and we are already busy with the first phase.”

A member of the local organising committee’s aviation task team said: “A task team has been convened and will be looking at the utilisation of all airports in South Africa, including Lanseria.”

joburg

September 24th, 2006, 12:36 PM

New urbanism changing the face of SAâ€™s cities

From being spaces with clearly defined areas for work, retail and residential areas, SA's cities are mixing residential, offices, restaurants and entertainment in single developments, writes KERRY HAGGARD

A MIXED-USE development that comes to mind immediately is Johannesburgâ€™s Melrose Arch, an exclusive hub of small but expensive apartments, expensive restaurants and some of the most expensive commercial space in SA.

It has been a successful project. All the sectional title offices along Melrose Boulevard, valued at more than R105m, have been sold, and 40% of the offices in adjacent 3 Melrose Boulevard have been sold as well. About 4000 people live, work and play in the 18ha precinct, with that number set to increase to 22000 by the time it is completed in 2010.

Melrose Arch seems to have been the trendsetter for Johannesburg, with the heart of Sandton changing rapidly. Fran Teagle, director of commercial property at Broll Properties, says: At least two major blocks of mixed-use space are planned for Sandton in the near future that offer limited retail space, topped by up to 20 stories of commercial space, above which a further six to 10 floors of residential space will be built.

Blocks such as these, along with numerous residential developments that are mushrooming along West Road South, mean that people will be able to live, work and play in the Sandton precinct.

With office space for about 10000 more people coming on stream in the area in the next two years, it is probable that demand for residential buildings in the heart of the commercial district will increase as soaring petrol prices and traffic congestion encourage employees to live closer to their workplace.

In an article in the Sunday Times, Ian Fife emphasised that Gauteng municipalities are strengthening the trend to high-density housing by rolling out a common spatial development framework that creates â€œa hard edge around the regional urban area beyond which future urban development will be prohibited.

The implication of this framework is that property prices will rocket, encouraging denser, mixed-use developments, particularly in the business districts, but it will have advantages.

Entertainment will be close to home and work, and the higher population density should mean better-quality shops and services. A further bonus will be better security and more eyes on the streets mean that criminals can become wary of densely populated areas.

The mixed-use trend is evident in other areas of Johannesburg, with Soweto's steady growth from a dormitory township led by the construction of a R100m mixed-use development in Diepkloof.

The development will consist of a shopping centre, called Diepkloof Plaza, a townhouse complex and an enlarged Soweto Hospice. The townhouse development apparently aims to acquaint Sowetans with townhouse living, with rentals of 90mÂ² units expected to come in at R3200 a month.

The Diepkloof project follows the launch of a R1bn Orlando eKhaya mixed-use project, which will consist of various retail, leisure, residential and commercial components. Neil Fraser, executive director of Central Johannesburg Partnership, says what is interesting about these projects is that it will start to change the spending habits of Sowetans, who spend R3,4bn of their R4,3bn disposable income outside the township â€” mostly in the heart of Johannesburg's CBD.

Another development now being built is Heritage Hill in Centurion, which has 30ha hectares of land to be transformed over the next seven years.

The finished project will consist of 2500 residential properties, a number of office blocks, retail outlets, restaurants, street cafes, sporting facilities, a private school, a medical centre and a retirement village.

Cape Town has built or is planning several such developments, with the Tyger Waterfronta prime example, alongside the conversion of commercial and industrial space into residential space.

Mixed-use areas mean that all urban necessities are close and convenient, while the high-street style of living â€” reminiscent of village living of eras gone by â€” will encourage a sense of community with a positive effect on the environment, as less petrol is used due to shorter travelling distances.

Neil Stopforth, a director of the Melrose Arch Development Company, crystallises the approach, saying: â€œThe new urbanism trend is certainly growing in popularity, and mixed use precincts meet the needs of those who value time, convenience, safety and the environment, while thriving on the vibrant urban energy, providing practical living in a big city.

joburg

September 24th, 2006, 12:40 PM

Durban-Joburg rapid-rail link 'a golden opportunity'

The high-speed rail link between Johannesburg and Durban, which government had agreed on in principle and was awaiting approval for, is one of the most overlooked solutions to transport problems in South Africa, and there is no better time than now to invest in such a project, a logistics academic argues.

“We have a golden opportunity to fix South Africa's transport challenges right now, and building even more roads for a 600-km, 50-million-ton corridor is not a clever fix,” University of Stellenbosch logistics department supply-chain management centre head Jan Havenga told Engineering News Online.

This was in response to Arup South Africa transport economics adviser Andrew Marsay's recent statement that called the high-speed rail link an “absolute nonstarter”.

He argued that the revenue that such a venture generated would not justify the capital expenditure.

State-owned rail utility Spoornet CEO Siyabonga Gama had pegged the cost of the Durban/Johannesburg high-speed line at some R30-million.

Marsay argued that a new dedicated freight-only highway would cost some R15-billion over ten years, and would add 36-million tons of capacity to the route.

“New freight capacity can be created four times more efficiently in the road mode than in rail,” he contended.

Meanwhile, Havenga maintained that dedicated road freight capacity amounted to nothing more than road trains.

“There are few transport economists who could calculate that the current 30-billion ton kilometres, which would be in excess of 70-billion ton kilometres in 20 years, would be cheaper to transport by truck than by train.

Marsay also said that freight could take six days to travel between the two cities by rail, owing to drawn-out handling times at the City Deep and Durban Port depots, which would cancel out the estimated three-hour travel time the proposed high-speed line offered.

However, Havenga argued that it was a “misconception” these depot delays were a significant issue.

“Less than a quarter of the freight on the line goes through the port,” he stated, adding that the idea of scheduled intermodal trains would cut the current six-day wait to an overnight service.

He also highlighted that City deep's capacity was also a nonissue as workable intermodal facilities at both ends of the line would have to be developed, which was already long overdue.

Marsay's argument also highlighted the topographical challenges that would have to be overcome with high-level engineering in building a high-speed line between Durban and Johannesburg.

However, Havenga contended that options existed to bypass some of the most mountainous areas between the two cities, making the solution “reasonably easy”.

“The technology exists to transport freight at high speed, using new wider-gauge lines and more stable wagon-coupling technology,” he added.

“The capital investment in wider gauge, high-speed technology would be a great boost to South Africa's economy, and would create environment-friendly, cheap capacity for future generations,” Havenga concluded.

joburg

September 24th, 2006, 12:42 PM

^^ know that was discussed in the Durbs thread, but thought I'd post an article here tooooo...

joburg

September 24th, 2006, 12:59 PM

So.. keeping in line with the Heritage Day weekend...

http://x1c.xanga.com/89d1740b5833374540716/w43978.gif

... I felt it necessary to post information relating to the Sunday Times Heritage Project, whereby the Sunday Times initiates projects that remind us Saffers of where we come from and what gives us our unique identity. I'm not sure if they have projects in other cities (?), but these are some of the latest projects unveiled in Joburg..

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/mscsthumbnail.aspx?refId=338157&refRef=img
LEGAL EAGLE: The memorial at the Johannesburg High Court honours Duma Nokwe, South Africa’s first black advocate at the Johannesburg Bar

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/mscsthumbnail.aspx?refId=338158&refRef=img
FOREVER: The life- size bronze statue of Brenda Fassie in Newtown has become a hit with visitors who queue for a photo opportunity sitting on the stool next to MaBrrrr Pictures: THABO MKHIZE

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/mscsthumbnail.aspx?refId=338155&refRef=img
RESILIENT: The Mohandas “Mahatma” Gandhi memorial, commemorating the first pass- burning by 3000 Muslims, Hindus and Christians, has peephole slots through which a picture of a burning pass can be seen when the pot is rotated

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/mscsthumbnail.aspx?refId=338151&refRef=img
UP THE BUCS: Pelaelo Mokgosinyana, daughter of Orlando Pirates founder Bethuel Mokgosinyana, next to the memorial honouring her father at her home in Soweto

waltjie

September 26th, 2006, 03:58 PM

THE Heritage Appeals Committee has approved the demolition of five of the 10 buildings in the proposed provincial government square for the Joburg CBD.

Stressing that all decisions were reached by "absolute consensus", the South African Heritage Resources Agency (Sahra) committee gave the go-ahead for the following five buildings to be demolished: the RSA building, Clegg House, SARB House, the People's Bank Building and Thusanong. It denied permission for the demolition of these five buildings: Rand Water Board, Volkskas, Custom House, New Library Hotel and the First National Bank Building.

"The Appeals Committee wants to reiterate that its decisions have been made with due regard to the individual merits and heritage value of each building for which application has been made for demolition," the committee said in its report.

The provincial government, which owns a number of buildings adjoining Beyers Naude Square, wants to demolish two blocks of buildings between Market and Commissioner streets to expand the square and create an enlarged space in the centre of the CBD. Several of the buildings are Art Deco buildings, while others are unique examples of their architectural style.

The square, part of the proposed Gauteng provincial government precinct, will encompass a street underpass, four skywalks joining buildings, and underground parking. Market Street, between Sauer and Harrison streets, will form part of the square, becoming an underpass, with an ingress, or entrance, in Kort Street and egress, or exit, after Harrison Street. This will mean that the present four lanes will be reduced to two lanes.

All the buildings in green were to make way for the proposed square

Five of the 10 buildings are older than 60 years, which means that permission has to be obtained from Sahra before demolition can proceed.
Sahra approved the demolition of all 10 in October 2005. In July this year the committee heard arguments opposing the demolitions, from four appellants: the South African Institute of Architects; Herbert Prins and fellow architects; the Parktown and Westcliff Heritage Trust; and Neil Fraser and the Johannesburg Heritage Trust.

The committee conducted an in loco site inspection of the buildings, led by the architect proposing the development, Fanuel Motsepe, accompanied by the four appellants. It also considered all the written, visual and oral submissions made.

The committee consisted of four members: lawyer Gloria Rabyanyana; retired professor Bannie Britz, a Bloemfontein-based architect and urban planner; Johannesburg-based architect Gershon Manana; and University of Western Cape history professor Ciraj Rassool, and the committee chair.

Committee's recommendations
A detailed Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) concluded that the demolition, in particular of nine of the 10 buildings, would represent the loss of a valuable heritage resource. An independent report, compiled by architects Gawie Fagan, Franco Frescura and Nina Maritz, who don't live in Johannesburg, came to the same conclusion. They recommended retaining the historic facades of the buildings and refurbishing the interior of the buildings.
While praising the HIA by Johann Bruwer as having been "an excellent job", the committee felt that the age of 60 years did not give a building "automatic protection". Instead, they looked at each building on the merits of its own heritage significance, considering not only its architectural significance but also the "social history and how they have been used over time".

"There was agreement that buildings were a resource, whatever state they were in. The decision to remove any building should thus not be taken easily." The committee considered how a building could be "recycled, re-utilised and incorporated into" the proposed precinct.

The committee was not convinced that the proposed square had to be one large space. "It was felt that smaller spaces of public gathering might be able to provide the same result as the proposed large square."

The committee suggested that a museum of architecture and urban history be incorporated into the development plan for the square. "Not only could this focus on the precinct, but it could also be a landmark institution for the city and the province."

A substantial element of Motsepe's proposal is to counteract the colonial and apartheid heritage that these buildings represent. The committee dismissed this, saying the proposal was an "ex-post facto ideological justification", and not significant.

City's response
The Johannesburg Development Agency's CEO, Lael Bethlehem, said she felt encouraged by the outcome of the report. "A thorough assessment was done on the heritage issues."
She said that the City was concerned about broader issues like transport disruptions and the value of the buildings proposed for demolition. Fraser, in his submission to the committee, estimated the value of the 10 buildings to be R500 million.

The City is in discussions with the provincial government concerning the proposed square, but at this stage all she would say is that the discussions were "proceeding well".

Appellants' responses
Fraser, who presented an economic argument in July against the demolitions, was "delighted" on three counts with the committee's report.
"The saving of the buildings; the fact that at last an honest assessment of the buildings has been done; and that Sahra has not apparently allowed itself to be steamrollered by political imperatives."

Bird, heritage stalwart and chairperson of the Parktown and Westcliff Heritage Trust, said she was pleased that the buildings along the square on Market Street, are to be saved. She added that it was important to keep the traditional shape of the square, as a record of the history of the square.

While she still wished to discuss the report with her lawyers, she was "very happy that the five most important buildings have been retained".

Although unhappy that the process had been "so flawed", with numerous delays and the last-minute decision from Sahra to allow the trust to present its case at the hearing, Bird hoped that the decision would be accepted "in good spirit".

She said she would have gone to court if the decision had been in favour of demolition of all 10 of the buildings.

Prins said he was reluctant to comment on the decision until he had met with the group of architects with whom he lodged his appeal. "We may be happy with the decision, and let the matter rest there," was all he wished to say. The meeting takes place next Thursday.

Motsepe, the architect of the proposed square, consulted with his client, the province, late on Wednesday, and said: "They haven't had time to consider it and study it carefully." He couldn't say when a decision was expected.

The province and Motsepe will have to find an innovative solution to the proposed square as the retention of the five buildings means there won't be a diagonal flow from Beyers Naude Square across Market Street, the essence of the proposed square.

From www.joburg.org.za

joburg

September 27th, 2006, 12:09 AM

Oh just do something new with it already now... :(

Let's accept that 5 buildings will remain intact, and that the other 5 will be demolished, but just flippin well DO something.

