Bridge City – A Township Showpiece

Bridge City has the potential to fundamentally change the way the world views south africa’s larger residential townships, reflecting how integrated and co-ordinated development can inject sustainable economic growth. It will be a major catalyst for economic growth in Inanda, Ntuzuma, Kwamashu (INK) and Phoenix in the same was as the Umhlanga Ridge new town centre was the catalyst for development north of Durban. The quality will without a doubt be of the same standard.

As INK is a State Presidents Lead Project, Bridge City will forge a mixed-use district after decades of inactivity. Plans for the 60ha area include shopping centres, entertainment facilities, civic buildings, a public hospital, magistrates and regional courts, mixed commercial, office and residential buildings and an inter-modal transport facility.

Morelands Industrial and Bridge City project manager Brian Ive says the development will become a benchmark in South Africa, uniquely creating a New Town Centre in a previously disadvantaged area. More than 1 million people will benefit from its upgrading and regeneration. “This is an exciting vision of new African urbanism. Bridge City will not simply be a concrete jungle constructed without thought, but a place to live, work, learn, shop, play and pray,” he says. He believes the development is a key initiative for Moreland and the municipality with the property giant providing critical expertise and the city the capacity to fast track the legislative and infrastructural framework.

“This reinvestment reflects the strength of the partnership between Moreland and the municipality and their mutual understanding to work together in forging Bridge City,” he says.

Earth works on the project began in November, with the first development scheduled for construction in early 2007. The contract develops the major roads and the bulk services to Bridge City and creates a platform for a deal which is at an advanced stage to sell the developments retail component.

This development brings on-stream 40 000m2 of bulk space with the potential for developing 1000 residential units on the upper levels. Four city blocks will be developed in phases.

Brian says Moreland has experienced substantial interest from potential developers in Bridge City. KZN development finance agency Ithala has expressed written interest in acquiring land, while the new provincial hospital site was transferred in August, the magistrates court site will be transferred in January and a private hospital group has expressed interest in building a facility in Bridge City.

The railway connection is a key element for Bridge Cities success as it is the intermodal link for residents in the newly developed town centre to other areas and will be anchored by a 50 000m2 shopping centre.

Moreland state that Bridge City will generate more than R50m annually in government rates and taxes and create around 25 000 permanent jobs in an area desperately seeking employment opportunities.

Cornubia, another mixed use Moreland development for 30 000 residents is also awaiting final approvals and could generate more than R300m annually in rates and taxes.


http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c128/dysan1/IMGP1958.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c128/dysan1/IMGP1957.jpg

Durban's R4,5bn centre set to Bridge gaps

Xolani Mbanjwa
January 21 2007 at 02:07PM

Durban is in line for a mammoth new town centre at the Phoenix South Industrial site, which will have the largest shopping centre in the southern hemisphere, taking the title away from Umhlanga's Gateway which is currently undergoing expansion.

Also included in the R4,5-billion project is an underground railway link, a magistrate's court and a new provincial hospital.

The eThekwini Municipality and Moreland are the joint developers of the 675 000m² Bridge City.

Construction began in June last year, with the bulk of infrastructural services to the site largely in place. The municipality is expected to announce the plan within the next two weeks.

Transport hub

It is hoped Bridge City will become a catalyst for sustainable economic growth in the Phoenix, Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu communities, which will be able to "work, live and play on their doorstep".

The New Town Centre will have multiple shopping centres, medical facilities, cinemas, food courts, restaurants, a 24-hour entertainment area and around-the-clock security.

There will also be 4 000 residential units, pedestrian lanes, squares, colonnades, open spaces, three new filling stations, a street vendors' market with street lights, roads and a new sewerage system.

It is estimated that more than 1 500 temporary jobs will be created in the infrastructure-related phase, with a further 26 000 temporary construction-related jobs. On completion, 25 000 permanent jobs are estimated.

The development will include an underground railway station, which is expected to become the second-busiest station in the province after Berea Station.

'Exciting times'

The South African Railway Commuter Corporation (Saric), an agent of the national Department of Transport, has been tasked with building the new railway station through its subsidiary, Intersite Property Management Services.

General Manager for network planning and development at SARCC, Hishaam Emeran, said they would oversee the construction of the railway station, which is expected to link lines in the greater eThekwini communities. The KwaMashu railway station will be expanded and integrated under the centre's shopping complex.

"Although we've had one presentation from the developers, we are engaging the eThekwini Transport Authority and the Public Investment Corporation about the time frames for the project," said Emeran.

In 1998, Moreland and the city committed themselves to a public-private partnership to develop Bridge City and the Riverhorse Valley on the N2.

A manager in the city's development engineering department, Gary Kimber, said the transport hub would include rail, bus and taxi commuter facilities.

"The site is very good. It was serviced before and bulk services are largely in place. There's a lot of interest from the private sector."

Public Prosecutions provincial Director Shamila Batohi confirmed there would be a new regional and district magistrate's court within the development.

"We're really excited about the new court. Such a facility, with regional, district, family, criminal, civil and small claims courts, will alleviate the burden on the Verulam court," said Batohi.

The construction of the 450-bed Pixley ka Isaka Seme Hospital is also part of the development. The hospital, estimated to cost R416 million, is expected to alleviate the load on the Mahatma Ghandi Hospital in Phoenix.

Mike Deighton, Moreland's director of industrial and commercial developments, said, "It's an exciting project, but we don't like to say anything at the moment, as we're preparing a launch in two weeks' time. We have delivered many exciting projects, such as the Riverhorse Valley."

Gateway announced this week it would be expanding to the tune of R202-million. Adrian Raw, Gateway Centre Manager, said when the expansion of the south side of the complex was complete, the shopping complex would be 1 576m². He said Gateway attracted more than three million shoppers last December.

City Manager Michael Sutcliffe said, "The Bridge City New Town Centre is one of the most exciting projects to unfold over the years. It has the potential to bring together a wonderful mix of Durbanites.

"These are certainly exciting times for Durban."


This article was originally published on page 2 of Tribune on January 21, 2007

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_i...0017867C140071

Dysan, do you think Bridge City and Gateway will compete? Since the former is in KwaMashu, I'd expect it to have less expensive shops than Gateway, eliminating somewhat the concerns that the 2 centres will compete directly with each other.

Not at all. Primarily because they serve completely different market segments, and those people that will frequent Bridge City presently are doing their shopping in town. The durban CBD stores would be affected, not gateway. In any case, with its developing town around it, Gateway will be self suffcient pretty soon and day trippers will no longer have as great an impact on its revenue as locals.

The success of this in terms of the long time running will among others be supported by making sure that grime is tackled and the street vendors are controlled approriately as they aare gonna build their shacks next to the city.

Its basicaly created a new shopping district for the area, which is good for the locals, because they had to travel to town or other area's such as umhlanga for major shopping. Most if not all of these communitys ahave majority poor people who'm might find area's such as Umhlanga & La Lucia abit expensive, hence most of them resort to shopping in the CBD. My only fear for this project that it will steal ALOT of the buisness away from the CBD area esp that in the Grey area. The small shopping malls that have come up in Inanda, Umlazi & Mashu have already hit the CBD with a drop in christmas sales.

Mike, They refer to a 50 000m2 shopping centre but claimt o have the biggest masll in the Southern Hemisphere . Which one is it?
Any chanse of seeing this on google earth as I know the area but cant seem to picture it

^^ as i stated in an earlier post the reporter exaggerated things, as reporters tend to do. The Bridge City development will have more retail space than gateway (160 000m2) in the whole precinct, but not in one mall as the reporter stated.

I do see this affecting Durban CBD trade. Yet, i believe it is a warrented development that will revolutionise township development

The success of this in terms of the long time running will among others be supported by making sure that grime is tackled and the street vendors are controlled approriately as they aare gonna build their shacks next to the city.

This is a Moreland development.

Do you really ever see Moreland letting shacks and street trading take place? i highly highly doubt it. If you sit around the streets in gateway long enough security ask what u are doing. It will be the same level there i'm sure.

this is the most exciting project I have seen in SA. Even better than the umhlamnga stuff because it shows the townships can be revolutionised and that private developers can do it and we wont have to rely on the government to make peoples lives better. As long as they have the same standards regarding crime/cleanliness as they do in URNTC then I think people of all races and classes will shop here.

Moreland owns all of the land around that area, so Im pretty sure no informal dwellings will be coming up in the area

this is the most exciting project I have seen in SA. Even better than the umhlamnga stuff because it shows the townships can be revolutionised and that private developers can do it and we wont have to rely on the government to make peoples lives better. As long as they have the same standards regarding crime/cleanliness as they do in URNTC then I think people of all races and classes will shop here.

true.

This is a Moreland development.

Do you really ever see Moreland letting shacks and street trading take place? i highly highly doubt it. If you sit around the streets in gateway long enough security ask what u are doing. It will be the same level there i'm sure.

Mike the area around that development will for sure be owned by the municipality and people will do that. I hope moreland has taken that into consideration and have consulted with the municipality so that they can even have control of those kind of things.

