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Name: Ponte City ("The New Ponte")
Floors: 55
Height: 173m
Type: Residential/Retail
Web: http://www.newponte.co.za

Over the coming months, Ponte City will be totally renovated. The new Ponte will contain 467 spectacular residential units; a retail floor with an upmarket restaurant, a supermarket, a state-of-the-art gym and wellness center, specialty shops, cafes, a gigantic children’s play area, a climbing wall, ample parking and more.

Owning a flat in the new Ponte provides a profitable investment opportunity. In the first phase (October 2007), the developers will be selling 300 apartments from floor 11-floor 34, as sectional titles. These units will be priced at between R340K and R900K.

Given the huge demand for rentals in the city, particularly among the thousands of people who work in the city every day, it is anticipated that the units at Ponte will achieve a minimum of 70% rental vs mortgage bonds.

In light of the 2010 World Cup, there has also been tremendous interest from property investors in the CBD.Historically, all previous hosting cities of this prestigious sporting event have experienced a significant increase in property prices during the year of hosting such an event. It is noteworthy to mention that the areas immediately surrounding the stadiums demonstrate the most growth in property prices during this period.

Over the past couple of years, CBD property prices have doubled and tripled. When New York was in a property slump, prices were equally low. Imagine what it would cost today to live in a building like Ponte. Unaffordable except for the mega-rich.



http://img.photojerk.com/joburg/n582655603_1262171_5851.jpg

http://img.photojerk.com/joburg/n582655603_1262172_6847.jpg

http://img.photojerk.com/joburg/n582655603_1262173_7731.jpg

http://img.photojerk.com/joburg/n582655603_1262174_8242.jpg

http://img.photojerk.com/joburg/4August2004096.jpg

Credit for this interview goes to Brian Kent McKechnie, who I really wish would join these forums! ;)

If you're on facebook, go join the group "Ponte is Joburg's hottest landmark."

Interview with the designers
Odile Kgaswe and Nour Addine Ayyoub

Q: How would you characterize the design of Ponte City?

It’s been called ‘brutalist’ architecture, which is a term coined in the 1950s to refer to buildings that ‘celebrate concrete’. Many of the ideas behind ‘brutalist’ architecture are about creating communities within building- ‘streets in the sky’. There’s no doubt it’s a powerful design. It’s very, very modern, in fact futuristic- even though it was designed over 30 years ago. It’s not a design for everybody- it makes a statement. There is no other building in Johannesburg that looks as dramatic as Ponte.

Q: What is the design inspiration behind the new Ponte?

We have a huge amount of respect for the original architect, Rodney Grosskopf. Ponte City is a brilliant, beautiful building- like a giant sculpture. Unfortunately there have been a number of details within the building that have been obscured over time. We want to uncover the original design. At the same time, we intend to create new features that enhance the structure, whilst also bringing the building up to date. We intend to bring a more whimsical feeling to the building. We want more light, more romance, more magic. We want to bring back the notion of ‘city living’ but in a way that is totally new, totally original.

Q: What’s your first big design move?

The first thing we’re doing is getting rid of all the clutter. The building was designed to actually let in a lot of light. There were skylights in the retail area. These have been covered up. We’re stripping the building to its pure structure, clarifying the original architectural intention. Before, when you looked into the inner core, you had a feeling of plunging into an abyss. Now, there are rays of sunlight dancing around the bottom. You actually get a feeling of curiosity, of wonder.

We’re creating a strong relationship between the inner core and the outside world- particularly on the retail floor. This is something new. You can see outside from the inside, and vice versa. Your experience in the building is both intimate and expansive; both inward and outward looking.

Q: What will the entrance be like?

The entrance area is an important element of the building. We are taking the idea of Ponte City literally. We’re creating a meeting place on the ground floor- like a European piazza. Think of a small village- people meeting friends at a street cafe, or congregating after church. We’ve widened the area by about 5 meters (??). There will be benches to sit and enjoy the view. The restaurants and cafes on the ground floor will have an outdoor seating area overlooking the city. Although Ponte City itself is an island, it doesn’t turn its back on the city- there’s a constant, 360 degree visual connection to all of Johannesburg.

Q: You spoke earlier of ‘magic’ and ‘whimsy’ what are the features that bring these ideas to life?

The ‘firefly’ boxes are something completely new, something completely magical. Eighty-six ‘light boxes’ of coloured glass, half a metre wide, will be scattered in the inner core to look like stars. At night, it will feel like an extension of the sky. You can step into the boxes and either look down through the glass bottom into the atrium below, or look up at the clouds overhead.

We’re also covering the outside windows with a blue reflective film. This won’t be noticeable on the inside- but when you look at the building on the outside, it will be clean and shimmering- like a beacon for Johannesburg. At night, it will no longer just be the top advertisement that will be visible, the whole structure will be lit.

Q: The building can be seen as imposing. What are you doing to ‘soften’ it?

We’re introducing canopies around the building as a way of providing shade in the day and humanizing its scale. The canopies also look like birds in flight-again, there is the introduction of lightness, motion. The structure is very strong, the canopies are very light. We’ve developed a modern water feature on the side of the building which will enhance the verticality of the building, playing with the contrast of colour and texture.

The retail area will also be configured like a promenade. People will be able to walk between shops, as they would down a city street. There will be interaction, a sense of community- at the same time, people will feel like they are living in their own, very private world.

Q: What about the flats?

In the 70s, the apartments used to be a bit poky. We’re bashing down walls, so that the flats are all open plan and very chic. There are windows looking out to the city. Natural sunlight. We’re replacing all the electrical and the plumbing. We pay attention to detail- everything from the taps to the light fittings have been carefully chosen. Although buyers will be able to customize their flats, it will be to the highest standards. These are not bland cluster homes- they’re apartments that are modern and stylish.

Q: What kind of person do you see living here?

Someone who not only appreciates but expects good design. Someone who is not afraid of making a statement. Someone who has big ideas, and who likes to feel on top of the world. When you’re in the flats, you feel like you could do anything. When you look at Ponte from the outside, you’ll want to be there. There is only one Ponte. It’s a unique, individualistic building for people who strive to own both the city and the sky.

Retail, Services and parking

You come home after a hard day of work. You send your favourite suit downstairs to be dry-cleaned. You relax for a few minutes with a cool drink as you watch the vibrant African sun sink down behind the Johannesburg skyline.

You make your way downstairs to the gym, where you have a great work-out, followed by a massage and a sauna. You have a lot of work to catch up on so you go back to your flat, where you connect effortlessly to the internet through wireless.

You order a light salad, and a glass of wine for supper. You finish your work as the food comes. As you look out to the stars, you feel a sense of stillness- you are truly on top of the world.

The lifestyle offered by Ponte City rivals that of any great residential complex anywhere in the world.

Retail

The developers have targeted the following retailers for Ponte.

An up market licensed coffee bar/restaurant
An established brand name supermarket
A state of the art gymnasium and wellness centre
A pharmacy
A crèche
A stationary shop
A café
A cell phone shop
Watch this space for announcements for confirmed retailers.

Services

The building with be a wireless zone, enabling easy connection to the internet. The retailers will offer delivery service to all residents in the building. A concierge will be in attendance.

Parking

There are 571 parking bays at Ponte. The monthly rental charge to residents will be R250,00

Interview with original architect
Rodney Grosskopf

Q: How did you come to design Ponte?

It was 1973. I was 29 years old and working at an architecture firm with X and Y. At that time, residential was everything. We were building the whole of Hillbrow.

Max Miodownik was the head of a famous old building company (name). He joined up with Mercer Bank to form a company called Nasbou. We had already done about 10 buildings for them, when he approached us to do something on this particular site.

Max was a great character. He used to weigh drawings in his hand and say “I think it’s a million rand’- that’s how he used to be able to tell how much a building would cost!

Q: What were your initial ideas?

Originally, we had the idea to do two buildings to form the entrance of Johannesburg. We would do one where Ponte is now, and the other at the site over the road. But we didn’t end up building the other building.
We wanted to do a round building- there had never been a round building in Johannesburg.

We had seen conical buildings in magazines before. There were the Marina City Towers designed by Bertrand Goldberg on the Chicago waterfront, but we had never actually seen one in reality. It seemed such a pity to put in a square building, where only some people could enjoy the views.

We were never going to build so many floors. At one stage we were only going to build 35 floors. But the developer started to get worried and we had to do 54 floors to make the return. I was glad to build higher- I love heights. I loved looking out from the building as it was being constructed. We weren’t at all intimidated- when you’re 29, you think you can tackle lions.

Q: What about the hollow inner core?

At the time, there was a law that said all kitchens and bathrooms had to have a window. A lot of guys would put in little square light-wells to comply. We couldn’t imagine anything like that- we were determined to sneak some light in by hook or by crook. So we came up with the idea to let in light through the core.

Originally we wanted to put in a ski slope with tunnels and everything at the bottom. But that didn’t end up happening. Much later a bowling alley was put in. I don’t think anyone has really ever cracked what to put in that space. You have to make a jewel down at the bottom there- something to bring the light down.

Q: The retail area was there from the beginning. What shops were there?

Originally the shopping centre was going to be a kind of neighbourhood centre- with a hairdresser, a laundromat etc. Then DI design who did the center decided they wanted it to be a tourist mecca- with a whole lot of little kiosks, like a market. There was a drycleaners, a record shop, a jewellery shop, a florist, a book store, a bakery- even an art gallery.

Q: What was Hillbrow/Berea like at the time?

It was magic. It was very cosmopolitan. Our secretary lived there- she was quite elderly but she wouldn’t move out for all the money in the world.

Q: What were some of the challenges you faced in building Ponte City.

When we started off, we were very cautious. Our engineers were cautious- everything was over-spec-ed. We over-designed it. Concrete was cheap- we were still building 50-story buildings in concrete.

We looked at the side of the mountain and had to try to figure out how we were going to build this thing. The engineer was a chap called Robert Ehrlich. He devised all kinds of ways. When we were digging the foundation we discovered that the mountain had a big fissure in the middle. We had to fill it up with mass concrete reinforcements and railway lines. Then we had to design a shutter that had flaps and a jack underneath. The flaps would come out to form a kind of platform from which to put reinforcing and cast. Then they would jack it up to the next level. They did a floor every 2 weeks.

Q: Where did the name Ponte City come from?

The name Ponte actually comes from one of the original owners of the piece of land- Mr. Ponte. We had to file with the City Council, and so we just wrote in Ponte as the name of the building. Then everyone kept referring to the building as Ponte and we couldn’t call it anything else. Afterwards we tried to rationalize it- Ponte means ‘bridge’ in Portuguese (?), so we would say Ponte is a bridge between heaven and earth.

Q: Who was Ponte built for originally?

It was always going to be a residential building. Initially it was thought that it should be for students because they were building the big college down the road. Ponte was an extension to Hillbrow- which was a very vibrant place. We also planned on families. We had a whole playground downstairs- schools around the corner, a crèche in the building.

Then there were the penthouses. We called them Plazzo in Paradiso- places of paradise- I don’t even know if that’s good Italian. We figured the higher you went, the more desirable the flats would be. I got a shock about 10 years ago when I went back and saw that the penthouses had the same shaggy orange carpet we had put in originally. The saunas were also still there!

Q: What do you think of your building?

We loved it. Still love it. Everytime I fly back to Johannesburg, I see it and I feel very proud. We were terribly distressed when Fair Lady voted it the second ugliest building in SA in about 1980. Later when they decided to change it into a prison, people used to phone saying it’s a travesty that such a building could become a prison. Over the last few years, when I heard media reports about all the goings on there, I felt completely heartsore. But then, the whole of Hillbrow was denegerating- landlords had lost their grip on properties.

Q: What would be your dream for Ponte City today?

I’d love to see it go back to what it once was- an island where people could live happily- where people would really enjoy being there. I’d love to see a gym, a swimming pool, coffee shops – a whole lifestyle center.

If you think of any building in Berea or Hillbrow, I think Ponte has the best chance of recovery. It’s a bit of an island so it’s secure. It could really lead the regeneration of the whole area.

from www.newponte.co.za

Must admit this is all very exciting! one of the best parts for me:

'We’re also covering the outside windows with a blue reflective film. This won’t be noticeable on the inside- but when you look at the building on the outside, it will be clean and shimmering- like a beacon for Johannesburg. At night, it will no longer just be the top advertisement that will be visible, the whole structure will be lit.'

This might actually place some contrast in the dull concrete that we look at everyday.. Can't wait!!

This sounds very exciting.Can't wait to see the end result.Finally a bit more glass for Joburg.

'We’re also covering the outside windows with a blue reflective film. This won’t be noticeable on the inside- but when you look at the building on the outside, it will be clean and shimmering- like a beacon for Johannesburg. At night, it will no longer just be the top advertisement that will be visible, the whole structure will be lit.'

This might actually place some contrast in the dull concrete that we look at everyday.. Can't wait!!


Didn't notice that part! WAY exciting dudes! :D

This is great news. That Ponte City building is quite tall, and when redeveloped it will be one of the best pieces of Architecture in the continent.

This is the best Part :banana2:

'We’re also covering the outside windows with a blue reflective film. This won’t be noticeable on the inside- but when you look at the building on the outside, it will be clean and shimmering- like a beacon for Johannesburg. At night, it will no longer just be the top advertisement that will be visible, the whole structure will be lit.'


One question

Does the Ponte City Building, actually feature as part of a "skyline" or is it an isolated High Rise in a low density area?

It is part of the Jhb skyline, I thought this place was a prison :dunno:

One question

Does the Ponte City Building, actually feature as part of a "skyline" or is it an isolated High Rise in a low density area?