The committee suggested that a museum of architecture and urban history be incorporated into the development plan for the square. "Not only could this focus on the precinct, but it could also be a landmark institution for the city and the province."

What a fabulous idea!

joburg

September 27th, 2006, 12:45 AM

Sandton City gains top international retail brands in strategic leasing revamp
26 Sep 2006 - Marketing Concepts - Sandton City Marketing

Sandton City Shopping Centre, South Africa’s premier shopping destination, will soon provide even more cutting-edge retail with the addition of vibrant new tenants, and a substantial number of stores enhancing both their premises and branded collections.

“Refreshing the tenant mix is essential to ensure that Sandton City’s retailers remain current with the trends, maintaining Sandton City’s reputation for being the first location for leading international retailers entering the South African market,” says Simon Latilla-Campbell, head of retail leasing for Liberty Life Properties. The fashion industry is performing at a peak and, according to the Retailers’ Liaison Committee, clothing and footwear sales surged 13.4 percent in the year to May.

“Worldwide, consumers want more and more brands and Sandton City will continue to be proactive in this respect to meet the needs of the increasingly sophisticated South African shopper,” say Latilla-Campbell. “Sandton City is the place to meet, to shop and to be seen and the strategic leasing update will ensure that the centre retains its trendy edge,” explains Latilla-Campbell. There is currently an abundance of new store openings, refurbishments and relocations, creating complementary shopping nodes at Sandton City, the uncontested place to meet, to shop and to be seen. A new fashion and lifestyle haven is being created, extending from Woolworths on the Lower Level all the way to the Fountain Court which will echo the tenant mix on the Upper Level mall -- home to major fashion brands such as Guess, Diesel, Pringle of Scotland, Dunhill, La Senza and Marion and Lindie.

For the fashionistas, the prestigious multinational Spanish brand Mango, with clothing for the young urban woman, will be opening in October. Mango stores embody a dynamic atmosphere that is the result of the harmonisation of space, and the Sandton City store will be no different. The all-new Cross Trainer has relocated to this area with its sporty fashion brands which include Adidas, Puma, K Swiff, Reebok and Nike.

Loads of Living is also moving to this trendy strip and will be located near the Clicks entrance, complementing the current lifestyle retailers comprising Mr Price Home, @Home, Chefs ‘n Icers and the homeware and décor departments of Clicks and Woolworths. “Significant changes will be made to this area between now and Christmas 2006, creating a comprehensive lifestyle offering through providing a focused tenant mix,” says Latilla-Campbell.

Carrol Boyes has opened in Sandton City’s Banking Mall with innovative, contemporary functional art designs for the kitchen and home and a select furniture line. With the same owners as Felicity’s Gifts in the Food Court, you will now only find Carrol Boyes items in the official store and a selection of other beautiful designs in Felicity’s Gifts including crystal from Belgium, Murano glass from Italy as well as a collection of beautiful jewellery.

Just around the corner richness, sensual textures, and remarkable flavours will soon be yours to savour! The first Häagen-Dazs in South Africa is coming to Sandton City on 20 September 2006 and will be located in the Banking Mall next to Carrol Boyes. The Häagen-Dazs brand has attained the distinction of global leadership in the super premium ice cream segment, synonymous with luxury and exquisite taste.

For the ‘thumb’ generation, two new cell phone stores have been introduced in the Banking Mall. Virgin Mobile, is the collaboration between local telecommunications company Cell C and Richard Branson's Virgin Mobile and provides a refreshing alternative from the offerings of other players. Chatz Cellular holds strategic alliances and exclusivity with Vodacom and Cell C and offers quality products at competitive prices from its new Sandton City store.

Identity has introduced its brand of cutting edge fashion on the Upper Level. Pumpkin Patch – the New Zealand children’s fashion brand -- is also a new edition to this level and stocks stylish, funky designer label clothing for young ones. One of the most successful hairdressing groups in the UK, Harringtons, joins Sandton City on the Lower Level.

Edgars has stepped up its branded fashion offering and is now the sole distributor of the sexy Caprice Lingerie brand. They have also recently revamped the Sandton City store and launched the new Designers at Edgars range. The collection showcases the work of seven of South Africa’s trendiest fashion designers, as well a stylish in-house label. The first three-storey KFC in the world recently opened with great appeal in the Sandton City Food Court. The relocation and expansion of this restaurant was due to strong customer demand.

Many of the existing stores in Sandton City have also refurbished and updated their shops to keep ahead of current trends including X-Cessory Mix, The French Shop, Replay Jeans, Hugo Boss and Cardies. Soon to begin refurbishing are Spitz, Frasers, The Connoisseur, Spilhaus, Drifters Adventure Centre and Phonosound. There is also a substantial demand for office space at Sandton City with the Office Tower and East and West Twin Towers all effectively fully occupied. The R18 million Sandton City Office Tower upgrade is currently in progress and includes fully refurbished core areas and public facilities. Liberty Life Properties also has great plans for the Cinema Level and anticipate that the whole level may be transformed into one single store, with the exception of Ster Kinekor.

Sandton City Centre Manager Gary Vipond explains this extensive leasing project was undertaken after Sandton City conducted extensive market research which took into account the trading success of various retailers and trade categories, customer comments about popular stores and those retailers which consumers suggested should be added to the Sandton City mix. “Based on the outcome of this research, a strategic plan was implemented to maximise the existing tenant mix and target new retailers which complement and enhance the Sandton City shopping experience,” says Vipond. "Getting the right tenant mix is vital to the success of any shopping centre and needs to be given continuous top priority. Tenant mix should be constantly evaluated and adjusted to meet market needs," explains Vipond.

Harkeb

September 27th, 2006, 02:53 AM

its long time due for changes to Sandton centre. It looks crap and so 1983!

joburg

September 27th, 2006, 03:57 PM

its long time due for changes to Sandton centre. It looks crap and so 1983!

hehe.. yeah the original Sandton City does look very old, and VERY 80s vintage. But you should see the new part under the Michelangelo Tower - it's very modern and clinical-looking.

joburg

September 27th, 2006, 03:58 PM

Sandton office space in high demand
27 Sep 2006 - Imbongi Communications
http://www.eprop.co.za/news/article.aspx?idArticle=7903

The demand for commercial property in Johannesburg’s northern suburbs is at an all time high, with vacancy rates as low as 5% in Sandton and Rosebank.

Fran Teagle, Director of Commercial Property at Broll Property Group, comments, ‘Even though demand is strong, supply will meet it in the next two years, with in excess of 150 000 square metres of new commercial space in the Sandton hub scheduled for completion in the next two years. This new space is in addition to around 50 000 square metres of refurbished space that will be available shortly, the combination offering accommodation for some 10 000 additional workers in the Sandton CBD,’ she says.

Growth in the area has been different to years gone by, she notes. ‘There’s been somewhat of a buying frenzy, with developers clamouring for scarce vacant land, and then erecting new buildings or refurbishing other existing properties on spec – a bullish approach to the market which has been fuelled by low interest rates. The strong property values in the area have also meant that many companies are buying existing buildings or turnkey space to suit their own requirements, leading to a higher ratio of owner-occupiers than before.

‘It’s not only purely commercial space that is changing the landscape of the CBD,’ Teagle points out. ‘Although mixed use buildings are fairly common in Europe, we haven’t seen these kinds of spaces built in the Northern Suburbs before. At least two major blocks are planned for the near future that offer limited retail space, topped by up to twenty stories of commercial space, above which a further six to ten floors of residential accommodation will be built. Blocks such as these, along with the numerous residential developments along West Road South, will mean that people can live, work and play within the Sandton precinct.’

For those who prefer close proximity to the heart of Sandton but seek a different environment, Bryanston, Woodmead and Sunninghill also offer excellent solutions. ‘Space in these areas is also at a premium, achieving rentals in line with rates in the Sandton CBD,’ Teagle observes. ‘Sunninghill particularly is an appealing option, with infrastructure in the area currently being improved, alongside excellent retail developments and the substantial growth of residential property, again making it easy for people to conduct all aspects of their life within a small geographical area.

‘What excites me most about the property industry at the moment, is that although there are not really any radical events influencing trends, the industry is consistently active, with people back in the ground building – a great signal for South Africa’s continued growth,’ she concludes.

waltjie

September 27th, 2006, 05:33 PM

At least two major blocks are planned for the near future that offer limited retail space, topped by up to twenty stories of commercial space, above which a further six to ten floors of residential accommodation...

A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!!!!

Jakes1

September 28th, 2006, 11:25 AM

Im only worried about the rising interest rates. This might influence the current building boom. Especially in terms of high-rise luxury residentials. A lot of people were buying in order to invest - I think the luxury market is going to slow down big time. Middle and lower income will still show growth. Although, Sandton is another place. All the yuppies yearn to live there - hope they can afford it.

waltjie

September 28th, 2006, 12:16 PM

i agree. i mean, the other day i got handed a flyer on this new Lincoln at Melrose Arch... bachelor pads starting from R1,2M... how many people can actually afford this?

Jakes1

September 28th, 2006, 12:26 PM

Well, a lot of money flying around in Jozi, but I dont know how much longer this is sustainable, especially with rising interest rates!

joburg

September 28th, 2006, 04:08 PM

i agree. i mean, the other day i got handed a flyer on this new Lincoln at Melrose Arch... bachelor pads starting from R1,2M... how many people can actually afford this?

There is tons of nouveau money flying around in Joburg, so there is defo a market for such developments I think. People will pay a ridiculous amount for the ugliest and smallest of clusters/townhouses, so no reason why they won't pay such a large amount for a bachelor pad at the Lincoln.

And also I really do think we'll start to see a change in mindset of how Joburgers live, with hopefully the 'Oxford Corridor' growing more and more dense as traffic volumes increase and the Gautrain happens.

joburg

September 28th, 2006, 04:12 PM

Joburg Housing Company wins UN Habitat award
September 27, 2006
By Lucky Sindane

THE Johannesburg Housing Company (JHC) is celebrating after winning the 2006 UN Habitat Award for innovative and sustainable housing solutions.

The Building and Social Housing Foundation established the UN Habitat awards in 1985. The awards recognise projects that provide practical and innovative solutions to housing needs and problems.

JHC was set up in 1995 to create affordable rental housing in the inner city. To date it has established 2 700 refurbished housing units, providing accommodation for more than 8 000 people in 25 buildings across Johannesburg – from Troyeville and Jeppestown to Joubert Park and Hillbrow, in the CBD and in Newtown and Fordsburg.

It has won many accolades, including several housing, environmental and architectural awards. Newtown's new Brickfields development, in which JHC was a partner, made history earlier this year as the largest private-public partnership residential housing development ever in South Africa.

"We are very excited that our work has been recognised internationally," said Dombolo Masilela, the JHC marketing and communications manager. "We've made our country proud [with] this achievement."

Minister of Housing Lindiwe Sisulu said: "This is the first time this award has been awarded to a South African housing institution and is recognition, not only that JHC is a world-class institution, but of the pioneering role JHC has played in the regeneration of Johannesburg's inner city over the past ten years."

Her words were echoed by Murphy Morobe, JHC's chairperson. "In selecting JHC, UN Habitat has recognised the innovative solutions the company has applied to the problem of urban renewal, specifically within the battleground that is Johannesburg's inner city."

The award will be presented to JHC during the UN Habitat celebrations on Monday, 1 October in Naples, Italy.

JHC's eKhaya neighbourhood programme, which involves 30 landlords on the inner city's Pietersen Street who have been encouraged to clean up the area, has also been recognised as an international best practice. The programme includes greening the pavements, placing rest areas outdoors and installing CCTV cameras for surveillance.

It has brought down crime rates in the area, controlled grime and engaged local council departments to ensure proper management of the streets.

"The programme has been recognised by the City of Johannesburg and inspired a further three neighbourhood management initiatives in the Hillbrow, Berea and Joubert Park areas," Masilela explained.

"Our buildings are the envy of visitors from other social housing institutions both locally and from around the world. We achieve high occupancy and low arrears because JHC tenants recognise the excellent value for money through our management and maintenance of our buildings."

The City's member of the mayoral committee for development planning and urban management, Ruby Mathang, hailed the award as recognition of JHC's role in contributing to the turn around of the inner city.

"Not only is JHC now one of the largest residential landlords in the inner city, but its contribution to the City coffers for rates and utilities stands out, not only for its size but because what were once non-paying derelict properties are now productive contributors to the City's fiscus," Mathang said.

"JHC's Lake Success building in Hillbrow was the first building to be upgraded under the City of Johannesburg's Better Buildings Programme and JHC remains the largest participant in the programme," he concluded.

joburg

September 28th, 2006, 04:18 PM

joburg

September 28th, 2006, 07:58 PM

Dearest Pule and Yarrick...

Ya both met Neil Fraser last week at Rosebank.

You must share the news... ;)

waltjie

September 29th, 2006, 09:48 AM

Hey guys... who saw the article in The Star today? About the Gautrain?

Does anyone have subscriber access to http://www.thestar.co.za so they could post the article?

Good to see that it's FINALLY begun!

Managed to get a copy of the paper yesterday late... was gonna write up a short summary of the article, but the exact same article was printed again in today's issue, so GO GET IT!

joburg

September 29th, 2006, 10:14 AM

^^ meannie!

I look like the banana in my avatar when it comes to buying The Star.

;)

joburg

September 29th, 2006, 05:54 PM

Ya both met Neil Fraser last week at Rosebank.

