Lets start over

Last thread
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=601926&page=56

Links to the old threads maybe?

Hey guys. So I got this email from the realrealist (death of Joburg dude).

"Hello!

For a while I thought you had deserted me!

So you have latched onto the NDI have you? Still not got a proper job then. Ah well, as long as you can make a living.

Anyway, thanks for the pics. I used to live in Lily Ave, so I know exaclty of what I speak.

The bad news for you is that I am about to do another sweep of central Joeys and will soon be posting a series of updated pics! Hod tight for that lot!"

Yes, I still not got a proper job...

Anyhoo.

Keep those pics coming dudes!
The Realist [realistenator@gmail.com]

^^ Creepy!

Jeremy Clarkson writes a column for the Sunday Times (the UK one not the South African one). His column yesterday focussed on Joburg and its fiersome reputation which he says is a load of rubbish. Its a good article and i know Joburg is not the safest place on earth but its great to have someone with a bit of international profile countering all the Doom and Gloomers and giving us a good review :):

March 1, 2009

I dare you to visit Johannesburg, the city for softies
It’s the least frightening place on earth, yet everyone speaks of how many times they’ve been killed that day

Jeremy Clarkson

Every city needs a snappy one-word handle to pull in the tourists and the investors. So, when you think of Paris, you think of love; when you think of New York, you think of shopping; and when you think of London – despite the best efforts of new Labour to steer you in the direction of Darcus Howe – you think of beefeaters and Mrs Queen.

Rome has its architecture. Sydney has its bridge. Venice has its sewage and Johannesburg has its crime. Yup, Jo’burg – the subject of this morning’s missive – is where you go if you want to be carjacked, shot, stabbed, killed and eaten.

You could tell your mother you were going on a package holiday to Kabul, with a stopover in Haiti and Detroit, and she wouldn’t bat an eyelid. But tell her you’re going to Jo’burg and she’ll be absolutely convinced that you’ll come home with no wallet, no watch and no head.

Jo’burg has a fearsome global reputation for being utterly terrifying, a lawless Wild West frontier town paralysed by corruption and disease. But I’ve spent quite a bit of time there over the past three years and I can reveal that it’s all nonsense.

If crime is so bad then how come, the other day, the front-page lead in the city’s main newspaper concerned the theft of a computer from one of the local schools? I’m not joking.

The paper even ran a massive picture of the desk where the computer used to sit. It was the least interesting picture I’ve ever seen in a newspaper. But then it would be, because this was one of the least interesting crimes.

“Pah,” said the armed guard who’d been charged with escorting me each day from my hotel to the Coca-Cola dome where I was performing a stage version of Top Gear.

Quite why he was armed I have absolutely no idea, because all we passed was garden centres and shops selling tropical fish tanks. Now I’m sorry, but if it’s true that the streets are a war zone, and you run the risk of being shot every time you set foot outside your front door, then, yes, I can see you might risk a trip to the shops for some food. But a fish tank? An ornamental pot for your garden? It doesn’t ring true.

Look Jo’burg up on Wikipedia and it tells you it’s now one of the most violent cities in the world . . . but it adds in brackets “citation needed”. That’s like saying Gordon Brown is a two-eyed British genius (citation needed).

Honestly? Johannesburg is Milton Keynes with thunderstorms. You go out. You have a lovely ostrich. You drink some delicious wine and you walk back to your hotel, all warm and comfy. It’s the least frightening place on earth. So why does every single person there wrap themselves up in razor wire and fit their cars with flame-throwers and speak of how many times they’ve been killed that day? What are they trying to prove?

Next year South Africa will play host to the football World Cup. The opening and closing matches will be played in Jo’burg, and no one’s going to go if they think they will be stabbed.

The locals even seem to accept this, as at the new airport terminal only six passport booths have been set aside for non-South African residents.

At first it’s baffling. Why ruin the reputation of your city and risk the success of the footballing World Cup to fuel a story that plainly isn’t true? There is no litter and no graffiti. I’ve sauntered through Soweto on a number of occasions now, swinging a Nikon round my head, with no effect. You stand more chance of being mugged in Monte Carlo.

Time and again I was told I could buy an AK47 for 100 rand – about £7. But when I said, “Okay, let’s go and get one”, no one had the first idea where to start looking. And they were even more clueless when I asked about bullets.

As I bought yet another agreeable carved doll from yet another agreeable black person, I wanted to ring up those idiots who compile surveys of the best and worst places to live and say: “Why do you keep banging on about Vancouver, you idiots? Jo’burg’s way better.”

Instead, however, I sat down and tried to work out why the locals paint their city as the eighth circle of hell. And I think I have an answer. It’s because they want to save the lions in the Kruger National Park.

I promise I am not making this up. Every night, people in Mozambique pack up their possessions and set off on foot through the Kruger for a new life in the quiet, bougainvillea-lined streets of Jo’burg. And very often these poor unfortunate souls are eaten by the big cats.

That, you may imagine, is bad news for the families of those who’ve been devoured. But actually it’s even worse for Johnny Lion. You see, a great many people in Mozambique have Aids, and the fact is this: if you can catch HIV from someone’s blood or saliva during a bout of tender love-making, you can be assured you will catch it if you wolf the person down whole. Even if you are called Clarence and you have a mane.

At present, it’s estimated that there are 2,000 lions in the Kruger National Park and studies suggest 90% have feline Aids. Some vets suggest the epidemic was started by lions eating the lungs of diseased buffalos. But there are growing claims from experts in the field that, actually, refugees are the biggest problem.

That’s clearly the answer, then. Johannesburgians are telling the world they live in a shit-hole to save their lions. That’s the sort of people they are. And so, if you are thinking about going to the World Cup next year, don’t hesitate.

The exchange rate’s good, the food is superb, the weather’s lovely and, thanks to some serious economic self-sacrifice, Kruger is still full of animals. The word, then, I’d choose to describe Jo’burg is “tranquil”.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/jeremy_clarkson/article5821586.ece?Submitted=true

^^If you follow the link to the Sunday Times website where the article is posted you can post your own comments. There are plenty of chaps droning on about how Jeremy is wrong and Joburg sucks. Someone even posted a link to the Death of Joburg blog. If you get a chance post a comment to support the article and tell everyone how great Jozi is.

Haha. Excellent article.

You gotta love jeremy!

OK guys, I am posting pics here, which I know is a nono, but hopefully it will get a discussion going...

1. This little derelict number is on the corner of market and harrison (I think). It is currently being stripped, and as far as I could figure, it will be demolished to open up the square. The PERM building is next to it, undergoing renovation. And on the other side of the square the fugly 69 president street is undergoing serious renovation.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02292.jpg

2. This massive 20F+ structure is on the corner of pritchard and delvers. It is Fashion Loft's neighbour. Undergoing massive renovation, the place was an absolute dump. Will definately clean up the area even more.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02308.jpg
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02309.jpg
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02310.jpg

3. ABSA is injecting serious cash into this neglected side of the CBD. Three blocks under construction (up to level 2). In the back you can see a horrible building - if you look closer you see that it is also undergoing a change. ABSA wants to open up the streets, bringing in pedestrians. So this development will go down main street, linking with Ghandi Square and the lower part of main. Which will bring a nice, pedestrian friendly spine for the CBD.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02307.jpg

4. Not a fan of huge advertisements. But "oom" Johnny walking - I quite like this one. Not a fan of huge outdoor advertisements for alcohol though.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02313.jpg

5. Rainbow is busy with the finishing touches on Zurich's new building. This imposing structure will bring life to lower main, hopefully extending the spine. This is also development closer to commissioner street and chinatown - hopefully we will see some action here. The government precinct and chinatown will also act as a bridge between Newtown and Marshalltown, creating another spine.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02297.jpg
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02298.jpg

6. Forgotten beauties
6.1 IBM
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02303.jpg
6.2 The second tower of the Sun complex...
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02311.jpg

7. Some street shots
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02296.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02300.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02293.jpg

Jeremy Clarkson writes a column for the Sunday Times (the UK one not the South African one). His column yesterday focussed on Joburg and its fiersome reputation which he says is a load of rubbish. Its a good article and i know Joburg is not the safest place on earth but its great to have someone with a bit of international profile countering all the Doom and Gloomers and giving us a good review :):

March 1, 2009

I dare you to visit Johannesburg, the city for softies
It’s the least frightening place on earth, yet everyone speaks of how many times they’ve been killed that day

Jeremy Clarkson

Every city needs a snappy one-word handle to pull in the tourists and the investors. So, when you think of Paris, you think of love; when you think of New York, you think of shopping; and when you think of London – despite the best efforts of new Labour to steer you in the direction of Darcus Howe – you think of beefeaters and Mrs Queen.

Rome has its architecture. Sydney has its bridge. Venice has its sewage and Johannesburg has its crime. Yup, Jo’burg – the subject of this morning’s missive – is where you go if you want to be carjacked, shot, stabbed, killed and eaten.

You could tell your mother you were going on a package holiday to Kabul, with a stopover in Haiti and Detroit, and she wouldn’t bat an eyelid. But tell her you’re going to Jo’burg and she’ll be absolutely convinced that you’ll come home with no wallet, no watch and no head.

Jo’burg has a fearsome global reputation for being utterly terrifying, a lawless Wild West frontier town paralysed by corruption and disease. But I’ve spent quite a bit of time there over the past three years and I can reveal that it’s all nonsense.

If crime is so bad then how come, the other day, the front-page lead in the city’s main newspaper concerned the theft of a computer from one of the local schools? I’m not joking.

The paper even ran a massive picture of the desk where the computer used to sit. It was the least interesting picture I’ve ever seen in a newspaper. But then it would be, because this was one of the least interesting crimes.

“Pah,” said the armed guard who’d been charged with escorting me each day from my hotel to the Coca-Cola dome where I was performing a stage version of Top Gear.

Quite why he was armed I have absolutely no idea, because all we passed was garden centres and shops selling tropical fish tanks. Now I’m sorry, but if it’s true that the streets are a war zone, and you run the risk of being shot every time you set foot outside your front door, then, yes, I can see you might risk a trip to the shops for some food. But a fish tank? An ornamental pot for your garden? It doesn’t ring true.

Look Jo’burg up on Wikipedia and it tells you it’s now one of the most violent cities in the world . . . but it adds in brackets “citation needed”. That’s like saying Gordon Brown is a two-eyed British genius (citation needed).

Honestly? Johannesburg is Milton Keynes with thunderstorms. You go out. You have a lovely ostrich. You drink some delicious wine and you walk back to your hotel, all warm and comfy. It’s the least frightening place on earth. So why does every single person there wrap themselves up in razor wire and fit their cars with flame-throwers and speak of how many times they’ve been killed that day? What are they trying to prove?

Next year South Africa will play host to the football World Cup. The opening and closing matches will be played in Jo’burg, and no one’s going to go if they think they will be stabbed.

The locals even seem to accept this, as at the new airport terminal only six passport booths have been set aside for non-South African residents.

At first it’s baffling. Why ruin the reputation of your city and risk the success of the footballing World Cup to fuel a story that plainly isn’t true? There is no litter and no graffiti. I’ve sauntered through Soweto on a number of occasions now, swinging a Nikon round my head, with no effect. You stand more chance of being mugged in Monte Carlo.

Time and again I was told I could buy an AK47 for 100 rand – about £7. But when I said, “Okay, let’s go and get one”, no one had the first idea where to start looking. And they were even more clueless when I asked about bullets.

As I bought yet another agreeable carved doll from yet another agreeable black person, I wanted to ring up those idiots who compile surveys of the best and worst places to live and say: “Why do you keep banging on about Vancouver, you idiots? Jo’burg’s way better.”

Instead, however, I sat down and tried to work out why the locals paint their city as the eighth circle of hell. And I think I have an answer. It’s because they want to save the lions in the Kruger National Park.

I promise I am not making this up. Every night, people in Mozambique pack up their possessions and set off on foot through the Kruger for a new life in the quiet, bougainvillea-lined streets of Jo’burg. And very often these poor unfortunate souls are eaten by the big cats.

That, you may imagine, is bad news for the families of those who’ve been devoured. But actually it’s even worse for Johnny Lion. You see, a great many people in Mozambique have Aids, and the fact is this: if you can catch HIV from someone’s blood or saliva during a bout of tender love-making, you can be assured you will catch it if you wolf the person down whole. Even if you are called Clarence and you have a mane.

At present, it’s estimated that there are 2,000 lions in the Kruger National Park and studies suggest 90% have feline Aids. Some vets suggest the epidemic was started by lions eating the lungs of diseased buffalos. But there are growing claims from experts in the field that, actually, refugees are the biggest problem.

That’s clearly the answer, then. Johannesburgians are telling the world they live in a shit-hole to save their lions. That’s the sort of people they are. And so, if you are thinking about going to the World Cup next year, don’t hesitate.