Tbite, here's a picture of Ponte city taken 2 weeks ago and the surrounding skyline in Johannesburg.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1112/1002317444_87fd746e67_b.jpg

^^
Great shot kulani! :)

ya i almost really excited about the blue glass thingie

That is great news that Ponte City is now going to be a redevelopment. I was glad they did not convert it into a prison four years ago as I think this building is a landmark with much potential given the revitalisation of Johannesburg. Indeed I think once it is redeveloped it would serve as a beacon to attract more investment into an area that has gone to seed over the last 25 years. Also hope to see that tacky sign on top of the building come down. They should put a glass cone on the building and turn the inner core into a massive atrium with lots of lights and climate control this core.

Count me in for one of those penthouses man. Your very own sauna & a view of the Jozi skyline!!!! It just doesn't get any better.

Thanks Kulani.:okay:

Great Pic.:)

Count me in for one of those penthouses man. Your very own sauna & a view of the Jozi skyline!!!! It just doesn't get any better.

Might consider getting a bachelor flat in there right at the top.

Spoke to someone who lives there current (floor 22), and she says they were told that the top floors will be a hotel, and that an anchor tenant will be Pick 'n Pay.

tra la la...

Spoke to someone who lives there current (floor 22), and she says they were told that the top floors will be a hotel, and that an anchor tenant will be Pick 'n Pay.

tra la la...

wow, they are going to have a pick 'n pay, can't believe how Hillbrow is literally rising from the ashes?

^^ Well it's not a Woolworths, but then again it's not a Shoprite.. Gotta start somewhere i guess

R900,000... isn't that like 90,000€? Is that the price of the most expensive unit? How come it is so cheap, for such a unique place? Where's the trick :)

Well, you must remember that property in South Africa is a katrillion times cheaper than it is in Europe.

And also, R900,000 for the most expensive unit is actually quite an expensive price for a building located in what many people perceive to be the dodgiest and most dangerous neighbourhood in South Africa. :)

Yeah but I've been checking SA real estate websites and nice houses are usually more expensive than that... but I get your point about the negative perception people have of Ponte and Hillbrow.

And yeah, unfortunately property is awfully expensive over here... it's insane...

another picture of Ponte city

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1426/1257684121_56b8de55cf_b.jpg

This pic gives a good idea of where Ponte is

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/242/515152864_2678ec8787_o.jpg

another view of Ponte city taken on the 17th August 2007

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1405/1146611547_9f61c8e309_b.jpg

Wonder when the blue window sheets will be put on..

WOW guys those two shots are both amazing! The first once unfortunately shows Joburg City to be too dry a city! I really wish the city would invest in a massive park for the city.


Wonder when the blue window sheets will be put on..


I wonder too... I would guess maybe only next year? Check out the website again... it's reverted back to it's original design, and you can now only register yourself for information again.

a not so clear but much recent picture which gives another perspective of where Ponte City is in the city.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1422/1324883135_d2b282abc4_o.jpg

I am so itching to see a render of what the final building will look like, day and night... Guess we'll have to wait. Jo'burg needs to upgrade it's iconic buildings for the 21st century in the CBD... this is hopefully an awesome start!

Hey everyone,

Happened to spot your posts on Ponte through Google. My name is Jeff and I'm actually closely involved with this project, we launched the updated site this weekend go take a look if you'd like. And Oh there will not be an Hotel at the top. First launch of the sale for the Phase I apartments (floor 11 to 34) will be on the weekend of October 12, spread word :) pretty please.

Thanks all!
http://www.newponte.co.za
(http://www.newponte.co.za)Jeff - Out

PS
Got any good pics of JHB? Pls share the love on my mail (mailto:jeffjb@gmail.com)

Hey Jeff, welcome! Thank you for the additional infomation.

Luf

thanks for the link! this is getting us all very very excited indeed

Thanks for the welcome, all fuzzy inside hehe :)

It's a pleasure ppl! Please if any of you have some nice footage (film/photo/articles) pass it on to me, would be much appreciated!

Have a gud one!

Thanks Jeff, tell us more about yourself in the Intro thread :)

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=199868

Welcome Jeff! Good to have someone with inside knowledge here! Will definitely be checking the apartments out at the show weekend.

Also LOVE the redesigned website!

I was going to tell you about the Ponte group on facebook, but then I saw that you're already on there! lol. So I'm going to steal those renders you put up in the group and stick em up here.

May I ask... are you guys not concerned about the surrouding area? Do you have any plans to go beyond Ponte (and fix up the park next to Ponte, for instance), or will you mainly be concentrated in the building itself?

Thanks Durbs...will def do that later for you all.

For other developments going on by the same architect that is currently working on Ponte visit her site, Odile Kgasqwe > http://www.oka.co.za

Mingas... some renders for you all! From "Jeff Jb" on facebook (who I assume is the Jeff here). :D

http://img.photojerk.com/joburg/n582655603_1262171_5851.jpg

http://img.photojerk.com/joburg/n582655603_1262172_6847.jpg

http://img.photojerk.com/joburg/n582655603_1262173_7731.jpg

http://img.photojerk.com/joburg/n582655603_1262174_8242.jpg

Nice job, it is me:)

we wanna see the external renders?

Joburg > I'm not the devolper, I merely work with them as a graphic designer.

The municipality of Joburg is putting in serious money in the surrounding areas, however for detailed information (if you're interested you can always talk to our media contact find her details on http://www.newponte.co.za/contactus.html

Must say it's great to see there's so much interest in Ponte and Joburg!

http://photos-603.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sctm/v120/90/10/582655603/n582655603_1263328_9368.jpg

http://photos-603.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sctm/v120/90/10/582655603/n582655603_1263329_2178.jpg

Happy?

Whoa, good work! Hope the building turns out as flashy in the first render!

Cant wait to see this iconic re-development be completed. RDShp, do you know when they expect to complete this re-development.

Ponte to get a Make Over! 23 Aug, 2007
Johannesburg, August 6, 2007- Ponte City, Johannesburg’s most famous residential building is about to transform from ugly duckling into beautiful swan. The iconic building, visible from miles away by the Vodacom sign around the top, has been recently bought by two developers who intend to turn it into an exclusive, upmarket residence.

The transformation of the distinctive building is said to be an important step in the upliftment of inner-city Johannesburg. Ponte City sits at the northern gateway to the Ellis Park precinct, currently being upgraded in advance of 2010 by the Johannesburg Development Agency at a cost of R700 million. With over R80-million invested in its upgrade, the new Ponte will be one of the most significant private developments in the inner-city.

“Ponte City, at its heyday, was the most sought after address in Johannesburg” says David Selvan, film producer turned developer, who bought the building with his partner, software entrepreneur Nour Addine Ayyoub. “Everywhere you go, people have a story about how glamorous it was to have a flat in Ponte. Then it went through a protracted period of neglect. As a result it came to symbolize the dark side of Johannesburg. We want to bring the building back to its former glory.”

Renovations to the highest residential building in the southern hemisphere are not an easy task.

“There is nothing small about Ponte” says Ayyoub. “Every decision we make to change some aspect of the building is a mammoth one. For example, we painted the outside of the building- it took 22 wind-free days with 4 guys abseiling down from the top, using 5200 liters of paint.”

“That being said- we’re doing much more than giving the building a coat of paint. We’re bringing in well-known local artists to add a distinctive touch to the common areas. We’re also putting in an amazing feature in the dramatic inner core. ”

The apartments are being marketed as sectional titles to middle and upper middle class buyers. Phase I is selling in the range of R350,000- R999,000, each apartment has a staggering view of the city. Renovations have already begun to the retail area, which will include select boutiques, an upmarket restaurant, a coffee bar, exclusive grocery store, DVD shop, spa and a state-of-the-art gym.

“We’ve been approached by so many of our friends already. We have a waiting list for one of the six penthouses- complete with sauna and braai area. It’s so exciting because these are not just investors, they’re individuals who are eager to move into the city” says Selvan.

The building is anticipated to be ready for occupation in April 2008.

From: http://www.newponte.co.za/latest.html

Happy?


Very! They is rox!

im very happy, the most famous brutalist building in SA had a terrible time in the 90s and now seems to have survived and come out stronger. Lets hope the same enthusiasim can be applied to some other ugly ducklings.

Maybe its time for a ugly duckling to swan thread for this, ABSA in Durban, Cervitas in PTa etc???

Im seriously thinking of getting a flat here, but want it on the higher floors.

No offence, but i've had a great idea for how to utilise this building during the construction phase. wouldnt it make the best advertisement for condoms? cover the whole outside in rubbery latex, draw attention to a revamp 99% of people dont know or care about and hey presto, image change for the building, and u got people's attention while warning to use protection.

hope the redev is good tho, am sceptical, but wish all the best

Yes. Let's turn Joburg's premier icon and South Africa's tallest residential building into a giant penis. :D

I would disagree with you about people not caring about this building. I think for many Joburgers it represents everything that went wrong with the city, and so it's revamp would really be welcomed by most.

haha love it! just for the revamp phase, they will obviously have protective covering around the building, so why not?

i cant see the render i thinking of buying a flat in the point could cash in @ 2010

Check out this kewl video...

http://multimedia.thetimes.co.za/view_video.php?viewkey=f976cfdc032e3bde78de

I forgot how to embed this again. Please can someone do it for me?

You know I was just running over the prices of this place, just realised the apartments are patheticly small! 67sqm for a 3 bedroom?

I drove past the Point today from Ellis Park to Hougton and saw plety of contractors at the ground floor and that simply means work have started.

I posted this in Joburg Discussion, but will post it here too. You wanna go abseil or 'Rap Jump' down Ponte? It's happening next week Saturday!

This week Saturday is Gay Pride and also the event 'Doodle by the Lake.' Last week Saturday everyone was up in Sun City for the Vodacom Spring Break.

Sooooo much to do in Jozi, sooooo little time. :D

Abseil or Rap Jump down Ponte City!

Tagline: POSTPONED due to bad weather: On Saturday October 13th, the people of Jozi will be able to scale down the 173 metre tall building- face first or feet first, in a unique awareness-raising event and fundraiser.
Host: Ponte is Joburgs Hottest Landmark
Type: Meetings - Club/Group Meeting
Time and Place Date: Saturday, October 13, 2007
Time: 10:00am - 5:00pm
Location: Ponte City
Street: 1 Lily Avenue
City/Town: Johannesburg, South Africa
View Map
Contact Info Phone: 011.339.6131
Email: Nblankenberg@spacemarketing.co.za

Description

In two weeks time, the public will have a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to abseil or rap jump down the side of Ponte City- the tallest residential building in the southern Hemisphere.

hey guys.. Check out these photos taken by Represent.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24672979@N00/sets/72157602428678887/

Dono how old those photo's are, but clearly a lot of work still needs to be done, if anything has been done at all.

Cool photo's nonetheless

They're very recent... taken about two weeks ago I think.

And yup - right you are about work needing to be done! It's going to take quite a bit to modernise this beast!

It's going to look awesome when it's done. I'm still so grateful that someone decided to refurbish it.

god those pics are shocking? are they re doing the whole thing or giving it a cosmetic refurb? And what has heppend to the previous occupants of the flats? Have they been kicked out? Cos if they have not it does not matter what they spend it will just become a dump again.

The other issue is: who would want to live there as imagine driving back to ponte through that area after a night out up north?

I'm sure they've been kicked out. If I'm not mistaken it's been refurbished into a fairly upmarket building meaning that those old residents won't be coming back any time soon lol.

Finance24.com

Oct 21 2007 04:29 PM
Florence Panoussian

Johannesburg - The tallest apartment block in Africa, which has long symbolised Johannesburg's inner-city decay, is shedding its image as a no-go zone in a radical makeover aimed at young urban professionals.

Overrun by drug dealers and gangsters in the 1990s, the 54-storey cylindrical Ponte, whose 173 metres offer bird's eye views of downtown and neighbouring Ellis Park stadium, had been a byword for danger.

But the team behind a R200m makeover believe apartments within Ponte will soon be regarded as hot property, especially in the build-up the 2010 football World Cup finals in South Africa.

"It's an amazing building, very symbolic of the 'brutalist' architecture of its time," says Belgian-born Morroccan developer Nour Addine Ayyoub, one of the project's masterminds along with South African partner David Selvan.

Sales manager Ngaire Blankenberg acknowledged the giant concrete edifice may not be to everyone's taste but it was ideal for people who enjoy urban living and want to avoid getting caught up in rush hour traffic.

"People have a very strong relationship with this building: they love it or they hate it," she said.

"We are targetting upper middle class, the gay community, professionals, finance people who work downtown and want to avoid traffic jams."

Reputation for danger

After a conversation on her cellphone with one potential buyer, Blankenberg said that he sounded like the prototype Ponte homeowner.

"We receive at least five calls a day, most of the time from quite young people in their thirties, forties," she said.

"This call was from a young gay, who sounds white. He just got a job in the city and doesn't want to spend three hours a day driving from and to the northern suburbs," she said after answering her cellphone.

Members of the city's large gay community have been specifically targetted by the sales team.

"We gave away pamphlets at the Gay Pride" which took place in Johannesburg earlier this month, said Blankenberg.

The tallest residential building in the whole of the southern hemisphere when it was built in 1975, Ponte was initially seen as a symbol of modernity and prosperity in the City of Gold.

But as sky-high crime rates prompted many businesses to move out of the city centre in the 1990s, it became a haven for violent gangs, often dominated by immigrants from other parts of Africa.

Its reputation for danger was cemented by the grimy crime thriller "Ponte City", written by the German author Norman Ohler, which is centred around the story of a young woman who falls in with a Nigerian drug lord.

'Matter of perceptions

In 1998, Ponte was even touted to be turned into a prison but the idea was soon abandoned and a new management team was installed and clamped down on criminality and squatting.

Ayyoub is convinced that Ponte's image is outdated and based as much on its proximity to the crime-ridden suburb of Hillbrow.

"The Ponte's bad fame is more a matter of perceptions than facts. The reality now is that it is a very safe building, where all tenants pay their rent," he said.