Tra la la.... doooo bi doo.... bah day..

Anyway bunyans I heard from Yarrick who heard from Neil Fraser that the deal for the Tollman Towers is defo going through, with the Towers being converted into a boutique African style hotel (although me thinks this'll be quite a big boutique hotel), and the original building being converted into 'condominiums'...

Think it's fab fab fab, but I don't think the developer should go too terirbly upmarket, but target the middle income market, as I don't think the upper market as too in vogue yet. Only some of em do..

joburg

October 1st, 2006, 02:41 PM

Yesterday was Gay Pride here in Joburg... I didn't attend it myself, but here are some images from the day..

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/galleries/gaypride2006/gaypride1.jpg

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/galleries/gaypride2006/gaypride2.jpg

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/galleries/gaypride2006/gaypride3.jpg

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/galleries/gaypride2006/gaypride4.jpg

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/galleries/gaypride2006/gaypride5.jpg
http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/galleries/gaypride2006/gaypride6.jpg

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/galleries/gaypride2006/gaypride7.jpg

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/galleries/gaypride2006/gaypride8.jpg

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/galleries/gaypride2006/gaypride9.jpg

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/galleries/gaypride2006/gaypride10.jpg

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/galleries/gaypride2006/gaypride11.jpg

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/galleries/gaypride2006/gaypride12.jpg

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/galleries/gaypride2006/gaypride13.jpg

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/galleries/gaypride2006/gaypride14.jpg

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/galleries/gaypride2006/gaypride15.jpg

joburg

October 1st, 2006, 03:09 PM

Heritage agency steps in to save Top Star dump
01 October 2006
BENJAMIN MOSHATAMA

ONE of Joburg’s landmark mine dumps is in the middle of a furious spat between a mining company and those who want to declare it a historical landmark.

Mining firm DRDGold Limited, which bought the mine dump on which the Top Star Drive-in was situated, is taking legal action against the Gauteng Provincial Heritage Resources Authority to stop it proclaiming the dump a heritage site.

A spokesman for DRDGold, James Duncan, said his company was bringing in its attorneys.

“DRDGold has asked its attorneys to legally contest the provincial declaration of the dump being called a heritage site,” he said.

“We are also applying for mining authorisation from the national Department of Minerals and Energy [to reprocess the dump to extract gold].”

The mining company aims to reprocess the 48-year-old dump because it believes the estimated 5.1-million-ton structure contains 3978kg of gold.

“It will be up to the department to decide on the dump becoming a national monument,” said Duncan.

But Elsabé Brink, chairman of the Provincial Heritage Resources Authority, an independent statutory body, said it had been informed late last month that DRDGold would be appealing against the declaration.

“The site was recognised as it is one of the places that characterises the history of Joburg, as the city is known for its mining background,” she said.

Brink said the preservation of the Top Star mine dump was approved by Barbara Creecy, MEC for the Department of Sport,
Arts, Culture and Recreation, and the preservation order was published in the Government Gazette in August.

“We will still consider Top Star for preservation for its great heritage value but we will accept any counter-arguments,” she said.

“We do not want to preserve these places in order to stop development, but it is our mandate to act in the interest of our Joburg people’s heritage.”

But Duncan said DRDGold’s re-treatment operation would help preserve its employees’ jobs.

The chairman of the Parktown Westcliff Heritage Trust, Flo Bird, said: “I don’t understand why DRDGold cannot understand that the dump is a manmade structure that is a heritage site and a landmark of the city.”

The chairman of Joburg Heritage Trust, Neil Fraser, said mine dumps were slowly disappearing from the city skyline.

“In the last 10 years of mine dumps being reprocessed for gold, mine dumps are gradually disappearing,” he said.

Fraser added: “It would be good to retain the Top Star, as it is one of Joburg’s most historical and socially memorable landmarks.”

joburg

October 1st, 2006, 03:15 PM

^^ So happy that they're trying to save it, because it's defo one of the best places to view the city. And it would be fantastic if it's saved, and the city puts some investment in it. Not only did the venue used to show movies, but it was a great venue for open-air parties (I think MTV has had some parties there), obviously with a great backdrop of the city at night. It was hot!

Mo Rush

October 1st, 2006, 03:57 PM

http://mishilo.image.pbase.com/v3/93/329493/1/44789451.nam518a.jpg

Aerial over Sandton

mike2005

October 1st, 2006, 05:31 PM

The sandton market will not be too affected by rising rates cos the bankers etc there have been getting massive bonuses this year and that looks set to continue for a while yet. Salaries in the investment banking sector and funds sector are going through the roof at the moment. Many of the guys working for the big investment banks in Joburg are getting bigger bonuses than their colleagues in London at the moment and the melrose arch/sandton central/Morningside property markets target them specifically.

mike2005

October 1st, 2006, 05:34 PM

also Joburg do you have anymore info about the tollman towers project? It would be great to see it in use again as its one of my fave buildings in the city.

joburg

October 1st, 2006, 05:58 PM

Nope.. such information I gathered from Yarrick (Jakes1), who gathered such information from Neil Fraser. But I wouldn't put your hopes up for anything that isn't in render-format yet..

Jakes1

October 2nd, 2006, 10:25 AM

Jakes1

October 2nd, 2006, 10:31 AM

Some more news. the contitutional court is regarded as the best building in south africa. Viva jozi architecture

Pule

October 2nd, 2006, 11:40 AM

Hi Mike!

According to Neil Fraser the Tollman Towers (also two of my fav buildings in CBD) have been bought by a Nigerian business lady. She is aiming to reopen the 20storey tower as an African Themed Hotel, and the 40storey part as a condominium. This is all due to start soon, but obviously we will have to keep our fingers crossed. It would be awesome to see this building come to life again - and the area around the court is coming back to life. Hopefully this development will link to the carlton via smal street... So no real concrete facts, but there are definately plans for the old tolman towers!

The Barbican is also set for a R120million facelift - which makes me very happy indeed. thank you old mutual!

He also mentioned the revitilization of the westgate area, but he said that there no plans to revitilize the train station there. He also said thet the vacant old mining area next to to roodepoort offramp from the N1 North is bought by the other balck guy who is planning to open up a mining gallery there.

joburg

October 2nd, 2006, 01:56 PM

^^ It's a pity that they don't give existing stations a complete make over, because I think they can be developed to connect with the Gautrain. For instance, trains could be upgraded and made safer (who remembers that dreadful scene from Tsotsi where that old man was stabbed?), and new timetables could be formulated in order to connect with Gautrain times.

So if you wanted to go from Roodepoort to the airport, it would be a simply matter of connecting via Park Station to get to the airport.

joburg

October 2nd, 2006, 02:00 PM

Some more news. the contitutional court is regarded as the best building in south africa. Viva jozi architecture

I think Gauteng has actually won quite a few design and architecture awards lately. Off the top of my head, I can think of that house in Melville (what's it called?), as well as Marupeng in the Cradle of Humankind.

joburg

October 2nd, 2006, 02:03 PM

Commuters told to use public transport
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=285460&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/
Johannesburg, South Africa
02 October 2006 07:18

Gauteng's commuters must be encouraged to use public transport, the province's transport minister Ignatius Jacobs said on Sunday.

He acknowledged that Gauteng's public transport system was underdeveloped, but said it was also underused.

He said half of the passenger trips in the province were made on public transport and the other half on private transport.

"Most trips during peak times are made to schools, while 32% of trips are made to work," said Jacobs.

The research also showed that 68& of households did not own cars.

Jacobs said that providing a public tansport system that would be "a mode of choice" for most people was a "huge challenge".

However, it would ensure better use of road space than the existing reliance on private transport.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Jeff Radebe said last week that the government would launch a hi-tech traffic management system in a bid to reduce congestion on the Ben Schoeman highway between Johannesburg and Tshwane.

About 160 000 cars used the highway each day, Radebe said in launching Transport Month at the Midrand fire department.

While the Gautrain will go a long way in addressing this, South Africa's future prosperity depends on increased investment in public transport.

"We are ... under no illusions about the magnitude of the task at hand ..."

The government has to ensure the public transport system is in line with national policy imperatives and contributes to economic growth and development.

Cities like Tshwane, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban need a world-class infrastructure and transport system that maximises economic efficiency, said Radebe.

He said the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) -- a five-year pilot project being implemented on the Ben Schoeman highway -- will help improve road safety and reduce traffic congestion.

The R51-million ITS transmits real-time traffic and road conditions to road users, traffic authorities and emergency services.

The Department of Transport is also considering a freeway network expansion including construction of a motorway between Sandton and Pretoria West, and between Soweto and Ekurhuleni.

Meanwhile, it spent R2,8-billion this year alone improving rail operations and infrastructure. An additional R7,7-billion is being spent on the taxi industry under the recapitalisation programme, he said.

A further R2,3-billion has been invested in the bus industry, and R3,8-billion is going to the public transport in preparation for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

"Multi-faceted initiatives are being implemented to influence road users' behaviour to rethink their travelling choices," said Radebe.

The Transport Month campaign will encourage people to walk, cycle, use public transport or carry several people per vehicle.

Jacobs explained that the congestion and gridlock had accompanied rapid economic growth and the development of the motor manufacturing industry.

"Road infrastructure continues to be under immense pressure due to competition for road space from industrial, public and private road users.

"The state and lifespan of the road network continues to degenerate beyond its holding capacity as a result of the pressure exerted on it," said Jacobs.

"We must introduce a usage of road space that would ensure that each of the modes of travel, such as taxis, buses, rail, heavy-duty vehicles and private cars makes optimal use of socio-economic infrastructure," he said.

"We need to develop a transport system that creates a one-stop centre of socio-economic activity."

Jacobs said the government had already started improving transport infrastructure by building roads in disadvantaged communities and public transport terminals. - Sapa

Pule

October 4th, 2006, 06:01 AM

Gautrain Station Areas Draw Interest - 2006/10/03

Email Article
The advent of the Gautrain rapid rail network is fuelling interest in commercial property investment as well as new developments and major refurbishments around the proposed station precincts, notably in Rosebank, Sandton and Midrand at the moment.

"These areas were the major beneficiaries of the decentralization trend which saw many businesses relocate from the Johannesburg CBD in the Eighties and Nineties," says Gavin Klarmann of leading commercial property consultancy Bradford McCormack, "and now they are set to benefit again from the Gautrain initiative."

Internationally, he notes, rapid rail networks have been a catalyst for retail, commercial and industrial as well as residential property development in spines that follow the routes of these services, and there is every reason to anticipate a similar pattern here.

"It's worth noting that Gautrain will not carry freight. It will be a commuter service and from what we understand is aimed largely at middle to upper-income earners who currently often find themselves caught up in the traffic congestion of the Johannesburg/ Pretoria megalopolis - and will gladly commute by train as their counterparts do in cities such as London, Paris, New York and Sydney."

This will boost the demand for offices, shops and even factories that are within easy reach of the Gautrain stations and that will of course attract the attention of investors and make it worthwhile for the owners of older properties in these areas to refurbish them, says Klarmann.

"In fact, there is already the growing interest among developers in new or refurbishment projects on the two main Gautrain routes; the north-south axis from Hatfield in Pretoria to Park station in Johannesburg and the east-west axis from Rhodesfield station near the OR Tambo International airport to Sandton."

New projects on these routes include Old Mutual's Zonk'Izizwe mixed commercial, retail and leisure development in central Midrand, Heartlands' mixed-use development in Modderfontein and the Bridge Precinct development in Braamfontein, he notes.

"And large scale refurbishment of existing office blocks and retail complexes is already under way in Rosebank while in Sandton, we have helped investors identify several properties worth refurbishing now because of the expected rise in demand for space close to the Gautrain stop."

Mo Rush

October 5th, 2006, 09:19 PM

What World Cup?
Lloyd Gedye
05 October 2006 06:59
Soccer City: The countdown to the 2010 World Cup is on, but there’s little evidence of development in the suburb where the ceremony is going to kick off. (Photograph: Lisa Skinner)
With just over 1 300 days to the World Cup kick-off, there are no signs of development in Bertrams, the run-down suburb adjoining the Ellis Park Stadium that hosts the opening event for 2010.

Dilapidated and broken buildings house unemployed South Africans, refugees and illegal immigrants who pay between R200 and R1 000 rent per month, while the street corners are teeming with drug dealers who have been chased from the CBD.

Many plots are vacant while the ownership of some properties is understood to be in dispute after the owners walked away from their investments. Many houses are beyond repair while few are maintained.

Squatters live in derelict buildings, some of which look as though they could be used as background for a film set in World War II.

Investors can purchase houses in Bertrams for between R100 000 and R500 000 -- a mansion previously owned by a Randlord sold last year for just R250 000 -- but estate agents report that there are very few investors taking advantage of the market because it is seen as a risky investment.

While many homes in Johannesburg suburbs are being renovated as part of the property boom, which has seen house prices double in three years, there are no signs of such renovation in Bertrams.

One resident who agreed to talk to the Mail & Guardian on condition of anonymity said that homeless people were squatting in the derelict buildings.

He described the neighbourhood as a no-go zone at night and said even taxi drivers would not give him a lift from Hillbrow to Bertrams in the early hours of the morning.

“On every street corner you can buy any drug you want,” he said, puffing away on a rather large joint.

During a visit to Bertrams this week, the M&G could find no homeowners in the area, just tenants, some for whom rent from slumlords who rent from the owner of the property.