^^ dude...please read the articles carefully...its a joint partnership between the city and moreland. The entire land parcel is owned by moreland. If you go down to the area there are no shacks in the vicinity at present either. The surrounding land that is developed was owned by moreland too and is the Phoenix south industrial park.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c128/dysan1/IMGP1958.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c128/dysan1/IMGP1957.jpg[/QUOTE]

Mike, is that the N2 north in the picture with Horseshowe valley on the right side of the Freeway. If so I know the piece of land and its prime time real estate

^^No thats not river horse

No its not riverhorse. That freeway is the one that goes from the N2 at the end of north coast road thru phoenix, kwamashu, and on to inanda. This site is 6km from the N2 inland and is also where the new Queen Nandi drive that crosses the N2 at iverhorse meets in Kwamashu

If this development is a success it could have far reaching implications... and about time! Very exciting!

I read in one of the papers that interest in this development has been unbelievable, dwarfing even Umhlanga and a similar development is on the cards for Umlazi!

Umlazi ahas already started, in low key, it began with the Mall which is doing blody well.

These developments have already started:

1000 apartments above a 40000m2 retail mall which itself is above the subterrabean railway station linking Durban and the north coast

A 450 bed provincial hospital

A Regional Magistrates court

when completed Bridge City will support 700 000m2 of developed area, with about 200 000m2 of retail space. About 26 000 jobs will be created during construction and 25 000 permanent positions when completed.

Within a 5km radius of Bridge City there are 550 000 people and 1 200 000 in a 10km radius. A BIG potential market.

Posted to the web on: 20 February 2007

Bridge City set to ’change world’s view on townships’
Edward West

--------------------------------------------------------------------------KwaZulu-Natal Correspondent

DURBAN — The R4,5bn Bridge City urban renewal development could change the way the world views South African townships, says eThekwini mayor Obed Mlaba.


Speaking at the launch of the project last week, Mlaba said Bridge City would be the largest development project yet undertaken within previously disadvantaged communities in SA. Work has started on the plan to bring retail, residential, commercial and government services, light industry, transport links including a railway station, and open spaces, together on a land nexus between the KwaMashu, Ntuzuma, Inanda and Phoenix townships outside Durban.

About 25000 permanent jobs are expected to be created on completion, which will target the estimated 800000 people living within 5km of the area. Bridge City is being developed by a private-public partnership (PPP) between Tongaat-Hulett property arm Moreland Developments and the eThekwini municipality.

Earthworks and services installations began in November, with the first development scheduled for construction later this year, said Moreland commercial and industrial director Michael Deighton.


The government had bought land for a 450- to 500-bed hospital and a new regional magistrate’s court, while a 40000m² shopping centre would be developed with potential to develop 1000 residential units above the stores. The PPP has applied for additional central government funding for a new interchange on the M25, and a new railway station and intermodal transport facility.


Deighton said Bridge City would have a major impact on KwaZulu-Natal tourism during the 2010 World Cup as it would allow easy access to township tourism ventures.

http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/economy.aspx?ID=BD4A390270

mates at moreland inform me that the first apartment development is to be released to the public in may, so we will soon see if the architectural integrity is the same high standard as the umhlanga ntc

I doubt it, it will prob be pratical designs, similar to ones we did in the lower ends of Mt Edgecombe

Well they stated in their press releases that it would be. so just have to see

eThekwini signs Bridge City Station MOU

05 July, 2007 17:00


eThekwini Municipality has spearheaded and championed the development of the Bridge City Station, located within the Bridge City Precinct. To this end Dr Michael Sutcliffe, the City Manager would like to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the city, the South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC), Intersite Property Management Services, Crowie Projects (Pty) Ltd and the KwaZulu Natal Department of Transport.

Bridge City is regarded as a major investment node within the Inanda – Ntuzuma - KwaMashu (INK) area and is part of an ambitious urban regeneration project being driven by the Bridge City JV.

The MOU marks the beginning of a process that will culminate in the construction of the Bridge City station and related rail infrastructure. This is part of the eThekwini Municipality’s Integrated Transport Plan (ITP), being facilitated by the eThekwini Transport Authority (ETA).

Commending the partnership, Mr Derek Naidoo, Deputy City Manager for Procurement and Infrastructure said, ‘ This partnership between the SARCC, Crowie Projects and eThekwini Municipality sees the building of a railway system that will ensure an efficient transport infrastructure for eThekwini citizens in the north.’


As the chairperson of the eThekwini Transport Authority (ETA), governing body the Honourable Mayor, Cllr Obed Mlaba said, ‘The bridge city rail link will unlock the north-south corridor and would reduce the transport cost that burdens our people.’

Attending the signing will be the national Minister of Transport Mr Jeff Hadebe, the KwaZulu Natal MEC of Transport, Safety and Security, Mr Bheki Cele in support of the project that is in line with the National and Provincial rail plan.

Issued by: eThekwini Municipality Communications & P.R.
For more information contact: Gugu Blose, 031 311 2282

i love the different colours of the buildings across the area..

(originally posted in the Durban discussion thread by Romansa)

Looks like Durbs may beat JHB to become the first SA city to have some sort of underground train system.

-------------------------------

Start on Durban’s tunnel-train

Canaan Mdletshe
10 October 2007

The first phase of the world-class multimillion-rand underground railway system for Durban is under construction at Inanda and would be completed by October next year.

This was announced by Minister of Transport, Jeff Radebe, yesterday.

Radebe said the project was part of the R5 billion Bridge City Initiative.

The system will service commuters from Inanda, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu and Phoenix.

Also included in the development are a shopping mall, residential flats, offices, cinemas and the 350-bed Pixley ka-Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital.

The main partners in the project are the South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC) and the eThekwini municipality.

“Their decision to forge a strategic partnership to bring forward the implementation of the rail plan for the Greater Inanda Rail Corridor was bold and innovative.

“Construction is also under way for the delivery of a 3km double line from Duffs Road station, as well as a world-class underground station to cater for 400 000 passengers during peak hours.”

He said SARCC would invest more than R350 million to provide greater access to quality public transport services for people in areas outside the city.

http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=583194

this development continues to impress me

That article is very interesting. It talks of an underground railway "system". So exactly how much of it is going to be underground. I thought it was just the station.

i gather that it will be going under the bridge city development, and the 3km stretch from duffs road station to this one will be underground.

RBA stakes affordable claims in Bridge City
December 12, 2007

By Sibongile Khumalo

Johannesburg - Affordable housing developer RBA was gearing up for a slice in the R4 billion Bridge City development in KwaMashu township north of Durban, David Wentzel, chief executive of the firm, said yesterday.

RBA was in the early stages of negotiating a contract to develop 1 500 units in one of the country's biggest urban renewal developments, he said, adding: "This project will give us an opportunity to expand our portfolio outside Gauteng. The demand for affordable housing has been on the rise for the last four years."

RBA is a developer of fully bonded homes ranging from R250 000 to R700 000.

Wentzel said the rise of the black middle class and urbanisation had pushed up the demand for affordable housing.

"Initially the affordable houses were attractive to first-time buyers but the implications of high interest rates and the National Credit Act have seen more people opting for cheaper homes that they can later extend," said Wentzel.

Three months ago, RBA raised R65 million when it listed on the AltX. The company has built more than 5 000 homes in Johannesburg and Pretoria, with another 600 under construction.

With an annual turnover of R235 million, the company plans to increase its building capacity from 1 200 homes to 2 000 homes a year. Turnover for 2008 is forecast at R306 million.




Andrew Watt, the director of business development at Lightstone Risk Management, said mid-market buyers were most affected by the rising cost of housing.

"There has been an increase in the number of bonded homes in the township and a large number of them are from the low-cost bracket. The impact of interest rates is likely to be felt in a year's time and that is when affordable homes will become less affordable," said Watt.

The 60 hectare Bridge City site is a development by the eThekwini Municipality and Tongaat-Hulett Developments.

The precinct will among other things, consist of a 450-bed regional state hospital, health club, magistrates court, taxi rank and retail space.

The entire project is expected to finished in 10 years, creating more than 25 000 permanent jobs, with an additional 27 500 short-term jobs resulting from the construction phase. The project is one of five key urban renewal projects in the municipality's Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu district initiative.

Hey there is a site www.bridgecity.co.za for this development now.

The hospital, train station, magistrates court and regional shopping centre are under construction.

find a site plan for the entire development below

http://www.bridgecity.co.za/images/siteOverview.jpg

That's huge.

http://i35.tinypic.com/nf3zit.jpg

Hmm need to scan it better....

Not too bad! At least we can see what's going on! So, when is construction supposed to begin? This is indeed a very huge development, however it looks a bit "tunnel like", I would have liked them to "break the facades" and vary the heights a little more to create a more "organic" feel.

this will be very nice.the renders look almost like a Georgian city in England or even austria.I'm sure there will be nay sayers out there who say Africans must live in african architecture etcbut thankfully that's not me

Not too bad! At least we can see what's going on! So, when is construction supposed to begin? This is indeed a very huge development, however it looks a bit "tunnel like", I would have liked them to "break the facades" and vary the heights a little more to create a more "organic" feel.

Its well under construction, been working on it for over a year now. The regional shopping centre and apartments above it (in the above render) are well advanced. The underground station is also coming along well. Work has started on the regional hospital and the magistrates court and other civic facilities are imminent.