In the countdown to the 2010 World Cup, the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) is to spend about R700m on the neighbourhood, splashing out on everything from schools to street lighting and overhauling public parks.

"To date approximately R60m have been spent in the precinct and a further R150m will be spent between now and July next year," JDA spokeswoman Sammy Mafu told AFP.

Blankenberg denied the developers were only worried about making a quick buck and said existing tenants would not simply be turfed out onto the streets.

"We have a real vision for the neighbourhood and we have been very careful that the people have been treated properly to make the process as smooth as possible," she said.

"Most of them had short leases, of one year, so we wait until the lease is finished. For the others, there is a three-months notice."

'A sophisticated mix'

Builders and decorators are currently hard at work renovating some 300 flats on floors 11 to 34. Each are designed in one of six different styles including Moroccan and Glam Rock, described as "a sophisticated mix of indulgent velvet and satins mixed with neo-classical pieces."

Nearly 80% of the first set of flats which will be ready for occupancy at the end of April were snapped up within two days of going on sale.

Prices range from R400 000 for a studio apartment to nearly R900 000 for a three-bedroom flat, a fairly reasonable price by Johannesburg standards.

Once completed, the complex will also include secure parking, restaurants, an upmarket shopping mall, a gymnasium and even an indoor climbing wall.

"I am a happy man! My dream is to drive to the Ponte at night and have a cocktail or to climb on weekends, as I am an indoor climber," said Ayyoub, who is still to decide on what to do with six penthouses on the top three floors.

"A panoramic restaurant? A hotel for businessmen?"

Targeting gay buyers is very smart. Strangely enough, they always spearhead urban regeneration very well. I can't tell you how excited I am about what's happening to Ponte.

Anything to see in photo updates yet?

I really like the idea of Ponte. It sounds like it will be a fun place to live in.

They're redoing the whole thing by giving it a cosmetic refurb. It's not that bad... I just think it's stuck in a 1970s concrete/shaggy carpet time warp.

Most previous occupants rented out flats from Trafalgar, and their leases were not renewed unless they wanted to buy a flat there.

I think quite a few people would want to live there. You won't attract the Melrose Arch crowd, but you'll definitely attract a middle-income crowd. But you're right about the surrounding area being dodge... Something I think they're trying to address by making the building a city within a city.

But I guess you have to start somewhere? Five years people wondered who on earth would want to live in the CBD or Braamfontein....

The city council should be starting to renovate the area so that more investors are attaracted to the area, then we will see more of the Melrose Arch people moving there.

Ponte transformed and ready to sell
2007/10/23

Ponte City, Johannesburg's most talked-about building, is about to launch it's newly renovated upmarket apartments to potential buyers.

With a new paint job, a renovated piazza area, and six fully furnished show apartments, the public will finally be invited to buy at this infamous address in Johannesburg.

The showday for the new Ponte City has been set for 28 October 2007. "We've already had a lot of interest from potential investors," says Ponte developer David Selvan.

The new Ponte has been the subject of much discussion of late. The image of the much-loved Ponte being restored to its former glory has caught the imagination of Johannesburgers, many of whom remember Ponte as "the place to be" in Johannesburg.

"We believe Ponte will soon become one of the most popular addresses around. It's convenient, accessible, a good investment and promises a great lifestyle. The new Ponte really marks the transformation of Johannesburg into a truly world-class African city," says Ponte City marketer Setshwano Rametse.

The apartments are being marketed as sectional titles to middle and upper middle class buyers at prices ranging from R400k to R900k.

The retail area will include an up-market restaurant, a coffee bar, exclusive grocery store, DVD shop, spa and a state-of-the-art gym. Each apartment comes fully furnished in styles named Glam Rock, Future Slick, Zen-like, Global Fusion, Moroccan Delight and Old Money.

Was Ponte City's Open Day today... IMPRESSIVE STUFF. Scary, but impressive. The Germans had their own cameras their. Only the 32nd floor was completed for viewing purposes in six styles: GLAM ROCK, FUTURE SLICK, MOROCCAN DELIGHT, GLOBAL FUSION, ZEN LIKE AND OLD MONEY. Apartments come fully furnished and one can choice between a 3bed, 2bed, 2bed executive, 1bed and 1 bed executive.

Most surprising to note was the level of interest and the keenness of investors. One couple bouth six floors and another bought three. Buyers, so the brochure says, can expect 11.63% yields and between 100 and 400% capital appreciation within three years.

Phase One goes up to the 34th floor and should be completed by July. Bought a two bedroom myself so fingers crossed!

Oh and all existing dwellers are being kicked out by November though there were very few still left

according to joburg.org.za ponte is sold out.

Ponte gets a second life

Developers are pouring money into refurbishing Ponte. And, if interest on the first show day is anything to go by, buyers will snap up the smart new flats.


November 5, 2007
By Lucille Davie

ONE of Joburg's icons, Ponte, is being revamped and will be reborn as an upmarket, trendy place for the upper-middle class.

Ponte is being marketed like never before – as chic furnished flats, to be called Ponte City, with the slogan, "Live your live".

And the upper-middle class is rushing in. About 300 people attended the first showday, on Sunday, 28 October, and put their money on the table. "It was quite manic on Sunday," says Setshwano Rametse, the director of Space Marketing and Investments, the company marketing the sale. "We got just over 80 percent sell on the day."

In an effort to sell the first 311 flats that have just come on the market, potential owners are being offered one of six different styles of finish - glam rock; future slick; Moroccan delight; global fusion; Zen-like; and old money.


http://www.joburg-archive.co.za/images_2007/nov/ponte000.jpg
Elegance in blue and grey in the Old Money apartment


Ponte, built in 1975 as a huge hollow cylinder, has always been a furnished rental block, with 470 flats. Soaring to 173 metres, or 54 floors, with the best views in town, it's integral to Joburg's skyline, more so at night with its flashing Vodacom advertisement bouncing off the top floors.

It has had a chequered history. It opened as one of the city's most desirable places to live, but by the late 1980s it had become a haven for criminals and drug lords. Such was its reputation that in 1998 a proposal - soon rejected - that it be turned into a prison, was aired. From 2001 its act was cleaned up and a new security system chased out the criminals.

But what the building really needed was a huge dose of renovation.

The developers, Nour Addine Ayyoub and David Selvan, want to return Ponte to its former glory as an iconic building, says Rametse. And buyers are paying big money to be part of that former glory – the developers, who won't disclose what they paid for the building, are putting R100-million into the revamp and are selling the flats for R400 000 to R938 000, or R12 000 a square metre.

In comparison, flats in The Refinery, a factory building in Milpark converted into spacious, trendy dwellings, are selling for about R6 000 a square kilometre.


Lifestyle categories
Rametse was responsible for coming up with the different lifestyle categories and décor. And for finding the furniture - going straight to manufacturers and ordering in bulk. It's been fun, she says, and it shows. From slick red and orange sofas and chairs, granite table tops and plasma-screen TVs, to floral wing-backed chairs set against grey and white walls, the designs are set to maximise sales, which they appear to have done.
Although compact and designed for uncluttered living, the bachelor, one-, two- and three-bedroomed flats are stylish, with wood-floor finishes and fashionable lighting, enhanced by that magnificent view.

Floors 11 to 34 are being renovated at the moment, says Rametse, and will be available for occupation in July next year. The 32nd floor was on show this week, demonstrating all six styles.


Doing things differently
Rametse says they are being sold furnished - including fridge, stove, washing machine or dishwasher, because the developers are "keen to do things differently".
Ayyoub and Selvan have revamped two buildings in Braamfontein, the Liberty and Manhatton, and sold each flat with furnishings. Ponte has traditionally been a furnished rental block. And, says Rametse, the developers want to make it easier for young people to get into the property market by not having to worry about furnishing their first places.

"You'd be amazed how many people are keen on it. It makes the sale more marketable and exciting," she enthuses.

The bachelor flats, at 29 square metres, are going for R410 000. The one-bedroomed flats are 38 square metres and are going for R528 000. The two-bedroomed are 52 square metres and cost R728 000. The three-bedroomed cost R938 000, for which you get 68 square metres.

Potential buyers this week were in two groups: 60 percent were investors who planned to rent their properties, and 40 percent who would buy to live in Ponte. Buyers have five days to pay the deposit - and there is a long waiting list of potential buyers, Rametse says.


Total make-over
The flats will get a total make-over. Entirely new bathrooms and kitchens have been installed, with new wooden floors and light fittings. In some cases walls have been demolished to turn three-bedroomed flats into two-bedroomed units with two bathrooms. The sliding chrome windows have been retained.
One floor was initially developed by the original architect, Rodney Grosskopff, to house assorted shops. But it never worked because the space was sub-divided too finely in an effort to recoup more rent, he says. Now the idea will be ramped up to go with the building's more stylish image.

The developers have approached Woolworths and Spar to take up space. There will be a restaurant, a coffee shop, a DVD shop, spa and gym, and a large entrance piazza. A children's playground plus a climbing wall will add to the package.


http://www.joburg-archive.co.za/images_2007/nov/ponte00.jpg
Neat and slick kitchen, with granite island doubling as table and cooker


"It will be a destination," Rametse says.

Ponte is just 15 minutes from the airport, will have a Bus Rapid Transit stop almost on its doorstep, and is not far from the Killarney Mall shopping centre. And, of course, for those working in the CBD it's almost within walking distance. Theatres like the Market and the Civic are within five kilometres.

"I am extremely happy – Ponte needs to breathe again," Grosskopff says.


Tenants and other plans
What have the building's new owners done about that perennial development problem - the present tenants, who can't just be thrown out? They have negotiated with landlords in the area to accommodate the tenants at the rentals they've been paying. They have been given up to four months to move, and 12 floors are now vacant. By the end of November seven more floors will be vacant.
The good news for the developers is that the city is planning to pump some R171-million into neighbouring Hillbrow, Berea and Yeoville. This will be used to revamp pavements, storm water drains and lighting, and put street furniture in place.

And, just before owners move in, abseilers will throw long ropes down the inside, and move slowly down, cleaning windows and removing decades of garbage that has been tossed down the middle of the building.

But the developers' greatest challenge may be to sell the penthouses, illuminated by that busy Vodacom advertisement.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f119/Puleza/P1050535.jpg

http://photos-603.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sctm/v120/90/10/582655603/n582655603_1263329_2178.jpg

I never knew there was an open-air atrium in Ponte City.

Yip it was the worlds biggest rubbish bin with 5 tonnes removed from the bottom when they cleaned it up

Yip it was the worlds biggest rubbish bin with 5 tonnes removed from the bottom when they cleaned it up

lol, i went there a 2 weeks ago and it looked really clean. They are making glass facades that will enable one to view into the atrium from the corridors inside.

Ooooo give a more detailed update?

It seems you are the only SSCer to have gone to the showday? Did you buy?

I also went. Would love to post pics but don't know how. The 32nd floor was pretty clean, but the rest still smelt of urine. It was relatively clean though. Those class cubes looked pretty flimsy. You could see the silicon had been freshly applied. Hardly anyone would risk climbing in one and all you saw was the reflection of the sky anyways.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2419/2037973350_e8ae8f11a1_o.jpg

Sorry I posted about me not knowing there was a hollow core in Ponte City. I should already know that. Anyway, I found out on Emporis that there was a proposal in the late 1990s to reconfigure Ponte city into a highrise prison. I think highrise prisons are rare, but I would never see a 150+-metre high shyscraper used as a jail. :lol:

^^ I think that would have been doomsday for Joburg's city centre. thank the pope it didn't go through.

cool, those glass cubes are in! Are they green?

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f119/Puleza/P1050827.jpg




http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f119/Puleza/P1050829.jpg

mmm it still looks like the center is missing something its focal point of the building hope they spend big moneyies dng something with it

I hate the advertising whether its cocacola/vodacom! You dont see that on other iconic buildings.-ie selling out.It cheapens it

mmm it still looks like the center is missing something its focal point of the building hope they spend big moneyies dng something with it

that is the most un-imaginative advertising on a high visibility site i have seen in a while.

I'm not the biggest fan of the advertising by day, but I love the neon look at night. Neon rocks!

The only good thing about this building is its height. Otherwise a nasty south american-like 'eyescraper'.

The only good thing about this building is its height. Otherwise a nasty south american-like 'eyescraper'.

U FORGOT THE NEON LIGHTS THAT HAVE MADE IT ANY ICON thank u vodacom now telkom nds to get the lights sorted out on telkom

Yup when the lights are on you can only see half the "e"
it's funny :)

i think the neon lights make it a fantastic icon for Joburg. And if you live in the building... well, then the building gives you awesome views.

The only good thing about this building is its height. Otherwise a nasty south american-like 'eyescraper'.


I disagree. It is brutal. It is imposing. But it has architectural merit if you see it in context. Brutalism was an obvious choice during our years as the misguided skunk of the world. It is a harsh, grey anomaly - especially if you compare this to the earlier dreamy versions of city living (Bauhaus - which seems to be revived in melrose). But historically it is significant.

and in spite of its grey, cold and evil feel - i still quite like it. Maybe because I had to learn to like it - hated it before.

The almost complete Rea Vaya, BRT, next to Ponte makes the place look more attractive. One other thing that I have realised is that owners of the buildings in Hillbrow around Ponte seems to have been taken to task to make sure that work on their buildings. The municipality must just provide a 24/7 security that will make sure that people just don't throw rubbish randomly and even commit crime.

hw was xmas in hillbrow im out of the country but i know it goes crazy around xmas and new years for some reasons ,

hw was xmas in hillbrow im out of the country but i know it goes crazy around xmas and new years for some reasons ,

For a couple of years now the police have put a stop to all that, it used to happen on year end. I never heard any news about Christmas, hope it was fine.

Actually think Ponte is really cool....love the Vodacom sign...

looks impressive from Ellis!

I like it. The sign is awesome. This building really stands out.The other signs in the cbd look terrible especially the yellow one on the old Trust bank building.