The greater Ellis Park precinct has been identified by the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) for a R2-billion upgrade ahead of the 2010 World Cup, which will impact upon Bertrams, Doornfontein, Bezuidenhout Valley, Troyeville, Judith’s Paarl and Lorentzville.

Plans focusing on precincts for education, manufacturing and sports have already been approved by the city council.

Abandoned or underused office buildings will be converted into affordable accommodation, while Derby Road will be turned into a high street providing retail, commercial and entertainment venues and the Terrace Road Mansions will be converted into medium density low-cost housing.

JDA CEO Lael Bethlehem says the agency has been looking at Bertrams for quite a while and believes it has huge potential for middle to low income housing because of its positioning. She says the 2010 Soccer World Cup is just the catalyst needed to get things moving.

“2010 is a key moment and Bertrams must be ready by then. We don’t want the area to look like it does now,” says Bethlehem. “We would like to see quite an ambitious redevelopment of Bertrams.”

Bethlehem says there are a lot of challenges that need to be sorted out, such as organising alternative accommodation for the current residents and working around the buildings that are protected under heritage legislation.

Real estate agents are forecasting that investors stand to make tidy profits from property that can be bought at rock-bottom prices where there are still no signs of development.

Ben Phiri says he has been renting in Bertrams for three years and he likes it because it is near his place of work. He admits that there is a lot of drug dealing and bag snatching that goes on in the neighbourhood.

Eunice Malounda says she has been renting in Bertrams for six months and is very happy. She says she would consider buying a house in the suburb if she was in the position to do so.

Ismail Farouk, an artist and social development consultant, says Bertrams is a poor neighbourhood with many social problems such as high unemployment, substance abuse and xenophobia.

Farouk says that because property prices are expected to rise in the build-up to the World Cup, landlords who had previously lost control of their buildings are returning and evicting residents who have been staying there so that they can upgrade the buildings.

“Bertrams is set to change, in fact the inner city is about to change,” says Farouk. “The ordered chaos that we all know and love is under threat.”

Farouk warns that just evicting people and not dealing with the social problems of the suburb will mean that once again the problems are just pushed under the carpet.

“They are only interested in attracting new investment and have no interest in looking after the existing residents,” says Farouk.

He says property in Bertrams is still very cheap and says a grand old mansion in the area, which was one of the oldest houses in Johannesburg, sold last year for R250 000.

Werner Lilleike, the manager of Hall Real Estate’s Killarney office, says Bertrams is definitely a good investment and the suburb has a positive future ahead.

“A lot of people are saying I will buy there and sort the place out,” says Lilleike. “Government has started to sort the area out. The Red Ants have been in there taking out illegal immigrants, but there is still a lot of work to be done.”

Aida’s regional manager for Gauteng, Nadia Vermeulen, says she expects a lot of investment in the area, but says the secret is to invest now.

Aida’s Killarney branch manager Robert Brooks says in the past there had been very little demand for Bertrams, but says there is a view that the area is going to pick up.

Brooks says he currently has a three-bedroom house on sale with a garden cottage for R550 000 in Bertrams.

He says the tax breaks that investors can get under the Urban Development Tax Incentive for the Johannesburg inner city would also help encourage people to invest.

Developers who construct new buildings in these areas will receive a 2% tax write-off in the first year, followed by a 5% annual write-off over 16 years.

However, not all real estate agents are convinced that there will be a boom in Bertrams. Safura Dangor of Dangor Property Services predicts that after the 2010 World Cup, things will go back to normal in Bertrams.

Mo Rush

October 5th, 2006, 09:21 PM

Mo Rush

October 5th, 2006, 09:22 PM

joburg

October 6th, 2006, 11:17 AM

^^ Yep there is still such a lot of work to be done in the Bertrams corridor. The city has such big plans for it, however, but as the article says, there isn't much going on, and the area is still quite delapidated.

The same can be said for the area immediately surrounding Ellis Park, notably the Ellis Park train station (I don't know why they don't develop this? - it's like a golden nugget), Ponte (which needs a complete overhaul), and Hillbrow, which although is quite far away from Ellis Park, it's still on the doorstep.

However, not all real estate agents are convinced that there will be a boom in Bertrams. Safura Dangor of Dangor Property Services predicts that after the 2010 World Cup, things will go back to normal in Bertrams.

I disagree. Bertrams is a really lovely area, with quite a few parks and other recreational areas. I think that if the city poured money into the area, and forced residents to look after their property, you could see a complete different neighbourhood.

I don't think there is a need to change the economic profile of residents in the area. People are poor... but that doesn't mean the area has to look like shit. Small things - like paiting your house, cleaning your windows, picking up litter, and wiping out graffitti.. will do a great amount in cleaning the place up.

joburg

October 6th, 2006, 11:21 AM

hsark

October 6th, 2006, 12:41 PM

aaah 3 long reposts *stare @ joburg*

joburg

October 6th, 2006, 01:56 PM

^^ Oi! it's not me reposting three times - it's Mo Rush. You gotta stare at him... :D *starrrresss*

(and then again.. it's probably not even him reposting three times, but all the tinkering that has been going on with this system)

Mo Rush

October 6th, 2006, 01:59 PM

I've contacted Carol Milner, our local DA councillor for the ward about the issue. She is very jacked up (our mini Helen Zille), and hopefully she'll push the city about this.

If the city can be so successful in projects such as Constitutional Hill, Newtown and Kliptown, then there is no reason why they cannot be successful with Bertrams.

Since we are hosting the opening ceremony, it's uberly important that this area is fixed up, as first impressions will last.

"Zille rebutted international critics who have said that the city would not get its act together to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

Zille said Cape Town would not only host the opening ceremony and a semi-final, but would become the party capital of 2010."

Jakes1

October 6th, 2006, 02:00 PM

some of my posts also went missing...

joburg

October 6th, 2006, 02:06 PM

Zille rebutted international critics who have said that the city would not get its act together to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

Zille said Cape Town would not only host the opening ceremony and a semi-final, but would become the party capital of 2010."

Sorry I was under the impression that we were hosting the opening... are we, or are we not?

Personally I think Cape Town should indeed host the opening ceremony, since it is defo our flagship city, and Table Mountain would provide a fab backdrop for the city.

On a side note.. I'm off to the Mother City tonight for the weekend... yay. :) Bronx here we come...

joburg

October 6th, 2006, 02:47 PM

Um... Anyway... In case any of you haven't noticed, Joburg turned 120 this week.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOBURG!

:dance:

Mo Rush

October 6th, 2006, 02:51 PM

bronx...urrgh..go to cruz instead.

joburg

October 6th, 2006, 03:18 PM

^^ Well you see Bronx was recommended to me by my dear friend who did a year at UCT, and he said that the place was not only a fusion of hot boys bubbling about with sexual energy, but it also had awesome music and that the atmosphere just rocked balls.

I'm like soooooooooooo excited.

clive330

October 6th, 2006, 06:45 PM

I don't think there is a need to change the economic profile of residents in the area. People are poor... but that doesn't mean the area has to look like shit. Small things - like paiting your house, cleaning your windows, picking up litter, and wiping out graffitti.. will do a great amount in cleaning the place up.

Interesting point. It does seem that a lot of poor people seem fairly content to live in what looks like a cesspit. Have they no pride/hope? Many small rundown houses/properties look as though simply a weekend's cleanup and it wouldnt look half bad.

The older parts of Australian cities have tons of tiny little houses (e.g. single fronted victorians/federations) that were originally no bigger than an "RDP" house and yet they look fantastic as people look after them. No rusting junk in the front yard, garbage everywhere and falling down fences.

Mo Rush

October 6th, 2006, 10:00 PM

Pule

October 9th, 2006, 02:41 PM

Good News for Fashion District, by 2010 Jozi will be a city to work, play and live in

From dreams to reality - the fashion district is rocking
It has been seven years in the making, but the vision of an inner city fashion district is becoming a reality. The wrecker's ball is at the ready and the Fashion Kapitol should be open within a few months, writes Neil Fraser.

9 October 2006
By Neil Fraser

WHEN I first wrote about the fashion district, back in 2000 (Citichat 42, 2000), I posed the question: "How does one take a good idea and turn it into reality?" I answered my question as follows: "With a lot of hard work - strategies have to be developed and institutional frameworks established, as well as a practitioners' forum, practitioners' support, empowerment programmes and place marketing programmes devised and investment obtained, and so forth. And, as of this week, it's all rolling."

Well, the last comment, while true, may have been a tad premature, over-ambitious and not taking into account just how long the "rolling" would last. I seem to have written about the fashion district every year since that comment in 2000, and with great expectations, but now, at last, a major intervention is about to take place that should be the catalyst to move this important initiative from "rolling" to reality.

The idea of a fashion district developed from research undertaken in 1999 by Professor Chris Rogerson of the University of the Witwatersrand. This was followed in his report for the Inner City Task Team, "A new opportunity for growth or mere survival? The clothing industry of inner city Johannesburg".

In the report, he concluded: "It is clear that the early 1990s have seen a period of considerable change and restructuring in the inner city clothing economy of Johannesburg. Key features of this restructuring have been the progressive emasculation of the formal clothing economy, particularly in the wake of competitive imports, and the parallel rise of a burgeoning small-enterprise clothing economy, dominated by black South African entrepreneurs (the majority, women entrepreneurs) and yet with an increasingly important segment of production from immigrant-run businesses."

The good professor then went on to say: "It has been suggested that inner city Johannesburg contains the makings of an incipient clothing cluster or industrial district which stretches from Fordsburg across through to the CBD. A set of interventions might be put forward to strengthen the competitiveness of this cluster as a whole and to seek to shift the industry away from a trajectory of mere survival to one of long-term growth. The range of different types of interventions that might be considered can be drawn from the experience of planning for the support of other industrial districts, particularly in the developing world."

So what interventions have taken place? Firstly, there was an analysis of the needs of and gaps in the local small, medium and micro enterprise garment industry. Secondly, there was research into the clustering of industry and the potential that this area offered to achieve this. Thirdly, training programmes were designed specifically to start to meet the needs and plug the gaps. Fourthly, physical demarcation was completed - all pavements in the district are marked with a colourful mosaic "electric sewing machine" pattern and imaginative pylons delineate the entrances to the precinct. Fifthly, the Fashion District Institute, FDI, was established in May 2004 with the following role:

Custodian of the vision;
Marketing and business promotions;
Facilitation of interest and development;
Support for business; and
District caretaker.
The sixth intervention came from the private sector, in the form of two initiatives from businessman Rees Mann, namely the opening of SewAfrica in 2001, followed by the Afsew Centre in 2004. Mann is the mover and shaker behind the revitalisation of the fashion district.

SewAfrica
Apart from various other support facilities, SewAfrica provided "an opportunity for development and training that will enable individuals in the informal clothing manufacturing sector to obtain national qualifications that will facilitate the creation of wealth and employment. SewAfrica provides accredited courses that are relevant and appropriate to a sector that would not normally have access to technikons and fashion design colleges. It provides affordable courses that are structured in such a manner so as to allow the candidate to gain the necessary skills while generating an income. It provides a nurturing and supportive environment."
These words were reported in one of my earlier newsletters, Citichat 44, 2001.

The Afsew Centre went to the next level, as I explained in Citichat in March 2004: "The two top floors, six and five, have been designed as a 'fashion hub' and have been reserved for 36 emerging designers … Here such designers will have access to nearly R100 000 worth of equipment so that at this embryo stage they will not have to expose themselves to the cost of the capital investment needed in their industry.

"Floors four and three will house the training centre previously housed in SewAfrica, at 109 Pritchard. The two lowest floors, two and one, have been sub-divided into 10 studios and let to established designers. Unlike the emerging designers on the two upper levels, these designers are self-contained, having their own staff and equipment. The ground floor houses the 'Fashion Shack', a retail space where all the designers in the building will exhibit their wares, which can then be bought by the public.

"But it will also act as a showcase and stimulus to buyers to meet the individual designers whose work they may particularly fancy for the purpose of placing additional orders, and so on."

The fashion district will ultimately cover some 32 city blocks between Von Wielligh, Jeppe, End and Commissioner streets. It contains an intriguing set of buildings, 40 percent of which are older than 60 years and 70 percent of which are currently retail-related, providing about two kilometres of retail budget clothing. Of the current businesses, 80 percent are fashion-related, more than 100 tailors and seamstresses are clustered in informal production houses (with many times that number working off the pavements). It has eight milliners, six fabric dyers, 30 fabric sellers and 13 haberdashery shops.

The vision for the district is to be "The fashion capital of Africa", which requires it be uniquely African through becoming the "urban edge of African fashion" And it aims to:

Showcase Africa's creative attitude;
Revitalise the inner city fashion industry;
Develop innovative talent and businesses; and
Create growing and sustainable linkages.
Africa's design centre
As the urban edge of African fashion, the district seeks to be Africa's design centre, a cutting-edge home for African designers but still an area for a bargain; catering for all needs; providing a wide range of products; and offering unique products.
Earlier this year I reflected on the latest intervention, the Fashion Kapitol, saying: "So, I have been writing on and off about this initiative for five years with little to show on the surface other than Rees Mann's initiatives (namely, SewAfrica and Afsew). But all that started changing last year as the behind-the-scenes planning and scheming of the previous years started coming to a head.

"A Fashion District Institute was established with an interim board of directors and an executive director. The City council expropriated a building, almost a complete block between Pritchard and President streets, which will shortly be demolished to make way for the Fashion Kapitol, in essence a public space or square dedicated to fashion, complete with ramp, cafés and 'boutiquey' shops.