It is a great complex

^^ AWESOME! So Durban-Boys... Where are the construction pics then... Run, go get your digicameras!!! :lol:

hold up. i got some, lol.
but Mike if you go to site, would be nice if we could get some pics, I think these are old.

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g160/amgosai/Sky%20Scrapercity/a.jpg

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g160/amgosai/Sky%20Scrapercity/b.jpg

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g160/amgosai/Sky%20Scrapercity/c.jpg

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g160/amgosai/Sky%20Scrapercity/d.jpg

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g160/amgosai/Sky%20Scrapercity/e.jpg

Wow this is going to be impressive. This is a hugely significant project.

It looks pretty darn good I must say. Excellent project.

Wow - only saw this now. Go Durban!

its a bit off the beaten track for me to get to, but will try make a plan.

and yes it is a very significant project

Mike or DB any chance of doing a google earth of where this is cos i cant for the life of me place its location
ta sweeties

Firstly, I aint your f*cking sweety, lol

Secondly, its along the Mashu Hiway
The red is the plot of Bridge city

& in the second pic, the yellow is the N2 & I circled Gateway in Blue.

http://i36.tinypic.com/o05hjq.jpg

http://i38.tinypic.com/r1fvap.jpg

good work DB!!

so its Phoenix industrial estate

it is across the highway from it

Four consortia shortlisted for KwaZulu-Natal’s Bridge City rail link

Picture by: SARCC
http://llnw.creamermedia.co.za/articles/images/resized/52144_resized_untitled1.jpg

BRIDGE CITY RAIL LINK Location of future rail link and station.

The South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC) has shortlisted four consortia and is now evaluating their bids for the detailed design of the Bridge City rail link project, in KwaZulu-Natal.

The rail link, situated in the so-called INK area comprising Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu, and some 25 km to the north of Durban’s central business district, provides direct access to the Bridge City development, a Presidential lead project, which comprises over 700 000 m2 and will include a regional shopping centre, a hospital, a magistrates’ court, residential units, offices and commercial outlets.

The project will involve laying a 3-km spur from the existing major passenger line between Umlazi, Durban and KwaMashu and building a station at the proposed Bridge City development. The main catchment area to be served by the Bridge City development has a population of over half a million people.

“It is estimated that the capital cost for the construction of the about 3-km line and the station at Bridge City is in the region of R600-million. This excludes the provision of additional trains that would be required for this ser- vice,” says SARCC senior manager: strategic network planning Hishaam Emeran.

He adds that the extension of the rail service to Bridge City has been identified as a priority project in the SARCC’s regional rail plan for eThekwini that supports the eThekwini Transport Authority’s (ETA’s) overall public transport strategy for the area.

“The take-off point for the future rail spur will be in the vicinity of the existing Duffs road station. The rail service will be supplemented by a road-based feeder and distribution service that will link with the rest of the Inanda, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu and Phoenix areas. In this regard, the ETA is currently in the process of designing the road-based (bus and taxi) intermodal facility adjacent to the station that will facilitate the seamless transfer of passengers between rail and road-based services.”

The rail station at Bridge City will be located underneath a shopping centre and residential development. The rail platforms will be located below a section of the shopping centre and the overhead station concourse will be located within and on the ground floor of the shopping centre.

The design of the station complex involved the participation of professional teams from the rail project, the retail and residential development, and the intermodal road-based transport facility. The result is a fully integrated public transport precinct incorporated within a major retail and residential development that reinforces the planning aims of a compact mixed-use pedestrian-friendly urban precinct for Bridge City.

It is expected that the rail and road-based feeder/distribution services will transport over 40 000 passengers during peak hours once Bridge City is fully developed.
Edited by: Martin Zhuwakinyu

^^ thanx. i wish i could see how its turning out...maybe a drive out there is in order

For more pics and info on the centre go to www.bridgecityshoppingcentre.co.za

^^ thanx. i wish i could see how its turning out...maybe a drive out there is in order

Did you manage to take a drive? if so how's the progress?

^^ actually did awhile back hey. Progress is zooting along. Work on the hospital is advanced. The shopping centre/apartment/office mixed use development is up a few floors and the underground train station is well progressed. This is all due to open later this year if i am not mistaken...

Work on Magistrates court and police complex is starting this month from previous reports.

All in all its going along, will try get updates...pics

Ahh great, thanks Mikey.

Got the tenant lists, as you can imagine, there are quite a few shops, so I'll just stick to the big names

Edgars
Spar
Jet
Sportscene
Spur
News Cafe
Markhams
Exact (member of the Edcon group)
Miladys
Foschini
Ackermans
Identity
Legit
Sterns
Mr Price
Woolworths
Musica
Panarottis
Chicken Licken
Steers
Debonairs
Nandos
PEP
Checkers
Maxi's
CNA
KFC
Wimpy

shit, theres tons more & all the major banks, ABSA, Std, FNB, Nedbank, Capitec, etc...

^^ McDonald's missing out...again

^^ McDonald's missing out...again

^^^
Yeh - but I can't understand why - cos they should be taking advatage of this and others cos the fact that they are a 2010 WC sponsors.

They have a Mikey mouse operation inside Gateway (compared to say Canal Walk; and I know there's a big one outside nearby)

They also opened another really dull Mikey mouse operation at The Pav - near CheckersHyper...

Strange. Canal Walk has two MacDonald's actually. The large one in the food court and another one that sells only ice-creams, milkshakes etc.

Gateway has 2 of those ice cream stands and 1 main eatery, with one also situated outside

Strange. Canal Walk has two MacDonald's actually. The large one in the food court and another one that sells only ice-creams, milkshakes etc.

exactly.
anyway the Canal Walk one is really cool with that giant golden Mac 'M' - stretching out into the food court...

How far is the site from the CBD? By that I mean in Kms...


And thankfully there is NO McDonalds! Bleh....

:)

I would say, roughly 30km's or less

Wow thanks Durbsboi...suppose I didn't realize it was that far.

yeh its by no means a close neighbor

If you are taking the main N2 highway north of the city, it is one off ramp before the umhlanga turn-off onto the Kwamashu highway. Drive along there for 6/7km and you will get to the site of Bridge city. Its right opposite the existing Phoenix industrial area.

so ya it is rather far from central durban

Found so more renders and info on this massive project at www.iyer.co.za

http://www.iyer.co.za/Images/ProjectImages/Urban-Design/Bridge-City/huge/1.png

http://www.iyer.co.za/Images/ProjectImages/Urban-Design/Bridge-City/huge/2.png

http://www.iyer.co.za/Images/ProjectImages/Urban-Design/Bridge-City/huge/5.png

http://www.iyer.co.za/Images/ProjectImages/Urban-Design/Bridge-City/huge/6.png

not bad

will give a proper urban city feel to the area, which is very good and much need for SA's townships

Urban Green File
Issue 13-6 February 2009

city visit
By Katherine Cox

A BUFFER bridged


Can Durban’s new city precinct successfully bridge the buffer strip that, until now, existed between different townships as a legacy of apartheid? Can it set a precedent for the development of new town centres?

Apartheid planning has left South African cities scarred by buffer strips. However, today, these strips of land offer opportunities for development.

An example is situated just 17 km from the Durban city centre where Bridge City occupies one of the last remaining unencumbered pieces of land for development within greater Durban – midway between the communities of Inanda, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu (an area known as INK) and Phoenix. Planning for development has been under way for close to 15 years. In the process, the concept has changed from a simple industrial township to a fully-fledged town centre.

It is the second land-development project being carried out by the eThekwini Municipality in joint venture with Tongaat Hulett’s property development operation – collectively known as the Effingham Development Joint Venture (EDJV). This follows on River Horse Valley Business Estate – recognised as a huge success financially as well as in terms of its environmental, social and economic contribution to the area. The EDJV has made substantial profits out of River Horse Valley.

These profits, in turn, have been used to kick-start development at Bridge City.

The joint venture has been a successful model of a public-private partnership with the respective parties contributing different and complementary skills. Their joint venture developments have been ring fenced financially and funded in total by using the initial value of undeveloped land as seed capital. The Public Investment Corporation is funding Crowie Projects’ retail and residential project while eThekwini Municipality is funding the installation of certain bulk infrastructure such as a new electricity sub-station and a half-diamond interchange on the M25.

This includes an underpass and an on/offramp at Bhejane Road, as well as a portion of Bhejane Road extension and railway. At the time of writing, various large funds and financial institutions were beginning to show interest in developing buildings in the new precinct.

Rigorous planning process followed

Bridge City has been subjected to a rigorous planning and development process; meeting all the necessary criteria for township establishment within eThekwini.

An urban design framework details the layout, spatial concepts, building design code, design principles and development management for each precinct. A design review panel (DRP) works with the developers and their professional teams for individual sites; ensuring a strong sense of control over the design process. The DRP’s function is to ensure that the vision is translated into reality. Each step of the design process comes under review.

“Using a workshop format, the designs are tweaked, morphed, changed and sent through an interesting process of growth,” Nick Poulsen of MDS Architects tells Urban Green File.

Various management forums keep a close eye on the process and the resulting construction. The JV has an executive committee (exco) overseeing various “work streams”, for sectors such as empowerment, stakeholder engagement, planning, strategic planning, economic development, finance and infrastructure, as well as design. The work streams guide the development team, which brainstorms ideas and decides on the way forward.