I like it. The sign is awesome. This building really stands out.The other signs in the cbd look terrible especially the yellow one on the old Trust bank building.

LOL, the yellow one looks nice at night but I agree with you that during the day its flippin ugly.

I also like our neon lights. :) I think we should have more of them, and at a ground level too. They'll not only make Joburg CBD a more welcoming place at night, but after having seeing the effects of TONS and TONS of neon lighting in Japan, I can vouch for how shmaaak it makes a city look.

I also like our neon lights. :) I think we should have more of them, and at a ground level too. They'll not only make Joburg CBD a more welcoming place at night, but after having seeing the effects of TONS and TONS of neon lighting in Japan, I can vouch for how shmaaak it makes a city look.


I love them whole heartedly. I think the best places to have them in Jozi is Main, Commisioner and Prichard Street, Newtown, Hillbrow and Yeoville. I think they will create a more welcoming atmosphere and will make people come to the city even during the night.

I will definately love to see the following in Jozi, CT and Durban. Companies like MTN, Cell, Vodacom, McDonalds, KFC, Nandos etc can pull it off.

http://pictures.exploitz.com/busy-times-square-photo-New-York-City-_smgpx10001x15658x18270ef3a.jpg

http://top2bottom.net/Time%20Square%20New%20York.jpg

I like Ponte alot, but it just looks...plain on the outside. They should replace the glass or something imho. Maybe blue glass would fit with the Vodacom sign :D

I also like our neon lights. :) I think we should have more of them, and at a ground level too. They'll not only make Joburg CBD a more welcoming place at night, but after having seeing the effects of TONS and TONS of neon lighting in Japan, I can vouch for how shmaaak it makes a city look.

ya why new york when u can take it to the max like shinjuku in tokyo thou im sure half of joburg would be in a seizure from the neon lights http://tokyoyakei.cool.ne.jp/tokyo/odaiba-fuji-tv/fuji-tv-5.jpg
now what would eskom say about this power usage

LOL, we would have load sharing everyday.

ya why new york when u can take it to the max like shinjuku in tokyo thou im sure half of joburg would be in a seizure from the neon lights http://tokyoyakei.cool.ne.jp/tokyo/odaiba-fuji-tv/fuji-tv-5.jpg
now what would eskom say about this power usage

They would say that they are proactive where as ESKOm is reactive. Sadly ESKOM was one if not the best electricty providers in the world only as long ago as 10 years when SA had surplus electricty and the lowest taffifs on earth

wonder what went wrong?

Eskom is not to blame for the current problems and our electricity tariffs are still the lowest in the world!

During the latter part of the 90's and up to 2004 the government would not let Eskom build new generating capacity because they wanted to introduce private power companies - to do this you can't have the local state monopoly building new power plants to generate more cheap electricity. Of course no private players came (a few did but completed screwed it up - like the owners of Kelvin power station in Jo'burg) and finally government backed off on their policy and let Eskom go ahead. However this is all too late and we are currently experiencing load shedding. Don't blame Eskom.

And we still have the cheapest electricity in the world- even with the price increases.

Eskom is not to blame for the current problems and our electricity tariffs are still the lowest in the world!

During the latter part of the 90's and up to 2004 the government would not let Eskom build new generating capacity because they wanted to introduce private power companies - to do this you can't have the local state monopoly building new power plants to generate more cheap electricity. Of course no private players came (a few did but completed screwed it up - like the owners of Kelvin power station in Jo'burg) and finally government backed off on their policy and let Eskom go ahead. However this is all too late and we are currently experiencing load shedding. Don't blame Eskom.

And we still have the cheapest electricity in the world- even with the price increases.

Yip, ESKOM is not to blame even the President admitted at Polokwane. ESKOM actually warned the government but I guess they never thought that the economy was gonna be so good.

and there electricity is still really cheap eskom is the flavor of the month everybody is kinda tried with the telkom thing i wonder whose next on the list

Eskom is pissing me off, not only with outstanding documents & minisubs for work, but also with this load shedding! the 1 week I take off to stay at home to relax & watch DVD's they switch the power off for almost the whole day !!!!

and there electricity is still really cheap eskom is the flavor of the month everybody is kinda tried with the telkom thing i wonder whose next on the list

We have the cheapest electricity in the world, but wait, let me see. hmmmm,
we don't have any in stock for now. Come back later. LOL :lol::lol:

To the absolute wingnut papaya liver yahoo that decided to switch off power to sandton during rush hour... I hope you are a traffic warden in your next life. A traffic warden directing traffic with nothing more than a rancid polony sandwich to protect you from the masses of polluting cars in cairo.

well, seeing that this has now turned into the "Load shedding Thread"....

this is really really a major cause for concern... if this continues, our beloved country can just close it's doors very soon..... big corps will have no choice but to pack up and leave.

I hope the renovation of Ponte City begins soon. Does the renovation also include an exterior makeover?

I hope the renovation of Ponte City begins soon. Does the renovation also include an exterior makeover?

It has started already, they have painted the whole of Ponte in grey. I don't think that there will be any exterior makeover, they will probably clean all those windows.

They wont be doing too much to the exterior. The new grey paint looks a lot better than the drab brown. The windows will get special attention, special reflective blue apparently. Drove past there yesterday - the lady looks better. you can also see that they are moving on the lower floors (11 - 34) and the top 3 floors. There are still people living on the other levels.

I hope you have any photos of this makeover. Ponte City needed a different colour anyway.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f119/Puleza/P1070564.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f119/Puleza/P1070557.jpg

Ponte and the vicinity around it is looking really nice.

Ponte and the vicinity around it is looking really nice.

It is really nice Kuls and with the JDA project currently running in Hillbrow, the place will be more stunning in 7 months time. I still have to see AFHCO and City property investing in Hillbrow.

I'm loving the area around it now.

I dunno hey... I drove through Hillbrow last night on my way to Gold Reef, and still thought it was rather seedy. But maybe I just didn't look hard enough, and I'm sure the JDA renovations will make a difference. Hillbrow is sort of The Last Frontier for Jozi's CBD.

geeze what a difference being grey and not that 70s brown.
At last the old lady of residential high rises restakes her place. Pity the aussies have built taller ones but at one stage this was the tallest residential building in th esouthern hemisphere

I dunno hey... I drove through Hillbrow last night on my way to Gold Reef, and still thought it was rather seedy. But maybe I just didn't look hard enough, and I'm sure the JDA renovations will make a difference. Hillbrow is sort of The Last Frontier for Jozi's CBD.

If you not busy todat, take time and drive around Hillbrow. Just drive carefully as there's dust everywhere and some of materials they using for the upgrades are on the streets.

geeze what a difference being grey and not that 70s brown.
At last the old lady of residential high rises restakes her place. Pity the aussies have built taller ones but at one stage this was the tallest residential building in th esouthern hemisphere

And how tall is theirs?

And how tall is theirs?

World tower in Sydney is 75 odd floors and about 230m and Eureka tower in Melbourne is 91F and 297m and the big boy on th eGold Coast is 80F and 320 odd m .When I lived in oz I watched all 3 go up and its was amazing to watch.
Now I watched the Burj Dubai every day for 3 years

World tower in Sydney is 75 odd floors and about 230m and Eureka tower in Melbourne is 91F and 297m and the big boy on th eGold Coast is 80F and 320 odd m .When I lived in oz I watched all 3 go up and its was amazing to watch.
Now I watched the Burj Dubai every day for 3 years

Wow, 91f. Who know we might catch up one day ;)

Nice coverage here of Ponte...


Ponte Brings Sexy Back
The New Ponte City

There's no question about it: Johannesburg's city centre is getting better and better. I took a tour of the new City Ponte Building with the new apartments. The view from the eighth floor was surprisingly exceptional, even though there are over 50 floors in this incredibly unaesthetic building. The floor itself was still coated in rubbish, but as the relater, Ngarie Blankenberg explained, "It's a good thing, I've been coming to the building every day for close to a year and really this is the worst it's ever looked." Sure, I thought sceptically, as I missioned my way over boulders and obtuse rocks, trying to stay alive and still keep up with the group. The next on-site view was anything but reassuring.

Cont...
http://www.jhblive.co.za/live/public...?pub_id=225258

Guys, I'm just curious about smth. I never been in SA but I'm passionate about your country. I hope one day I'll be there. I even had a pic of ponte on messenger.
How safe it is now that area? AFAIK Ponte it is still in Hillbrow:D And how wise would be for a european to live there?

Greetings from Romania!

As a white South African I have to say: being white certainly makes you stand-out in Hillbrow and Berea. It can be quite intimidating. The area was in horrible shape just a couple of years ago - but it is getting better and better by the day. Ponte will be quite self-contained, and as such you will be very safe within the compounds. The roads have camera surveilance. but even though I am very passionate about jozi, at this stage it is still a bit rough around the edges. Give it a while though.

Others might disagree with me. on the other hand, living in ponte will be extremely safe. you drive into the parking garage from the road - security everywhere. And if you live on the 32nd floor robberies and break-ins such as we experience in the "safe" suburbs will not be something to worry about.

But thats my opinion.

lets hear from other people

Guys, I'm just curious about smth. I never been in SA but I'm passionate about your country. I hope one day I'll be there. I even had a pic of ponte on messenger.
How safe it is now that area? AFAIK Ponte it is still in Hillbrow:D And how wise would be for a european to live there?

Greetings from Romania!

... on the other hand, living in ponte will be extremely safe. you drive into the parking garage from the road - security everywhere...

They are busy constructing security and parking booth at Ponte.

http://www.newponte.co.za/news/penthouses.html

Ponte City penthouses are up for sale. Prices begin at the mid 2 mil mark - not bad at all!

i REALLLY want one :(

OMG wow. We need some proper shots and night views and then it should easily compete in Melbourne's "Apartment view porn thread"*.

*Yes its a real thread on SSC!

Its so sad cos I'm a poor man.

This is really wonderful... BUT... I am still not convinced this is going to 'work'. Again, how many people are willing to spend this much money on an apartment which is situated in Berea? Sorry but we can't deny the fact that it is still a sh#thole. I will be excited (very) when I actually hear of people who live there and are having a blast. Until such time.... we can only dream.

This thing made the news on the radio this morning! the penthouse look awesome! but 2 mill, eish, me got no money

http://www.newponte.co.za/news/penthouses.html

Ponte City penthouses are up for sale. Prices begin at the mid 2 mil mark - not bad at all!

2 mil is a lot of money for an penthouse in hillbrow. not at this stage, i could consider it for say 1.2 mill. :ohno:

In Aprils 'Home Owner'

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c318/harkerb/S5001887.jpg?t=1208112343

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c318/harkerb/S5001888.jpg?t=1208112378

2 mil is a lot of money for an penthouse in hillbrow. not at this stage, i could consider it for say 1.2 mill. :ohno:

It is a lot but if you look at what they doing around the area then you will understand why some guys have bought into the development. In years to come that will be a good area.

I certainly hope so

I have to agree with Waltjie.

While i think the redevelopment is fantastic for this icon building, from a living and investment perspective it is crap.

I read an article the other which stated someone would require a tennant to pay R9500 pm to cover their bond in a unit here. Who in their right might would spend that to stay their per month, when everywhere you look next door to this building is freaking scary. I'd take my R9500 and find something elsewhere.

So those people that do go in will be visionarys yes, but i fear that alot of people may lose money on this one.

I'm very posetive about this one even though currently it doesn look like it will offer ROI, maybe its my love for Hillbrow that makes me be so posetive. Project like this, http://www.joburg.org.za/content/view/2248/168/, will make sure that the area comes to life. I took a drive to Ellis Park yesterdya and they have started with plantation around the precinct and pavements in the precinct and around should ba completed soon.

The great challenge is the buy in from the investors but the guys who have bought into Ponte have shown that the area is worth investing in. With University have upgrade its residence in the precinct and SARCC will be upgrading Doorenfontein and Ellis Park train stations before 2010, but doorenfontein will be going for a major upgrade.

Betrams used to be a very bad aera but a drive in that surburb now will give you a differerent perspective even though there are still houses that do not deserve to be in the area but I guess the article within the link will help in that regard.

On the other side as you go towards the city, there are couple of building which are receiving an upgrade and the parks there are currently being worked on. Hillbrow is receiving life as per my previous posts and the drive I took yesterday made me more posetive about the area. There are plenty of students staying in that area and the upgrades and the security precence will make the place one of the best in Jozi.

So in conclusion, Ponte will work and 2010 SWC will actually bring the area to the spotlight which will help to lure more investments. I just hope that the city will maintain its stand of maintaining the area afte the 2010 SWC.

Yah I can understand why people are slightly circumspect about this development. Indeed I don't think you'll get R9500 to cover your bond initially - perhaps in the penthouse you might, but in the smaller units I imagine you'll get R5000 at the most.

That said, I really think this is still an investment that will pay off given the rapid urbanisation in this country and the projected growth of Joburg. What did that article say regarding the Joburg BRT? By 2020 it's expected that there will be 4500 per square km. Having a place in Ponte will definitely stand you in good stead.

And as Pule said, Hillbrow and Bertrams are undergoing a massive transformation, and they HAVE to because of their proximity to Ellis Park. If those areas are crap, then Ellis Park is crap, and I very much doubt Joburg will allow that.

In any case - even if Hillbrow and Bertrams remains crap - Ponte is already starting to form itself as an island of prosperity. The entrance to Ponte is being done up really nicely, and with convenience stores etc being built in Ponte you can pretty much stay inside when you need to. And if you need to drive outside... Well, it's always been relatively safe and it's looking pretty swanky now.

Incidentally, does anyone know what's happened to those taxis that used to live in the Ponte parking lot? They've all seemingly been turfed out. yay! :)

I have to agree with Waltjie.

While i think the redevelopment is fantastic for this icon building, from a living and investment perspective it is crap.