The exchange rate’s good, the food is superb, the weather’s lovely and, thanks to some serious economic self-sacrifice, Kruger is still full of animals. The word, then, I’d choose to describe Jo’burg is “tranquil”.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/jeremy_clarkson/article5821586.ece?Submitted=true

I wonder how much he got paid, and by whom, to write this propaganda.

^^ I don't understand you. Excuse the attack but I'm honestly interested. You fight like there's no tomorrow when it comes to ORTIA but when someone posts something positive about Johannesburg you call it propaganda and nonsense. Whose side are you on exactly?

Good question.

^^ I don't understand you. Excuse the attack but I'm honestly interested. You fight like there's no tomorrow when it comes to ORTIA but when someone posts something positive about Johannesburg you call it propaganda and nonsense. Whose side are you on exactly?

Valid point... ORTIA and Jo'burg's dominance is okay, but slam Jeremy Clarkson? This type of about-face seems suspect and bordering on the bipolar. :lol:

I liked the article... with Jozi getting so much negative press, I thought it was great and a breath of fresh air for Gauteng. I don't think Jo'burg is the safest place, but it's also not hell-on-earth as some would have overseas people believe.

I don't understand you. Excuse the attack but I'm honestly interested. You fight like there's no tomorrow when it comes to ORTIA but when someone posts something positive about Johannesburg you call it propaganda and nonsense. Whose side are you on exactly?


Yah I get confused too? Maybe Waltjie is employing sarcasm? An endorsement of Joburg by Jeremy Clarkson is a pretty good one IMO...

On another note:

I went on a walkabout this afternoon. From Standard Bank, to AngloAshanti in Newtown and back. Lots happening in the CBD. The Kopanong district is picking up speed, although it is happening in a more suitable guise.

PS: The reason why I post pictures is to show exactly what I am talking about. And these are developments that are relevant in this particular thread.

1. 69 president street. This one also features prominently on the death of joburg blog. it is undergoing a full-scale renovation.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02376.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02375.jpg

2. Other buildings being worked on?

Library Hotel
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02331.jpg
SA PERM
The building next to SA PERM
Customs House
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02372.jpg
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02373.jpg
Consolidated Building (Commissioner street) - HUGE
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02330.jpg

3. The BRT is creating havoc in Commissioner. Some sad news... Picasso seems closed. And Vida was last open on 6 January (there is a newspaper on a table). They don't seem to be closing, but I think they are scaling down until the area picks up. Le Coq, Scooters and Kofifi and another high fashion men's wear place doing great. The Art Gallery is also closed.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02383.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02382.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02379.jpg

Black was filled with patrons over lunch. So was darkie cafe.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02341.jpg

A new joint opened corner main and harrison.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02391.jpg

Dogon and Ashanti look snazzy (they would not let me take pictures of the lobby).
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02342.jpg
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02347.jpg

The guards also stopped me from taking pictures of the Reserve Bank!

Doppio was also full, in Newtown.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02360.jpg

There really are renovations on every corner. The drawback is the dust, noise and general mayhem.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02346.jpg

4. FNB's new garage and office block between Sauer, Church and Diagonal is much bigger than I expected.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02370.jpg

Zurich
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02354.jpg

SciBono
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02359.jpg

AngloAshanti
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02365.jpg

ABSA, putting finishing touches on Diamond building's renovation
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02366.jpg

The Franklin: Slow, but still active. FNB, AngloAshanti and ABSA will definately make this a more appealing address.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02368.jpg

5. Amdec has massive success with their one building.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02387.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02388.jpg

It was nearly empty when they bought it. When last did we see a sign like this in the CBD?
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02389.jpg

Looking great!

Wonderfull, thanks for sharing Jakes

^^ Fabulous fabulous FABULOUS!! I really like the landscaping they did at AngloAshanti!! Looks snazzy! ;-)

I attended a meeting in Braamfontein last week and stayed at the Protea Parktonian, right in the downtown. Loved it. I also took my international colleagues on a walk through the streets and felt safe doing so. So did they.

There are definitely parts of the JHB downtown that are run down (came through some rough areas in my drive from the airport). However, there are definite signs things are changing. I hope it retains its reputation as Africa's Manhatten. There is really no other city in Africa quite like it. I always encourage my overseas friend to visit the place and stress that the city's bad reputation is not warranted. I hope the downtown goes from strength to strength.

I wonder how much he got paid, and by whom, to write this propaganda.

Dude, its Clarksson, he tells it how it is...

Loved the article and its so true, I went parading around Jhb CBD a million times, late nights, early mornings. People make u shit scared, but the reality is its not all that bad.

Cradle City set to be Gauteng's Green City of the Future
February 22, 2009

http://architectafrica.com/sites/default/files/Cradle-City-Business-Centre.jpg

Cradle City, the first planned city situated around an airport in South Africa, is set to form an innovative, sustainable green-driven development situated on substantial 912ha of land surrounding Lanseria International Airport, north of Johannesburg.

The development, which will comprise a vibrant mix of residential, commercial, office, retail, hotel, resort, entertainment, warehousing and other elements, is being undertaken by Amari Land. The vision for Cradle City is to create an unparalleled mixed-use precinct which will provide the opportunity to live, work, play and travel, in an integrated environment which embraces new-urban design and green building principles.

"Cradle City will realise the ideal of a cost-effective urban plan comprising different precincts designed to become a healthy, thriving city over a 25 year period and beyond," says Amari's Preston Haskell.

Amari Land was founded in early 2007 by highly respected international property developer Preston Haskell, African mining entrepreneur Mike Nunn and MD of Amari Land, Andre van Wyk, a specialist in the planning and re-zoning of land. The Amari team consists of professionals with vast African and international experience covering the many disciplines of property development in Africa. Amari Land is also developing Luano City, a 380ha mixed use development in Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Amari Group focuses on identifying high economic growth regions in sub-Saharan Africa situated around pre-existing economic drivers such as airports, and developing in line with established global standards and applications.

Cradle City surrounds Lanseria International Airport, Gauteng's second largest international airport which is situated in a designated major economic growth node of Gauteng's north western corridor, located within the urban edge. It is located in Africa's fasted growing regional economy, generating more than 10% of Africa's Gross Domestic Product (DGP).

Lanseria International Airport is an economic driver for Cradle City's current and future development and growth. Strong residential increases in the surrounding areas, the enhancement of existing roads, the convenient location of Lanseria -- especially for travellers from Pretoria, the West Rand and the northern suburbs of Johannesburg - and the development of new roads, are all creating a growing demand for the services of Lanseria airport.

Currently Kulula is the only national passenger carrier flying from Lanseria, however it is expected that, at a later stage, other passenger carriers will use the Lanseria International Airport for some of their flights.

This will have a major impact on the number of departing passengers, which are expected to increase from 300,000 to almost 7 million in 2017. It is anticipated that the total scheduled flights will increase from 1,100 flights per annum to close to 4,000 flights in 10 years time. The airport will also increase the total freight from 5,000 tons to 20,000 tons by the year 2017.

"In addition to a unique location with Lanseria International Airport as the catalyst for the development, we are in an extraordinary position to build a city from inception. This provides an exciting opportunity to optimise the mix of uses, facilities and amenities," says Amari Director of Development Markus Kaps.

Ensuring the best mix of uses, Cradle City is aligned with government's Gauteng Growth and Development Strategy and enjoys the highest level of provincial and local government support.

Cradle City's full landholding has received mayoral committee recommendation for development master plan approval for a potential 7.7 million sqm bulk to be developed. This is envisaged to comprise some 3.2 million sqm residential, 2.2 million sqm of offices, 1,14 sqm million of industrial, 700,000 sqm of retail, 208,000 sqm of tourism and leisure attraction and nearly 260ha reserved for environmental elements.

http://architectafrica.com/sites/default/files/Cradle-City-BusinessCorner.jpg

The development will comprise six phases, with the northern elements of the precinct being developed first. The first phase will be Cradle City Business Park, with the second phase being a mixed-use area of some 178ha including medium - and high-density housing, commercial and retail opportunities and public facilities.

A destination business tourism gateway will draw on the value of the Cradle of Humankind as the development proceeds northwards, with the northernmost portion comprising medium- to lower-density residential homes to link flawlessly with the low-density housing developments of Blair Athol and Monaghan Farms.

The northern precinct is termed the Green Coast as it enjoys magnificent views towards the Magaliesburg and has exceptional natural features including both the Crocodile River and the Jukskei River.

A dynamic 'city centre' will be created in the southern precinct, linked seamlessly with the key elements of the development, and will include a large, regional retail centre with offices, apartments and other elements for this vibrant urban living centre.

"Cradle City will become a complete destination, with everything required for quality, everyday living right on its doorstep in a vibrant, sustainable environment which integrates with the amenities in its surrounding areas with ease," says Sherry Seward, MD of Cradle City Sales.

A 'natural selection' approach, which can adapt with the times, has been applied to the design framework to be flexible enough to manage growth elegantly, while an availability of cost-effective bulk services is supported by infrastructure delivery through private/public partnership.

"Sustainability demands that urban development is more compact, avoiding the urban sprawl that has been prevalent in South Africa and establishing a quality living and working environment," says Kaps. "There has been a move towards intensification and an increase in mixed land-use and mixed residential densities, to make urban environments more liveable and reducing environmental impact."

This approach is supported in the Spatial Development Frameworks of the affected local authorities of Johannesburg and Mogale.

Brian Roberts, Divisional Director of financiers Nedbank Corporate Property Finance, says that Nedbank is pleased to be involved in this exciting project. "This unique development is the first of its kind in South Africa, offering occupiers the opportunity to live, work and fly from the same locality. The precinct is anchored by the top-class Lanseria International Airport and is one of the prime emerging nodes in the country, with development strongly supported by the local authorities and government. The shareholders in the development are high profile, highly qualified individuals backed by a strong professional team."

The first phase, Cradle City Business Park, will be located on a 78.9ha site and include a mix of some 300,000 sqm of light industrial, warehousing and distribution space, between 5,000 sqm and 10,000 sqm of retail space, in excess of 140,000 sqm of office and business space and hotel developments exceeding 10,000 sqm. It will also include a restored wetland area.

http://architectafrica.com/sites/default/files/Cradle-City-StreetView.jpg

Situated as a gateway to the airport, the integrated yet self-sustained first phase is within walking distance to the airport terminal and serviced by a mini-transport system between the airport and the park.

The AAA grade mixed-use business park, with individual freehold zoned and serviced sites, provides a full spread of development, investment and rental options. "Cradle City Business Park offers an estimated average developed yield of approximately 10.5%. The first phase construction is expected to be complete and transfers to begin by mid-2010," notes Seward.

In addition to its location to nearby tourism venues, conservation areas, schools and accessibility through significant existing infrastructure with major new and planned road and public transport infrastructure, the architectural framework provides environmental stability and quality design criteria.

Furthermore, the developers are intent on ensuring that Cradle City's energy and utilities consumption are significantly less than existing developments. In fact, this green team is aiming to provide the infrastructure and foundation that which will secure the first level of the Green Building Council of South Africa's Green Star rating points as part of the land purchase.

Through innovative design, the developers have a vision of creating a city that uses 40% of the electricity of an existing city of the same composition and size, 50% of the potable water, 50% of the sewerage, 50% of the storm water, 60% of the solid waste and a mere 35% of the CO2 emissions from vehicles.

Architect Africa (http://architectafrica.com/Cradle-City)

Dude, its Clarksson, he tells it how it is...

Loved the article and its so true, I went parading around Jhb CBD a million times, late nights, early mornings. People make u shit scared, but the reality is its not all that bad.

Maybe, even though I think I'm not... I am actually scared and paranoid myself...

3. The BRT is creating havoc in Commissioner. Some sad news... Picasso seems closed. And Vida was last open on 6 January (there is a newspaper on a table). They don't seem to be closing, but I think they are scaling down until the area picks up. Le Coq, Scooters and Kofifi and another high fashion men's wear place doing great. The Art Gallery is also closed.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02383.jpg



Picasso wasn't doing good and the only time I see the place being full is when there we functions. I don't think they did the proper marketing as they also used to have Jazz session on friday night with Kaya fm DJs but no one knew about the session as they never even adverstised. I only knew about it when I was talking to one fo the managers there. I would to see it re-open but they will first have to come up with a very aggressive marketing startegy.




Doppio was also full, in Newtown.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02360.jpg


Honestly I love Doppio in Newtown.

Maybe, even though I think I'm not... I am actually scared and paranoid myself...

Jakes walked the CBD and took pics that he is posting while walking, that should say something to you. You must join us on our next CBD tour, then you will change your mind.

Maybe, even though I think I'm not... I am actually scared and paranoid myself...

Dude, go to Vereeniging, that place is more scary :lol:

^^ come on Db, its not that bad in Vereeniging, its just filthy and smelly.

You can see a building in the background... That is the commisser street building being revamped. It fills an entire block, and once it is filled with offices, so will the need for little shops and eateries in commissioner pick up again. It is not an apartment refurb. OFFICES!