Any decisions or matters requiring resolution are taken to the exco and then to the JV committee.

Bridge City will fulfil the role of a regional CBD. This is according to Nathan Iyer of IYER Urban Design Studio, who informs Urban Green File that the development, encompassing a visionary new town center with an estimated investment of R5,8-billion, is about urban living.

The vision stated in Bridge City’s 2008 Urban Design Framework is “to create a dynamic, harmonious and wel balanced city precinct of the highest aesthetic, landscape and urban design quality that promotes the notion of African urbanism”.

The overall concept entails high-density, mixed-use development with a typical city block consisting of retail on the ground floor, commercial, manufacturing, office or parking space on the second floor, and residential use on the floors above.

Density is ensured with buildings ranging from three to 11 floors in height.

4 precincts

Comprising four precincts for civic, town centre, small and medium enterprises, and transport/retail activities, general development concepts embrace:

“pedestrian-friendly” surroundings

“walking distance” planning to minimise vehicle use

well-developed, carefully-crafted public spaces

tree-lined boulevards to ensure free flow of traffic

wide sidewalks

paved pedestrian areas with street furniture and good lighting

CCTV security

traffic-calming system to enhance pedestrian safety

entertainment sites such as restaurants, hotels and venues, providing an additional economic catalyst and supplementary tourism income sources

potential for “urban” schools and tertiary education
substantial on-road parking

a management association to oversee security and maintenance, among others

Areas stitched together

According to Iyer, the urban design was generated by “stitching” the various areas together to bridge communities. A hierarchy of roads – primary-linking, higher-order secondary and pedestrian-priority routes – will facilitate the stitching function. The construction of internal roads and extensions of existing roads will link and connect the development with its context.

New infrastructure includes:

Bhejane Road extension up to the Bridge City boundary.
The M25 half-diamond interchange, which will provide strategic access to KwaMashu and Bridge City as well as to Phoenix Industrial Park.
The rail line and station, as well as an intermodal facility for taxis and buses, will be critical to the success of town and shopping centre.
Urban design characteristics identified
Key characteristics the new development should strive to achieve are stipulated in the 2005 Urban Design Framework:

A new, mixed-use compact town center with multi-storey buildings built up to the street boundaries.

A strong sense of local community in order to create a sought-after residential precinct.
A strong retail and commercial center with vibrant interaction between urban places.
A regional centre with large-scale facilities such as a state regional hospital, regional magistrate’s court, civic and institutional buildings, as well as an intermodal transport facility.

Dedicated urban management with an association to manage surveillance, safety, cleansing and maintenance.

Social and economic improvement empowering local communities through ownership.
Catalyst for economic growth by linking and integrating all local communities through the creation of a new town centre.


Pedestrian links determine design

Bridge City has been designed as a formal urban space. Movement and transportation in and around the site is fundamental to the design. The texture of roads at intersections and the network of boulevards, located strategically, all have different surface treatments to create a sense of place. The design is built around a central iconic space with strong pedestrian priority linkages radiating outwards from it towards zones of importance, such as the station and hospital. The idea is to create a “walkable” CBD with opportunity for roads to be closed to cars for celebrations, processions and markets.

“The retail centre opens up onto the street while also focusing on the interior,” says Nick Poulsen of MDS Architects, consultant to Crowie Projects – the developer of the shopping centre. “It responds to the street and integrates the public realm as well as the informal sector.” The informal sector has been taken into account and included in the design of the taxi-bus rank. The rank also opens up to the southwestern edge of the site linking Bridge City with the neighbouring informal settlement of Bester.

Perimeter blocks at core of design

The central core of the design uses the concept of perimeter blocks (four to 11 floors high) with internal courtyards. It was a challenge to reconcile parking requirements at the stipulated densities but the municipality has lowered the required parking ratios in order to accommodate the envisioned bulk. The municipality considered the provision of a range of public transport modes in its decision to relax parking stipulations.

Street life will be vibrant. On-street parking ensures constant activity on the streets and relieves each individual site of some parking requirements. Streets are lined by shops opening out onto the street with residential apartments above.

Bridge City will be most dense in the centre; becoming less dense outwards.

Land uses also become less intense and more small and medium enterprise-related as one moves outwards. This creates an “economic ladder” – a new model for the Durban metro.

The precinct for small and medium enterprises has been designed to a maximum of three floors for live-work-play with opportunities for entrepreneurs to sell their products in retail space on the ground floor; manufacturing on the second floor and living on the floor above it.

It is envisaged that occupants and users of Bridge City will be drawn from INK, Phoenix and other parts of Durban to this quality urban environment. The EDJV’s studies show that adequate primary and secondary educational facilities exist within the surrounding context while it is hoped that tertiary institutions, such as Damelin and other colleges, will take up space in the CBD.

As designers on the project, Iyer and Andre Duvenage are of the opinion that sufficient provision has been made for public space in the form of the town square and pedestrian lanes. The aim was to create an urban environment and to balance the delivery of land for development, and the cost and provision of public space. The streets are well-landscaped, pedestrian-friendly and designed to add to the quality of the pubic realm.

Intermodal transport facility at the heart

In terms of transport, Bridge City forms part of eThekwini’s high-priority public transport corridor. The South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC) is extending the rail link from Durban CBD to KwaMashu into Bridge City so that it will be accessible to all INK areas as well as Phoenix. The intermodal transportation facility, adjacent to the railway station and beneath the shopping centre, is the first model of its kind in eThekwini and will cater for trains as well as long- and short distance taxis, buses and cars. It is projected that more than 40 000 commuters per peak period (three hours) or 100 000 commuters per day will ultimately utilize this new facility. Together with the installation of infrastructure, this project is driving the development. Ensuring Bridge City is a vibrant town centre, residential use forms a large part of the development. Between 4 500 and 5 000 residential units will be developed above retail and commercial space. Studio, one-, two- and three bedroom options are available with sizes varying from 30 m² to 90 m² or more and opportunities for the development of penthouses. The broad target market is between R350 000 and R750 000 per unit (the affordable or gap market). Despite obvious Financial Services Charter opportunities, the interest shown by banks has not yet materialised into development – possibly due to the early stage of development, tentativeness about the market and current unfavourable market conditions.

Amid three densely-populated townships

With more than 800 000 people living in the immediate vicinity, Bridge City is a welcome improvement on the physical and economic landscape. As an apartheid-era buffer area, Bridge City was seen as inaccessible and risky. However, with the growth and stability that followed the democratic transition in South Africa, the realisation is now that the site enjoys exceptional accessibility and linkage potential.

The 60 ha of undeveloped land was originally owned by Tongaat Hulett. It is located to the south-west of Phoenix Industrial Park; at the confluence of the INK areas – three densely populated former “dormitory” townships.

According to Gary Kimber, the City of eThekwini’s project manager for the development, the land was originally zoned and subdivided for industrial purposes.

The surrounding land uses display poor-quality public environments. The area boasts a catchment of close to 800 000 people over a radius of 5 km – a significant portion of the total population of 3-million living in the eThekwini metro area.

Bridge City is connected to the surrounding areas by major arterials and is easily accessible from the N2 freeway. Three upmarket areas – Umhlanga, Mount Edgecombe and Durban North – lie to the east and north east of Bridge City; also within a radius of about 5 km and provide additional “catchment” for the development.

INK is a predominantly residential area situated on hilly terrain with little vacant land available for development. The townships show low levels of internal economic activity with a 40% unemployment rate and 33% of residents not economically active.

INK has the status of a presidential lead project as recognised by the national Urban Renewal Programme. It is also one of five Area Based Management learning areas within the eThekwini metropolitan region. Until now, INK’s growth prospects have been almost entirely dependent on external areas such as Umhlanga and the Durban inner city.The majority of consumer spending leaks out of INK.

Just over half (52%) of the housing within INK is formal, 43% informal and 5% traditional. Some 70% of INK’s residents travel to work in the city by rail with the remaining 30% using minibus taxis, buses and cars. A Department of Planning & Local Government report on INK (2007) states that 65% of INK’s population is below the age of 29; citing youth development as a priority within the area. No tertiary educational facilities exist within the immediate context and it is no surprise that skills and education shortages are severe constraints to economic growth.

Expenditure on health is high with 26 clinics and only one existing hospital. On the positive side, access to basic services is good.

Public participation presents a challenge

The scale of the surrounding areas has made it difficult to engage stakeholders in the early stages of the development. However this has now changed as the EDJV has recognised the importance of effective stakeholder engagement early on, Brian Ive, development executive of the EDJV, tells Urban Green File. A stakeholder engagement forum has been established to represent communities from INK and Phoenix as well as other key role players and the JV. This forum meets monthly and has become an information-sharing tool.

Aside from the forum, a socio-economic impact study has been initiated to monitor Bridge City’s impact on the local economy.

A separate taxi-bus rank forum includes a transportation steering committee which represents the “big five” taxi associations, bus companies, the SARCC and the JV. The eThekwini Municipality recognises that this is potentially a politically-sensitive development.

Not only is effective participation receiving special attention from the municipality but the developers are genuinely committed to involving local communities.