I read an article the other which stated someone would require a tennant to pay R9500 pm to cover their bond in a unit here. Who in their right might would spend that to stay their per month, when everywhere you look next door to this building is freaking scary. I'd take my R9500 and find something elsewhere.

So those people that do go in will be visionarys yes, but i fear that alot of people may lose money on this one.

Lets see what ponte has to offer:

1) Safety - with house robberies on the up, people do choose this as a viable option. Plus you drive into ponte from the road - a main artery that many people use to drive to observatory etc. So you dont need to drive through hillbrow.
2) Lifestyle - a virgin active downstairs, laundromat, shops, restaurants. This all saves you time (and money) - and if you want to go out, you can, because you have extra time.
3) Money - no more sitting in traffic for hours if you work in the CBD. Actually, with the transport that will soon be in place, many of the residents won't need to have a car.

That said, this is a development that will cater for a specific group of people:
Mostly single young proffesionals. As such, I dont think there will be many families moving in (where do you send your kids to school? - although observatory and parktown is not that far). But then, many young professionals share apartments. So you might have 2 people sharing one of the bigger apartments.

Ponte will appeal to those that need to be central in order to save money. There is a HUGE gap in this market in the CBD. So I guess the bachelor's, 1bedroom and even 2bedroom apartments will fly. The 3bedrooms might be more of a challenge - due to the fact that this is not a family orientated building (IMO). And the Penthouses sell on the basis that you cannot find anything like this anywhere else in South Africa. Floors 52 to 54! I saw the renders - they have glass boxes on the outside - meaning you step out into the skyline. 3 of the 10 penthouses sold already - and they are not cheap. Uber yuppies will buy into these because of the prestige.

For me a main selling point will be the safety. Once you are inside - there is practically no safer place to be. And you don't have to run the gauntlet of crime to get in. In fact: The road to Ponte from the M1 is much safer than the road to the Spinnaker in Durban.

I don't know what happened to them but it seems like the governemnt is building a taxi holding building next to Bree Taxi rank. The Jozi municipality have always said that they need to construct more holding shelters for taxis as they don't want them to park on the roads and cause havoc as they currently are doing.

It took a couple of investors to turn Jozi's CBD around I ccan't see why the area around Ponte won't change while the city is investing money in it. Yes the returns might not be now but they will in future.

1. There will be a BRT Station next to Ponte.
2. Doorenfontein and Ellis Park Train Stations are at a walking distance.
3. Next to Ellis Park Sports precinct.
4. In close proximity to Melville's Rocky Street.
5. Not far from East Gate and Killarney mall.
6. In close proximity to M2 and M1 highways.
7. etc, etc.

All very good points above. Especially like Yarrick's point re the icon status of Ponte and the fact that you can live above the 50th floor.

Which actually brings me to something else.. What do you think will happen to the Vodacom sign? I don't really want it to go (i. like. neon.), but I think it does cast a glow inside the building?

I remember once reading a book that described a scene in Ponte where the red glow from the Coke sign reflected the eerie situation the characters found themselves in. Ponte was very much a symbol of represion in that book... Now it's once again a symbol of Joburg's economic clout. yay. :)

There might be a day when I will say "okay, you were right". But I do not see it working. The fact that trees are being planted around the Ellis Park area, sidewalks are being fixed, the BRT station will (hopefully - IF it ever runs) sit next to it and a Virgin Active is opening is not (IMO) enough of a drawing card to stay there. Nobody is denying the fact that there is a market for this type of thing (and please dont get me wrong - i think it is a wonderful idea), but I dont believe it is a sustainable idea to have this "symbol of Joburg's economic clout" sitting in a shithole where people are prone to do target practice on the microwave equipment atop of Hillbrow Tower. Sorry.

When last were you in this area Waltjie? Have you seen the streets in front of Ponte recently? Abel Street - where the notorious La Rosa was is actually quite pleasant. The park next to Lily Ave has been restored, and is in great shape. They are installing security cameras. And a few people would rather live in a building like this than live in a suburb to the north where they do target shooting on you in your bedroom!

Ponte's positive aspects:
1) it is pretty much an island - you drive directly into the building from a street with security guards and security cameras.
2) it is self-contained - you can do your shopping, laundry and gym routine inside.
3) it is iconic
4) it is close to all major transport routes
5) location - in terms of proximity to CBD office space ( I know of quite a few people at ABSA in particular that have bought apartments in Ponte (starting at R400 000) in order to live there.
6) apartments are furnished

Drawbacks
1) location - in terms of the obvious stigma attached
2) stigma
3) size - it was never fully let, even during its heydays.

Oh, and Pule, it is close to Yeoville's Rocky Street, not Melville.

All in all, this area is not a shithole. It is looking better every day. Why? Because people need to live close to the CBD - and owners of buildings realise they make more money with good buildings than with bad ones.

When thinking of investing, don't think - I wouldn't stay here. rather think - who would stay here. The single bedrooms for R400 000 is a steal IMO - and you can get great returns on that - plus you get tax breaks. I do think the 3 bedrooms might be a tad more difficult to get rid off.

Yah but that's the thing... It can't afford to be a shithole for much longer. It HAS to un-shithole itself (which it is doing as Pule's photo show) or else the city of Joburg is not going to look too good during the World Cup. The city of Joburg is sprucing it up, and it will bring about a return in investment.

You can see this happening already in Braamies and the CBD - THEY were a shithole when we first started this forum, and I specifically remember us forumers being balled over when the Franklyn launched. Now middle-upper income developments in the city are fairly common place, and we've become quite blase about it. And that's in, what.... 5 years?

There is no reason why Ponte can't do the same to Hillbrow... Indeed, we don't know for sure, but experience in Joburg has shown that it can do it.

I guess only time will tell. Let's hope it does turn out to be a major success. :)

but I dont believe it is a sustainable idea to have this "symbol of Joburg's economic clout" sitting in a shithole where people are prone to do target practice on the microwave equipment atop of Hillbrow Tower. Sorry.

What I can say about the area is "an ugly duckly turned into a swan"...don't mind my spelling please...

If you remember very well the police have actually put a stop on that, if I'm not mistaken for about 2 years now. With rehabilitation of the buildings are being runned by slam lords, plenty of people who are messing up all these places are gonna have to live the area like they did in the CBD therefore creating a better place for worthfull investors. If you take a drive into berea then you will understand why we so posetive about the place.

Well, I hope the government will pass the bill of legalising prostitution so that we can see legal joints opening up in Hillbrow ;) as that will definately bring a spark to the area.

LOL, Jakes I meant Yeoville, excuse my typing. By the way about 1/4 of rocky street have got nice reddish new paving but some hawkers are now operating on that pavement even though its quite a few of them but Seipati more, the Project manager of Yeoville rehab sad that when the project is complete there will be security precense and no hawker will be allowed to seel on the street.

Living the High Life
9 APRIL, 2008
The highly coveted Ponte City penthouses are going on sale! Between 150 metres and 180 meters above the ground, the penthouses are the highest residential apartments in Africa.


“Our penthouses are designed to make the best of the incredible panoramic views,” says Ponte City developer David Selvan. “They are luxurious, unique spaces that can be adapted to the personal tastes of each of their owners. There is one chance to own this exclusive lifestyle; it will not arise again.”

There are 6 penthouses and 10 luxury suites available for purchase, currently ranging in price from R2.5 million- R6.5 million. The penthouses at the top of Ponte are each three stories high: floor 52, floor 53 and floor 54. They are all open-plan and include a jacuzzi, personal study, bar, and a kitchen worthy of.any great chef. Each penthouse features a staggering glass viewing box on the exterior of the building, where you can literally step out into the sky..


Three of the penthouses have already been sold- two to South African business people and the third to a British investor who quips “Bryanston isn’t my cup of tea.”.

At R20 000/m2, the penthouses are way better positioned than other apartment in Africa and have the best views imaginable. The Michelangelo in Sandton sold its penthouses for R36 000/m2 when they were launched in 2005. The newest luxury penthouse at the Nedbank’s Head Office is selling off-plan for R40 000/m2. Apartments in Melrose Arch are currently selling at between R25 500/sq m and R27 000/sq m.

The luxury suites are a range of huge single floor units on the upper floors- each from 125m2- 325m2. Each of these have an amazing view of the city.


“Where else in the world would you be able to buy into an iconic building such as Ponte City at these kinds of prices?” says developer Nour Addine Ayyoub. “Our finishes are superb, our design highly creative, and the metropolitan lifestyle promised by the building will be unsurpassed.”


Planned for completion in April 2009, Ponte City will feature over 2700 m2 of retail space, 8000m2 of office space, a top gym with indoor swimming pool, and an international standard climbing wall. The retail area will include a signature restaurant, cocktail bar, wellness centre, specialty grocery store, and cafe. Other benefits include its extraordinary location- Ponte City is under 20 minutes from O.R. Tambo International airport, and minutes from the M1. In addition, Ponte City sits at the northern gateway to the Ellis Park precinct- currently being re-developed at a cost of R2-billion by the public and private sector in time for the FIFA soccer world cup in 2010.


Penthouses will be available for purchase from April 2008.

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/3dpenthouse03.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/3denthouse05.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/3dpenthouse02.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/3dpenthouse04.jpg

A guaranteed 8% return on investment!
28 March, 2008
Long Term RentalWhat can I expect from placing my apartment into long term rentals at Ponte City?
Guaranteed rental income for the first 24 months equivalent to an 8% return on
investment for all 1-bedroom executive, 2-bedroom, 2-bedroom executive and 3-bedroom units.

UDZ tax incentive allowing you to write off up to R280 000 from your taxable income. (Even the Taxman loves Ponte)

Professional rental management - taking care of leases, maintenance, payment of
accounts and rental collections

Regular free maintenance: we will include a full 'service' of your apartment once a yearensuring all the electrical, plumbing, flooring, cupboards, windows and kitchen fittings stay in good working order.

Discounted membership into Ponte City facilities- world class gym, swimming pool,
climbing wall, children's adventure play-land


How will you guarantee returns?
The developers will sign an (optional) 24 month lease which will pay you a monthly amount equivalent to 8% of the purchase price of your unit. For example, if you buy a 3-bedroom unit for R871 000, you will receive R5806.67 every month for 24 months, guaranteed.

What kind of market returns can I expect from long-term rentals of my Ponte Apartment?
Projections for rent for apartments in the inner city of Johannesburg are strong. It is estimated that from July 2008, you should be able to get between 8-11% return on investment on your initial investment at Ponte City.

For example: Estimated
Unit Number Unit Type Purchase Price Levy Gross Rental Nett Rental ROI #
1112 BACHELOR 409,300 452 3,000 2,548 9.87%
1101 1 BEDROOM 518,700 592 4,000 3,408 10.28%
1110 1 BEDROOM EXEC 688,800 810 5,400 4,590 10.40%
1105 2 BEDROOM 713,100 841 5,600 4,759 10.41%
1102 2 BEDROOM EXEC 871,000 1,044 7,000 5,956 10.61%
1103 3 BEDROOM 871,000 1,044 7,000 5,956 10.61%
# Based on Nett Rental including UDZ





UDZWhat are the benefits of the UDZ tax incentive? 1
The UDZ tax incentive has been put into place to stimulate investment in the Johannesburg innercity. It allows you, as an investor, to claim back 30% of the purchase price of your Ponte unit against your total taxable income over 5 years. 2


For example- assuming you've purchased a 1-bedroom unit at Ponte City for R518 700.00. With the UDZ tax incentive, you are able to claim back a total of R155 610 over 5 years, which amounts to R31 122/year from your total taxable income. Assuming you have an annual income of R480 000 and are taxed at 38% this results in an annual savings of R11 826.

Over five years, you save a total of R59 130 in taxes, an effective reduction of 11.4% from your purchase price.

Sales are at around 80% at this stage...

More talk....

Words: Yaron Blecher

The renovation of Ponte City, Johannesburg’s formerly infamous landmark to a shining beacon heralding the restoration of the inner city to a trendy residential and commercial zone, has been causing a buzz in the country’s property press over the last few months.

Ponte City, originally called the Strydom Tower, was built in 1975 to a height of 173 metres, making it the tallest residential skyscraper in Africa. The original architect, Rodney Grosskopf, came up with the innovative idea of putting up a cylindrical building with a hollow inner core riddled with windows to let light into the apartments.

It was an extremely desirable address for its views of Johannesburg and its surroundings. But during the 1990s, the building became symbolic of the crime and urban decay that gripped the once cosmopolitan Hillbrow neighbourhood. Unsavoury elements moved in, Ponte’s iconic inner core filled up with debris five stories high and the owners left the building to decay.

Then, at the end of the millennium, the building came under new management and by May 2007 Ponte had changed ownership and a redevelopment project, New Ponte was put in motion. The sigh of relief was almost audible (if incredulous, in some quarters). Grosskopf was delighted: ‘I’d love to see Ponte going back to what it once was,’ he said in a previous interview. ‘If you think of any building in Berea or Hillbrow, I think Ponte has the best chance of recovery. It’s a bit of an island so it’s secure. It could really lead the regeneration of the whole area.’ And well it might: according to Ponte City’s website, the Johannesburg Development Agency will be investing significantly in the areas around Ponte City, and the nearby Ellis Part precinct is being redeveloped at a cost of R2-billion.

The developers are restoring the building to its former glory, rekindling its spirit with the concept of ‘firefly boxes’ in the inner core. There will be 86 of these light-boxes, each a half-metre wide and constructed from coloured glass, scattered throughout to resemble stars. The developers speak of opening up Ponte City, as it is now called, to Johannesburg, uncovering many of the views that were hidden through previous renovations. ‘Ponte City is a brilliant, beautiful building – like a giant sculpture,’ says Ngaire Blankenberg, director of Space Marketing, the company responsible for marketing the building.