"An investor has bought the 1920s Gallo building that backs on to the Fashion Kapitol for restoration … Another investor has bought four buildings for conversion into low-cost housing and trendy lofts - real industrial space lofts.

So things are starting to move - fashion is starting to swing."

Well, three months later and what is going to start swinging, literally within days, is the wrecker's ball. A demolition permit has been granted and Stand 4600 Johannesburg will be flattened in a couple of weeks, enabling builders to start on site. Within the first half of 2007, the Fashion Kapitol will be a reality.

Fashion Kapitol
While SewAfrica and Afsew were important private sector initiatives, they were quite self-contained within the district, whereas the Fashion Kapitol is primarily a public space-fashion ramp around which will be clustered all the support structures for the industry, namely, shops, boutiques, coffee shops and so forth.
The Fashion Kapitol should form the real catalyst to spur on the development of the inner city fashion scene. It will provide a focus for the fashion district; a magnet for visitors; a place for "pause"; a vibrant retail information centre; the FDI offices; a fashion house; and an outdoor fashion ramp.

The last of the interventions, which would have been undertaken earlier had economics allowed, will also now be put in place. It is the establishment of a City Improvement District. This is a key component of the building blocks leading to a successful specialist precinct as it will provide the urban management (over and above that provided by the City council) to ensure that the fashion district is "safe, clean and friendly".

From 1999 to 2006 is indeed a long time. But it is a fact of life that urban degradation takes place incredibly rapidly as a reaction to a host of negative circumstances, while urban regeneration is slow, often painful and requires deliberate and continuous positive action. The interventions that I have outlined have appeared to be slow but each has built on the other and I believe that the pace of change will now accelerate.

Viva African fashion, viva.

Regards, Neil

PS: There is a great exhibition on at Constitution Hill in Section 4. "Gandhi: A Prisoner of Conscience" is really worth a visit

waltjie

October 9th, 2006, 05:23 PM

i dont see the point of this "fashion district". honestly. who is going to use this?

i dont see the "SA Fashionweek"-crowd hanging out here...

Sorry.

joburg

October 9th, 2006, 09:15 PM

^^ Well SA Fashion week hasn't used it in the past, but do you not think it'll be used in the future for this purpose?

I personally think that if you create a clinically clean precinct such as the Fashion Precinct, you'll find shows like SA Fashion Week moving from the Sandton Convention to here.

If anything, the show is sponsered a great deal by government, and the fashionistas of Joburg I think will definitely embrace something new like this..

But besides the high class end of the market, I think it's important to have a platform whereby emerging designers can have a place to create and exhibit their work...

joburg

October 9th, 2006, 09:20 PM

[quote]
haha..enjoy..but do pop into cruz.
[/quote

I did and it was hot. So was Bronx though, which I preferred however because the atmosphere was more alive. Also went to this restaurant called Anatoli, which is Turkish, and I thought it was hot as well.

Infact.. i thought the whole of Cape Town was hot and sexy and trendy and fabuloso.

joburg

October 9th, 2006, 09:36 PM

Yo boys.. new development in the city coming up soon..

http://www.pacerez.co.za/broadway

joburg

October 9th, 2006, 09:45 PM

Good to see that Stuttaford's turnaround strategy is mentioned in the same breath as developing high street shopping in Jozi's CBD. I was really uberly impressed with the retail one could find in Cape Town's CBD.. that Eco store opposite On Broadway was hot stuff.

Stuttafords announces turnaround strategy
September 28, 2006

By Tom Robbins

Cape Town - The new chief executive of Stuttafords, Bruce Rubenstein, yesterday announced new strategies that were aimed at turning the former ailing department store chain around.

This move will see Stuttafords reposition itself as a more up-market retailer.

Rubenstein said he would carry on as chief executive of private equity player Vestacor. In June a private consortium of retail investors made up of Vestacor, Retail Ventures Group and Ellerine Brothers bought the department store chain for an undisclosed sum.

Rubenstein replaces Dennis Vining as Stuttafords chief executive, following the latter's decision to retire after the takeover.

Rubenstein said he aimed to strengthen management at the retailer and would "stick around until we get it right" before returning to Vestacor full time. Recognising that Stuttafords was located in major malls such as Sandton City, he believed that "retail is becoming more sensible" after the building of numerous malls in recent years.

Rubenstein said that because of this, Stuttafords would not open new stores. He believed that the consumer shift to more accessible convenience shopping was fundamental.

Several factors, such as a higher number of working mothers, had seen many consumers become increasingly short of spare time.

Moreover, Rubenstein believed high street shopping and city centre retail were making comebacks as the other available sites were spread out on the fringes of cities.

Johannesburg's city centre had, with government support, experienced some success in attracting residents, but an opportunity now existed to develop convenience retail strips for office workers.

Rubenstein stressed that the challenges facing city centre development were immense, including the reluctance of banks to risk lending money. But he saw potential for investors to redevelop properties on streets with high foot traffic and then let them out to retailers.

Referring to Stuttafords, Rubenstein said that apart from returning the chain to some of the up-market formality that had previously been a hallmark of the business, internal changes were in progress. These included better staff training to support the impending introduction of top international brands.

If customers were going to be paying more for better-quality clothing, they would have to be given more personalised service.

On management changes, Rubenstein said a middle management structure of regional managers had been done away with. Store-based management would now report more directly to him. By winter next year, about 15 percent of the 20 stores in the country would have been redesigned to give them "a more luxurious feel".

Rubenstein said apart from this investment, Vestacor was involved in retail property development, with a focus on convenience centres.

joburg

October 9th, 2006, 09:52 PM

They definitely need to increase security at the airport. Not sure what they mean by the extension of the upper roadway linking the international departures concourse into the existing roadway? And I don't believe it'll be construction free by 2010... I don't think ACSA has ever stopped doing things at JIA.

Africa's biggest airport will be 'safe, construction-free' by 2010

Security at South Africa's busiest airport, Johannesburg International Airport (JIA), would be scaled up ahead of 2010 and Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) GM for JIA, Chris Hlekane, has promised a safe and construction-free airport for the soccer World Cup.

He told journalists at a quarterly briefing on Thursday, in Johannesburg, that Acsa, the owner and operator of ten domestic airports, had completed its new access permit system, which now comprised zone-management functionalities and finger print biometric technology.

In the process, it reduced the number of access permit issued at JIA, soon to become OR Tambo International Airport, from 30 000 to 20 000 and also introduced penalties, which could force noncompliant permit holders to pay fines of up to R10 000.

“We hope the stiff fines will restrict permit holders from doing as they wish with the permits,” Hlekane said.

Acsa also intensified the security at its baggage-handling facility and the intensified operation has led to the arrest of some 22 people working with baggage. The company said it would procure automated baggage-tag scanning and tracking equipment, which would ensure that bags were not picked up from the conveyor belts to be scanned and, thus, lessen human intervention with luggage.

Meanwhile, the International Civil Aviation Organisation completed an audit on JIA, during August, and Hlekane told journalists that the auditors were satisfied with the airport's aviation security, adding that some of JIA's equipment was now used as a model for other airports.

Commenting on the progress of the R3,5-billion JIA infrastructure upgrade programme, Acsa's Dawid Scholtz said that construction was in “full swing” and that all developments would be complete by the end of 2009. “By early 2010, we will have a construction-free airport.”

Hlekane reported that construction on the infrastructure projects, which included a central terminal building, international pier development, a second multi-storey parkade and a new upper roadway, was actually slightly ahead of plan.

Construction on the central terminal building, linking the domestic and international terminals, began in June and Scholtz reported that it would be complete by the end of 2009.

The international pier development, which would allow for a substantial increase in the number of passengers boarding and disembarking through air bridges, would be operational by March, after which Acsa would embark on a second phase of development. Ultimately, the international pier development would provide extra passenger holding space, an expanded duty-free mall and a bus station to serve departures to remotely parked aircraft.

Hlekane admitted that parking was one of the airport's main challenges and reported that, during peak times, the current parking facilities, which could hold 8 750 cars, were overused. The new multistorey parkade, the first phase of which was expected to be open to the public by August 2007, would add a further 5 200 parking bays. Completion was scheduled for December 2008.

Moreover, construction on the new upper roadway, which would allow the extension of the international departures concourse into the existing upper road, began earlier this year and Acsa planned to have the project completed by February. The extension of the international departures public concourse was out on tender and anticipated completion was the end of next year.

waltjie

October 10th, 2006, 10:19 AM

i worked at JIA for 2,5 years and im telling you, it is SCARY how easy it is to get into places you are not supposed to be if you have an airside permit.....

clive330

October 10th, 2006, 11:01 AM

Probably the same for most airports. A mad friend of mine passed out while drunk and ended up at Heathrow airport. Woke up there drunk out of his mind and wandered around Heathrow for a while before going through a door somewhere, picking up neons and a radio, then found his way onto the runway where he helped shift some bags under a plane and took a few pictures. Phoned a few people from there too. Eventually he got bored and came home, complete with neons and the radio, which he still has, I believe. He had no pass and was never challanged or even noticed in spite of being so drunk he could barely talk.

Jakes1

October 10th, 2006, 11:09 AM

09 Oct 2006 - Aengus Lifestyle Properties - TDH Communications

Intro
Aengus Lifestyle Properties continues to revolutionise urban living with the launch of its third residential building in Johannesburg’s inner city, Tribeca Lofts.

Aengus Lifestyle Properties continues to revolutionise urban living with the launch of its third residential building in Johannesburg’s inner city, Tribeca Lofts. The building - which had been abandoned for almost a decade - houses 140 studio loft apartments in the heart of the city.

Situated on the corner of Jeppe and Eloff Streets, the Tribeca Lofts introduce an upmarket, New York City style living experience to a node of the CBD that bustles with people and trade from the early morning to the late afternoon. An open air mall provides every facility and shopping opportunity imaginable, all within a 50m walking distance.

The Lofts form part of a Central Improvement District (CID), which has transformed the security and cleanliness of a 25 block area of the city. The CID provides a fully equipped and uniformed security force, and additional cleaning services, ensuring a clean environment.

Aengus Lifestyle Properties managing director Richard Rubin says Tribeca Lofts will add value to the area by inducing the introduction of more up-market developments and encouraging retail investment. “A number of buildings have been successfully converted to apartments in that area, which also assists in the area’s resurgence,” Rubin says.

He says the building itself will maintain the standards Aengus is well-known for, with modern and stylish fittings. “From the door handles to the light fittings, granite kitchens and convenient pre-paid electricity systems, Tribeca Lofts offer a luxurious yet affordable living experience.”

As in all of Aengus’ buildings, security is of utmost importance. Tribeca Lofts will be fitted with bio-metric finger print access control systems and will provide 4 highly trained in-house security staff on 24 hour shifts. Parking is also available in the building, with lift access to the buildings foyer.

These loft apartments vary in size from 28m² to 46m² - perfectly suited to a bachelor or young couple who want to enjoy the convenience and international lifestyle that city living offers. “Gone are the days of long taxi commutes to and from work. Rather wake up a couple of minutes before work, and walk to the office,” adds Rubin’s partner Gavin Meskin.

It certainly makes sense to us.

Aengus' first project in Johannesburg, the Braamfontein Lofts, was fully let within 24 hours. The Lofts @ 66 flagship project in the heart of Johannesburg is also fully let. Aengus is also nearing completion on the Fashion Lofts, a 230 unit development in Pritchard Street, Johannesburg. Work on Berea Lofts, the company’s first project in Durban, is about to commence

waltjie

October 10th, 2006, 11:20 AM

MOTORISTS should be very cautious when driving on Joburg's freeways – Big Brother is watching.

Johannesburg Roads Agency officially launched the Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS) on Monday, 9 October. An estimated R116-million has been set aside over the next financial year for the implementation of the project.

Speaking at the launch, the City's mayoral committee member for transport, Rehana Moosajee, said it was about time motorists started driving responsibly.

The mayoral committee member for transport, Rehana Moosajee

"The CCTV [closed circuit television] cameras are not there to prosecute but to manage traffic, but if there is a need to do it we will – as we will be working with the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department," Moosajee said.

The aims of the ATMS are to inform the public about incidents in real time and, once the system is in full operation, to repair faulty controllers before peak hours.

Raven Shabe, the roads agency spokesperson, said: "The primary purpose of the project it to use Intelligent Transportation Systems to assist the City in maximising the operational performance and reliability of all aspects of the road network with an emphasis on public transport through the modernisation of the current traffic management system …. This purpose will be achieved through the use of the Advanced Traffic Management Systems."

ATMS are advanced systems and technologies used to improve the efficiency and operation of the existing surface transportation infrastructure to create safer conditions for travellers and improved journey times.

Systems include traffic control, traffic enforcement, incident management, demand management, parking management and information management systems.

Work now being undertaken by the roads agency includes:

the installation of 700 overhead light-emitting diodes around the city;
the roll-out of 160 controllers in February 2007 as part of the Remote Monitoring System;
variable message signs that have been set up on the M1 and M2 highways;
the installation of 13 CCTV cameras along the M1 highway and 62 CCTV cameras along the M2 highway; and
the upgrading of the traffic signal system.
Electronic vehicle identification readers at approximately three-kilometre intervals, web cams at the same positions, semi-dynamic road signs at decision points such as systems interchanges where expected travel times between an origin and destination will be displayed, and modems to provide a communication link between field devices and the traffic management centre are all part of the new system.