With informal traders in mind, servitudes have been registered over all sidewalks within Bridge City in favour of the management association. Informal traders have been engaged and are accommodated within the transport intermodal facility and certain market or urban spaces.

What about sustainability?

Members of the professional team for Bridge City admit that the development is more about sustainable urbanism, than “green” urbanism.

Despite the fact that planning for Bridge City took place before green was on the development agenda, developers are strongly encouraged to adopt green principles in their developments and this is being incorporated into sale agreements and design review processes. So how does Bridge City contribute towards an improved urban environment?

The design has ensured a truly livework-play environment; bringing local economic development opportunities close to home for the INK communities. Bridge City is largely about bringing economic development and quality, convenient and safe urban living to a previously-disadvantaged area. Development will be provided at density; maximising the use of the land and discouraging urban sprawl. The development’s focus on public transport and walkability, to enable people to work and play close to their homes, chalks up sustainability points. Sustainable development will be achieved through business growth, sustainable employment, advanced infrastructure and encouraging developers to adopt green principles. Poulsen claims: “The architecture is sustainable in that it takes aspect into account; maximising access to natural sunlight. It is robust in form and nature; embracing the notion of adaptation and change over time and is sensitive to use and site. As the first example of architecture, the mixed-use retail centre will also display public art; possibly sourced from the INK community”.

Duvenage points out: “Sustainable architecture is about good and responsive architecture. A good building is well designed and responds to its context”.

Adopting this strategy, design for Bridge City has become about creating a quality urban centre; no different, in quality or management, to upmarket developments such as Umhlanga or The Point.

Plans for more than 500 trees

Ultimately 510 new trees and 14 000 ground covers will be planted in the road reserves and urban spaces at Bridge City. As far as possible, all planting will be indigenous. Landscaping plans for each development are required to list and motivate plant types proposed for use and are subject to approval by the design-review panel with a minimum of 20% of the site’s area to be landscaped.

“Landscaping within or on the boundary of a development facing onto a street or public space is to be undertaken to make a conscious contribution to the architecture of the development (how it is composed, meets the ground or is set within the site) and the public environment onto which it faces,” the 2005 Urban Design Framework stipulates. Tongaat Hulett is setting up an indigenous nursery to supply the site.

To assist with stormwater attenuation, a retention facility is being considered on the lowest part of the land. If implemented, this water will be collected and used to irrigate the landscape within the development. The possibility of installing and using LED lighting was investigated but, because of the high costs and the need for high levels of light in order to satisfy CCTV requirements, these elements were deemed impractical.

The City of eThekwini is working with INK to develop land on the south-western edge of the development into a park. Environmental consultants are engaged in this project.

Urban management considered in sustainability

Any sustainable development must include urban management and, in this case, the developers have a vested interest in ensuring that the development “works” after completion. The notion of management has, therefore, been incorporated from the start and will follow a City Improvement District model.The EDJV partners have experience in urban management in other developments, such as Umhlanga and The Point. According to Brian Ive, the JV has established the Bridge City Management Association (a Section 21 company), provided seed capital and operational funds and continued to fund it on a reducing basis. Urban management at Bridge City will provide formal security measures, additional cleaning services and well-managed public spaces; ensuring excellent security and a well-maintained urban environment. It is recognised that the development will require top security.

As much as R12-million will be spent on CCTV and security, alone, in order to provide a secure public realm throughout the entire development.

Many challenges ahead

Despite thorough planning and glowing intentions for the development, a number of challenges need to be overcome. Possibly the most prevalent is the macro-economic climate having a negative impact on the development. Two of the proposed developments have been shelved due to greater cost.

Gary Kimber, project manager and engineer for the eThekwini Municipality, is of the opinion that community buy-in and ownership within the development is the key to making the project work. The EDJV has created different levels of entry investment into the development – an economic ladder of sorts where smaller developers can enter the development on a small scale and reasonably-affordable level and then move upwards over time towards the centre of the development; requiring further investment. The intention is that secondary developers for the project should be drawn from the INK areas. This, though, is tricky and challenging to achieve due to the way Bridge City is structured: each high-density, mixed-use land parcel is expensive to develop; presenting another trade-off – this time between sustainable development and empowerment of previously- disadvantaged communities. According to Ive, to date, potential investors from INK have not yet shown interest – possibly because of inexperience and affordability issues. Bridge City could easily become about community ownership juxtaposed against institutional ownership of individual development parcels. The EDJV has realised this and is working on financial models to realise the “inclusivity” of local communities, which will have a positive impact on the context.

Politically, a sensitive development

On the positive side, in what could be a politically-sensitive development, the developers are genuinely concerned about the involvement of local people.

The JV is passionate about being in the process and ensuring that the end result works sustainably in terms of local economic development, management and increasing land values. They are not just about the bottom line. Bridge City has posed a steep learning curve for the developers as the communities have varied expectations – apparently, mostly about their own economic benefits rather than an improved urban environment while the development itself has its own unique set of challenges. Early on in the process, it was difficult to identify stakeholder representatives as there was a relatively low level of organization within the INK communities leading to little continuity of participants and a high turnover of representatives. According to eThekwini and the JV, participation from the communities’ side has been reactive rather than proactive with, initially, a culture of entitlement pervading, but this is changing now.

A very different scenario has been demonstrated by Phoenix residents who are keen and eager to invest or be a part of the development in some way.

Although some public open space has been provided, it seems that the amount of open space has been compromised to accommodate maximum land use. While it is accepted that the city is working to develop land along the flood plain into a park, questions arise as to whether or not the open spaces provided within Bridge City are adequate for the densities to be created. Similar questions arise regarding the provision of social amenities such as youth centres and sports facilities. However one also has to keep in mind that this is a high-density town-centre development.

Parking requirements presented yet another challenge. Under pressure from the JV, the eThekwini Municipality actually reduced parking requirements significantly for the development as the original parking ratios were unaffordable for this type of development and not necessarily applicable where the development focused on public transport. The design does provide just less than 1 000 street-level parking bays.

An overarching challenge was to create a city centre with an African identity. At Bridge City, the structure is provided but the way people use and interpret the space becomes what makes it African.
“It’s the people who make the city African,” states Duvenage.

So where is Bridge City up to?

Construction of the underground railway station is nearing completion and work on the first and the second levels of the shopping centre have commenced. The centre will be ready for trade in October 2009 along with eThekwini’s new intermodal transport facility.

The railway station is due to be opened in December 2011. Construction of the Magistrates Court is likely to start in early 2009 and the regional hospital in late 2009 while Ithala will start its mixed use development mid 2009. All sites in Bridge City are now saleable with one of27 the blocks of small and medium enterprises already sold to an investor. A development of this size and complexity is always going to present challenges to the professional team and investors alike.

Either way you look at it, and given the sincerity of the developer’s intentions, Bridge City will improve the quality of the urban environment for hundreds of thousands of previously- disadvantaged people and set a new precedent in the development of new town centers for KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa.

A massive undertaking

Key developments within Bridge City will include

a 450-bed provincial hospital (40 000 m²)

regional Magistrates Court (13 136 m² with possible expansion)

railway station concourse (300 m²)

intermodal transport facility (12 000 m²)

shopping centre (40 000 m² and an additional 13 000 m² in the second phase)

680 apartments above the shopping centre for sale to end-user purchasers

a government mall comprising different levels of government facilities and services in one building (pension pay points, provincial governmental services, municipal payment services, a library, Home Affairs branch, as well as supporting commercial uses such as passport photos, photocopy businesses and municipal official’s office) – the aim is for the private sector to own and manage the building while renting space to government

Ithala mixed-use development (17 718 m²)

additional retail (150 000 m²)

“motor city” mixed-use development (22 000 m²)

SMME sites to encourage enterprise development (28 444 m² with 7 700 m² already sold)

three filling stations (27 251 m²)

close to 300 000 m² of prime business space (larger than La Lucia Ridge Office Estate)

Key role players
Development partnership: Effingham Development Joint Venture comprising eThekwini Municipality and Tongaat Hulett Developments. The latter is the development manager for Bridge City.
Sales agent: Shabalala Pam Golding Joint Venture
Town planner: Simon Vines
Urban designer: IYER Urban Design Studio
Horticulturalist: Di Hansen
Civil engineer: Stemele Bosch Africa
Electrical engineer: Bosch Projects
Architect: Architects Collaborative
Land surveyor:Wall Marriott Paul & Borgen
Bridge City Shopping Centre developer: Crowie Projects
Architects for Crowie Projects: Bridge City Architects (a joint venture between MDS Architects, ADA Architects and DGIT)



Published in Urban Green File, Volume No 13, No 6, February 2009
Copyright: Brooke Pattrick Publications (Pty) Ltd.
Acknowledgement required if article or portion thereof is reproduced.

Very detailed, interesting read.

i thought so...

I love it. Very pedestrian oriented.

Thanks for the update dysan1.