Planned for completion in April 2009, Ponte City will feature over 2 700m2 of retail space, 8 000m2 of office space, a top gym with indoor swimming pool, an international-standard climbing wall, 467 residential units and – the sparkling crown of the New Ponte project – six highly coveted penthouses.

The penthouses, at the top of Ponte City, are each three stories high, taking up Floors 52, 53 and 54, making them the highest residential apartments in Africa. They form part of a suite of 10 luxury apartments.

The penthouses, which arguably have the best urban views in Africa, range in price from R2,5-million to R6,5-million – that’s just
R20000/m2. All are open-plan and feature a Jacuzzi, personal study, bar, a kitchen worthy of the world’s best chefs and a staggering glass viewing box on the exterior of the building, which will allow the owners to literally step out into the sky. ‘Our penthouses are designed to make the best of the incredible panoramic views,’ says Ponte City developer David Selvan. ‘They are luxurious, unique spaces that can be adapted to the personal tastes of each of their owners. There is one chance to own this exclusive lifestyle; it will not arise again.’

Three of the penthouses have already been sold – two to South African business people and the third to a British investor. Not too shabby an achievement for a building that the City once considered turning into a prison. In fact, interest has been such that the developers are even considering dividing one whole floor into another two penthouses, each with a 180-degree view of the city.

The apartments are also an attractive proposition. Setshwano Rametse, director of Space Marketing, was responsible for their design. ‘The idea from the developer was to have six different concepts to give buyers a sense of choice, which other developments currently are not offering,’ he notes. The six concepts that Rametse came up with include: Old Money - exuding elegance, charm and timeless classics, Global Fusion - an African-influenced décor mixed with colourful contemporary pieces, Moroccan Delight – a Moroccan-influenced décor that is a decadent mix of embroidered fabrics and carved wooden pieces, Glam Rock – a sophisticated mix of indulgent velvet and satins mixed with neo-classical pieces, Future Slick – a slick selection of glass, contemporary and chrome pieces that bring across an uncluttered, modern and minimalist ambience with contrasting colours, and Zen-like – a cool, serene and organic environment with natural wood pieces and natural colour tones.

The apartments will be sold as complete packages including beds and mattresses, sofas, table and chairs, a stove, a fridge, a microwave and a washing machine.

Hillbrow has had such a colourful past that it might as well have been a Jackson Pollock painting. Many Johannesburg residents do not know the extent of the good work being done to revitalise Jo’burg’s inner city. But the revamped Ponte with its ‘tallest penthouses in Africa’ and the benefits of its central location (halfway between Soweto and Sandton, 20 minutes from the OR Tambo International airport, and just minutes from the M1 highways) demands that we look up and take notice.

From http://www.thepropertymag.co.za/pages/452774491/articles/2008/May/articles/pwp-ponte.asp

building height in one article at 173m but in another penthouses are at 180m above ground????

How's the progress on this tower now? they're probably still giving the dark grey on the exterior, aren't they?

Security entrance have been completed and its working already.

Looking at that last render.

These people have really got to do it right.

It'll be a plus

Makeover for notorious Ponte

http://www.businessday.co.za/weekender/article.aspx?ID=BD4A807812

The plan to turn the iconic high-rise block into an upmarket mixed-use development seems farfetched — but reinvention is Joburg’s trademark

PONTE Towers is hardly the stuff of dreams. Yet, Jo burg’s ugliest building has inspired one-time Hollywood producer and South African-born David Selvan to invest R260m in the high-rise block. He plans to turn Ponte into funky, upmarket apartments — where we might all want to live.



Or would we? At the launch this week — the place was still a building site — the building looked like a ghastly communist housing project, sinister, haunted by a torrid past. Wasn’t this the home of the city’s drug lords?

There was talk at one time of turning the place into a prison, and the joke went that you just needed to lock the door.

There was also talk that the inner section of the strange, cylindrical building had three storeys of rubbish in it. Residents tossed the contents of their bins out the window.

But property developers and Hollywood producers have a lot in common: the ability to turn dreams into reality — at some expense, of course. Hopefully, Ponte Towers will turn into a multi million-rand blockbuster .

Selvan is convincing. After his speech at the launch I felt a whole lot better about the place, I liked the idea of a lobby pianist and coffee on the piazza. I wasn’t sure about the neighbourhood. Sometimes you can fix it, often not.

Imagine, said Selvan, you live on the 32nd floor of Ponte. You awake at 5.30 and look out at the view, the finest in the city.

You go for a run around the track circling the complex, or to the Ponte gym. You meet your partner for coffee on the piazza. Later, you drive the kids to school to nearby St John’s, King Edward VII or Roedean, and then you connect with the rapid bus system and shoot off to work.


This is a picture of an upper middle-class life, although I don’t think Ponte, new or old, is the likely home of a St John’s or Roedean family.

We were invited on a tour of one floor of show apartments — taking the wobbly lifts, which spooked the journalists. Only a few were brave enough to travel up to the 50th floor to see the view from the penthouses.

The apartments are okay, but hardly upmarket.

The furniture — the apartments come decorated — is gorgeous. But the rooms are tiny and the kitchens are badly designed .

They’ve left the original windows — and they shouldn’t have.

The circular shape is jarring. Does it make you feel suicidal? After a while, would you just want to give up and leap out of the bedroom window?

Certainly the view from the passages into the inner cylindrical core is pretty grim. The developers are putting glass viewing boxes there, and only they know why. Who wants to look at floor upon floor of flats?

However , this is really a move by the establishment into previously uncharted waters , and it’s backed by municipal initiatives forming part of an intensive and wide-ranging urban renewal programme of a R700m upgrade in the surrounding Hillbrow and Berea areas.

Pam Golding Properties, market leader in the estate agent sector, with sole mandate to market the 400-plus units at Ponte, describes it as the “boldest property re development ever undertaken in SA”.

Pam Golding Properties’ Andre Dippenaar sees it in the same mould as other once-controversial, and now hugely successful, projects such as Pecanwood and Melrose Arch.

And in a city that has reinvented itself many times — from tented city to Edwardian buildings to skyscrapers — who are we to argue?

I was speaking to someone who went to look at Ponte and they said there's absolutely no storage space in the new places?

No storage? Well now that really wont work for those St John’s and Roedean families!! Ha ha ha.

Sorry, but this is not going to work they had hoped for IMO.

This is why I hate renders and reality... Some renders from the site.

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/Johannesburg/ponte.jpg

I don't see a lot of storage
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/Johannesburg/ponte1.jpg

Or maybe you can dry your clothes in the fireboxes?
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/Johannesburg/innercore.jpg

The views
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/Johannesburg/jozi2.jpg
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/Johannesburg/joziview.jpg

Maybe that funky class covering on the outside will be done once all the apartments have been sold...??

Not!!

is that a bath tub in someone's bedroom?......no thanks. The outside is looking great but I'm still not sure about the green thingys on the inside,following an up to the minute trend is always a bad thing and if anything will date a building fast it's a fixture that screams 2008(or whatever the year we in),there must also be major shopping and working attractions to bring me out there and not just some government initiative to force us to by streetside crap

^^ Could someone please help clarify what they're doing? The "real images" posted of the outside of Ponte, even recent show NO change. Are they not going to "lighten" and upgrade the outer concrete and install blue reflective glass, or was I duped? It still in reality looks just like it did, a run-down commie-block! :ohno:

exactly and the renders show bluish concrete which I know aint gonna happen unless they cover the concrete with titanium and then have the reflective blue glass, now that would be stylish...I should've been the designer and not the cokeheads in charge

blah blah blah... we've been tricked! so in actual fact all they are doing is... what.... changing the carpets and putting in some lame Furniture City couches.... yay. :ohno:

^^ :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: I have never said this before and forgive me, but I'm an architectural designer, so I know how greedy-developers little shortsighted minds sometimes work. I hope this development flops and buyers don't materialise! There, I said it! Developers need to stop this idea that they can cut every corner, come up with pretty renders, even dupe the architects, but invest half of what is needed to try to suck the marrow dry of buyers. No, bad development, bad interiors, bad refurbishment, bad resale. ENOUGH, hope these greedy blokes get nowhere.

those that cut corners to survive skimp on quality - and are usually the first to go under

And another thing - did they not learn anything from urban ocean's blunders? Dont try to sell 450 luxury pads in hillbrow. You can invest in a couple of high end units - as for the rest? Make is reasonable, neat and practical. Throw out the zen gardens and rock chic. Just not justifyable at this stage.

^^ :ohno: :ohno: :ohno: I have never said this before and forgive me, but I'm an architectural designer, so I know how greedy-developers little shortsighted minds sometimes work. I hope this development flops and buyers don't materialise! There, I said it! Developers need to stop this idea that they can cut every corner, come up with pretty renders, even dupe the architects, but invest half of what is needed to try to suck the marrow dry of buyers. No, bad development, bad interiors, bad refurbishment, bad resale. ENOUGH, hope these greedy blokes get nowhere.

I dont think there have been many (any?) buyers really... I personally haven't heard of anyone... There is always SUPOSEDLY some "famous international buyer" who has splurged out on a penthouse apartment (as was apparently the case with both the Franklin, and #1 Rissik [and we all know fvckall has happened here!!] but it never seems to quite happen...) which is supposed to make us all run to the bank coz this is going to be the big one....

Some people just dont learn.

These people should learn. if Mapungubwe is doing so well there's obviously something they're dong right as compared to The Franklin and others. showing of sleak renders is not all to attract investers, people are not that naive. you need to deliver!
perhaps Innercity is not ready for ultra-luxury they might learn a thing or two from Pace Properties, check this http://www.paceproperty.co.za/

Seems they may be basing their endeavours on Cape Town's CBD. But you cannot do this in Jo'burg, as Cape Town CBD has the status Sandton CBD does up there. I want investment in Jo'burg CBD, but you have to start realistically and lower-down on the income-rung. The wealthy northern suburb buyers will only move to the central CBD once all the high-class amenities are in place. They need to start somewhere, but not here yet! Walk first, then fly.
They want their boutique shops, Woolies, Virgin Actives, Stuttafords, cafés, chic restaurants nearby. This will slowly come, but time is needed, investment needed, secure environments needed and retail-confidence is needed.

But also, they cannot keep "duping" people with pretty renders. People will spend once they can "see."

Yes you're right - they're modelling it on Cape Town's CBD, which is very different to Joburg's CBD, and certainly far removed from Hillbrow. I mean - to target St Johns and Roedeen families?
I think the model that Pace has adopted is clearly the best given it's middle income pitch - and look at what it has done to Braamfontein! And I think New Ponte could succeed if it pitches at this market given that Yeoville/Berea/Hillbrow is beginning to attract a group of people with more disposable income.

But like the Franklin and 1 Rissik - you aren't going to lure a Sandtonite away from Sandton (which is becomming by the day a more attractive place to live) to Joburg.

Good points you making guys.

They need to realise one thing, a lot of people in CPT already have money... therefore they can afford luxury apartments in the CBD. The people in Joburg who have the money, have huge houses in the North.
They need to focus on people making their money... who cannot afford to spend R10,000+ p/m on accommodation, but want something decent.
The demographics is VERY different.

Posted to the web on: 22 August 2008
Berea determined to return to glory days

New Ponte in downtown Johannesburg is set to revolutionise inner-city living, writes ROXZANNE VAN EYK

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

LOCATED in downtown Johannesburg, the 56-storey Ponte City is one of the city’s more notorious landmarks. Towering at almost 200m above the skyline, with views of the 2010 World Cup Ellis Park stadium, Ponte is the tallest residential building in Africa. After changing hands at R110m, the trademark cylindrical building is undergoing more than simply a facelift with a refurbishment fund of an additional R110m.

This will see the realisation of New Ponte, a contemporary apartment block that aims to reclaim its iconic landmark status in the heart of Johannesburg’s urban renewal initiative. Massive infrastructure investments in anticipation of the 2010 Soccer World Cup are being realised.

For many the notion of investing in New Ponte may conjure up images of a Jo’burg CBD where crime and grime are rife. To dispel a few misconceptions about CBD living in this part of Jo’burg, it is worth taking note of New Ponte’s location on Lily Avenue, Berea.

Berea is Jo’burg’s first residential central improvement district (CID). There are three variables to this: uniformed guards that provide a security presence, supplementary street cleaning to the city’s services and CCTV cameras. Information sourced from www.joburg.org.za quotes developer Brian Miller of Ithemba Property Trust, who is driving the CID initiative to the east of Berea. He says that since mid-2006 crime in Berea has dropped between 70%-80%. David Selvan, a lawyer by profession, is co-developer of New Ponte through his development company, Galencia. He says the director of Hillbrow police station has endorsed these figures and says that Berea has long ceased to be a crime hotspot.

Selvan says a second Berea CID initiative is under way to the north of Ponte, driven by Sandy Barnes from Jozi Housing. “There has also been an application for another CID to the south of Ponte.”

Hillbrow on the other hand has in place the Ekhaya Neighbourhood, social upliftment programme, where the slogan “Making Hillbrow your home” has been put in place. The cherry on the top however comes from the city of Johannesburg, which has committed to a R171m upgrade of Hillbrow, Berea and Yeoville.

Selvan confirms that the Johannesburg Development Agency has committed to an infrastructural investment of R700m on the adjacent Ellis Park precinct.

“New Ponte is a complete island with no neighbours to the north, south, east and west of the building. New Ponte can only be accessed via its two entrances at Lily and Saratoga Avenue. This means that in the future visitors will not have anything to do with either Hillbrow or Berea.

There are plans to close Lily Avenue, which means the only way people will be able to access New Ponte is via Joe Slovo and then via Saratoga.”

In terms of transport, New Ponte is on the route of the city’s planned R2,5bn Rapid Bus service, which means that unit owners will be able to catch the bus into town or to the Park station to ride the Gautrain. Selvan says taking into account rising fuel costs, traffic congestion and longer periods spent commuting, most city employees would much rather live close to their place of work. He adds that there are 20 major employers within 6km of New Ponte.