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02383.jpg

And then, concerning safety in the CBD. I walked everywhere without any tension at all. People chat away on their cellphones while walking (a strict no-no in most safety books on the cbd). In front of the library you have a guy working on his laptop. kids playing soccer. People walking from old mutual down harrison to have lunch in main street. All of the above was unthinkable just 8 years ago! You could not walk from the old stock exchange to fnb bank city in safety. Today, much has changed.

However, the areas around taxi ranks are a another story. Lots of grab and run guys operating here. In spite of this I have never had problems in the cbd.

True! Pule called me with his fancy Nokia a million times on Friday while walking in the CBD taking pics. He still has it. I think people must come to Joburg now, and see if they can still relate the same story. People are civilised now and they focus on their careers.

You can see a building in the background... That is the commisser street building being revamped. It fills an entire block, and once it is filled with offices, so will the need for little shops and eateries in commissioner pick up again. It is not an apartment refurb. OFFICES!

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02383.jpg


More office will definately bring more spenders in the CBD and more retails will come on board. Jozi CBD is definately a sucess story. I saw on JDA wesite that there is currently a tender for occupational health and safety compliance for the park station precinct. So I guess something is also being planned for the area.

True! Pule called me with his fancy Nokia a million times on Friday while walking in the CBD taking pics. He still has it. I think people must come to Joburg now, and see if they can still relate the same story. People are civilised now and they focus on their careers.

:lol: fancy neh, you teasing my phone. I'm glad you realise that and there were plenty people walking around and talking over their cellphone with no thread at all.

hey guys, This section is suprisingly quiet lately. No one got much to say?

More active than the other discussions.. And hey times are hard

Call for artwork in Pigeon Square
Written by Lucille Davie
Thursday, 05 March 2009

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/mar/pigeonsquare_top.jpg

More public art is planned to soften the urban landscape. This time the call is for an artwork that will attract the eye of drivers entering the city through Pigeon Square.

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/mar/pigeonsquare1.jpg
The triangle where the artworks will placed is the favourite feeding spot of dozens of pigeons, which are fed by the local community

THE Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) is up to its arty ways again, and is calling for proposals for an artwork in the triangular Pigeon Square in the CBD.

At the intersection of Main and Main Reef roads in Ferrairasdorp, the triangle is the favourite feeding spot of dozens of pigeons, which are fed by the local community.

"The pigeons are part of the local landscape - they are to be taken into account when conceptualising the proposal," says project manager Brendan Copestake, from the School of Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand. Wits and the University of Johannesburg's faculty of art, design and architecture are working together on the project for the JDA.

The square will become the western gateway to the city, much like Clive van den Berg's Eland in Braamfontein marks the northern gateway.

A large, permanent artwork is envisaged, to be seen by motorists entering the city on Main and Main Reef roads, both one-way streets from the west.

"The site should not be seen as a pause area for pedestrians, but more for vehicular traffic," adds Copestake.

Lecture series
The two universities will use the proposals and project documentation in a lecture series.

"Artworks in any media will be considered, bearing in mind that the site is outdoors and exposed within an urban environment; therefore robust and easily maintained works would garner preference," explains Copestake.

Five proposals will be chosen from the first round of tenders. These artists will be given R4 000 to create a small-scale maquette, and to develop their proposals further. In the second round of judging, the final proposal will be selected.

Judges will be drawn from staff at the JDA, the City, Wits University, UJ, and independent art consultants.

The first proposal requirements include a written submission detailing intention, content, form and materials; visual elements such as photographs, sketches or artist's renderings; a loose budget breakdown to a maximum of R400 000; and a CV or resume including visual images and history of previous work.

Deadlines
First round proposals are to be submitted by Friday, 27 March. Final proposal requirements are due on 1 May.

These include a written submission further detailing intention, content, form and materials; improved visual elements such as photographs, sketches or artist's renderings; technical sketches showing the proposal details; a scale maquette; and an improved budget breakdown to a maximum of R400 000.

The winning proposal will be appointed on 8 May, and the installation of the artwork will be complete by 30 September, for the unveiling in October.

Proposals need to take into account the historical and physical elements of the site, as well as the surrounding building texture. Landmark buildings in the immediate area include the Family Court, the Tramway Building, the City's department of arts and culture building, the Joburg Art Bank, Turbine Hall, the Bus Factory, and the Joburg Central Police Station.

The artwork should be seen as a city marker aimed specifically at vehicular traffic. The pigeons must be taken into account in its creation, and it must be robust and vandal-resistant, with a 20-year lifespan. It must be easy to maintain.

Post proposals to Matilda Nong, Private Bag 3, Wits, 2030; or hand deliver them to Matilda Nong, Room 102, Wits School of Arts, corner Jorissen and Station streets, Newton; or email them to Jeremy Wafer at Jeremy.wafer@wits.ac.zaThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Further information can be obtained from Brendan Copestake on 011 482 4345 or brendanc@telkomsa.

Gents and ladies,

Do you know this building?

The Pink Building, situated on corner Henry Nxumalo and President Streets, Newtown. ?

Gents and ladies,

Do you know this building?

The Pink Building, situated on corner Henry Nxumalo and President Streets, Newtown. ?

Probably, I need to see it first though.. not sure. Why?

nope Pule, maybe if i see it in a photo. Why?

Any updates with Ponte guys?

Probably, I need to see it first though.. not sure. Why?

This is the reason http://www.jda.co.za/tenders/2009/prof_man09.pdf

I actually thought it's the name of the building that Mandela and Sisulu practise their law in.

Any updates with Ponte guys?

Non for now Ruls.

I recall Niel on saying that most of the buildings especially in Newtown are restricted in terms of rennovations and demolition for other developments. Mainly due to their heritage purposes. Further more the buildings in Newtown are restricted to a a certain hight due to the same reason(industrial image of that place).

Do you think its doing any good in transforming the city towards the vision (world class city status). How important is heritage when it comes to that and where do we draw a fine line or have a balance of it.
Is Newtown fine in this route or should it go to a different direction? or should it go to a different direction of development (not considering its heritage image). What do you think guys.

This is the reason http://www.jda.co.za/tenders/2009/prof_man09.pdf

I actually thought it's the name of the building that Mandela and Sisulu practise their law in.

I hope so.

Non for now Ruls.

Thanks Pule.

I recall Niel on saying that most of the buildings especially in Newtown are restricted in terms of rennovations and demolition for other developments. Mainly due to their heritage purposes. Further more the buildings in Newtown are restricted to a a certain hight due to the same reason(industrial image of that place).

Do you think its doing any good in transforming the city towards the vision (world class city status). How important is heritage when it comes to that and where do we draw a fine line or have a balance of it.
Is Newtown fine in this route or should it go to a different direction? or should it go to a different direction of development (not considering its heritage image). What do you think guys.

I would say that it's fine on the route that it has taken.

Train station gets a 2010 makeover
Written by Ndaba Dlamini
Monday, 09 March 2009

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/mar/doornfontein_station_top.jpg

The Doornfontein Station is being remodelled as a state-of-the-art hub, where commuters will arrive for football matches at Ellis Park Stadium.

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/mar/doornfontein_station1.jpg
Doornfontein Train Station is a stone's throw away from the Ellis Park Stadium

RENOVATIONS at Doornfontein Station, one of the City's 2010 World Cup projects, are progressing well and work is expected to be completed before the Confederations Cup kickoff in June this year.

Just a stone's throw from Ellis Park, a host stadium for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and the FIFA Confederations Cup South Africa 2009™, the train station is being transformed from a dingy and unattractive affair to a two storey, state-of-the-art building.

Site engineer Letsatsi Ramookho says work on the station, budgeted at R74-million, started in April 2008 and is expected to be completed by 30 May. The 88 workers on site are working round the clock to ensure the station is finished on time.

"Extensions have been done to the platforms to bring them up to international standards. The platform was lifted to 910mm from the top of the rail lines to make them friendly to paraplegics."

Once work is finished, there will be controlled access for commuters, with travellers able to access the four platforms from one floor to ensure optimal safety.

Two floors
Ramookho says commuters will enter the station via the first floor, buy their tickets and go through the turnstiles and proceed down to the ground floor and the platforms, ensuring only people who are travelling have access to the platforms.


http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/mar/doornfontein_station2.jpg
Progress is being made at the Doornfontein Train Station

"The ticket offices, retail shops, and public toilets will be on the top floor. The station will also be serviced by three elevators, including one especially reserved for paraplegics."

As it is a working station, demolition of the old ablution blocks, ticket office and an overhead steel bridge was a complicated affair, involving closing one section of the railway lines so that trains could continue operating on other sections.

"Even during construction, we have to make sure that at least three of the four lines passing through the station are open. Closing two or more can cause major disruptions to traffic flow," says Ramookho.

To ensure the safety of workers and the smooth running of trains through the station, 12 people were trained as flagmen to control traffic, all of whom were recruited locally. The flag operators are always on duty during construction, indicating to train drivers to slow down as they passed through the station and to construction workers that trains were coming.

Live cables
Construction operations also have to take into account the live electric cables running through the station. "For the first time in South African rail history, we were allowed to use cranes over live cables to enable the cranes to operate efficiently."

To make sure the trains move freely underneath while construction continues, a bondeck slab was constructed which eliminated the need for temporary propping.

The roof of the new station will be a masterpiece, according to Ramookho, who says it will be staggered, allowing natural light to filter in. "A big clock will be placed on the northern wall of the station facing the station precinct."

Walking precinct
When finished, the Doornfontein Station will replace the Ellis Park Station which will be closed down because it is "too close to Ellis Park Stadium", according to Ramookho.

"A walking precinct will be constructed from the train station to Ellis Park Stadium, which is about 200 metres away. The precinct will be well-lit and will be monitored by CCTV cameras."

The Doornfontein Station will form part of the Ellis Park precinct, a secure, safe, vibrant and sustainable destination of choice for sports and recreation.

During the World Cup, a greater emphasis will be placed on moving a large number of people around the city. The Doornfontein Station will serve commuters from Tshwane, Vereeniging and Ekurhuleni, according to Ramookho.

Great, although i dont think its gonna be ready for the Confed. Love it

^^ Great stuff. I specially like the idea of the walking precinct between the station and Ellis Park - I hope they make it real snazzy. I wish they would make a major pedestrianized boulevard all the way from Park Station through Joubert Park to Ellis Park.

^^ Great stuff. I specially like the idea of the walking precinct between the station and Ellis Park - I hope they make it real snazzy. I wish they would make a major pedestrianized boulevard all the way from Park Station through Joubert Park to Ellis Park.

That would be great, i was actualy thinking of that myself. Though it is more likely yo end as a dream.

yay this is really good news, thanks Pule! I am sure more development in the area will follow (i hope)

Guys - dont forget to vote for the BRT Station names on the website - i hope they listen to the voters because the most popular names are the best in my opinion.

^^ thanks Luf, I voted already for BRT station names.

The city must now fast track the upgrade of Park Station and it's surroundings. There's a Hotel Formule 1 next to Park Station next to Park Station and with the upgrade of the station we might see backpacking taking place in the precinct. Anything is possible in Jozi and there's a lot that might happen within the next 12 months. By the way, some pavements are being ripped off next to Park Station, I would try to get more info in regards.

Looks good!

any renders P?

Sorry, T couldn't get any.

Oooh!!! Jozi why keep us waiting...I would to see you looking like this...

Buenos Aires, Argentina
http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp335/westernbaires/100_2606.jpg

those building would be perfect for Sandton Gautrain station

Jozi will suprise you.

Illegal inner city shops torn down
Written by Rudo Mungoshi
Thursday, 12 March 2009

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/mar/redants_top.jpg

The Red Ants got to work in Berea, tearing down illegal structures along Abel Road as part of the Inner City Regeneration project.

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/mar/redants1.jpg
Illegally placed tin containers were removed

THERE was mayhem along Abel Street in Berea yesterday when the Red Ants knocked down illegal structures in a drive to uplift the city's image.

The inner city task officers, equipped with bulldozers, cranes and other equipment, in the presence of a heavily armed police force, pulled down the illegal structures and removed tin containers, ignoring protests from the owners.

Tenants gazed in disbelief from their balconies at the bulldozers. In a few minutes, Abel Street resembled a war zone, with pavements littered with rubble and the air clogged with dust. A few owners could be seen wandering dejectedly around the spots where their businesses once stood, while others recovered what they could from the debris.

According to Zaabe Magwaza, the Region F officer for stakeholder management and liaison, the removals on Wednesday, 11 March were carried out in accordance with a high court order obtained by the City.

"We held numerous public meetings and issued by-laws to the owners but unfortunately they chose to ignore the orders," she said.

Most of the structures were built without approval, while others were erected on drains and pipelines. "We want to send a clear message out there that we are serious about cleaning the city."