R740m Bridge City Mall draws top stores to KZN’s forgotten corner

01 Apr 2009 - eProp - Futuregrowth Asset Management & Advent Asset Management

Intro
Bridge City Mall, part of a major new precinct rising up in the underserviced Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu (INK) district of KwaZulu Natal, is more than 80% let with major tenants Woolworths, Edcon, Shoprite and Spar already signed up

The R740m two level shopping centre, covering 40 000m2 of lettable space in the mixed-use precinct that will serve the needs of residents in the INK area, northwest of Durban, is due to open on 29 October this year. Construction is more than 51% complete.

The contract for the purchase of the mall was negotiated six months ago by Advent Asset Management on behalf of Futuregrowth's Community Property Fund (CPF). The CPF will acquire the property once construction is complete. It is a major addition to the CPF’s existing portfolio of 25 shopping centers in underserviced township and rural areas and ranks as the third largest asset in the portfolio in terms of lettable area.

The mall is a significant addition to the R2,5bn fund and puts KZN on the map as far as regional exposure within the Fund goes. The CPF is invested in eight of South Africa’s nine provinces.

The 650 000m2 precinct will include residential apartments, government and commercial offices, a 400-bed provincial hospital, regional magistrates court, and an integrated transport hub and is expected to be the catalyst for the development and integration of communities in the northern region of the eThekwini Municipality.

James Howard, a fund manager at Futuregrowth Asset Management said: “We are delighted with progress on the development which remains on track for the scheduled trading date of 29 October 2009. Everyone involved is very excited about the mall being built in this forgotten corner as it will really make such a difference to so many ordinary people's everyday lives.”

Advent portfolio manager Gary Goliath said that the mall would be the largest shopping centre in the immediate area and an investment in KZN that matched the quality required in the CPF portfolio.

The shopping centre, which comprises 150 retail spaces, will include outlets for the country’s biggest banks.

The eThekwini Municipality has committed more than R90m to build a regional bus and taxi rank adjacent to the mall. A railway link to the major metropolitan areas of KZN is currently being established with a station situated on a level below the shopping centre by the South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC) at a cost of R550m.

The SARCC has agreed a turnkey development solution regarding the construction and design of the station to be completed by October. The station rail link is currently at the design stage and environmental impact assessment (EIA) has been commissioned for the 4km rail link. The rail system is due to start operating in the third quarter of 2011.

Construction will start on the R700m Dr Pixley Ka Seme Hospital in September this year for commissioning in September 2011. Construction on a regional magistrates court is due to commence in August and the Ethekwini municipality bus and taxi rank next month with a targeted opening date of 1 October.

The developer, Crowie Projects, a 100% Black owned and managed property development company has taken responsibility of a budget of more than R3m that has been set aside for empowerment related activities including corporate social initiatives. Currently 65% of labour on site is from the INK or Phoenix communities and subcontractors have joint venture agreements with local enterprises.

Wayne van der Vent, the head of properties of the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), one of the investors in the CPF, said that the Bridge City development meets the strategy of the PIC to increase investments into historically deprived areas. “This is one of the first mixed developments which spans the divide between townships and suburbs,” he said.

If the Bridge City Hospital is being commissioned in Sept 2011, then Addington Hospital will be decommisioned around then too, and the site released for development. Can't wait for that.

That'll be awesome...

addington is a bit of an eyesore in the area...

Addington site was on sale some time back, anyone know if it was sold?

Couldn't have been Addington site. That's owned by Provincial Government and they wouldn't sell it until replacement hospitals (King George V regional hospital in Asherville and Bridge City hospital) are ready.

Always thought Luthuli was the replacement hospital

Luthuli is a tertiary (specialist) hospital only. It doesn't take patients off the street; only specialist referrals from other hospitals. Now that's an impressive hospital. Only one of its kind in SA and Southern Hemisphere.

Sorry not Luthuli, my bad, I meant King George in Asherville, seeing that they completing a MASSIVE renovation. That place is huge now

Not so much a renovation. More like major new additions. Will become a general hospital vs. current TB / psychiatry hospital. And no, this hospital alone won't be replacing Addington. To my knowledge, 2 hospitals will be replacing Addington and only then will it be decomissioned. Would be great if they decommission Addington after new sections of KG5 are commisioned.

^^ there are currently 4 provincial hospitals u/c in Durban to replace addington. There is this one, King George, a new on in Inanda and another down south in Umlazi

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x31/Upington/Gaonet/BridgeCity.jpg

nice find!

The Bridge City website has been updated and is a wealth of info on this amazing development...

www.bridgecity.co.za

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Infrastructure

A key component of Bridge City is the development of new and upgraded infrastructure in the INK area, providing access to facilities, transport and services to communities in which these were previously lacking. Key transport/road infrastructure projects include:

Road upgrades
Bhejane Road Extension
MR93 Interchange
Rail line & station
Taxi/bus/car inter-modal facility
Transport Node capacity: 40 000 passengers per peak periods in a.m and p.m (3 hours each) / 100 000 + commuters per day


Developments in Bridge City

Development|Size
450 Bed Provincial Hospital |35 000 m²
Regional Magistrates Court |21 000 m²
Regional Government/Municipal Services Hub| 21 474 m²
Inter-Modal Transport Facility |25 000 m² gross & 850 m² commercial / retail
Shopping Centre 40 000 m² & 45 000 m² residential (+ option for 13 000 m² in 2nd Phase)
Ithala Development 17 718 m²
SMME Sites To Encourage Enterprise Development 28 444 m² (7 700 m² Sold)
3 Filling Stations (Total Bulk Including Residential) 27 251 m²
Additional Retail 150 000 m²


Prime Commercial Space Available

250 - 300 000 m² of prime business space (Larger than La Lucia Ridge Office Estate) is available
Central location
Accessible to a large surrounding population with growing skills base
Well serviced by public transport


Living at Bridge City

Bridge City offers cosmopolitan, convenient apartment-style living:

Studio, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom options are available
Approximately 4500 residential units will be available on completion of the development
Sizes vary from 30m² - 90m² or more
Construction began 2008
Shopping Centre opens late October 2009
Residential Occupation from early 2011


Development Stages

Progress to date: Civil contract Phase 1 completed in May 2008

Construction of Bhejane Road
Main Boulevard
Bulk Services


Civil contract phase 2 awarded in October 2008


Progress to date: Civil contract Phase 2

To service shopping centre, inter-modal and railway station sites, as well as other sites sold.
To provide access off MR93 / M25 and from Besters

Bridge City before...

http://www.bridgecity.co.za/resize/640/uploads/gallery/2009/07/23_10_26_9_2097558_1155588.jpg

Bridge City Mall - July 2009

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The gap you see under the building is the rail route to the underground station

http://www.bridgecity.co.za/resize/640/uploads/gallery/2009/06/29_11_7_19_40615521_3403918.jpg

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http://www.bridgecity.co.za/resize/640/uploads/gallery/2009/06/29_11_8_5_972015_8905629.jpg

why a shopping center? I thought the whole deal with this place was to encourage street shopping?

nice updates btw.

it interacts with the streetscape...street facing stores and internal ones

Here's some news on Bridge City and its new mall.

-----------------

KZN's Bridge City update
24 August 2009

Residential precinct attracts attention from major property fund - say marketers

With a 40 000sqm shopping centre due to open its doors on 29 October 2009 the 48ha Bridge City mixed-use, town centre development is starting to take shape in the north-west of Durban, just off the KwaMashu Highway adjacent to Phoenix Industrial Park.

Bridge City Mall has secured tenants which include major national retailers and brands such as Shoprite, Spar, Woolworths, Mr Price, Edgars, OK Furniture, KFC and Spur, as well as major banks, while an additional 13 000sqm second phase of retail is also planned.

Now a strategically positioned corner site - Isango (meaning gate or gateway) - comprising a mix of commercial, retail and residential components has been launched to the marketplace. Developed by Kagiso Urban Management, this site is planned for completion at the end of 2011/first quarter of 2012. A major fund has expressed interest in purchasing the residential precinct of this development, currently planned to comprise 300 one and two bedroom units to service rental demand, while 5000sqm of commercial space is under negotiation for a major tertiary education institution.

Comments Taryn Muller, commercial agent for Pam Golding Properties in Durban - marketers of the Isango development: "With high visibility from the KwaMashu Highway (M25) and easy access to major routes including the N2, this prime corner site provides an excellent location and maximum exposure as it is situated right on Bridge City's main activity spine leading to the regional hospital, shopping mall and magistrate's court. It's the gateway to Bridge City and at the first interchange leading from Phoenix Industrial, as well as being just five minutes' walk from the taxi/bus rank and train station, and directly opposite a mixed-use development which includes a petrol filling station."

On this just-launched site over 4 300sqm of retail space and in excess of 15 000sqm of commercial space is available in flexible configurations ranging in size from 100sqm, with ample parking and easy access. GAPP Architects & Urban Designers have focused on an aesthetic, contemporary design with the development separated into three main vertical precincts comprising retail/commercial/hospitality and a private residential precinct. All precincts include individualised, private landscaped courtyards and parking and are connected via pedestrian links.

Says Muller: "Due to its strategic position of Isango, this development has strong appeal for use as corporate offices, call centres, a hotel operator with conferencing, government services and educational centres as well as a vast array of food, retail and supply services located at ground level to cater for businesses, residents and visitors."