When complete, New Ponte will offer a total of 458 fully furnished, quality-fitted sectional title apartments. To date 103 sales have been concluded. Of the first phase, the bottom half of the building, which will entail 285 units, 85% is complete. Completion of this phase is expected in three months. The apartments are being completely stripped down to the concrete and everything from the carpets, doors and windows will be brand new. Buyers can choose from six interior furnishing styles.

There will be a total of eight modern lifts in New Ponte’s residential component and a further two lifts servicing the parking facilities. “The maximum waiting period for a lift is 57 seconds,” says Selvan.

Apartments range in size from 29m² for the smaller units up to 400m² for the penthouses. Prices in Phase 1 start from R420000 for a studio unit to aabout R960000 for three-bedroom units. Selvan says the higher the apartments are situated, the pricing per square meter increases. “We recently sold a penthouse unit in phase 2 for R5m,” he says.

New Ponte will boast high level security with an active presence of security personnel throughout the building. Communal facilities will include a retail and commercial section, with a skating rink, restaurants, a children’s adventure zone and the highest climbing wall in the southern hemisphere. There will also be several levels of secure, occupier-dedicated parking.

Selvan is a firm believer that inner city areas present lucrative investment potential and earnings. “In my experience the Johannesburg CBD has had large increases in property prices over the past two years. In many cases property prices have doubled and tripled, and there are still good properties to buy at attractive prices. The pace of change is slower than one would like, but even considering the current demand, there is consistent growth,” says Selvan.

New Ponte will offer a rental pool operator, where lets are expected to start in the region of about R4000 a month and upwards.



PRICE: Fully furnished apartments from R420000 to R960000 in Phase 1

CONTACT:
Pam Golding Properties
Pam Goller 082 7501404
Andre Dippenaar 082 553 3054
Mahadi Buthelezi 083 992 0387

Sorry guys... this one is very dead in its current form. Dysan - changes?

Heard in the news today that it's a failure. Sad indeed.

Were's there people who moved in?

No one moved in. the apartments are left gutted and empty.

The city gurus should work with these guys and make sure that Ponte comes back, it will be sad for it to die for good of which I hardly believe that it will.

No one moved in. the apartments are left gutted and empty.

I think this one is dead for now while the economic crisis hits the inner city hard and few people with money are going to risk their money in an adverse property climate. I think it could be back in five years but one can only think if it is worth it as it seems that only the government could make a go with it as part of it's social housing scheme. There won't be anything plush about it anyway as the building is stark and rundown like the rest of Hillbrow so the R200 million is nothing in these days although I doubt even that the R200 million is there, probably more likely a paltry R5 million, which is what the building is worth at book value. What little revitalisation that took place in the last four years seems likely to be set into reverse by the negative economic and political climate in the country right now.

I think this one is dead for now while the economic crisis hits the inner city hard and few people with money are going to risk their money in an adverse property climate. I think it could be back in five years but one can only think if it is worth it as it seems that only the government could make a go with it as part of it's social housing scheme. There won't be anything plush about it anyway as the building is stark and rundown like the rest of Hillbrow so the R200 million is nothing in these days although I doubt even that the R200 million is there, probably more likely a paltry R5 million, which is what the building is worth at book value. What little revitalisation that took place in the last four years seems likely to be set into reverse by the negative economic and political climate in the country right now.

There is an acute shortage in the CBD for affordable accomodation. And this is where you make most money - the market has too few offerings for those earning R10 000 - R20 000 a month.

Ponte has 300 apartments - you can easily rent them for R3500 to R5500 a month - which is what other guys are getting. So the building is worth millions, just from a rental perspective. The lower housing brackets are performing very good at this stage - look at trafalgar, pace, citiprop, zenprop and all the others. Luxury flats are a liability at this stage. As for normal flats to let... a goldmine. Plus you get tax incentives.

sad to see, but imo not at all unexpected.

fully agree, no surprises with this one. drove past a few weeks back and i'd be scared to let anyone stay in that area

Such potential but such a shit area.....

fully agree, no surprises with this one. drove past a few weeks back and i'd be scared to let anyone stay in that area


Such potential but such a shit area.....

I disgree gents, the area is on the up and I also base my comments on what I saw on saturday. People have also been moved out of flats in Saratoga Street this past week. Old houses in the area will be renovated by JDA as part of heritage and plenty of buildings in that area are being renovated.

i must say that Ponte is definately in the better part of berea - the only issue is the totally disgusting coronia hotel (which will probably not see the light of day as well!). There are security cameras, the streets are clean, the park is well kept... streetlighting, decent pavements, street art. It is not a gentrified area, and this is my point. Stop trying to bring the white yuppies in from the north!!! let them rot in their little pink faux italian shitty apartments with their pampered poodles (hell, I hate fourways!). Rather, build something that adresses the needs of people.

It will sell, and other developers proved this! Why is 120End street still going ahead? Is it low budget? No! In fact, they are using robust material and more expensive building techniques. The fact? It is fully rented because it is what people need!

Pace - they build what people need. Urban Ocean tried the glam approach and failed (in better areas of the city). We need middle income, safe, affordable and convenient housing. Which does not mean it has to be shit. I would much rather have 10 Pace Properties next to me filled with ordinary people than have one huge empty glam fake fraud of a disaster waiting to happen.

i must say that Ponte is definately in the better part of berea - the only issue is the totally disgusting coronia hotel (which will probably not see the light of day as well!). There are security cameras, the streets are clean, the park is well kept... streetlighting, decent pavements, street art. It is not a gentrified area, and this is my point. Stop trying to bring the white yuppies in from the north!!! let them rot in their little pink faux italian shitty apartments with their pampered poodles (hell, I hate fourways!). Rather, build something that adresses the needs of people.

It will sell, and other developers proved this! Why is 120End street still going ahead? Is it low budget? No! In fact, they are using robust material and more expensive building techniques. The fact? It is fully rented because it is what people need!

Pace - they build what people need. Urban Ocean tried the glam approach and failed (in better areas of the city). We need middle income, safe, affordable and convenient housing. Which does not mean it has to be shit. I would much rather have 10 Pace Properties next to me filled with ordinary people than have one huge empty glam fake fraud of a disaster waiting to happen.

:applause:

yup these guys a 5 years too early but some1 has to have the balls to start the revolution

^^ i'd say they alot more than 5 years too early. Get the mass market in first, let that settle for 5-10 years and then you can think about going upmarket

^^ i'd say they alot more than 5 years too early. Get the mass market in first, let that settle for 5-10 years and then you can think about going upmarket

I agree. It takes a lot to make the upmarket guys swing.

There is an acute shortage in the CBD for affordable accomodation. And this is where you make most money - the market has too few offerings for those earning R10 000 - R20 000 a month.

Ponte has 300 apartments - you can easily rent them for R3500 to R5500 a month - which is what other guys are getting. So the building is worth millions, just from a rental perspective. The lower housing brackets are performing very good at this stage - look at trafalgar, pace, citiprop, zenprop and all the others. Luxury flats are a liability at this stage. As for normal flats to let... a goldmine. Plus you get tax incentives.

That used to the case two years ago, but with all the new development going on in the northern suburbs that is not being taken up by people emigrating since the Eskom crisis, the situation is going to go back to the way it was 10-15 years ago. Not to mention the fact that for more than one week last month the Joburg CBD was without power. I think that with all of these problems, very little investment will take place, and whatever rents can be achieved will be far short of inflationary costs to maintain buildings many of which including Ponte City are derelict (Ponte City needs at least R5 billion to rehabilitate). Such serious money will continue to go to Sandton and Melrose as such areas are far more profitable.

I disgree gents, the area is on the up and I also base my comments on what I saw on saturday. People have also been moved out of flats in Saratoga Street this past week. Old houses in the area will be renovated by JDA as part of heritage and plenty of buildings in that area are being renovated.

It will only be the JDA that would spend money on Ponte City even if it doesn't make sense businesswise.

Oh dear, looks like the rumours are true. How sad.

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

Ponte project crashes

TANIA PAMPALONE
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - Dec 16 2008 06:00

Once upon a time on the edge of Hillbrow two men dreamed of transforming Jo'burg's towering, tattered Ponte into a luxury apartment complex.

From 2007 David Selvan and Nour Addine Ayyoub had been telling anyone who would listen -- and every reporter from the International Herald Tribune to the Christian Science Monitor did -- that their R200-million project would transform the iconic building into a glamorous and sought-after place to live. First phase occupation date: April 2008.

Today Ponte sits half-empty, a construction zone without construction, mired in would-be lawsuits and promises of what was to be. From unpaid contractors and suppliers to wronged ex-employees and unhappy investors, Ponte is, once again, causing a stir.

Renier de Waal, a contractor hired by Ayyoub's company, Investagain, to make cupboards for the apartments, says he was stiffed for more than R1-million. In his workshop in Kya Sands doors lie in tall stacks and cupboards are wrapped in plastic, unit numbers carefully labelled in black marker, ready for delivery.

Ponte's project manager, Mario Familiar, says the collective total owed to the numerous contractors and suppliers could be as high as R5-million.

This doesn't take into account investors who bought into the dream. One, who asked not to be named, says he'd like his R15 000 deposit back. If he could only figure out who to get it back from."I don't know who has my money or where it is," he says. "I just want it back."

It's not easy to find out where that money might be. The once-talkative Selvan, an attorney turned film producer, and Ayyoub, a software developer turned property mogul, no longer want to talk. Ayyoub won't take calls and his lawyer declines to comment. Selvan says only that he will say something soon.

It turns out Selvan and Ayyoub never, in fact, purchased the building for the reported R110- to R112-million from the East London-based Kempston Group.

"There was a lot written in the press, a lot was said and done about the deal that wasn't necessarily true," says Jason Kruger, Kempston Group spokesperson. "What I can confirm at this stage is that the deal between Ayyoub and the consortium has been cancelled and we are looking at alternatives."

About the deal, Kruger says only that it was "fairly complex and unique" and allowed the developers to refurbish the building "at their sole risk" before taking ownership.

The strategy for payment appears to be based, at least partially, on investors' deposits and the accompanying bank sureties on pre-sold units, although in interviews with Selvan and Ayyoub last year, the two indicated there was another backer -- who they declined to name -- that would come up with the bulk of the financing.

Sources say payment on the building was due in June 2008 and that, in the end, Selvan and Ayyoub couldn't shore up the funds.

Ponte speaks for itself. The top half of the building -- floors 35 and up -- is partly occupied by long-time residents who continue to take one of the two working elevators up to their homes in the sky. The lower part -- floors 11 to 34 -- sits empty and half-built; the 1 500 people who once lived there were told to pack up a year ago.

The former retail floors below are an empty shell. All that went to make room for New Ponte, the one with a state-of-the-art gym and upmarket grocery store, a climbing wall sprouting up from the centre of the core, looking up and into the bachelor flats starting at R300 000 and all the way to the top multi-level penthouses going for a dizzying R3,5-million.

Today, in the reception area, Pam Golding signs gather dust and glossy mock-ups of what was to be -- sleek elevators, a glowing core lit with neon light boxes -- cling to the walls.

The showroom on floor 32 is laid with royal-blue carpet and matching LED lights. Signs on the apartment doors of the fully furnished models on offer read: Zen-Like, Moroccan Delight and Old Money, and come complete with granite counter tops, 30-inch flat-screen TVs, silver Defy appliances and faux suede sofas.

But in the real Ponte rubble from broken-down walls fills the inner core of the building where the climbing wall was to be, windows on every floor are broken out and the stairwell railings are stripped.

After Ponte's show day in October 2007 the developers claimed they had signed agreements on 80% of the first phase -- more than 260 units.

But by April cracks were appearing in the dream's foundation. Suppliers were grumbling about payment and the group's in-house marketing team dissolved.

Pam Golding was brought in. By July Ayyoub was no longer taking calls or returning emails from unpaid contractors or even staff members.

Pam Golding spokesperson Roseanne Marshall says the company received a letter from Kempston in November asking it to discontinue sales while ownership of the building was renegotiated.

De Waal hopes it will be.

"I can't use this for another job," he says, pointing to cabinets designed for Ponte. "I hope whoever buys will say: 'Look, this place is nearly complete,' and will ask us to come in to finish the job."

http://www.mg.co.za/article/2008-12-16-ponte-project-crashes

I wonder who will be brave enough to take this over? Otherwise, it's going to remain a partially completed wreck and could soon be occupied by squatters being evicted elsewhere in the JHB downtown. Then it will be beyond hope.

I wonder who will be brave enough to take this over? Otherwise, it's going to remain a partially completed wreck and could soon be occupied by squatters being evicted elsewhere in the JHB downtown. Then it will be beyond hope.

I would agree since the new provincial administration under Paul Mashatile would be less inclined to use red ants as former premier Sam Shilowa made plenty of use of to evict people from it as he was able to use the red ants which I think was a form of social engineering. It is more likely however if anyone takes it over Ponte would be the state-owned JHA or the new national housing authority that would be set up next year. That way below inflationary rents can be charged to give poor people a lift up in these hard recessionary times. But before that the squatters will move in along with criminals who would strip out and hawk of all the white elephants fixtures and fittings. In the end the authorities may have no choice but to implode this ugly eyesore and remove it from the skyline.

^^Kaapie- leave our buildings alone...

well the ponte is in prime postion consider the 2010 effect and the area isn't that bad as its just on the outerlimt of hillbrow

Very sad indeed. But I believe there is still potential in that building. All it needs is developers with some common sense, know people in that area don't need "Rock Chic" or Zen Crap Ponte City living... They need modern, well presented and secure living space in 1 & 2 bedroom format that will rent from between R3500 and R5500/pm.