The illegal structures which once dotted the street included internet shops, spazas, telephone booths, hair salons and restaurants. Maya Ole, an internet shop owner who watched helplessly as his shop was pulled down, said the council was inconsiderate in carrying out the exercise.

"I have a wife and children at home, where do they want me to earn a living? Shops are quite expensive to rent," he said.

For Linda, a single parent whose burgeoning trading business was affected by the demolition exercise, the loss cannot be quantified in monetary terms only. She used to make up to R5 000 a week selling her wares but all that is gone now, with no alternative provision. She now fears that she will not be able to pay rent and school fees for her two children.

The demolition was part of Joburg's Inner City Regeneration programme, which aims to revive the city centre and create a clean and safe district. According to the council, clean-up operations will continue in the inner city for the next two days.

These are people whom Stats SA doesn't take into consideration when talking about unemplyment.

For Linda, a single parent whose burgeoning trading business was affected by the demolition exercise, the loss cannot be quantified in monetary terms only. She used to make up to R5 000 a week selling her wares but all that is gone now, with no alternative provision. She now fears that she will not be able to pay rent and school fees for her two children.

The city must be careful not to destroy the micro enterpise sector in the city. I think we would be surprised if we knew how many people earn a livelihood and are supplied by such activities. If this particular street was attracting such business the city should make an effort to provide for the businesses to grow in a legal and sustainable manner in this area and so promote the economic growth and revitalisation of the area. While i agree that by-laws have to be upheld and streets need to be kept clean, i don't see the point in simply demolishing the businesses without providing a viable and sustainable long-term solution: the illegal businesses will just spring up again.

R5000 a week? I wonder if she pays taxes???

The city must be careful not to destroy the micro enterpise sector in the city. I think we would be surprised if we knew how many people earn a livelihood and are supplied by such activities. If this particular street was attracting such business the city should make an effort to provide for the businesses to grow in a legal and sustainable manner in this area and so promote the economic growth and revitalisation of the area. While i agree that by-laws have to be upheld and streets need to be kept clean, i don't see the point in simply demolishing the businesses without providing a viable and sustainable long-term solution: the illegal businesses will just spring up again.
The City is taking micro enterprise seriously and that is why they are currently installing proper hawker stalls. AfricaBiohazard commented about illegal structures that are being constructed without city approval when we were on Joburg tour and I promise they look so bad. I think the city need to alocate proper space for these people around Hillbrow, Berea and Yeoville. The sad thing is that hawkers contribute to grime and they not working with the city to keep their place of trade clean.

R5000 a week? I wonder if she pays taxes???
Not a chance.

The main problem with the informal economy is that it often sees itself as above (or maybe below) the rules and regulations that governs a country. A good example is the taxi industry. They don't pay taxes. They don't obey any rules but their own. As such, it is all about maximizing profits. It is a form of virulent capitalism. Protecting routes. Minimizing competition. They are above the law.

Until we make people conform to rules (by laws, regulations, checks and balances), there is no way we can expect them to behave like a part of society. Society has to abide to norms in order to function. These guys need to be roped in.

One of the main causes of crime in South Africa is this belief that you have to do whatever it takes to survive. It has no regard for society. It is all about your own survival. There is no "us." Nothing is shared.

In such an atmosphere building hijackers flourish. Taxis drive over schoolkids and pedestrians - they need to get to work. Hawkers destroy infrastructure, because they dont have any responsibility.

If you want to deal with crime, start with the small things. If people don't respect traffic rules, by-laws etc, it paves the way for corruption and organized crime to come in.

The main problem with the informal economy is that it often sees itself as above (or maybe below) the rules and regulations that governs a country. A good example is the taxi industry. They don't pay taxes. They don't obey any rules but their own. As such, it is all about maximizing profits. It is a form of virulent capitalism. Protecting routes. Minimizing competition. They are above the law.

Until we make people conform to rules (by laws, regulations, checks and balances), there is no way we can expect them to behave like a part of society. Society has to abide to norms in order to function. These guys need to be roped in.

One of the main causes of crime in South Africa is this belief that you have to do whatever it takes to survive. It has no regard for society. It is all about your own survival. There is no "us." Nothing is shared.

In such an atmosphere building hijackers flourish. Taxis drive over schoolkids and pedestrians - they need to get to work. Hawkers destroy infrastructure, because they dont have any responsibility.

If you want to deal with crime, start with the small things. If people don't respect traffic rules, by-laws etc, it paves the way for corruption and organized crime to come in.

:applause: Well said Jakes.

CBD student accommodation popular
2009/03/13

With record numbers of students entering universities this year, demand for student accommodation in central Johannesburg is starting to outstrip supply.

Inner city developer Aengus Lifestyle Properties (ALP) has seen the number of students renting its refurbished apartments in central Johannesburg grow from 142 last year to over 1,200 with this year's student intake.

"There are about a ten times oversubscription for available student rooms," says ALP CEO, Richard Rubin.

"University residences are battling to cope with the increased demand."

Last year about 22,000 more learners than in previous years passed Matric with university entrance, putting pressure on Wits University and the University of Johannesburg to accommodate more students than usual this year.

According to some estimates there are more than 7,000 students needing accommodation and just 700 available rooms on or near Johannesburg university campuses. Rubin says demand has also been driven by a massive influx of foreign and out-of-province students over the past few years as the city's universities are regarded as among the country's premier academic institutions.

Aengus Lifestyle Properties began upgrading a number of buildings in Braamfontein into upmarket student accommodation last year.

"So far this year, we are oversubscribed in terms of tenant demand for these buildings," says Rubin.

Now the company is looking at developing the YMCA building on Rissik and Smit Streets into a mixed-use development incorporating student accommodation.

"Students are tired of staying in dormitory-style accommodation where they may have to share bathrooms and other amenities," says Rubin.

Rubin says the company has not yet offered the student units for sale to investors because of the current economic conditions in the property market. "But as interest rates continue to decline, but so investor sentiment is likely to shift back towards purchasing and we may look to actively marketing sectional title units for sale later in the year," he says.

Net rental returns on units in the suite of inner city properties managed by the group continue to hold at between 10% and 14%.

"We expect student accommodation to make up an increasing proportion of our property portfolio," says Rubin.

Repeat.

^^ Nice, but how good is this for the CBD? Sure, it fills buildings but students are normally 'poor' and thus all we will see is more take out places moving in (KFC etc). We need more BIG bussiness and high-income apartments.

A pitty Urban Ocean has vanished - not even Niel knows whats happening with them - they really had some great (maybe to great at the time) ideas

On to Hawkers: Jakes1 you really hit the nail on the head. I feel for the hawkers cos they also need an income but if you dont look after the area then move the hell out. We have, in the pass, agreed that Taxis and Hawkers are two of the biggest problems in the CBD (as well as our good friends the Metro Police, but thats for a different discussion).

Agreed.

exciting, if the students are smart we will be getting better culture, innovative new business ideas etc...which will give the cbd a better vibe at all hours of the day.

The vibe created by students like it happens in Sunnyside will actually turn the city into entertainment hub for young professionals and other vibe loving singles. We will see more clubs, coffee shops, pubs etc.

^^ yip that is true!

The Gauteng government has become the newest sponsor of the BMW Sauber Formula One (F1) team.

According to a statement released on Tuesday, the GO-GP.org logo would travel with the team around the world, serving as an invitation to Grand Prix fans, tourists and investors to visit the province.

“We are bound by a confidentiality clause and cannot disclose the value of the deal,” noted Gauteng Motorsport Company sport operation head Seipati Mangadi.

The Gauteng Motorsport Company manages the Gauteng provincial government's promotional activities in international motorsport.

According to the deal, the GO-GP.org lettering would be visible on the front wing endplates and nose section of the BMW car, as well as on the drivers' helmets and overalls, team clothing, pit equipment and team trucks.

In addition to the F1 project, the partnership extended to two other competitions in the BMW Motorsport portfolio.

GO-GP.org would also be displayed on the BMW 320si racer in the FIA World Touring Car Championship, as well as on the pit equipment, trucks and BMW works drivers' BMW Sauber F1 team overalls.

“I am delighted to welcome another long-term partner on board," commented BMW Motorsport director Mario Theissen.

“In addition to its business links with South Africa through the plant in Rosslyn, Gauteng, BMW also has an emotional connection with the country thanks to motorsport. It was at the South African Grand Prix in 1983 that Nelson Piquet wrapped up the Drivers World Championship in a Brabham BMW."

The Rosslyn plant near Pretoria was also the first production location opened outside Germany by the car manufacturer.

“This exciting new partnership carries our messages to the world and further complements our long-term motorsport strategy,” said Gauteng Finance and Economic Affairs MEC Mandla Nkomfe.

“We are setting out to build the profile of Gauteng province as an attractive location for investors, industry and tourism.

“This partnership has further far-reaching benefits beyond a traditional F1 Team partnership, and we will be working closely with BMW and our other motorsport partners to restore the prominence of South Africa in Formula One and our local motorsport industry.”

The Gauteng Motorsport Company's work extends beyond the new partnership with the BMW Sauber F1 Team.

The company will also organise and promote the sixth round of the World Superbike Championship at Kyalami, in Midrand, in May.

There are also plans to hold demonstration runs with a BMW Sauber F1 Team car and the BMW Sauber F1 team drivers in Gauteng later this year.

WILL GAUTENG HOST A F1 RACE?

Mangadi noted that the Gauteng Motorsport Company was currently evaluating the feasibility of hosting a F1 event in Gauteng.

"We have enlisted the services of an independent analyst to perform an economic-impact study on what such an event will bring to the province, and then we'll make a decision

http://engineeringnews.co.za/article/gauteng-govt-signs-up-with-bmw-f1-team-2009-03-27

Good news, this will be great publicity. Now the next step is hosting a GP.

Has anyone noticed that Google Maps now has detailed maps of all South African cities?

Johannesburg on Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=&ie=UTF8&ll=-26.200268,28.058996&spn=0.05953,0.132179&z=14)

I think it's pretty cool, especially considering 3 months ago I was looking everywhere for detailed maps of SA cities. :yes:

Yeah, they updated the maps last month I think it was.

Substantial development for Newmarket
18 Mar 2009 - eProp - Newmarket Property Development

Intro
Newmarket is being developed on some 77ha of land in the heart of Alberton

Alberton and the Ekurhuleni stand to gain considerable economic benefit from the Newmarket development that was announced by Newmarket Property Development JV, a consortium established to promote and implement the anticipated R4 billion LED injection.

The initial zone of the development will be completed in 2011 at a value of R2.5 billion and will consist of a regional mall, hotel, fitness centre, conference and wedding facilities. The regional themed shopping centre will boast in excess of 200 stores, including cinemas, state of the art ice-rink and international venue and a selection of top restaurants and coffee shops. Further expansion includes recreational services, medical facilities and motor showrooms. To follow will also be an up market residential development consisting of accommodation ranging from 2-bedroom to 4-bedroom units.

Newmarket is expected to be one of South Africa’s most prestigious property projects with exciting opportunities presenting itself to retailers and businesses alike.

George Skinner of Periscopic Leasing is confident that Newmarket will bring enormous growth potential to the region. “The greater Alberton economy has matured, not only making it possible, but necessary, to have a development of this nature. There is a real need for entertainment and a shopping experience on a scale never seen before in the larger Alberton”, says Skinner. Newmarket will create job opportunities for more than 8000 people.

There has been much talk about the Newmarket development, which will be located on the once pulsating racecourse in the area. The ground was previously owned by the Rand Sporting Club and operated by Phumelela Gaming and Leisure. Over a period extensive negotiations took place, and which eventually emanated in Phumelela relocating their activities to Turffontein and the closing of the Newmarket Racecourse.

At present R15 million of groundwork has already been completed for the development.

Great news for East rand. How big is 77 hacters?

about 185 acres or 185 000 m2

about 185 acres or 185 000 m2

THank SA Boy. Cant wait to see that.

Some news concerning the CBD. It is clear that people are spending less money on food. During my walk around town today, many of the shops were earily quiet, although they did fill out over lunch.

Bad news: I think Vida bit the dust. Unless they are hoping to open up again in winter and lure in some cold customers. I think they went for the building (it is beautiful), but the location is wrong. Main street would have been safer.

Good news: Lulu is opening near Ghandi Square.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/Joburg%20March/DSC02468.jpg

Bad news: Some of the guys that are refurbishing these buildings have NO taste!
What the hell is this!?
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/Joburg%20March/DSC02466.jpg

Walking around the city today, I again realized how pleasant it is! An old man came up to me to chat to me about the Post Office (he saw me taking pictures). He started working as a messenger boy, and he told me about the construction of the Carlton, Ponte and later Bank City. He now works at the Game store in Rissik Street.

Another car guard asked me to photograph him, to show people how cold it is in the CBD. hehe
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/Joburg%20March/DSC02506.jpg

In the retail district, you have a lot of vendors. I must say, it is very clean (even after last night's storm). And their wares add a splash of colour to the city scape. Shoes, bright jewelery, booming music.