Bridge City - a joint venture between eThekwini Municipality and Tongaat Hulett Developments - is a progressive, modern city designed to service a rapidly growing population which includes the nearby areas of Phoenix, Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu. It serves as a link that will integrate and provide economic empowerment to all the local communities and create a new town centre that will be a major asset to the city of Durban.

Coupled with huge infrastructural investment by the city of Durban Bridge City is one of several major renewal projects being undertaken in the area, which include establishment of the KwaMashu Town Centre as an important hub, Inanda Heritage Trail to promote tourism, the Safer Cities Programme which focuses on increased policing, safety in schools and mobilisation of the community against crime, and the P557 Road - construction of a 14km dual carriageway urban arterial that incorporates a new road link over the Umgeni River.

Bridge City's future success is underpinned by its transportation networks and accessibility to taxi, bus and rail, and a management association which will provide round the clock, daily security and cleanliness of urban spaces. Tongaat Hulett Developments' long term vision is that Bridge City is a vibrant, safe and sustainable city centre in which people can work, live and enjoy recreational activities.

http://www.realestateweb.co.za/realestateweb/view/realestateweb/en/page197?oid=47102&sn=Detail

why is the mall the only thing built. No rail, no hospital, no residential nothing

Us Saffers have our priorities right, Giles. Retail therapy before health therapy. :lol:

On a serious note, as far as I am aware, the underground rail link is already quite advanced, and the magistrates court and hospital are already under construction.

oh so the ariels are old? will these residential be rentals or sold? a mini less affluent Gateway precint?

"and the P557 Road - construction of a 14km dual carriageway urban arterial that incorporates a new road link over the Umgeni River."

I'm really interested in where that P557 Road is going... I know Dysan said that there was a road going to New Germany, are there any updates on how that is going?

...

Nice!

Some renders I found of this precinct, courtesy of http://www.thdev.co.za/
http://www.thdev.co.za/resize/640/img/uploads/developments/photos/9.jpg
http://www.thdev.co.za/resize/640/img/uploads/developments/photos/8.jpg
http://http://www.thdev.co.za/resize/640/img/uploads/developments/photos/7.jpg
http://http://www.thdev.co.za/resize/640/img/uploads/developments/photos/6.jpg
http://www.thdev.co.za/resize/640/img/uploads/developments/photos/5.jpg
http://http://www.thdev.co.za/resize/640/img/uploads/developments/photos/4.jpg
http://http://www.thdev.co.za/resize/640/img/uploads/developments/photos/3.jpg
http://http://www.thdev.co.za/resize/640/img/uploads/developments/photos/2_.jpg
http://us-cdn.creamermedia.co.za/assets/articles/images/resized/40483_resized_sba_-_bridge_city.jpg
http://http://www.focuspm.co.za/images/project_retail01.jpg

fantastic, 10F new urbanism model town. Now lets roll this out across the country with major trainstation junctions as the focus point

ya this seems to be like the starting peice of a puzzle, excellent concept and Im 100% sure it will work

Town centre could be ‘major asset’ to Durban
09 Sep 2009
- I-Net Bridge -

THE 48ha Bridge City mixed-use, town-centre development is starting to take shape in northwest Durban, just off the KwaMashu Highway and adjacent to Phoenix Industrial Park.

Bridge City Mall has secured tenants that include major national retailers and brands such as Shoprite, Spar, Woolworths, Mr Price, Edgars, OK Furniture, KFC and Spur, as well as major banks. An additional 13000m² second phase of retail development is also planned.

Developed by Kagiso Urban Management, the site is planned for completion at the end of 2011.

A major fund has expressed interest in purchasing the residential precinct of the development, which will have 300 one- or two-bedroomed units to meet rental demand, while 5000m² of commercial space is under negotiation for a major tertiary education institution.

Pam Golding Properties’ commercial agent in Durban, Taryn Muller, says: “With high visibility from the KwaMashu Highway (M25) and easy access to major routes including the N2, this prime corner site provides an excellent location and maximum exposure as it is situated right on Bridge City’s main activity spine leading to the regional hospital, shopping mall and magistrate’s court.”

On this just-launched site more than 4300m² of retail space and more than 15000m² of commercial space is available in flexible configurations ranging in size from 100m² upwards, with ample parking and easy access.

GAPP Architects & Urban Designers have focused on an aesthetic, contemporary design with the development separated into three main vertical precincts focusing on retail, commercial and hospitality functions and a private residential precinct.

Bridge City is a joint venture between eThekwini municipality and Tongaat Hulett Developments and is designed to service a rapidly growing population that includes the nearby areas of Phoenix, Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu.

It is expected to serve as a link that will integrate and provide economic empowerment to all the local communities and create a new town centre that will be a major asset to the city of Durban.

Coupled with huge infrastructural investment by the city of Durban, Bridge City is one of several major renewal projects being undertaken in the area.

Source: Business Day


http://www.eprop.co.za/news/article.aspx?idArticle=11729

What is hapening with this one?

still going on quietly, no updates unfortunately

The mall is complete. The train station under the mall is still underway and will open next year. The magistrates court and council corner is underway. Work is set to commence on the two commercial blocks soon and the second phase of the mall.

pics pics pics, lets see the cranes up

Relevant parts highlighted...

----------------


Industrial policy funding to be prioritised
May 11, 2010 10:28 AM
By Sapa

Government financing in support of the National Industrial Policy Action Plan (NIPAP) will be prioritised in the period ahead, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan says.

This would be in conjunction with support for affordable housing, educational loans, road infrastructure, and the taxi recapitalisation programme, he told the National Assembly during debate on his budget vote.

"About R30 billion is available to fund economic infrastructure, social infrastructure, sustainability, and job creation projects," he said.

Funds of the Government Employees Pension Funds (GEPF) together with the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) would contribute to supporting Eskom in building additional generation capacity and improving the maintenance of its power stations.

"These are investments with clear long-term social and economic benefits, while also yielding satisfactory financial returns on a risk-adjusted basis," Gordhan said.

The GEPF money was invested by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), which had steadily widened its funds under management to include not just government bonds but a range of equities, property and targeted infrastructure investments.

During the year to March 2009, the PIC's assets under management declined from R786 billion to R739 billion -- largely as a result of the general decline in capital markets.

But, during the 2009/10 year a strong recovery was achieved, bringing assets under management to over R900 billion, or some 23.6 percent up year-on-year.

"Much of this investment is channelled to government infrastructure and development priorities, both through government bonds and direct investment in state-owned enterprises (SOEs)," he said.

Currently, R91.5 billion was in bonds issued by SOEs, including Eskom and Transnet issues, funding of the Airports Company to complete the new King Shaka International Airport, construction by the SA National Roads Agency (SANRAL) of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Programme and investment by the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority in several major water infrastructure projects.

In the process of creating value for the GEPF, the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and other investor clients, the PIC contributed directly and indirectly to a wide range of development projects.

"So for example, the PIC has invested R550 million in the development of Bridge City, a shopping mall in Kwa-Mashu, 25km North-West of Durban city centre, which will be linked with central Durban by an underground railway station, which is set to be completed in 2011."

Other future constructions included a 400-bed provincial hospital, a regional magistrate court; all linked to an inter-model transport hub for taxis, buses, rail and cars


http://www.timeslive.co.za/business/article444111.ece/Industrial-policy-funding-to-be-prioritised

The mall is complete. The train station under the mall is still underway and will open next year. The magistrates court and council corner is underway. Work is set to commence on the two commercial blocks soon and the second phase of the mall.

Any idea who will do the commercial blocks and the second phase of the mall?

Adding for continuity

Well, if your North focus includes the nearby INK area, the highlighted bits should be of interest to you...

---------------
Compiled by the Government Communication and Information System
Date: 27 Sep 2010
Title: Bold plans for public transport

Pretoria - The country's public transport sector is in for a major overhaul, with plans to introduce a training academy for the taxi industry and mass mobilisation of women in transport as owners and operators.

Speaking at the launch of this year's Transport Month in Durban, Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele said the taxi academy would teach business management and advance driving skills. Women will also be encouraged to join the multi-billion rand public transport industry.

The minibus taxi industry carries over 60 percent of South Africa's commuters.

"We also want our youth to become the basis of a future in which drunken driving without a proper licence is shunned in the same manner as smoking in public places," Ndebele said.

He said his department would train one million new drivers in a year, starting next month. He wants every 17-year-old in the country to have a driver's licence by the time they turn 18. This initiative is supported by the Education Department.

Transport Month is observed in October, and several events are planned within the transport sector.

The department has embarked on the national Rolling Enforcement Plan, which aims to stop a million cars in October and each month thereafter. Ndebele said the ambitious plan was in inline with a campaign to make the country's roads safe.

During Transport Month, the department will launch a massive public campaign to educate drivers about the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO).

"We (want) to ensure that there is general understanding of AARTO among all drivers. By the time the demerit system starts, it will only be the unwilling who will be victims," said Ndebele.

He also pledged to root out corruption in the issuing of licences and traffic fines. "A drunk and unlicensed driver leads to people being killed on our roads."

For the first time this year, the department can enforce traffic laws at national level. Up to now, this was left to municipalities and provinces. Until recently, the minister did not have any power to enforce at national level.