"The CCTV cameras will be linked to our traffic management centre, which will be up and running in the next two weeks at the Midrand Fire Station," said the roads agency's operations manager of networks and mobility, Peter Filbey.

"As the network is upgraded to incorporate the various advanced traffic management systems, there will be a need to upgrade the traffic management centre with new software, hardware and other resources."

Operators at the centre will be able to monitor traffic and road conditions; to detect incidents by means of information received from field devices; to respond to calls from the public; to determine travel times on the road network; and to liaise directly with emergency services for the effective management of incidents and debriefing sessions with affected parties after an incident.

"We will also be upgrading and integrating our traffic signal system, which will include replacing old controllers with new ones that will be linked to the control centre where changes to signal settings can be made remotely, including remote monitoring and fault detection," Filbey said.

mike2005

October 10th, 2006, 01:34 PM

sadly the fact he talks of taxi commutes to work shows what market they are aiming at. Downtown Jozi does not need any more downmarket flats it needs middle class and upper middle class developments.

Jakes1

October 10th, 2006, 02:30 PM

Actually mike, I am not sure if there is such a huge market for upmarket flats. You must remember that a lot of middle income people make use of taxis. And this gives them the opportunity to save a lot of money to get to work. Dont middle class people need safe, secure environments? Certainly you can't suggest that only upperclass citizens deserve clean safe buildings? (I know your not doing this, just an example). It is high time that the middle and lower middle income groups get access to safe, clean and secure buildings, where they are close to modes of safe, reliable and efficient urban transport. And Tribeca Lofts is certainly not downmarket. Have you checked out the finishes? the design? The amenities? It does however, cater for a middle income group, bachelors who need to be close to work but cant afford living in the North. This is definately not a low class development. Go check out Lofts@66 and the others on the website. An example of how desirable "undesirable" low income housing can be is Brickfields - and this also shows the error in your argument. Even low income housing can look good, and contribute to the rejuvenation of an area. In all comes down to efficient management once the project is completed - something that the folks at Brickfields (low income), Tribeca Lofts (middle income) and Mapungubwe (upper income) took into account.

joburg

October 10th, 2006, 03:00 PM

^^ I agree.. I think it's very clever that investors are focusing on middle-income earners, because it's these earners who are forced to live on the outskirts of the city (Midrand, Edenvale etc), because of the high rents of living closer to Sandton and the city.

What I would like to see from the city is a more conscientious effort towards improving retail and other amenoities in Joburg city. Would be nice to see a development similar to the Cape Quarter in De Waterkant, which creates an open environment, albeit one that is enclosed in a safe and clean environment.

joburg

October 10th, 2006, 03:05 PM

I received a response from the Councillour responsible for Bertrams, Carol Milner, about the delapidated state of affairs in the suburb, and she said that she hasn't had any luck in getting anyone to do something about the suburb. But the issue is apparently up for discussion at the October Coucil meeting, where hopefully we'll get some answers.... cos it's really in a kak shape.

Jakes1

October 10th, 2006, 03:17 PM

For those interested, look at aengus life properties website for more information. The term "luxury" accomodation can be disputed though, this is definately a more middle income development. But these are also the people that drive the process of regeneration! I cant see how retailers will stay out of the city if you have people living there with disposable income. Thats what happened in cape town. As people move in, a need develops, and any shrewd businessman/woman will see the opportunity. Even around Brickfields this becomes evident, with supermarkets, fastfood outlets etc opening to cater to the needs of the people living there. And in my view, bring in the middle income groups (that need to find affordable yet funky,safe and convenient places to live) and the retail will follow - and the yuppies will follow this wave. It is a bit weird to expect yuppies to move into luxury lofts while there are no amenities nearby? The middle income group will ensure that retail returns, making it a place that yuppies will like to stay as well. That is only my view, I might be wrong.

clive330

October 11th, 2006, 11:20 AM

is there a quantitative definition for "middle" income?

Jakes1

October 11th, 2006, 12:11 PM

The best way would be to probably look at your LSM indicators.

joburg

October 11th, 2006, 08:05 PM

And what are LSM indicators?

HirakataShi

October 12th, 2006, 10:33 AM

Aw.... bad news for Neil Watson and the other assortment of SA-bashers

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=139&art_id=vn20061011141518263C960294

Joburg hotels fill up for 2010 World Cup

Many of Joburg's top hotels are already fully booked for the 2010 World Cup. The Westcliff, the city's most elite place to stay, has no rooms available over the 2010 period.

Hans Prenner, general manager of the Michaelangelo in Sandton, today said his hotel was also already fully booked.

And this is likely to be the case for many other hotels as they are quickly filling up four years ahead of the big event.

According to the 2010 organising committee's latest progress report released last week, 18 584 hotel rooms have already been contracted for the event.

Of those, 5 732 are in Johannesburg, which will host the contest's opening match and final, and 4 463 are in Cape Town.

A conference looking at opportunities in the accommodation sector ahead of the 2010 World Cup, driven by the minister of environmental affairs and tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, is being held in Johannesburg on Thursday.

Of the large hotel chains, the Southern Sun group has had 6 231 rooms contracted, the Protea group 3 612, City Lodge 3 174 and Sun International 2 044.

Match Event Services, the company contracted by Fifa to look at the World Cup's accommodation requirements, is working towards a target of 55 000 contracted rooms.

In addition to hotels, Match is also looking to contract non-hotel accommodation such as lodges, guesthouses, national park accommodation and bed-and-breakfasts.

Debbie McKenzie of the Grace in Rosebank said the hotel had not yet started taking any bookings.

"We are still waiting for our people at the top to tell us when we can start taking bookings. The other thing is that we still haven't decided on the rates.

"We have emails from people who want to make reservations, but we have told them to wait until we get the itinerary for Johannesburg," said McKenzie.

She pointed out that their hotel had only 72 rooms, and that 20 of these would be reserved for their regular clients.

Robyn Saunders of the Rosebank Hotel said they had received many enquiries from local tour operators wanting to know about their hotel space and availability.

However, said Saunders, the hotel hadn't decided to be part of any tender process. She indicated that they could be running independently in taking bookings and that there would be an annual increase of 10 percent on their rates for every year leading to 2010.

The reservations desk at the Parktonian Hotel in Braamfontein confirmed that they also had not yet taken any bookings.

The marketing manager for Sun International at Carnival City in Brakpan, Duncan Pollock, said: "Basically we are a hotel aimed at gamblers. It's a small hotel, it has 48 rooms.

"We are building an additional 57 rooms, but it's not strictly for 2010. We will probably have a spinoff from 2010."

A call centre agent at Southern Sun at OR Tambo International Airport, who asked not to be named, said the hotel group did not have rooms allocated for accommodation during the 2010 World Cup.

"We don't even have rates for 2010 as yet," she said.

Danny Bryer of Protea Hotels said they would only start taking bookings after a decision had been taken as to which teams would be based where in the country.

"We have given our room stock to Fifa, and marketing to the fans in different countries will be done by a company chosen by Fifa," said Dryer.

He said they haven't received any bookings from foreign guests in connection with 2010.

However, Business Report said today that construction for the World Cup would be held hostage by cement imports, as local producers struggle to meet demand.

Natal Portland Cement, Pretoria Portland Cement and Lafarge have been caught napping by an unexpected surge in housing and commercial property developments.

They are now spending billions to boost plant capacity, but these are only due to be completed in 2008. Until then, manufacturers are having to import cement products to meet local demand.

joburg

October 12th, 2006, 11:31 AM

^^ wow... Yeah indeed, great news! Even better news for the Tollman Towers hotel venture.

joburg

October 13th, 2006, 10:31 AM

Eurocape ploughs cash into inner city revivals
October 13, 2006

By Tom Robbins

Cape Town - Irish property developer Eurocape Holdings said it would continue investing in South African inner cities, following investments of R1 billion in Cape Town.

Privately held Eurocape plans to complete the first phase of its Cape Town project, the swish R500 million Mandela Rhodes Place apartment and restaurant redevelopment, in mid-November.

Work has also begun on the "R400 million to R500 million" joint venture with the Tata Group's Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces to build a five-star Taj Hotel at the top end of St Gerorge's Mall. The hotel construction will incorporate two historic buildings that once housed two of the country's oldest financial institutions, the Reserve Bank and the Board of Executors, now BOE.

Eurocape chief executive Martin Kearns said the next phase would be the refurbishment of the 106 Adderley Street office block. Kearns said the firm had opened a Johannesburg office and was looking at proposals in that city's central business district (CBD).

In the past five years the rejuvenation of the Johannesburg and Durban CBDs has made some progress, helped by tax breaks for landlords who upgrade buildings.

Kearns said Eurocape's investors, which included Irish private equity firms, had noticed the beginnings of the revival of Cape Town's CBD and spotted an opportunity following successes associated with the phenomenal turnaround of Dublin and other cities.

He said the catalyst to Cape Town's rejuvenation, which was being led by office-to-apartment conversions and restaurant openings, was the formation of a partnership between the municipality and businesses to arrest the decay by focusing on crime and grime.

Property owners pay a levy that helps fund additional cleaning and security services, including tourist-friendly horse patrols. Authorities are also sprucing up public spaces, including the city's squares.

Cape Town Partnership chief executive Andrew Boraine said the ability to react quickly to simple things, such as vandalised phone booths, had been vital to building confidence in the city. Boraine said that freeing up parking, by regulating it, had helped attract shoppers back to the city.

Mkhize said office block conversions, such as the Mandela Rhodes Place development, had a positive impact on vacancy rates and helped lure young professionals to the city.

Boraine said since 2000 there had been upgrades to 160 buildings in the city, ranging from "a lick of paint" to totally refurbished buildings.

However, he said that the provision of affordable housing had been "far too slow" and that the city needed to be able to provide accommodation for shop assistants and lower paid public sector staff.

Boraine said this market segment was vital to sustaining retail in the CBD.

But Mkhize said that without support from the government he did not see significant low-cost housing being built.

He thought there was greater potential for lower income residential flats in the Durban CBD, where prices were more affordable.

Boraine said one contradiction of urban renewal was that success led to higher rentals, which made it more difficult for "quirky" and independent retailers to survive.

Many of these stores are the very attractions that continue to pull tourists to the shops and restaurants on the Long Street entertainment strip in the Cape Town CBD.

joburg

October 13th, 2006, 10:47 AM

bleeeegh... shoot me now, shoot me now. :guns1:

Vast business park launched in Jo'burg
13 Oct 2006 - Inet Bridge -
By Nick Wilson

Group Five Property Development Services is launching the R800m first phase of Woodmead Business Park this month. The commercial property development forms part of the massive proposed Waterfall City development, which is the biggest planned development of a single piece of land in the past 50 years in Johannesburg. It will include residential, retail, industrial and commercial space.

The first phase of Woodmead Business Park will be the biggest commercial property development in Johannesburg's northern suburbs next year.

David Green, MD of Pace Property Group, which has the full mandate to deal with the leasing for the commercial park and has been actively involved in securing the land for Group Five and conceptualising the development, says the site where Woodmead Business Park will be developed was acquired on a leasehold basis.

The Waterfall City site is leasehold land held by the Mia family.

The site, which stretches from Midrand to the Buccleuch interchange in Woodmead, covers about 2,200ha of land.

Plans for the total development of Waterfall City include a residential golf estate, a retirement village, retail shopping, an equestrian estate, office and commercial parks, a clinic and school, all of which will be developed on a large-scale leasehold basis.

Green says the first phase of Woodmead Business Park, which is three times the size of Harrowdene Office Park in Woodmead, will offer 60,000m? of lettable space for commercial development, which permits upmarket office and warehouse property.

Development of the first phase is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of next year.

Green says the park's size is comparable to the Longmeadow industrial node, or Linbro Park in Johannesburg.

Green says the park will ultimately offer 100,000m? of lettable space when it is fully developed.

He says the development comes on the back of considerable office demand, particularly from major space users who require easy access to Sandton and the surrounding office nodes.

Woodmead Business Park will be adjacent to the Buccleuch interchange and will offer easy access to the N1, M1 and N3 highways.

"It is the closest remaining stretch of highway frontage to the Sandton CBD," says Green.

He says the interchange where the development will be located is the "busiest interchange in Africa". There is strong demand for space, he says. "In fact, we have numerous large users ranging from 5,000m? to 20,000m? individually."

He says large companies used to separate their office and warehouse space, and that the development provided them with the "unique opportunity to combine both within reach of the major residential and commercial nodes of Johannesburg north".

Group Five says the development of Woodmead Business Park within the greater Waterfall City project offers one of the few remaining opportunities to secure commercial premises in one of SA's largest prime-land developments, which will "ultimately link Sunninghill, Woodmead and Midrand".

Companies including Nashua, General Motors, Motorola, Ad Outpost, Sanlam Properties and Pick 'n Pay have already secured space within the Waterfall City precinct for development of commercial premises.

Group Five says the park will be fully fenced and incorporate full-height electric fencing with access to the park provided through one central point only.

Business Day

joburg

October 14th, 2006, 12:35 AM

Two diverging views... here is the first one...

Trafalgar report shows billions spent on rehabilitating CBDs
October 13, 2006

By Roy Cokayne

Pretoria - The government's inner city regeneration incentives had resulted in billions of rands being invested by the private sector into rehabilitating derelict buildings and providing low-cost housing, said the 2006 Trafalgar Inner City Report released yesterday.