This one partilular stretch in President street had so many colourful shops. The music blaring, clothing. Really chaotic but in a fascinating way! And I don't think it is too unlike early Johannesburg. This is what people would love to see when they visit!
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/Joburg%20March/DSC02456.jpg

Get walking in the city guys. Parking is a problem during the week, which is why I parked in Newtown, and then I walked up to the High Court, Carlton and then down to the Magistrate's Court before heading back to Newtown. No issues. Never felt unsafe. I would advise first times to stay away from Jeppe, and Bree Streets.

Bad news: Some of the guys that are refurbishing these buildings have NO taste!
What the hell is this!?
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/Joburg%20March/DSC02466.jpg
.

Damn. Could have been a beautifull building. This guys are crazy:ohno:

about 185 acres or 185 000 m2

huh? an acre is something like 4500sqm isnt it? and 185 hectares would be 1 850 000sqm

Damn. Could have been a beautifull building. This guys are crazy:ohno:

It is such a good thing that taste differs... I think it looks so cool!!

I thought it looked nice aswell, kinda funky, not everything needs to be shiny glass - i think Joburg needs more like this - a kinda urban, graffiti style!

I like it too. It's different.

I like it. :)

I love the Mondrian effect of that paint work. Gotta give it a plus!

Damn. Could have been a beautifull building. This guys are crazy:ohno:

I like those colours but the mosaic is a no no

It looks cool because the color is still new, when it gets a feel of rain and water it will be disgusting with the maps. i like it plain and simple. Art is art, but we shouldnt try to be too fency. But anyway we have different views on different things.

Newtown gets more public art
Written by Lucille Davie
Thursday, 19 March 2009

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/mar/public_art_top.jpg

Singers Miriam Makeba and Margeret Mcingana will greet visitors to Newtown with smiles, when two new murals are installed in the cultural hotspot.

THE CBD continues to come alive with public art - murals of famous singers Miriam Makeba and Margeret Mcingana are about to go up on walls in Newtown.

Both are in the final stages of completion, and will be in position on the corner of Miriam Makeba and Bree streets, and Margeret Mcingana and Bree streets next week, in an inner city project organised by Region F.

Commuters and visitors to the city centre will be greeted by broad smiles from the two singers.

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/mar/public_art1.jpg
Lady Africa, Margeret Mcingana is to be remembered through a large public art work in central Joburg

Mcingana was born in Queenstown in Eastern Cape and came to Joburg in the 1950s. She worked initially as a domestic worker but her employer recognised her talent and took her to a recording company. She became the first black singer to feature on the Radio 5 hit parade, with the song I never loved a man the way I loved you.

In 1973, she was cast as the lead singer in Ipi Ntombi, making the song Mama Tebu's Wedding, famous. The show toured to Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Her recordings topped the charts in Germany, the Netherlands and the States.

She was at the height of her career, when, in 1978, she had a stroke, according to rock.co.za. She managed to make a comeback in 1986 with the song We are Growing, from the television series Shaka Zulu. The song went to number one in the Netherlands in 1989.

Known as Lady Africa, the wheelchair-bound Mcingana died in 2000 at the age of 63.

Singing legend Makeba, born in 1932 in Joburg, died last year in Italy at the age of 76. Affectionately known as Mama Africa, she sang about the struggles for independence in Africa. She became famous for the click song, Pata Pata, and Mailaka.

Makeba's career started with the Manhattan Brothers, before she formed her own group, The Skylarks. She went overseas where she met Harry Belafonte. She received a Grammy Award in 1966 for her recording with him, entitled An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba. She released many of her albums overseas and sang about blacks living under apartheid in South Africa.

When she tried to return home, she couldn't - her passport had been revoked. She spent years in exile, until she was persuaded by Nelson Mandela to return in 1990.

She died in 2008 as she had always wanted - singing her last note.

The two murals are being prepared on plastic-coated canvas, which will be attached to the walls; they will not be painted on the walls.

Another artwork, to honour Walter and Albertina Sisulu, is in the final stages of being prepared. Originally planned for Loveday Street in Braamfontein, it is now to be placed next to two new Bus Rapid Transit stations, one in Market Street, the other in Commissioner Street in the CBD. Five finalists have been chosen, and the winner is to be announced next week.

Another anti-apartheid stalwart, Bram Fischer, is to be honoured with a mural in the newly completed Bram Fischer Community Centre in Bram Fischerville, in Soweto. This is due to be completed on 9 April.

Soccer fields spring up in Bertrams
Written by Lucille Davie
Thursday, 19 March 2009

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/mar/bertrams_top.jpg

The inner city suburbs around Ellis Park are getting a sporty new look, with soccer fields, a cricket pitch, and basketball and netball courts being created.
UNDER the towering shadow of Ellis Park Stadium, the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) is bringing soccer fields to the kids of Bertrams.

Graders are churning up the soil in the suburb's Maurice Freeman Park, levelling a neglected soccer field and converting it into a cricket pitch, to open at the end of April.

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/mar/bertrams1.jpg
The 5-a-side Fuller Park soccer field is almost finished

Joselyne Davids, a development manager at the JDA, stands smiling in her hardhat at the edge of the field, arms waving excitedly while talking about the new facility. She says that 11 schools in the area were approached, and it was agreed that the cricket pitch was preferred.

And to make up for the loss of that soccer field, the City is creating five junior soccer fields for the children of Bertrams and neighbouring Doornfontein.

Fuller Park, across the road from Maurice Freeman Park, in Fuller Street, is being turned into a five-a-side soccer field, with one-metre high walls enclosing it. The space around the park will be landscaped and the swings and slides will be upgraded to make a pleasant play park. A netball court will also be introduced.

Another space, Bertrams Park, on the corner of Queen Street and Derby Road, is also to be converted into a five-a-side soccer field. Although the park was upgraded in 2003, it has been vandalised. The JDA is buying a piece of land alongside the park, and will build a basketball court, with ablution and caretaker facilities, seating and lighting.

The nearby Bertrams Primary School will use the facility, and together with the sports and recreation department, maintain the park. Further east in Hofland Park, between Third and Fifth avenues in Bez Valley, an 11-a-side soccer field is to be created, says Davids.

End Street parks
And the End Street parks in Doornfontein are getting a makeover too. There will be two sections to the park - a play space for smaller children and a side for the bigger kids, with a walkway between the two. Two five-a-side soccer fields will be set up alongside one another. Water fountains will be constructed as will ablution facilities; lawn will be laid. The parks will be enclosed with artistic fencing, says Davids.

Four CCTV cameras will be placed over the End Street parks, which will open in May. They will be overseen and maintained by the African Housing Company, and local residents will be employed to clean them. Several buildings on the site will be converted in a library and computer centre.

And for those who don't want to play soccer, the JDA has also undertaken an upgrade of the Ellis Park Swimming Pool. The seating is now covered with a roof, creating the shape of a football. A rugby ball-shaped fountain has been constructed, and the ablution facilities have been upgraded.

All JDA projects require a 1 percent investment in public art. Already in place in the Ellis Park precinct are four life-size wooden angels on pedestals outside the Alhambra Theatre in Beit Street, Doornfontein. Around the corner in Sivewright Street are several soccer players, one stretching up high for the ball, the other doing a handstand, with his legs in the air.

In the Donald McKay Park on Joe Slovo Drive in Hillbrow are a row of metal soccer players, positioned on metal plinths, sculptured by Marco Cianfanelli.

Newtown gets more public art
Written by Lucille Davie
Thursday, 19 March 2009

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/mar/public_art_top.jpg

Singers Miriam Makeba and Margeret Mcingana will greet visitors to Newtown with smiles, when two new murals are installed in the cultural hotspot.

THE CBD continues to come alive with public art - murals of famous singers Miriam Makeba and Margeret Mcingana are about to go up on walls in Newtown.

Both are in the final stages of completion, and will be in position on the corner of Miriam Makeba and Bree streets, and Margeret Mcingana and Bree streets next week, in an inner city project organised by Region F.

Commuters and visitors to the city centre will be greeted by broad smiles from the two singers.

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/mar/public_art1.jpg
Lady Africa, Margeret Mcingana is to be remembered through a large public art work in central Joburg

Mcingana was born in Queenstown in Eastern Cape and came to Joburg in the 1950s. She worked initially as a domestic worker but her employer recognised her talent and took her to a recording company. She became the first black singer to feature on the Radio 5 hit parade, with the song I never loved a man the way I loved you.

In 1973, she was cast as the lead singer in Ipi Ntombi, making the song Mama Tebu's Wedding, famous. The show toured to Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Her recordings topped the charts in Germany, the Netherlands and the States.

She was at the height of her career, when, in 1978, she had a stroke, according to rock.co.za. She managed to make a comeback in 1986 with the song We are Growing, from the television series Shaka Zulu. The song went to number one in the Netherlands in 1989.

Known as Lady Africa, the wheelchair-bound Mcingana died in 2000 at the age of 63.

Singing legend Makeba, born in 1932 in Joburg, died last year in Italy at the age of 76. Affectionately known as Mama Africa, she sang about the struggles for independence in Africa. She became famous for the click song, Pata Pata, and Mailaka.

Makeba's career started with the Manhattan Brothers, before she formed her own group, The Skylarks. She went overseas where she met Harry Belafonte. She received a Grammy Award in 1966 for her recording with him, entitled An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba. She released many of her albums overseas and sang about blacks living under apartheid in South Africa.

When she tried to return home, she couldn't - her passport had been revoked. She spent years in exile, until she was persuaded by Nelson Mandela to return in 1990.

She died in 2008 as she had always wanted - singing her last note.

The two murals are being prepared on plastic-coated canvas, which will be attached to the walls; they will not be painted on the walls.

Another artwork, to honour Walter and Albertina Sisulu, is in the final stages of being prepared. Originally planned for Loveday Street in Braamfontein, it is now to be placed next to two new Bus Rapid Transit stations, one in Market Street, the other in Commissioner Street in the CBD. Five finalists have been chosen, and the winner is to be announced next week.

Another anti-apartheid stalwart, Bram Fischer, is to be honoured with a mural in the newly completed Bram Fischer Community Centre in Bram Fischerville, in Soweto. This is due to be completed on 9 April.

Joburg is really turning into the art city. really cool

Pule, hows your new wheels?

So far so good Kuls, I went passed the CBD today and guys Ellis Park Precinct is a beauty. I will try go get the pics over the weekend.

By the way Kuls, a McDonald will be opening at Corner of Small and Jeppe Street. AFHCO is also preparing to place a statue there.

Great, thanks Pule. Thats convenient

some of the brt stations are going up in the cbd e.g. one just outside the guildhall pub

How crazy was the weather this morning? The sun was shining at 8am, and then it turned completely dark at 8:15 with wind, hail and thunder. Traffic was a
disaster.

How crazy was the weather this morning? The sun was shining at 8am, and then it turned completely dark at 8:15 with wind, hail and thunder. Traffic was a
disaster.

And its clearing now.

Station Lofts @ Corner De Villiers and Loveday streets is the next project by PaceRez, no details as yet even the pacerez wensite just tells a little about it.

opps tired when I gave areas, 77 Ha = 190Acre =770 000m2

Guys, this article below is not meant to created a heated xenophobic debate. Just a good article i found that gives us an idea of the people living in our CBD.

54% of Jhb CBD residents from SA

2009/03/19

South Africans – at 54% – make a bare majority of the inhabitants of the Johannesburg CBD, says Andrew Schaefer, managing director of national property managers Trafalgar.

"This is indicated by the latest census of 10 blocks of flats," he says.

"They tend to dominate our best buildings in Berea and Hillbrow such as Ridge Plaza (62% South African), Kings Bruce (73%), Helderberg (55%) and Constantine (77%), while Zimbabweans dominate the lower rent buildings in the CBD."

Zimbabweans are by far the biggest group of foreign tenants (at 35%) followed by Congolese (7%), Nigerians (1,6%) and Malawians (1%).

"But whatever the mix, we have no reports from our buildings of tension between national groups," adds Schaefer.

"This is despite growing pressure on accommodation as urban migration continues at quite a pace. Last year's xenophobic explosion made the management of any tension between nationalities a very high priority and it looks like our efforts are paying off. But it's vital for all property managers and sectional title bodies corporate to stay alert to possible flare ups."

He says his experience large cities over the last two centuries has shown that national groups have tended to congregate in their own precincts, notes Schaefer, and there are signs of nascent congregation in Johannesburg, "but integration for now is preferable as we learn to live with each other".

Source: http://www.property24.com/Property24/news/FullArticle.aspx?ArticleId=9457

Hey guys, Im not a fan of idols and my sis is so sometimes I have to watch that crap but what I want to know is where they having those concerts? I know previously it was gold reef, but now they say its at Fairlands Theatro? where is that? part of the FNB call center?

^^ Its the Monte Casino Theatro if i am not mistaken.