I too think there is potential. I don't think it's ugly...it just needs some love. I can dream about it covered in glass can't I?

everytime i go through the projects section and seeing "cancelled" just breaks my heart :cry: can't someone just completely remove this thread please, when there was so much hope and anticipation :ohno:

^^ yes me too. the *cancelled* is most sad.
Just a thought - the building is pretty much empty now, right? There are no longer any tenants living in it. :(

There are still people living on floors 35 up. Only 11 -34 was under construction. And this remains a prime property... and with Hillbrow being one big construction site at this stage, I don't know how long this one will remain empty. A rational developer can get amazing returns on this building - it was already making money for Trafalgar before the new developers tried the heaven in Berea approach. The main thing is that some things will cost a lot more than other buildings in Berea and hillbrow. The lifts will have to be replaced - and this alone will come to millions.

The thing is they were targeting the wrong market - i.e. the Roedeen/St. Johns one. :lol:
Going more down market will bring excellent returns, both in the short and the long run.

It sucks that the Ponte City redevelopment project got scrapped. I wanted to see that building get an improved exterior look. I hope some other developed gets a better plan to improve Ponte City and finish the job.

This is a Jo'burg icon... it must must must eventually get some TLC and become a gleaming building again. This is so tragic, but I do not think it will remain empty for too long, the thought to bring Ponte back to life is already there and someone with moola will resurrect this.

Holding thumbs for this and for Hillbrow Tower getting the restaurant and observation deck up and running again.

wahahaha, just another exaple of GREEDY DEVELOPERS screwing up!
coulda told you this ages before it hit the news. was supposed to work with Nour Addine Ayoub on ponte from the Dec of 2007, but at that stage the cracks were already very visible. It was an awful cut corner refurb, put lipstick on a pig , but its still a pig. the guys had no idea. for two years now the building has stoof empty, gutted, what a stuff up.

That's just a waste.

hold the phone, how can it be on hold when facade refurbed along with lifts etc
maybe it dident get the full monty but it got an improvement

At least they painted it. Haha

Thread can be transferred to the Johannesburg-section.

This is a question for all the Josi guys.

Does anyone still live in Ponte? All the recent photos I've seen of Ponte at night show that lights are on in some flats?

People still live on floors 32 - 51.

11 - 32 is unoccupied and gutted, as is 52 - 54

I lived in Ponte (35th flr) during the early 80s and it was a very upmarket address. Hillbrow was a great place as was Yeoville and Berea..... now its all scum & slum!

^^ that's what happens when you don't have proper border control and give rights to hooligans.

The slumification may have happened anyway. Of all SA cities, Joburg seems to follow North American city developments the most closely , though maybe 10-20 years behind.

When Joburg started spreading out hugely to the north in the 80s due to increased car ownership, suburbanisation and rise of malls and edge cities it was pretty much copying what happened in US cities in the 60s-70s.

IMO the relative decline of central Joburg in the 90s to be replaced with office parks was pretty much inevitable and may well have been predictable by looking at the centre of virtually any US city in the 70s (I believe something like 80% of US office development is now in edge cities, rather than CBDs). The extent of the demise of course was exacerbated by huge social change at the time and by the fact that in spite of appearances, SA was very much a developing country.

And now Joburg CBD seems to have halted the decline, much as NYC, Atlanta and many others did in the 90s.

People still live on floors 32 - 51.

11 - 32 is unoccupied and gutted, as is 52 - 54

Thanks Jakes! Do you know who owns it?

I lived in Ponte (35th flr) during the early 80s and it was a very upmarket address. Hillbrow was a great place as was Yeoville and Berea..... now its all scum & slum!


Do you have any pictures from the time? Would be interesting to see

Thanks Jakes! Do you know who owns it?

was a family from Slummies

They should sell it to a Nigerian/Chinese consortium. Im sure they wouldnt mind. Otherwise sell it to some rich Russian pimp and he can turn the entire place into a brothel.....Worlds Tallest brothel....

Use it for vertical farming! :banana:

Maybe government could buy it and use it to address the housing backlog in the country? Would have to be done carefully though.

^^yeh that seems like the best option, but my only worry will be how the tenants look after the building.

^^ I don't like that idea due to South Africa's apparent hate for maintenance in general. It will probably end up looking terrible in the end with all sorts of ugly and unsafe going on inside.

Such a pity the initial redevelopment project fell through.

Ponte was doing much better under Trafalgar's management, so I see no reason why this should not be viable in the future. Decent rent- forget about luxury pads for now.

^^Ya, as long as it keeps alive and functional. cant aim high anymore for this one.

What we really need is for some decent invetor to buy it: like Urban Ocean or Southpoint or something and do a proper job with the refurb. These budget investors who are looking for a quick buck only stuff things up and add to the problems in the city.

I would hardly all urban ocean a decent developer. They aim high, but there dreams fail to take off.

Shes just been hurt, she does not need chancers anymore.

True, too many have used and abused :ohno:

hmmm,
so im doing an interview for German news radio re ponte this week. the reporter was hoping we could get access to the building. does anyone know how to get in? security seems pretty tight these days.

^^ I guess that's a good thing lol.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3477/3903532766_a7577358f6_b.jpg

hmmm,
so im doing an interview for German news radio re ponte this week. the reporter was hoping we could get access to the building. does anyone know how to get in? security seems pretty tight these days.

I think it will be best to go there before the interview so that you can evaluate the security part of it.

still sad to think she was due to be 64 floors but city made them chop off 10. Held title of tallest resi tower in southern hemisphere for years

whats that construction across the road? also whats the emply plot in front of ponte?

the empty plot is a park. no idea about the construction next door.

I disagree. It is brutal. It is imposing. But it has architectural merit if you see it in context. Brutalism was an obvious choice during our years as the misguided skunk of the world. It is a harsh, grey anomaly - especially if you compare this to the earlier dreamy versions of city living (Bauhaus - which seems to be revived in melrose). But historically it is significant.

I don't think anywhere in the world did brutalism quite like South Africa; many of our iconic buildings are unashamedly brutalist such as Ponte City, the Carlton Centre and Hillbrow Tower. UNISA in Pretoria and Golden Acre in Cape Town are similar. From an earlier era the Voortrekker Monument has a similar spirit (in my opinion at least).

In a way the boldness and finishes like stone chippings on concrete go well with our big and often harsh landscapes in a way that brutalism doesn't work in the softer landscapes of Europe.

In a way the boldness and finishes like stone chippings on concrete go well with our big and often harsh landscapes in a way that brutalism doesn't work in the softer landscapes of Europe.

Well said.

mmm,
somebody needs to help me post pics.
have some really good photos of the current shocking state of ponte.
pretty scary how rapidly it has slipped over the edge to the dark side.

mmm,
somebody needs to help me post pics.
have some really good photos of the current shocking state of ponte.
pretty scary how rapidly it has slipped over the edge to the dark side.

Don't think we want to see them..... :-/

A far more realistic plan...

Johannesburg’s landmark gets a facelift
By SA Commercial Prop News (http://www.sacommercialpropnews.co.za/business-specialties/investment/3587-johannesburg%E2%80%99s-landmark-gets-a-facelift.html)

Film producer David Selvan and developer Nour Ayyoub’s grand plans to buy Hillbrow’s Ponte City for R100m and turn it into a chic residential address — with penthouse price tags at R5m, no less — have come to naught .

But despite the collapse of the deal, first announced three years ago, East London-based Tony Cotterell still hopes to restore some of Ponte’s former glory.

Cotterell’s truck rental group, Kempston, has owned Africa’s tallest residential building for more than 15 years. The 54-storey Jo’burg landmark is now undergoing a multi million-rand revamp, the cost believed to far exceed the estimated R17m Cotterell paid for Ponte in the early 1990s.

The facelift includes extensive upgrades to the building’ s 475 flats, the installation of eight new high-speed lifts, a biometric access control system and a viewing deck at the top . Fast food chain Bimbo’s will open an outlet on the eighth floor before year-end, with an additional 2500m² of new retail space set to be ready for occupation by mid-2012.

But Kempston doesn’t share Selvan ’s and Ayyob’s ambitious view that Ponte could regain its status as a swanky address . “Though Hillbrow’s crime-and-grime situation is starting to turn around, it will probably take 10 years before we see higher-income residents return to the area,’’ says Kempston group accountant Jason Kruger.

Kempston’s aim is to lure middle-income residents back to Ponte — police , nurses, teachers and middle management employed by banks in the CBD. Though Ponte was overrun by drug and slum lords in the late 1990s, illegal occupants were evicted a few years ago and have been slowly but surely replaced by lower-middle income (paying) tenants.

Around 60% of the units are now let. Rentals vary from R2100/month for bachelor units to R3400 for three-bedroom flats, while the subdivided penthouses are fetching R6000/month.

Kruger dismisses talk that Ponte is still on the market. “The building has never officially been for sale, but we look at all offers if and when we get them.”

Kruger is not saying what Ponte’s book value is. But cylindrical building exceeds R500m , based on Rode & Associates’ minimum building cost estimate of R9000/m² for high-rise apartment blocks, the replacement cost of the 56000m² tower exceeds R500m.

^^ great news...that area could turn into something of a beauty if the municpality and developers could buy in.

great news! As you said waltjie, a far more realistic approach that will attract more lower to middle income groups, this will be good for that whole area.

love this building

Ponte gets a second life

October 18 2011


Developers are pouring money into refurbishing Ponte. And, if interest on the first show day is anything to go by, buyers will snap up the smart new flats.
http://www.joburg-archive.co.za/images_2007/nov/ponte000.jpgElegance in blue and grey in the Old Money apartment

ONE of Joburg's icons, Ponte, is being revamped and will be reborn as an upmarket, trendy place for the upper-middle class.

Ponte is being marketed like never before as chic furnished flats, to be called Ponte City, with the slogan, "Live your live".

And the upper-middle class is rushing in. About 300 people attended the first showday, on Sunday, 28 October, and put their money on the table. "It was quite manic on Sunday," says Setshwano Rametse, the director of Space Marketing and Investments, the company marketing the sale. "We got just over 80 percent sell on the day."

In an effort to sell the first 311 flats that have just come on the market, potential owners are being offered one of six different styles of finish - glam rock; future slick; Moroccan delight; global fusion; Zen-like; and old money.

Ponte, built in 1975 as a huge hollow cylinder, has always been a furnished rental block, with 470 flats. Soaring to 173 metres, or 54 floors, with the best views in town, it's integral to Joburg's skyline, more so at night with its flashing Vodacom advertisement bouncing off the top floors.

It has had a chequered history. It opened as one of the city's most desirable places to live, but by the late 1980s it had become a haven for criminals and drug lords. Such was its reputation that in 1998 a proposal - soon rejected - that it be turned into a prison, was aired. From 2001 its act was cleaned up and a new security system chased out the criminals.

But what the building really needed was a huge dose of renovation.

The developers, Nour Addine Ayyoub and David Selvan, want to return Ponte to its former glory as an iconic building, says Rametse. And buyers are paying big money to be part of that former glory – the developers, who won't disclose what they paid for the building, are putting R100-million into the revamp and are selling the flats for R400 000 to R938 000, or R12 000 a square metre.

Lifestyle categories
Although compact and designed for uncluttered living, the bachelor, one-, two- and three-bedroomed flats are stylish, with wood-floor finishes and fashionable lighting, enhanced by that magnificent view.

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Neat and slick kitchen, with granite island doubling as table and cooker

Floors 11 to 34 are being renovated at the moment, and will be available for occupation in July next year. The 32nd floor was on show this week, demonstrating all six styles.

Doing things differently they are being sold furnished - including fridge, stove, washing machine or dishwasher, because the developers are "keen to do things differently".

The bachelor flats, at 29 square metres, are going for R410 000. The one-bedroomed flats are 38 square metres and are going for R528 000. The two-bedroomed are 52 square metres and cost R728 000. The three-bedroomed cost R938 000, for which you get 68 square metres.

Potential buyers this week were in two groups: 60 percent were investors who planned to rent their properties, and 40 percent who would buy to live in Ponte. Buyers have five days to pay the deposit - and there is a long waiting list of potential buyers, Rametse says.

Total make-over
The flats will get a total make-over. Entirely new bathrooms and kitchens have been installed, with new wooden floors and light fittings. In some cases walls have been demolished to turn three-bedroomed flats into two-bedroomed units with two bathrooms. The sliding chrome windows have been retained.

One floor was initially developed by the original architect, Rodney Grosskopff, to house assorted shops. But it never worked because the space was sub-divided too finely in an effort to recoup more rent, he says. Now the idea will be ramped up to go with the building's more stylish image.

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Ponte is to become Ponte City, soaring 54 floors into the sky

The developers have approached Woolworths and Spar to take up space. There will be a restaurant, a coffee shop, a DVD shop, spa and gym, and a large entrance piazza. A children's playground plus a climbing wall will add to the package.

Ponte is just 15 minutes from the airport, will have a Bus Rapid Transit stop almost on its doorstep, and is not far from the Killarney Mall shopping centre.

Tenants and other plans
What have the building's new owners done about that perennial development problem - the present tenants, who can't just be thrown out? They have negotiated with landlords in the area to accommodate the tenants at the rentals they've been paying. They have been given up to four months to move, and 12 floors are now vacant. By the end of November seven more floors will be vacant.

The good news for the developers is that the city is planning to pump some R171-million into neighbouring Hillbrow, Berea and Yeoville. This will be used to revamp pavements, storm water drains and lighting, and put street furniture in place.

And, just before owners move in, abseilers will throw long ropes down the inside, and move slowly down, cleaning windows and removing decades of garbage that has been tossed down the middle of the building.

But the developers' greatest challenge may be to sell the penthouses, illuminated by that busy Vodacom advertisement.



Read more: http://www.joburg.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1847&Itemid=253#ixzz1b98U76Ia

Its coming live again! LEKKE

That article is a year old. As far as I'm aware the refurb/redevelopment never happened

So glad to hear this news!