The report said city improvement districts had contributed towards rebuilding inner cities in the major metropolitan areas. Cape Town had already attracted about R11 billion in investment.

More than 50 central business district buildings (CBD) had been renovated since 2000, which translated into an R11 billion investment in the city centre. This was measured in terms of the capital value of current leases, new developments, investment purchases, upgrades and renewals.

Inner city statistics revealed that between 37 percent and 49 percent of the people living in the country's inner cities were employed.

Neville Schaefer, the chairman of property services company Trafalgar, said that nationally, people were flocking to the inner cities, but most earned too little to rent flats and slum blocks had evolved as the only viable alternative.

He said South Africa was only four short years away from being in the international spotlight during the 2010 soccer World Cup. That realisation was coming through in every aspect of the community, including the inner cities.

"The levels of upkeep have improved as owners show pride in their investments, thus diminishing the decay too often associated with inner city living. Bylaws are being more rigorously enforced - granted, not with perfect precision - as city managers realise the value of attracting and retaining solid investors. The upside is that housing prices within the inner cities are climbing.

"Property remains a key investment holding and now that phenomenon is being reflected in the inner cities, where rentals are touching R1 800 for a one-bedroom flat. That is a significant growth from the R800 these investments were commanding at the time of the first Trafalgar Inner City Report in 2001," Schaefer said.

The report was meant to provide a bird's-eye view of life for the new rich and the poor in South Africa's inner cities, he added. What had emerged was the extent to which the growing demand for quality inner city accommodation was creating pockets of gentrification that were displacing the poor.

"While the demand brings with it long-awaited impetus for renewal, it also has the effect of moving the problem of accommodating the poor in decent homes," he said.

The report highlighted that the anticipated R28 billion Gautrain rapid rail project would significantly affect property around the anchor stations in downtown Johannesburg and Pretoria.

It said financial modelling by property information company eProp showed that direct private sector development around the two stations was conservatively estimated at R1.1 billion, with the project generally boosting densities near the station sites.

Indications were that Johannesburg station would attract between 5 000 and 6 000 units of new residential development plus significant investment in schools, creches and colleges. There were also opportunities for warehousing, light industrial sites and parking facilities.

The report said the investment could top R22.7 billion.

joburg

October 14th, 2006, 12:37 AM

And the other view...

South Africa: City Developers Face Residents' Anger

PROPERTY owners and developers in Johannesburg's inner city who are reaping the benefits of the revival of the central business district face mounting antipathy from communities living there.

This emerged in an address yesterday by Ishmael Mkhabela, CEO of the Interfaith Community Development Association, at the launch of residential property manager Trafalgar's 2006 inner city report.

"We have come to understand that these people are extremely angry and disillusioned about developer- and government-sponsored de velopment in the inner city.

"We also believe that the vast number of these people perceive development as a means of displacing and excluding the poor and less-organised interests from the city, its opportunities and its fortunes," he said.

Mkhabela said his organisation was afraid that business was fast losing the support of many within the city.

"It is worrying when the stated vision of the city is not embraced by black people who live or work in the inner city.

"The city is still seen as a stubborn expression of white privilege, economic power and continued exploitation of people who occupy vacant or so-called hijacked buildings."

He said property owners, managers and developers were often cast in a "negative light by the illegal occupants of buildings in the city".

Mkhabela said the "scourge" of xenophobia in the inner city also had to be stamped out.

"Community development issues which could add value to the lifestyles of tenants living in the buildings, as well as to the long-term performance and returns of the building, could be achieved through consistent rental payments and better tenant retention by addressing the social issues Mkhabela was talking about," said Trafalgar MD Andrew Schaefer.

He said there were no official statistics on how many black foreigners from other parts of Africa lived in the inner city.

"There could be as many as 150000 foreigners living in Johannesburg's inner city. The majority are black Africans," said Schaefer.

He agreed that locals were stereotyping foreigners as "potential troublemakers".

Schaefer said there was huge demand for affordable accommodation in Johannesburg's inner city. Property prices for residential flat units were also increasing.

In Berea, the average residential flat unit sold for R33000 in 2000 and had increased to R81000 last year.

"So it's more than doubled in value from 2000 to 2005," he said.

Hillbrow's prices increased more slowly from R31000 in 2000 to R41000 last year, while Yeoville's average price increased from R45000 to R82000 during the same period.

Schaefer said there was demand for rental accommodation and demand-driven growth was pushing rentals above the inflation rate in Johannesburg. Residential rentals increased 19% over the past two-and-a-half years.

joburg

October 14th, 2006, 12:41 AM

^^ eish this new system is uber fast. Takes two seconds to post something. Kudos to Dai Tengu. :)

Anyway, about the above article, on the one hand I do see their point in that these new developments do sort of try to create something which displaces the poor and houses the rich in a type of Melrose Archy development.

But on the other hand, I think that the Joburg CBD is developing quite uniquely, because you have two kinds of development developing side by side... the Johannesburg Housing Company is doing a great job of sprucing up delapidated buidlings and provide cost-effective rental and management of these buildings, but you're also getting private investors bringing a lot of wealth into the city, which hopefully will together make for a well-integrated, crime-and-grime free city.

joburg

October 14th, 2006, 12:43 AM

Check this out.. think it's a GREAT initiative!

Everybuddy. Let the collection for
"The Night of a 1000 Drawings" begin.

The Night of a 1000 Drawings is an exhibition where drawings donated by everybuddy get collected and sold to the public for R100 a pop. It's all happening on 16 November, thanks to Urban Ocean, the crew transforming Jozi into a New York vibe and restoring the old Security Building especially for the event.

All proceeds go directly to Paballo, an organisation that has fed and provided basic medical attention to over 300 inner-city homeless people every Wednesday night since 1989.

Maximum respect goes out to G-mo, local customised animal friendly sneaks and shoe peeps, for handling the Cape Town collection & exhib "Mother City loves Inner City" on Friday 13th October at Asoka, Son of Dharma. Sadly drawings won't be sold in CT, but in compensation G-mo have put 2pairs of shoes up for draw strictly for CT peeps.

Draw anything, with anything, on anything .. Only thing is A5 in size. So draw as much as possible. And hand em in..
Grand Finalle Deadline: Jozi 1st Nov. Cape Town 11Oct.
No mounting necessary, Pls date and sign drawings.
pls Attach a name, postal and email addy to the drop off envelope.

Jozi drawings to be dropped off at:
(King James)
Hutton Court,
1st Floor, North Wing,
Cnr Jan Smuts Ave &
Summit Rd, Hyde Park

Cape Town drop off point:
5pm onwards, Mon - Sat
Asoka, Son of Dharma.
68 Kloof Street, Cape Town.
G-mo draw: apon drawing drop off
text msg. your name & shoe size to
084 504 8887

Info: 082 600 0011
1000drawings@gmail.co.za
1000drawings.blogspot.com

http://x0f.xanga.com/0cdd33417413482787169/z56646073.jpg

Mo Rush

October 14th, 2006, 01:16 AM

apparently neil watson doesnt exist.

mike2005

October 14th, 2006, 01:28 PM

remember all that crap watson was spouting about how could SA cope with an influx of foreign visitors for 2010? If he woke up and removed the blinkers he would see we have them already and cope very well. They reckon next year will see an extra 1 million foreign tourists in SA. If SA was the shit hole as watson claims why would these people be coming in such large numbers?

Secondly: Eurocape are fantastic and their plans for Wale Street etc are superb. When all that is finnished an already great city centre will be even better. Am so excited. If only they could get their hands on a load of buildlings on Main Street in Joburg imagine what they could do there?

mike2005

October 14th, 2006, 01:28 PM

wow this new posting system is FAST!!

mike2005

October 14th, 2006, 01:32 PM

BTW I agree that downtown Jozi needs a Cape Quarter style development or two. I think that Cape Quarter is the best new development SA has seen in ages. Tank is my fave restaurant at the moment.

Mo Rush

October 14th, 2006, 01:48 PM

ah tank...such good memories. such horrible dates.

GregPz

October 14th, 2006, 02:10 PM

Um... Anyway... In case any of you haven't noticed, Joburg turned 120 this week.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOBURG!

:dance:

You guys should get a 120 years Joburg banner up! Jan posted a message while ago asking for special occassion banners.

dysan1

October 14th, 2006, 04:51 PM

Yeh go for it guys!!! find a good shot that doesnt have tuscan please!

joburg

October 14th, 2006, 06:34 PM

I submitted one to thryve about a week ago, and he submitted it, but I dunno if they accepted it... thryve, could ya advise buddy? if they thought it was crap, best I get going on another one... there is still time.. the celebrations only really end at about the end of October.

joburg

October 14th, 2006, 06:40 PM

BTW I agree that downtown Jozi needs a Cape Quarter style development or two. I think that Cape Quarter is the best new development SA has seen in ages. Tank is my fave restaurant at the moment.

Yup Tank looked funky ass, but I didn't eat there. What I especially liked about the Cape Quarter was the first different restaurants.. there was the Wine Bar, the Italian restaurant (where my best friend worked for a while), Tank, and the fourth one.. can't remember the name, but it was like in the corner?

The only restaurants I went to in Cape Town was Anatolli, which was this Turkish restaurant.. I absolutely LOVED it.. great food and hot Turkish men. Also went to Cafe Olympia in Kalk Bay, which was packed and had realllllly good food and a great vibe, and also went to Cape to Cuba, which was quite eclectic that had quite wicked ass food.....

joburg

October 15th, 2006, 11:26 AM

Saw this the other day when I was walking around Sandton.. some arbitrary dude singing away and playing steel drums. It was defo a lovely change to the corporate air of Sandton. Check out the programme here... http://www.sandtoncentral.co.za

Stuffy Sandton gets arty makeover
15 October 2006
CHRISTINA KENNEDY

SANDTON’S pavements are shedding their stiff and snobbish image thanks to a series of funky street theatre performances.

The Sandton Central Open Street Sessions is a programme that encourages passers-by to pause, take a breather from the rat race, enjoy a spot of live entertainment, and continue on their way with newly imprinted smiles on their faces.

Running until November 18, these contemporary performances are livening up pavements around Sandton’s shops and its taxi rank during lunchtime on weekdays. These are not your average buskers, as the acts are chosen for their quality and originality, and members of the public aren’t expected to tip them.

It is hoped that the project will become an annual summer staple.

“We have worked so hard to make the area clean and safe, and now we want people to come outside while the sun is shining and be entertained,” explained Sandton Central district’s marketing manager, Cara Reilly.

It is anticipated that with the advent of the Gautrain, the profile of people milling around Sandton will evolve, and that a more vibrant and active street culture will enhance the area’s increasingly urban character.

Artists range from clowns and contortionists to dancers and musicians. Some are well-known — Andrew Buckland, Jennifer Ferguson and Steve ****** — while others are up-and-coming acts, such as traditional Sotho musician Mpho Molikeng, unicyclist John Molteno and one-man-band the Green Man.

A group of journalism students was greeted by a peculiar sight when approaching the taxi rank recently: well-known physical theatre supremo Buckland, complete with red nose, horsing around with a hose-pipe contraption and occasionally spraying passers-by with water. You could call it good, clean fun.

The students squealed with laughter at his antics, but some passers-by gaped open-mouthed.

A yuppie in a pink shirt, expensive suit and designer shoes scooted out of the way like a little boy when a hint of water squirted his way. You would have sworn it was molten lava rather than a few drops of water.

Buckland’s partner-in-mime on the day was a chap he dubbed “Ze Man” — who turned out to be Francois Venter, artistic director for the project and a street-theatre pioneer in South Africa.

Metro caught up with him again soon afterwards, this time at Village Walk, where he was supervising the Ubuhle Bemvelo (beauty of nature) gumboot dancers, an energetic Alexandra-based troupe consisting mainly of women.

“We wanted to do something different for women’s empowerment,” members Letticia Senyatsi and Boitumelo Mokhatle said.

“Gumboot dancing is not that difficult. Men think they’re the only ones who can do it. We wanted to prove that we can do it — better!”

Venter said: “The main intention is to help the people in Sandton Central to start thinking differently about the streets ... to be playful and reconsider outdoor spaces not just as pipes to take them from A to B, but as living space.”

Venter said tourists were delighted to be presented with something authentic, instead of the usual “hackneyed curio culture”.

As for the locals, they’re starting to get into the swing of things.

“At one of Andrew’s hose-pipe shows at Village Walk, two ladies in business suits were sitting by the fountain. While watching the act, one splashed the other with water, and they both laughed,” said Venter.

joburg

October 15th, 2006, 11:27 AM

The Spanish company of fashion design Mango will open next October its first shop in South Africa, as part of its plan of international expansion. The new shop, that will have 450 square meters of surface, will be placed in the Johannesburg's Sandton City Shopping Center.

Isak Halfon, the director of Expansion of Mango affirms that " to open in South Africa means to be present in one of the markets with major potential of Africa, as well as to conquer the south of the continent " .

Mango, with 920 shops in 84 countries, grew 8 % the past exercise. It closed its invoicing in 2005 with 1.144 million Euros, of which 75 % of which comes from the international markets. During 2005, the company opened 118 new shops and expects to overcome this number in 2006.

waltjie

October 16th, 2006, 11:07 AM

was walking around in Sandton City on Saturday, my god was this Mango Store busy... i think it must have opened on Saturday!

joburg

October 17th, 2006, 06:52 PM

Councillors' train ride raises problems
October 17, 2006

By Lucky Sindane

CITY officials took a short trip in a Metrorail train yesterday – and it wasn't pleasant. The mayoral committee member for transport, Rehana Moosajee, was joined by ward councillors on the journey, from Park Station to Langlaagte on Monday.