Yeah, it's at Monte Casino from what I know.

no its not at monte casino

its at what seems to be a church complex in fairlands. close to cresta but closer to the 14th ave intersection on the N1

Hey guys, Im not a fan of idols and my sis is so sometimes I have to watch that crap but what I want to know is where they having those concerts? I know previously it was gold reef, but now they say its at Fairlands Theatro? where is that? part of the FNB call center?

It is a church, the Mosaic Teatro in Fairlands. They have a massive auditorium with seating for 4000+, so they made the venue available for the Idols competition. It is a post-modern church, not really charismatic. They have smaller chapels as well for more intimate worship, and then the big arena for major events. It does not look like a church at all, and when I spoke to people, I guess that is what they were going for.

^^ ah ok sorry, thought it was at Monte

Thanks Jakes, I was going to ask my mate at Multichoice but his busy at the Police station today giving reports at what happen at the Sundowns game yesterday :ohno:

On another note:


1. 69 president street. This one also features prominently on the death of joburg blog. it is undergoing a full-scale renovation.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02376.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/granova/DSC02375.jpg



The upgrades on this one are eye-catching, I have asked DB to please post the renders in the Kopanong precinct thread. By the way Kopanong is a Sotho workd for a meeting place.

^^ You guys know what this was used for before or who was the many anchor tenent in it?

This is not going to be easy to make pretty.

Its just a minor upgrade but from a street level point of view its gonna make a huge difference.

By the way as Jakes' pics that he posted a couple of days ago, the diagonal street precinct's precinct upgrade is on full steam and the major work is taking place next to the "Jonny Walker" building between commisioner, west and market street. I hope that they gonna place banches and public art.

Thats if the bloody taxi drivers don't burn the entire cbd today. F$ckers.

^^ Damn bastards are protesting and shooting at people on the M1 by Sandton/melrose arch - avoid the highways if you can guys!

What a fvcking pleasure to drive around today... no taxis!!! Feels like Im in heaven!!!

Take it like you dreaming cause tommorow it's never gonna be the same.

The taxi protest was ridiculous today. Rampant destruction cannot be tolerated - a demonstration or strike I understand but random violence....? Our office pretty much shut down at lunch - what a waste. The total cost to the economy is huge when this kind of stuff happens. And all because the freakin taxi associations don't know how to communicate with their own members. For once I actually feel sorry for Gov.....

Make driving a minibus taxi punishable by death! Vote DTTDAMJGP (The Death to Taxi Drivers and Make Joburg Great Party)!

^^ Damn bastards are protesting and shooting at people on the M1 by Sandton/melrose arch - avoid the highways if you can guys!

was it that bad?

I took the M1 at 9 45 at Melrose at didn't see this.. I heard form people that this was happening however. Large amount of cops directing the taxi's into the shoulder lanes, trying to free up the other 3

We rather have nothing being built or low rises rather than this fugly. It is being built in Barcelona, Spain.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u139/thehushpics2/167.jpg

I like it but it really does belong in a Dr Seuss skyline.

...it really does belong in a Dr Seuss skyline.

true and that's what make me wanna puke when I look at it.

was it that bad?

Take a look for yourself

http://www.news24.com/News24/Gallery/Home/0,,galleries-1-7469,00.html

but apparently these pic's are nothing compared to what went down in Sandton yesterday. My cuz at Investec said certain Taxi drivers were not allowing them to leave, they were damaging car's that were coming out of Investec parking lot. Now please explain to me how is this going to solve anything?

Some people are stupid you know, they say that the government must leave them alone as it's their business but they use the same highways that they not paying tax for. They cannot run their businesses properly and often kill one another. What the fvck is wrong with these nincompoops?

Its Ugly. It looks like the top of the water boot.

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g160/amgosai/Puzela/P1150379.jpg

^^ that's the statue at the intersection of Small and Jeppe Street and it's commisioned by AFHCO. Looking at the background one will see that they busy with the renovation of the place preperaing for the 3rd McDonald in the CBD.

Cool

Nice piece of artwork ...

bloody taxis...nuke them while they're all in one place!

http://www.shine2010.co.za/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/taxi-strike.jpg

Lol, Its a missed opportunity.

Can see Melrose Arch behind

Bastards!

"Nuke" was my first thought too. Fight fire with fire :P

yeeesh. imagine being stuck in the middle of all that....!

I would have liked a flame thrower, but nuke is good, jus 1 drop and they're gone.

I was behind that the whole way to wits.. not fun

News24 reported that a 61year old french tourist was robbed on the corner of Noord and Twist streets (quite a daring, or a very lost tourist). The robbers walked him to an ATM in Pritchard street to make him withdraw more money for them. Luckily the two thugs were caught on camera, and security guards arrested them on site. The reporter says most of the stolen money was returned to the tourist. I wonder where the rest dissapeared to?

That looks like the Hillbrow Tower in the latest "Wonders of the World 4/4" banner.

Speaking of which,did Hillbrow Tower go off during Earth Hour?

lol it IS the frikkin Hillbrow Tower!

Haha, was it ever on to begin with?

Gentleman's game for inner city
Written by Emily Visser
Friday, 27 March 2009
http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/mar/cricket_top.jpg
Work is underway for the new cricket oval opposite Ellis Park and the Johannesburg stadiums

The inner city will soon have its own cricket pitch, evoking the neighbourliness of the "village oval". Also on the cards is an inner city primary school league.

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/mar/cricket1.jpg
The plan for the oval

THE thwack of leather on willow, and the shouts of "howzat" by men dressed in white are finally coming to the Ellis Park precinct; in just over a month, residents of the inner city will get their own cricket oval.

Forming part of the massive upgrade of the Ellis Park precinct, which will be completed in May - just before the Confederations Cup kicks off - the new cricket oval is "a first for the inner city" confirms Joselyne Davids, the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) project manager overseeing the project.

The new pitch will replace what was once a barren field, used mostly for soccer by locals. And not any soccer either - this was the home ground of some serious and sometimes dangerous gambling soccer games.

Situated on Thames and Fuller streets in Bertrams, the oval is directly opposite Ellis Park and Johannesburg stadiums and will be used as additional parking space during the Confederations Cup, says Davids.

The grounds will be managed and maintained by the Joburg Cricket Club (JCC). "It will be for the community and another sporting code we bring into the precinct," she says.

And there is even more in store for the area around Ellis Park. "We are also looking at extreme sports such as BMX-ing and skateboarding." The extreme sports facility will be built on the corner of Miller and Dawe streets and be ready by early 2010. It is in the preliminary planning phases.

Home ground
The cricket oval will be the JCC's first "home ground", says an elated Indarin Govender, the chairperson of the club.

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/mar/cricket2.jpg
Upgrading the Ellis Park precinct

Created in 1993 as the Chatsworth Old Boys (COB) Cricket Club in Bertrams, it changed its name in recognition of this city being the place that re-connected the founders of the club, some 16 years ago.

Until now, it has been a club in search of a home ground, which survived thanks to the goodwill of the education campus of the University of the Witwatersrand.

"At beginning 2007, we were given our final notice to vacate these premises," says Govender. "At this point the persistent words of the late founding chairman rang loud for all of us to hear once again: ‘Without our own home ground our club is but a figment of our imagination destined to disappear like so many before it.'

"We approached Achmed Badat of the JDA, who was often seen talking up this regeneration effort in the Bertrams-Troyeville area. We told him we would like to work with him in rooting cricket in this part of town and thus began our talks with the JDA in early 2007."

This gave the club a new lease of life; it was the perfect tonic to do what its founders always dreamed of, namely to give back to others what the game had given to them.

"The passing on of life's lesson of lasting friendships and human solidarity can now happen and we were not going to let this opportunity pass us by."

The new development - including the club house building and landscaping - will create the visual and aesthetic ambience of a village oval, he says. Part of the upgrade will include a one-storey clubhouse with extensions, adding facilities such as toilets for the disabled, VIP seating, offices and a boardroom.

The inner city areas comprise a colourful mix of people from the African diaspora, and the JCC hopes to leave a lasting legacy of hope for the whole community, says Govender. The club has made a substantial financial contribution to the project, and among other things, has donated six state-of-the-art floodlights for the grounds.

"It is not just about bricks and mortar. This project has the opportunity to create a sense of place and hope for the community," he reiterates.

Included in the design is the use of 44 indigenous trees, including the striking fever tree, to designate the oval's boundary. They will be planted in memory of the founding member and first chairman of the JCC, Neville Govender, who was instrumental in fighting for such a facility for the inner city in the first place. He passed away in 2007 at the age of 44.

The club's history will be told by those closely associated with it through this tree project. These individuals will be given a tree to name and capture some memory of the club.

Primary school league
The JCC has many plans for the new facility, including starting a cricket academy focusing on under-nine and under-11 children from the neighbourhood.

"To give meaning to this facility we also need to engage schools in the area. We are starting at ground level and therefore primary schools are the natural place to start. "

The club has already approached schools in the area to facilitate the formation of a primary schools league for inner city communities. Schools near the oval and those most in need of cricket grounds will have priority use of the facility.

"Our cricket youth projects are central to the club's vision of introducing the skill and enjoyment of the game to children from the area."

"Let us not forget that the community now has one more sport to watch, one more team to support and one more home-grown star to conceive."

Before long, the next Makhaya Ntini or Hashim Amla may well be bowling or batting from either "the three oaks end" or the "true north end".

Nice. :)

We passed the site of the Oval yesterday and construction is steaming ahead. The tennis courts in the precinct need some touch ups. Ellis Park precinct is awesome and impressive.

The Transnet site next to Mandela Bridge and Bree Street Taxi rank is being cleared and so that means the city is proceeding with organizing a proper parking area for long distance busses. I hope they also gonna cleanup the one you pass from Queen Elizabeth Street.

Anybody knowing construction of any hotel in the CBD?

"19 new hotels are being built in the City and surrounding areas with the intention of being ready for the June 2010 influx of fans. Six of these hotels are in Sandton, one each at Four Ways and Woodmead and the rest in the CBD and to the south;"

Source: http://www.joburg.org.za/pdfs/draft09_10idp.pdf

Jozi is 'invigorating' by Neil Fraser

http://www.joburg.org.za/content/view/3670/266/


Neil will be in Jozi again for a week between 4th and 8th May. He would appriciate to have a coffee with us.

I agree with what neil says about tackling violence (with reference to Brasil). You need to act on the causes of violence. Merely locking away violent offenders does not help. Violence begets more violence. Change the culture. Deal with the roots. More police officers on their own won't work.

ARTS, culture and heritage will merge with modern-day living and shopping in two massive new Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) projects in Newtown.

One of these, the 1912 Potato Shed, has been derelict and forgotten for almost 30 years but is finally getting a new lease on life. Newtown Junction, as it will be called, will bring the first 21st century mall and four-star City Lodge to the precinct.

The 2ha plot behind Museum Africa will offer flea market and retail shopping, offices, a 180-room hotel and a beautiful open public square. The entertainment sector will also benefit, with additional facilities for the Market Theatre, including parking for 700 cars.

More importantly, the building design will be connected to Museum Africa through a special walkway, bringing more feet to the museum.

"Specific emphasis is placed on the interaction with the museum and a link through to Mary Fitzgerald Square, thus creating a very important and much-needed link to the north of Newtown," confirms Coenie Bezuidenhout, a director at Atterbury Property Developments, the project developers.

Bezuidenhout says the idea is to focus strongly on the arts and in this his company is working closely with the City's department of heritage, arts and culture.

The whole idea is for the emphasis to remain on Newtown as a cultural precinct, adds JDA's chief executive officer, Lael Bethlehem.

"The City is also working hard to support cultural heritage and the development must not detract from the cultural nature of the precinct. It has to enhance it."

Heritage site
New will be combined with old by incorporating a major portion of the existing Potato Shed structure into the design, Bezuidenhout says.


The conceptual design for the Borough Market The shed is just four years shy of a century old and, in keeping with its heritage status, Atterbury will have to bring the existing structure into the plan, keeping the original roof trusses and iron work found on site.

Once final layouts have been approved by all the relevant parties the design will be released to the public. Bezuidenhout says "it is going to be quite exciting".

The structure and railway sidings which can all still be seen today are collectively referred to as the Potato Sheds and consist of a number of phased historic developments that took place over an extended period of time.

The railway sidings were critical to the daily operation and function of the whole market area and influenced the plan form of the Potato Shed as we see it today.

"What you look at when you stand there today is a collection of historic layers added to the original open shed," confirms Johann Bruwer, a heritage consultant who, together with the conservation architect, William Martinson, was appointed by Atterbury to do the heritage impact assessment report.

It has to be developed in terms of current heritage legislation. The heritage impact assessment report will be made available to the public for comment for 30 days before it goes to the South African Heritage Resources Agency for approval.

Bruwer says the site is of phenomenal importance but that development is nonetheless "badly needed".