Meanwhile, more than R350 million has been spent on the underground Bridge City rail station, which is expected to serve 40 000 commuters per day and handle 14 000 passengers in peak hours. Bridge City is located in the Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu area in the north of the eThekwini municipality.

A further R360 million was invested on the new roads, road upgrades and public amenities within and surrounding the Bridge City precinct.

The project is playing a major role in economic growth and integration of local communities and has created more than 60 000 job opportunities.

Ndebele confirmed that preparations were at an advanced stage for the next big milestone in the life of the R25bn Gautrain project - which will be the opening of phase two, scheduled for the latter half of 2011.

The "North-South" line, which comprises the remaining two thirds of the project, will link the Johannesburg CBD to Pretoria and Hatfield via Rosebank, Sandton, Midrand and Centurion.

Preceding the opening of phase two will be the finalisation of construction works, the testing and commissioning of all systems and sub-systems and the trial running of both the trains and buses.

During the recent soccer World Cup, Gautrain was transporting about 80 000 passengers per week. This has since stabilised to about 50 000 passengers a week. - BuaNews

http://www.timeslive.co.za/business/article677866.ece/Durban-to-Joburg-high-speed-rail-concept-testing-starts-soon

Durban’s integrated station leads the way

A long-term goal is for 25 000 jobs to be created from Bridge City, writes Edward West

EDWARD WEST
Published: 2010/09/28 07:39:43 AM


DURBAN’s Bridge City Station, a new railway station being built under the R5bn Bridge City shopping, commercial and residential development situated between four townships north of the city centre, is the first in a roll-out of new stations.

The underground station, already 50% complete, involves 3km of underground track and will be the first underground railway station in SA .

The development, which will also be a bus and taxi hub — the eThekwini municipality is investing more than R150m on a taxi and bus rank — is planned to ease transport problems and provide convenience for about 613 000 people living in the KwaMashu, Phoenix, Ntuzuma and Inanda townships. A hospital, magistrate’s court and other commercial activities are planned for the precinct.

Integrated transport facilities such as at Bridge City will form part of a 20-year rail investment programme, that includes R98bn for new rolling stock.

Department of Transport director-general George Mahlalela says Bridge City will be the first fully integrated transport city in the country and “we need to find ways to replicate the experience all over the country”. Public- private partnerships and innovative ways to raise public sector financing, are essential, Mr Mahlalela says. SA’s transport infrastructure has been suffering from years of underinvestment. For instance, most commuter rail systems have reached the end of their life span after being upgraded in the 1950s, with some lines about 100 years old.

The investment in roads infrastructure, just to arrest the decline in road quality , will cost R75bn over five years. The capacity at the port of Durban needs to be doubled over 10 years to cope with the growth in exports through it. Funding will also be required for the upgrading of secondary airports around SA.

Meanwhile, in the maritime sector, “we have realised we are a maritime country without a maritime sector,” with no ships register and “we have to build from scratch,” says Mr Mhalalela.

Three high-speed rail projects, from Johannesburg to Durban, Johannesburg to Cape Town and Johannesburg to Mussina are part of this national transport strategy.

Mr Mahlalela says it is important that the government build its capacity to be able to deliver on its transport projects, and that it also learns from previous experiences, such as preventing spending overruns on projects that had, for instance, seen the project cost of the Gautrain escalate to R25bn from the originally estimated R7bn.

Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) CEO Lucky Montana says the Bridge City station is unique in that it will become self funding, because of the commercial developments that are linked to it. He says that a crucial aim of Bridge City was to have fully intermodal transport. The history of Durban is such that most industry and businesses were developed in the south, while townships tended to develop in the north of the city.

The long-term goal is for 25000 jobs to be created from Bridge City. The rail extension will have the capacity to serve 40000 commuters a day and handle 14000 passengers in peak hours.

About R360m has been invested in new roads and road upgrades to augment the facilities in the development. Prasa will spend R350m on the underground station in total, while the shopping mall has been developed at a cost of R750m.

On the Durban to Johannesburg high speed rail project, Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele says that, by next month, the department will start with the dual process of concept development and testing the market for a period of six months.

The Durban-Gauteng corridor is claimed to be the busiest corridor in the southern hemisphere both in terms of value and in tonnage and is the backbone of SA’s freight transportation network. Key nodal points within the corridor are the Port of Durban, Cato Ridge, Harrismith and City Deep in Johannesburg.



weste@bdfm.co,za

http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=122132

pity magistates court and hospital are only "planned" and not U/C or close

Durban’s integrated station leads the way

A long-term goal is for 25 000 jobs to be created from Bridge City, writes Edward West

EDWARD WEST
Published: 2010/09/28 07:39:43 AM


DURBAN’s Bridge City Station, a new railway station being built under the R5bn Bridge City shopping, commercial and residential development situated between four townships north of the city centre, is the first in a roll-out of new stations.

The underground station, already 50% complete, involves 3km of underground track and will be the first underground railway station in SA .

http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=122132

"The first underground railway station in SA" my bottom! What about the Gautrain?

maybe they meant the standard passenger rail network type?

"The first underground railway station in SA" my bottom! What about the Gautrain?

.... Thats run by SA rilways or what ever they are called these days ie not a privet network like gautrain

PRASA

pity magistates court and hospital are only "planned" and not U/C or close

The plans are fully drawn up and tenders have gone out. Final funding is awaited for the magistrates court which is due to start in 2011. The hospital is scheduled to start after the completion of the new hospital in kwamashu

ok cool, but the point of an integrated urban node like this is theat there is synergy between the elements, dont work if elements not there

Any pics, How many cranes up, are there big civil road projects around it etc

ok cool, but the point of an integrated urban node like this is theat there is synergy between the elements, dont work if elements not there

Any pics, How many cranes up, are there big civil road projects around it etc

Not everything can go up at once in these times...

Roads and civils are all complete

From what I heard theres just a few cranes up there, I havent been there myself but if I do go to there will take some pics.

The mall is complete. The train station under the mall is still underway and will open next year. The magistrates court and council corner is underway. Work is set to commence on the two commercial blocks soon and the second phase of the mall.

Any idea who is doing the two commercial blocks?

go look in their threads. if its not there we dont know. or try google them

This new Bridge City development is a lot like the Umhlanga area. Plus, it is located near a freeway, so where in Durban is this development located, specifically?

the convergence of phoenix industrial and kwamashu. Google map it

or maybe its between the bridge and the city?

I think Giles is spot on with that assessment of the location.

Guys, there's good coverage of this development in the lates SA Property Mag - KZN edition - dont know if thats been posted before though

So while i was in KwaMashu the other day i took these snaps. This first one is of the bridge city mall. The second phase is well underway, during this phase an additional 20,000m2 of retail will be added to the development as well as the opening of the underground train station that links through to Durban.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c128/dysan1/DSC05613.jpg

This second picture shows how far along things are on the Regional Magistrates court that is going up. At 21,000m2 it is by no means a small development and looks like it should open by year end or early next year.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c128/dysan1/DSC05614.jpg

Nice to see that its progressing along swiftly.

Still havent been here.

Here's an update on the civic buildings and magistrates court from www.privateprojects.co.za

Bridge City - Civic Buildings and Magistrates' Courts

Construction of civic buildings and magistrates' courts for Bridge City, in Inanda, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu and Phoenix North of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. This forms part of the mixed-use development which comprises of the residential units and commercial offices.

16 November 2010 This project is 90% complete. This PPA will now be marked as Complete.
08 February 2010 Construction has started.
20 January 2010 This project has been awarded to Group 5.
14 December 2009 They are going through the tender evaluation, hoping to be on site beginning of year 2010.
15 September 2009 Please see DTA: 217185. Description: The Independent Development Trust, invites tenders for the Main Building Contract for Ntuzuma Magistrates Offices at Bridge City, Durban. Closing date: 12 October 2009 at 12:00.
04 August 2009 The Bridge City project is progressing well and four tower cranes have been erected over the station area. The estimated 1700 augered concrete piles and all the bases are complete. Construction of the lower mall surface beds, lifts and staircase cores and the upper mall slab as well as the roof slab is underway. The lower mall structure over the station and columns in the station area have been completed. The station rail link is at the design stage and an environmental impact assessment has been started for the rail link.
31 July 2009 Hoping to start with the Magistrates Court in the next two months.
25 June 2009 With the opening of the shopping centre, the number of developments within the Bridge City confines is expected to grow in the short term to include the hospital, the magistrates court, and Ithala mixed-use development, the intermodal transfer facility and a number of other commercial developments.
01 April 2009 Construction on the regional magistrates court is scheduled to begin in August 2009.
21 February 2008 Earthworks for the entire Bridge City development is expected to be completed by the end of 2007.

Phase two of the mall is about to start, expanding the centre by 15,000m2 and taking total space to 55,000m2

http://www.fineclient.co.za/uploadimages/images_837/BridgeCityPhase2_large.jpg

a little old, but a good article covering the development

http://www.civildesigner.com/press/bridge_oct3.pdf

Bridge City pics

Fan Park

http://www.bridgecity.co.za/resize/640/uploads/gallery/2010/07/12_11_7_53_172591267_3559084.jpg

http://www.bridgecity.co.za/resize/640/uploads/gallery/2010/07/12_11_8_47_463459762_8466178.jpg