They undertook the trip to interact with commuters and to listen to the challenges they are faced with on daily basis. The officials also spoke to the commuters about some of the programmes and projects undertaken by the city to improve transportation.

"It's really interesting to hear from the commuters [rather] than just getting the statistics," Moosajee said. "People find trains more affordable than any other public transport mode."

Speaking about her experience on the train, she added: "I'm a horrified by the situation here in the trains. The trains are overcrowded, train surfing by commuters is very horrific and some commuters sit outside the train coaches while the train is moving – and that is very dangerous and nothing is done about it."

Some of the concerns raised by the commuters included the unavailability of trains; trains frequently being stopped, making commuters late for work; and overcrowding.

But there was some positive feedback. According to 32-year-old Phillip Radebe and his friends from Katlehong in Ekurhuleni, the crime rate on the trains has decreased. "The only problem we have is that the trains are always late and overcrowded," he said.

His sentiments were echoed by Poppie Moloko from Protea Glen. "We need more coaches for third class. There are lot of first class coaches which are always empty; when it's overcrowded we use them but we end up getting a fine of up to R40. Metrorail needs to improve its service," said the 42-year-old.

Metrorail's events manager, Pearl Mthembu, said the trains were always overcrowded because people preferred riding in their social groups where they could have a church service on their way to work and back home.

"We can't separate people because they choose to ride with their friends and I believe they feel more comfortable that way."

Zoleka Qungqa from Daveyton, who has to wake up at 3am to get to work in Lenasia on time, is lucky to have employers who are aware of the problems commuters experience with the trains and understand when she is late for work.

"Trains get stopped everywhere; as a result I get to work very late. I might even loose my job one day because of being late – it will get to a point where my employers are upset about my coming to work late," she said.

Speaking about complaints of trains being late and being stopped along the way, Mthembu blamed this on cable theft and power failure. "People are always stealing these cables. Imagine if a 10km cable is stolen and how long [it will take] and how much will it cost us to replace it.

"Kids who jump in and out of moving trains are always arrested but they are released immediately because they are under age. They come back and do it over and over again," she added.

The lack of name boards at some stations and the lack of announcements made in the trains were also raised.

"If I was alone I would get lost here because there is no board stating that this is Langlaagte Station," Moosajee said. "And there should be an announcer. This would be useful for first-time users of trains."

Then, as the councillors waited for a train back to Park Station, a woman who had just boarded a train shouted through a window, "Please help us and improve the trains system."

Moosajee concluded that a "lot of work needs to be done to improve the situation on the trains".

joburg

October 17th, 2006, 07:22 PM

I think it's quite cool that city officials are seeing what the problems are with trains, but I think it would be even better if they would do something about the trains to improve service and decrease crime and grime on the trains.

I think a few things that could be done is firstly, to GREATLY increase security on trains. I've heard people saying (might be an urban myth?) that taxi operators organise attacks on trains in order to discourage people from using trains and instead use taxis.

What also needs to be done is overhaul the train system entirely, with new cars and revised timetables that are easily accessible. I'd also increase the network, as I think it's quite limited and only really connects townships with mainly industrial areas - a consequence of apartheid planning no doubt.

What i think should happen is that the rail network should be developed in conjunction with Gautrain, and use by the middle/upper class should be encouraged by buidling more railway stations and rail lines connecting up with the main Gautrain stations, such as Rosebank, Sandton and Hatfield etc.

Doing this will I think be more sustainable and cheaper than ONLY concentrating on Gautrain.

joburg

October 17th, 2006, 07:29 PM

Hope they don't dump the people who live in these buildings onto the streeet..

Two bad buildings targeted for expropriation
October 17, 2006

By Ndaba Dlamini

TWO buildings in the inner city, Norvena Court and Santa Monica, will be expropriated by the City of Johannesburg as part of its efforts to rid the area of slum buildings.

The two will be expropriated through the Better Buildings Programme, an initiative of the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) committed to refurbishing dilapidated buildings in the suburbs of Hillbrow, Berea, Yeoville, Joubert Park, the CBD and around Ellis Park.

JPC has applied for approval from the City council to expropriate Norvena Court and Santa Monica, a process that can take six to eight months, according to a report from the company.

Located in Hillbrow at the corner of Paul Nel and Claim streets, Norvena Court is a 12-storey building consisting of 60 bachelor flats, 42 one-bedroom and 24 two-bedroom units. The building has been empty since residents were evacuated and the building was closed two years ago after an urgent application to the High Court by the City.

In 2004 the building was found to contravene many by-laws by the Inner City Task Force, a strike team of agents, council employees and law enforcement officers. It had no fire hydrants, sewer pipes were broken and the basement was flooded with raw sewerage about 1,4 metres deep. Since the evictions, the building has been vandalised and water and electricity services have been suspended. It will cost R9-million to repair the building, according to JPC.

http://www.joburg-archive.co.za/images_2006/oct/buildings001.jpg
Norvena Court in Hillbrow

Situated at Webb Street in Yeoville, the five-storey Santa Monica building is in a "severe state of economic decay". The building consists of four bachelor units, four one-bedroom units and five two-bedroom units. There are also five parking bays. It is vacant with no services and has been severely vandalised. All fixtures and fittings have been removed.

According to JPC, the current value of the building is R75 000 and it will cost R2-million to refurbish.

Sectional title schemes have been established at both Norvena Court and Santa Monica and the flats are owned by many different companies and individuals. However, the bodies corporate legally obliged to manage the affairs of the buildings do not exist and no records of accounts could be found.

Efforts to recover municipal debts owed by the sectional title holders have been made by the City but most of them have either died, emigrated or can't be traced. The cash they owe is still outstanding.

Because of this, acquiring the buildings is a protracted process. For the City to deal with these properties, the buildings have to be bought so that they can be onward sold. But for the City to buy them, they have to acquire each and every sectional title unit. This would require purchase at multiple sales in execution, liquidation applications or sale agreements in respect of each unit in the buildings, according to JPC.

"Such a process would be all but impossible because of the difficulties locating many absent unit holders who have abandoned their units, other unit holders' resistance to the process and the real prospect of other parties acquiring the units in preference to the council at public sales in execution."

Under these circumstances, the only practical way to deal with the buildings is for the City to acquire ownership through expropriation of all the sections and the whole of the common property of the scheme. If the property is expropriated, it can be sold under policies of the Better Buildings Programme.

http://www.joburg-archive.co.za/images_2006/oct/buildings002.jpg
Santa Monica in Yeoville

Before finalising the expropriation of the two buildings, however, JPC will offer the properties on an auction sale to the Better Buildings Programme participants registered on the programme's database. There are about 300 of these participants. Proceeds from the auction will be used to pay council and utilities debts and other proven creditors. If there is cash left over after these payments are made, it will be distributed to unit owners in proportion to their participation quota.

If the sale price of the buildings does not cover the full council and utility debts, a request will be submitted for write-off of the balance. After the auction, JPC will start the expropriation and the successful buyer of each property will be required to provide a detailed upgrading plan for the property, including specifications of finishes, time frames, cost and post-construction management plans.

Pule

October 18th, 2006, 12:14 PM

R1 billion Melrose Arch Shopping
17 Oct 2006 - Melrose Arch Development - Marketing Concepts

Intro
A new retail development inspired by some of the world’s greatest piazzas and arcades

A new retail development inspired by some of the world’s greatest piazzas and arcades -- Melrose Arch Shopping – will provide a cosmopolitan 28,000m2 retail and leisure space at the trendy mixed-use precinct in Melrose Arch , Johannesburg.

Developed by Melrose Arch Development Company, the R1 billion new open-air retail development combines traditional high street shopping and retail centres. Weatherproof, while not enclosed, Melrose Arch Shopping will have anchor store placement in line with sound retail principles while maximising the use of natural light and space.

“Inspired by international shopping streets such at Regent Street in London and Grafton Street in Dublin and squares such as the Piazza del Campo in Sienna, Melrose Arch Shopping will be the nucleus of the Melrose Arch mixed-use retail, office, residential and leisure precinct that forms a genuinely integrated urban experience,” says Melrose Arch Development Company director Nicholas Stopforth. Melrose Arch Shopping has already secured anchor retailers; Woolworths, Truworths and all 14 Foschini brands.

“Melrose Arch Shopping encapsulates much of the current trends that I have seen on my travels and that I see customers responding to on a daily basis. It’s modern, stylish, vibrant, exciting and all of these add up to creating a fantastic platform from which to get people to go shopping,” enthuses Paul Simpson of Woolworths. In developing this novel retail concept, leading retailers and anchor tenants also participated in the conception of Melrose Arch Shopping, in consultation with the developers team.

“We were very pleased that Melrose Arch Development Company and Retail Africa were prepared to consult with the retailers in the design of this unique development. This allowed us to cluster our brands in the most suitable locations and anchor the home décor and fashion component with Woolworths and Truworths in what we believe will be a unique high street shopping environment,” Neville Budge of Foschini Group

Integrating seamlessly with the existing Melrose Arch movement patterns and the superbasement parking, Melrose Arch Shopping creates natural movement desire lines which connect the two high energy public squares – the existing Melrose Square and The Piazza of Melrose Arch Shopping. The Piazza is a subtly tiered urban square, with a landmark campanile, creating an open-air theatre for performing arts such as opera, music festivals and plays. It will, like Melrose Square, be a vibrant public meeting place in a traditional urban context.

The two squares will be linked through the ‘high fashion’ walkway of Slip Street and the extended High Street. Melrose Shopping will form, the heart of the Melrose Arch mixed-use urban experience. Michael Mark of Truworths explains that when looking at Melrose Arch Shopping “instead of seeing the new retail development as an entity in a broad sense, we looked at the whole precinct and we said ‘right in the middle of that development is the obvious place that people would expect to find a fashion centre which is the prime attraction for most malls’.”

In line with the Melrose Arch philosophy and traditional high street shopping principles, Melrose Arch Shopping features colonnaded retail edges for restaurant and entertainment use. It will place emphasis on the human scale at street level, encouraging comfortable interaction of pedestrian retail interface. Melrose Arch Shopping will also be married with a similar amount of offices. The offices, whilst sharing retail frontage, will have dedicated entrances thus integrating the office and retail experience, with additional access from the basement.

“The architecture of Melrose Arch Shopping will continue the existing Melrose Arch measured ‘contemporary African’ expression characterised by the use of first world and natural materials, which enhances the powerful Melrose Arch brand,” notes Stopforth.

Earthworks are already underway and will be completed by December with construction beginning in early 2007. Opening scheduled for September of 2008.

joburg

October 18th, 2006, 07:03 PM

^^ I hope we get some original retailers coming through and not just your normal run-of-the-mill shops like truworths and edgars..

joburg

October 19th, 2006, 02:49 PM

Best they not build a squat. Think they should move into the old IBM buillding and invest millions in the surrounding area ala Anglo American.

Old Mutual plans a Joburg base
October 18, 2006
By Lucky Sindane

OLD Mutual, one of Africa's largest financial services companies, is relocating its head office to the city of gold.

This was announced at the Old Mutual Joburg mayoral dinner, which was held on Tuesday, 17 October at the Johannesburg Country Club in Woodmead. The dinner was attended by the city manager, Mavela Dlamini; members of the mayoral committee; senior City officials; Old Mutual South Africa's managing director, Paul Hanratty; senior Old Mutual officials; and representatives from various business organisations.

Explaining the decision to move the head office from Cape Town to Johannesburg, Hanratty said that there were huge opportunities for Old Mutual in Johannesburg.

"It is very exciting to be part of a developing city. Twenty years ago, when I came to Soweto, the roads were not tarred and there were no shopping malls but when I went back there now I found that all the roads were tarred and there were many developments happening … This is an opportunity for us to tap in where there is growth."

Welcoming the announcement, Executive Mayor Amos Masondo said, "We note with pride and a great sense of excitement that Old Mutual has made a courageous and wise decision to relocate its head office to the city of Johannesburg. We are aware that you could have chosen to move your head office anywhere in the republic – thank you for choosing Joburg.

"On our part, we have always endeavoured to position local government as an economic role player of significance, as a sphere of government that is committed to economic development, a contributor to wealth and job creation."

The dinner was part of an agreement reached by the City and Old Mutual during an auction at a gala dinner after the mayoral charity golf day in August. At that event, a dinner with the mayor was bought by Old Mutual for R30 000.

"As we were auctioning things during the gala dinner after the mayoral golf day, we ended up auctioning people," explained Bongi Mokaba, the City's events manager. "We auctioned the mayor to have dinner with Old Mutual and they paid R30 000 … that money will go towards the Buckets of Love initiative."

About R1,472-million was raised during the annual mayoral charity golf day. The participants were from banks, retailers and business partners the City deals with on a day-to-day basis, as well as individuals, members of the mayoral committee and senior City officials.

"The Buckets of Love and Care Campaign is a project through which the City reaches out to individuals and families infected with and affected by HIV and Aids," Masondo said. "Since its inaugural launch in 2004, the annual mayoral charity golf day has enabled us to raise a total of R2,225-million.

"Thank you for participating in this initiative. This symbolises in many ways our commitment as people to strive towards creating and building a more caring society," Masondo concluded.