The name, Newtown Junction, is also a reminder of those old days, referring to the historical link with the old railway sidings and the junction of development with the main access routes.

Newtown today
The Newtown of the turn of the century may be nothing like the Newtown of today but it remains a favourite hub for Joburg residents. First the commercial centre of Johannesburg, today Newtown is undoubtedly its cultural heart.

The first market sheds were completed in 1912 and started operating in 1913. The market, which today houses Museum Africa and the Market Theatre - which was then the old Indian Food Market - were the public face of the Johannesburg Municipal Fresh Product Market.

By the early 1960s, some 2 000 tons of fresh produce was moving through the market every day.

Once completed in 2010, the new development will bring a new commercial flavour to the precinct, this time in the form of a retail shopping centre trading in 21st century products in a 21st century environment.

And despite a worldwide economic downturn, there has been a huge response from businesses keen to return to the central business district. National retailers in food, fashion and lifestyle have shown interest in the mall component, says Bezuidenhout.

"Almost all of the property is already prescribed." Newtown Junction is bounded by Carr, Miriam Makeba and Henry Nxumalo streets. The project will begin in June or July this year.

Transport House
Further along, driving in a southerly direction along Henry Nxumalo Street, is the old Transport House, a similarly dilapidated structure with a very unimaginative façade reminiscent of old apartheid architecture.

This structure will also be revamped into a mixed-use development at an estimated cost of R400-million, confirms Kaylon Karrim of Ilangabi Property Developers.

Emphasis will be placed on social open spaces, with an amphitheatre and a health and fitness centre central to the design. The leisure component will be complemented with retail, office space and loft-style apartments to tie in with a design which hopes to cater for everyone "under one roof".

"The design is a new concept in leisure, working towards self-actualisation within a ‘live-work-play' environment," he says.

The project will kick off with the construction of a six-floor boutique hotel which will be ready by 2010. As this is also a heritage building, the original façade will be kept and incorporated into the design.

^^ those are some of the best ever news to come out of Jozi.

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/apr/potato_shed_top.jpg

Wow, great news indeed!

Heineken ® presents the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour 2009, live in Johannesburg and Cape Town


The UEFA Champions League is watched by over 140 million TV viewers across 230 countries each week making it a truly global phenomenon. 2009 is Heineken®’s fourth year as sponsor of the biggest football competition in the world.

After two successful tours in Asia and South America in 2007 and 2008 respectively, African football fans in Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt and South Africa will be afforded the ultimate experience, to be able to see, and for a few lucky ones to touch, this famous Trophy when Heineken® takes the famous cup on tour in April this year.

Franco Maria Maggi, Heineken® Marketing Manager in South Africa commented, “South African consumers are passionate about the UEFA Champions League and the Heineken® brand. The UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour, proudly presented by Heineken® promises to be a fantastic series of events and a truly memorable experience.”

Last season Heineken® took the Trophy to South America for a tour to fans in Sao Paolo, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Santiago (Chile), Mexico City and Monterrey (Mexico). More than 51.500 fans saw the UEFA Champions League Trophy ‘live’ and a further 247 million viewers tuned in to see it on television.

South African consumers will be able to see the Trophy in Cape Town at the V&A Waterfront from April 11–12, 2009 and in Johannesburg at Montecasino on April 18-19, 2009.

All fans will be welcome to see the Trophy on display, and to enjoy live entertainment at the Heineken Village throughout the weekend, including UEFA Champions League memorabilia displays, free-styling soccer performances, music and much more.

In each location, famous players drawn from the history of UEFA Champions League will accompany the Trophy.

All fans who would like to find out how get a pass to get up close and personal with the icon of club football’s top competition and have their picture taken will have to log on www.heineken.com for more details.

Finally this building will be refurbished, these are great news

Braamfontein’s YMCA building gets a new lease on life
01 Apr 2009 - eProp - Aengus

The new development will consist of 4000m2 of commercial space, 190 residential units and prime retail space. Situated in close proximity to a number of large employers in the Braamfontein area, as well as the University of Witwatersrand, it is expected to be fully tenanted as demand for comfortable, affordable accommodation in downtown Johannesburg climbs. It is also close to the Gautrain’s Park Station, due to be fully operational by 2011.

“The building has an interesting legacy and will no doubt attract both residential and commercial tenants who are ‘early adopters’, especially those within the creative industries” says Aengus Lifestyle Properties CEO, Richard Rubin.

The YMCA building on the corner of Rissik and Smit Streets was built in 1952 to provide refuge for young men looking for shelter. Once referred to as “the answer to the moral decay in society”, the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) was first established in South Africa in 1865 in Cape Town and later moved to Johannesburg. In 1912 the YMCA building at 71 Pritchard Street was converted into the Vaudette Theatre and the YMCA built its new residence where the building still stands today.

Aengus recently bought the building from property loan stock company ApexHi.

“We felt this was a great opportunity to convert the YMCA building into a more modern and fashionable development that would attract people back to live and shop in the area,” says Rubin.

Work has already commenced and the building is due for completion by the end of July this year. Residential units will be let by Aengus Property Management will continue to use the same successful model it uses in its other inner city property developments. For the first time Aengus will be offering small commercial for sectional title sale. Pre-launch, in excess of 60% of the commercial space has been snapped up by those in the design arena, underpinning not only the need for smaller commercial spaces in The Braamfontein Area, but the type of tenancy Aengus has been looking for the development.

“Investment returns in inner city property continue to exceed expectations as unlike other types of residential property, it has been buffered to some extent by the huge demand for high quality accommodation in the city centre,” says Rubin.

Residential units will be fully furnished and rent for approximately R2,100 per month.

“For retailers, this is an excellent location as between 20 000 and 30 000 people work within 200m of the building,” says Rubin.

The building forms part of the hub consisting of the Johannesburg Civic Theatre, Civic Towers and Eskom’s downtown offices.

“We expect the upgrading of the YMCA building to have a positive effect on the whole area,” says Rubin.

Joburg aims for 9% growth by 2014
02 Apr 2009 - eProp - SA Cities Network

"We believe that if we are to take Johannesburg to greater economic heights - which we define as a 9 percent economic growth rate by 2014 - we have to develop and evolve partnerships with all relevant economic stakeholders and role players in the city," Tau said at a business breakfast on Wednesday, 11 March in Sandton.

The breakfast was aimed at the international business community, represented by various embassy and consulate diplomats.

Tau said the City's long-term vision involved seeing Joburg as continuing to be South Africa's primary business city, a "dynamic centre of production, innovation, trade, finance and services".

"This will be a city of opportunity, where the benefits of balanced economic growth will be shared in a way that enables all residents to gain access to the ladder of prosperity, and where the poor, vulnerable and excluded will be supported out of poverty to realise upward social mobility."

In this city, everyone would be able to enjoy "decent accommodation, excellent services, the highest standards of health and safety, access to participatory governance, and quality community life".

Economist Mike Schussler, the director of economists.co.za, said Joburg's growth rate, at 5 percent, was higher than that of South Africa, at 3,6 percent.

"You could call Joburg the financial capital of Africa. It's also the communications capital of Africa, and the African shopping centre."

He stressed that although Joburg was founded on mining, it was no longer a mining city. In 2007, mining was estimated to contribute just 1 percent to the city's growth, while financial and business services contributed 36 percent, with trade at 18 percent, manufacturing at 14 percent, and construction at 4 percent.

Six core principles
Tau said that the City's vision was based on six core principles, taken from its Growth and Development Strategy: pro-active absorption of the poor; balanced and shared growth; social mobility and equality; settlement restructuring; sustainability and environmental justice; and innovative governance solutions.

He spoke of offering a market to investors which had Africa's best telecommunications, excellent road and transport infrastructure, world-class banking and financial services, and a country with a top rating in terms of ease of doing business.

Over 70 percent of South African companies have their headquarters in Joburg. The city's economic output was R203-billion in 2006, and R216-billion in 2007, with a current growth rate of 4,7 percent annually. With a population of 3,5 million, it has an annual per capita output of about $5 600 (about R56 600).

Clean audit:
For the 2006-07 financial year, Joburg received its first clean audit. This was obtained by overhauling the City's financial management systems, in the process quadrupling its capital budget and boosting its credit rating. It now has an A+ rating, according to Fitch Ratings and CA Ratings.

This has been boosted by the five municipal bonds that have been successfully issued by the City since April 2004.

"This adds great credibility to any entity doing business in our city, especially those with international linkages," Tau said.

He referred to the recent electricity supply challenges, saying they were likely to remain until 2013, when new capacity became available. The City has, over the past four years, spent more than R1,65-billion in capital expenditure on the power grid. This means that it has about 120MW in standby capacity. And the electricity facility, City Power, recently issued a tender for 300 000 solar water heaters.

"This initiative by the City of Johannesburg is the latest attempt to create a sustainable and more environmentally friendly solution to our electricity challenges," he said. The City was also endeavouring to abide by the 10 percent cut in electricity consumption requested by the national government.

Safe and secure environment
Tau also talked about the need to provide a safe and secure business environment. A CCTV camera system has significantly reduced the crime rate in the inner city; by 2010 the metro police force will be increased to 4 000 officers, which will complement the expanding South Africa Police Service.

Joburg has also worked hard at regenerating the inner city through the Urban Development Zone Tax Incentive, which has attracted investments into the area of R4-billion. "We are reclaiming the inner city as a future residential, business and entertainment hub of Gauteng."

The Joburg economy is based on mining, trade, information and communication technology, and high value manufacturing, but efforts are being made to create more opportunities in business process outsourcing, tourism, the hospitality sector, financial services, property development, and the public transport infrastructure.

In this regard the City is constructing the Bus Rapid Transit system, the first stage of which will open in May. This will be supplemented by the Gautrain, a rapid train link connecting Joburg with Tshwane and OR Tambo International Airport. The major highways between the two cities are receiving a multi-billion rand makeover as well.

Positive long-term outlook
Schussler said the city's long-term outlook was positive, although poor in the short term, as a result of the world recession.

Communication between the City and the business community was ongoing, through the Johannesburg Business Forum. This helped both sectors to air issues, ask questions, and to fix things, as well as promoted the City, he said.

"I am very proud of the business forum. It is one of the strengths of the City. Some of the combined ideas make a lot of sense and help us to move forward."

awesome news for Jozi :banana::banana::banana:

Finally this building will be refurbished, these are great news

Braamfontein’s YMCA building gets a new lease on life
01 Apr 2009 - eProp - Aengus

The new development will consist of 4000m2 of commercial space, 190 residential units and prime retail space. Situated in close proximity to a number of large employers in the Braamfontein area, as well as the University of Witwatersrand, it is expected to be fully tenanted as demand for comfortable, affordable accommodation in downtown Johannesburg climbs. It is also close to the Gautrain’s Park Station, due to be fully operational by 2011.

“The building has an interesting legacy and will no doubt attract both residential and commercial tenants who are ‘early adopters’, especially those within the creative industries” says Aengus Lifestyle Properties CEO, Richard Rubin.

The YMCA building on the corner of Rissik and Smit Streets was built in 1952 to provide refuge for young men looking for shelter. Once referred to as “the answer to the moral decay in society”, the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) was first established in South Africa in 1865 in Cape Town and later moved to Johannesburg. In 1912 the YMCA building at 71 Pritchard Street was converted into the Vaudette Theatre and the YMCA built its new residence where the building still stands today.

Aengus recently bought the building from property loan stock company ApexHi.

“We felt this was a great opportunity to convert the YMCA building into a more modern and fashionable development that would attract people back to live and shop in the area,” says Rubin.

Work has already commenced and the building is due for completion by the end of July this year. Residential units will be let by Aengus Property Management will continue to use the same successful model it uses in its other inner city property developments. For the first time Aengus will be offering small commercial for sectional title sale. Pre-launch, in excess of 60% of the commercial space has been snapped up by those in the design arena, underpinning not only the need for smaller commercial spaces in The Braamfontein Area, but the type of tenancy Aengus has been looking for the development.

“Investment returns in inner city property continue to exceed expectations as unlike other types of residential property, it has been buffered to some extent by the huge demand for high quality accommodation in the city centre,” says Rubin.

Residential units will be fully furnished and rent for approximately R2,100 per month.

“For retailers, this is an excellent location as between 20 000 and 30 000 people work within 200m of the building,” says Rubin.

The building forms part of the hub consisting of the Johannesburg Civic Theatre, Civic Towers and Eskom’s downtown offices.

“We expect the upgrading of the YMCA building to have a positive effect on the whole area,” says Rubin.

Couldnt have come at a better time. Love it. I must say im impressed with the state of builings around Braamfontain. Its also very clean.

^^ I just hope that our brother from North Africa in Biccard street will come to the game one day and realise that everyone is owrking towards a better city. There are small take away restaurant in the same Biccard street which are run by some of our brothers from the top, it's a pity that others do not see things like them. It could have been nice to know that one can just walk there when he needs a different taste of food.

Transport House has been on the cards since 2006, so I really hope Ilangabi get of their asses and get some work done!

Great to hear about YMCA.

And the ANC is going all out! I have seen Greek, Italian and Portuguese election posters!

^^ they have said that they gonna also target the smallest group we have in this country. I must say they've been going all out in campaigning for their party.

:gossip:Which Party do you support Puls

Pule is with the Soccer Party, as far as I know. As for me, I support the HNP (Herstigte Nationale Party - Reformed National Party). These guys are visionary. So visionary in fact that they are telling people not to vote. Yes people, a political party based on the fact that the only way to beat the ruling party is to withold your vote, rot in your own pool of bitterness and complaining about the fact that nothing changes.

:gossip:Which Party do you support Puls

All I want is the opposition to the ANC, I think they too stuborn and do not respect us.


Pule is with the Soccer Party, as far as I know. As for me, I support the HNP (Herstigte Nationale Party - Reformed National Party). These guys are visionary. So visionary in fact that they are telling people not to vote. Yes people, a political party based on the fact that the only way to beat the ruling party is to withold your vote, rot in your own pool of bitterness and complaining about the fact that nothing changes.

I deserted Soccer Party after we lost the first election. I vote for Dikwankewtla Party of Charles Mopedi.

By the way, I really don't think we gonna see any upgrades to Park Station. As far as I know there's no private sector investment that have been sourced. I still cannot believ that an aera with so much potential is without the private sector investment.

Pule is with the Soccer Party, as far as I know. As for me, I support the HNP (Herstigte Nationale Party - Reformed National Party). These guys are visionary. So visionary in fact that they are telling people not to vote. Yes people, a political party based on the fact that the only way to beat the ruling party is to withold your vote, rot in your own pool of bitterness and complaining about the fact that nothing changes.

OMG. I made a joke about the HNP. But just visited the website. Wow. Creepy. All in Afrikaans, of course. With statements like "White is right", "Whites don't owe Blacks anything", "caucasion unity = power".

Wow. Wow. I am speechless. Luckily they have only fourteen highly disgruntled supporters, these guys were the laughing stock of south africa even during the 1980's. And they claim that they will rule again. It will be, like Iran, a theocratic state. Eek. If you want to pee on their front gate, they have 1 office in Eloffsdal, Pretoria.

^^ those are nincompoops...

Eish, it seems you get a political party for almost anything these days. What a budding democracy we have haha.

By the way, I really don't think we gonna see any upgrades to Park Station. As far as I know there's no private sector investment that have been sourced. I still cannot believ that an aera with so much potential is without the private sector investment.

:( sad sad news man. This could be one of the CBDs best hubs.

Shame, Such a busy place

This article is on today's CNN website .....

Johannesburg's growing pains

By Mark Tutton
For CNN

(CNN) -- Barely 120 years old, Johannesburg is suffering from growing pains as it goes through an awkward adolescence.
Johannesburg

Johannesburg is a city built on gold.

It's a city still trying to recover from the injustices of apartheid and if progress can sometimes seem slow, it's worth remembering that it's only been 15 years since apartheid was finally laid to rest.

Rebuilding will take time, but Johannesburg is a pragmatic city. Its endless urban sprawl won't win any beauty contests but this place has always been more about economics than aesthetics. That's because Jo' burg is a city built on gold.

The metropolis was nothing but grassy farmland until prospectors struck gold a few kilometers away in 1886. Its once-abundant gold reserves helped Jo' burg grow into the largest city in South Africa and become the capital of the province of Gauteng -- a Sotho word meaning "place of gold."

Video Watch Hugh Masekela take CNN on a tour of Johannesburg »

While modern day Jo' burgers prefer to look to the future, it will be a long time before the city shakes off the memories of its troubled past. Places like Soweto -- the township that was the site of the 1976 uprisings that marked the beginning of the end of white rule -- will always be associated with apartheid.

Conditions in Soweto are still tough and townships like Alexandra remain desperately poor. It's true that Jo' burg has a growing black middle class, but it also has a growing divide between its haves and have-nots.

After South Africa's first democratic elections in 1994 Johannesburg experienced a new, unofficial apartheid as businesses moved away from downtown to the city's wealthier, whiter, northern suburbs, leaving the city center a shadow of its once dynamic self.

But things are changing. Numerous urban development projects, many intended to ready the city for the 2010 World Cup, are reinvigorating the heart of Jo' burg. The city is getting an extensive new bus system, and the much-touted Gautrain is a high-speed train line that will link Jo' burg and Pretoria.

The Newtown area is growing as a cultural center, with art galleries, theaters and dance venues, and Constitution Hill, once the site of a prison that held Mahatma Gandhi and later Nelson Mandela, has been converted into the country's highest law court and a tourist attraction, with exhibitions dedicated to its unsavory past.

The most cosmopolitan city in Africa, Jo' burg has always been thoroughly multicultural, but a wave of xenophobic attacks in May 2008 highlighted the tension between locals and the huge number of African immigrants who have moved to the city, attracted by its relative economic vigor.
Don't Miss


The violence did nothing to help the city's international reputation. Where Jo' burg was once associated with apartheid, it has now become associated with crime.

Lurid tales of carjacking and daylight mugging have created an image of a lawless sin city, but although places like Hillbrow remain no-go areas at night, progress is being made in the war on crime. Nonetheless, the fear of crime remains potent and Jo' burg's future as a tourist destination depends on addressing the problem.
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If Jo' burg is a work in progress there's no doubt that much remains to be done, but it's a young city with a young population eager to take the opportunities past generations were denied.

The eyes of the world will be on South Africa in summer 2010 and Jo' burgers are keen to use the World Cup to demonstrate how far their city has come and to show the world that the future is bright for the city of gold at the heart of the rainbow nation

Finally...a balanced article. At least someone still knows how to write.

what an awsome article, finally some good journalism. Thanks African Bio.

^^ one of the best international articles Iv read on south africa in ages it doesnt sensationalise one way or the other it simply tells a balanced story imo

and kudos to Hugh Masekela for getting the message across. i saw him singing Joburg's praises on CNN in a hotel in Brussels. made me very proud :)

Good article by Mark Tutton.

I went to see FreshlyGround at Emmerentia Lake on Saturday. We had so much fun! Beautiful weather, great band, great crowd... The even had a brass band that had the crowd boogying in between sets. Another nice thing was that this was such a mixed group of people - young, old, from all races. And I am taking back fond memories, as well as minor sunburn. My friends from Canada and the Netherlands absolutely loved it. I quote: "I never realized Johannesburg was such an amazing and beautiful city!" - from my one Canadian friend.

That's what we wanna hear Jakes. We need the city to be more vibey and attract people. Changes that are currnetly inconviniencing all of us at the moment will later result in a better city for all of us. I took a drive in the CBD on sunday morning as per norm and that's when one get to realise as to how much is happening as the city is quite and there's no traffic so driving slow just gives you the opportunity to view all. Walking is even a nightmare. I see that OPH is alo aqcuring more buildings, I would like to see them acquiring more around the Carlton Centre.

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g160/amgosai/Puzela/P1150690.jpg

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g160/amgosai/Puzela/P1150690.jpg

^^ that's Diagonal Street precinct. You posted the same pic twice DB.

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g160/amgosai/Puzela/P1150690.jpg




This is what I posted over a week ago.

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g160/amgosai/Puzela/P1150396.jpg

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g160/amgosai/Puzela/P1150688-1.jpg

That's pretty fast progress. :o

yeah it was^^ from one day to the next vibe.

Looks really good. What a STUPID STUPID move the JSE did. The City should of begged and pleaded them to stay, but i suppose things were different in those days.

What irritates me is to see goverment departments constructing buildings out of the CBDs of our cities. How are they expecting to see those CBDs blossoming? They must lead by example.

What irritates me is to see goverment departments constructing buildings out of the CBDs of our cities. How are they expecting to see those CBDs blossoming? They must lead by example.

yip exactly what i have been shouting about.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE! exactly mate, eish!

Wait, wait, I'm no expert ..but my experience of major urban centres such as LA/San diego/Berlin etc is that soon, everything goes back to the CBD. Why? Becuase you can't create or "invent" history and character, whic the CBD has plenty of. Sandton has no soul - it could be anywhere in the world - amorphic.

^^ That is very true about Sandton, but i believe Sandton does have its place and does provide vital services. But with regards to people moving back into the CBD, i agree with you to a certain extent. I for one cannot see Investic/NedCore/Nedbank/the JSE moving back to the CBD.

I must honestly say that I'm not expecting any private sector company to move back to the CDB but the NGOs should actually be part of a drive for a better CBDs. Look at Nelson Mandela's Children's fund? It's based in Rosebank. The city council should be the main driver to access those kind of organizations back to the CBD. I personally don't think that the CBD will reach it's goal of a trues success while we still have plety of people working in Rosebank and Sandton and they haven't set a foot in CBD for years. We need to bring them closer so that they can buy apartments and stay closer to work.

Started by a friend of mine...
http://www.jhbdaily.blogspot.com/

This is whats going down on the west side :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEWwzm53vlg

Started by a friend of mine...
http://www.jhbdaily.blogspot.com/

Maybe I'm imagining it but you've been a bit scarce...

^^ He's not technically a joburg boy anymore, that's why :)

noooooi i will always be a joburg boy ;)
just been busy of late, and not in joburg, but still check in often to read stuff

i was looking for pictures from the soweto open when i discovered this guys photo's...they are particularly interesting..hope you guys enjoy them as much as i did http://www.flickr.com/photos/ndofaya/

Thanks for sharing Neo, its interesting.

JOBURG'S main public library, the City Library at Beyers Naude Square in the CBD, will close on 29 April for extensive refurbishment.

No reopening date has been given as yet, but it is expected to be a lengthy closure, says Virgil James, the City spokesperson. After the upgrades, however, the facility will be world class.

The city library provides free and guided access to unlimited knowledge, as well as promotes reading and research. More than an old-fashioned book-lender, its services include literary classes and competitions; story-telling sessions; classroom support for learners; and gatherings for the elderly.

James explains that the first phase of the refurbishment will include the funding by the Carnegie Corporation of New York for new books, subscriptions to online databases, digitisation equipment and staffing for the inputting of resources on to the library database.

The second phase will involve structural changes and the relocation and closer alignment of certain collections. This will allow greater access to resources that in the past have been inaccessible to users.

Theatre
One aspect will be the re-instatement of the theatre as a conference and public performance space. Space will also be opened for the selling of light snacks and refreshments.

Three new floors of glass and steel will be built above the theatre, increasing the library's capacity to offer wireless computer facilities for all users. All new areas will allow wireless internet access.

There will also be new discussion rooms and state of the art exhibition space for outstanding collections. Mezzanine balconies in the Lending and Reference libraries will increase the space available for users. The new structure will be 1 967m2 bigger than the present size of 11 198m2.

The roof, guttering and electrical systems will also be upgraded.

The Office of the Mayor has given its support to the upgrade as being a vital component of the citywide services provided for its residents.

The City Library has an extensive book collection comprising more than 1,5 million books, as well as journals and CDs. Users have been asked to use other library and information services facilities during construction.

Books, CDs or any other items borrowed from the City Library can be returned to the book-drop at the facility's Market Street entrance, or to any other public library.

The future's bright' -- a local's Johannesburg (part of a series on Jo'burg by CNN)

Neil McCartney is 31 years old and has lived in Johannesburg nearly all his life. He is a photojournalist for Johannesburg newspaper The Citizen, and has a blog showing his images of the city.

CNN: What's it like working as a photojournalist in Jo' burg?

Neil: It's cool -- you've got really rich areas like Sandton very close to poor areas like Alexandra, so you get to cover first-world country-type events and you can also go to protests and other gritty stuff.

It's a cosmopolitan city with a lot of different areas that all have a different character.

CNN: How is Jo' burg shaping for the World Cup in 2010?

Neil: There's a nice vibe arriving about the World Cup and for the Confederations Cup, which is happening in June. A lot of people thought they would be a flop but now people are starting to believe it's actually going to happen.

The Soccer City stadium close to Soweto looks nearly done and it's looking good -- it just needs the infrastructure around it to be finished. The area near the Ellis Park stadium used to be very downtrodden but it has been upgraded.

CNN: Is there a lot of work being carried out in the city?

Neil: There's a lot of improvements being done as we speak, not just for the World Cup but for the long term.

They're fixing all the highways, so the traffic is horrendous at the moment. It's brutal right now, but the highways have always been bad, now they're fixing them with a view to improve them.

Also they're building a high-tech train system that will link Pretoria to Johannesburg and Sandton. It's a high-speed train that goes underground, which is new for Johannesburg -- we've never had anything like that before.

I was dubious when I first heard about it because of allegations of corruption, but I've been underground and seen the work and I've changed my mind. It's going to be a very good thing for the city.

What makes Johannesburg special to you? Let us know.

CNN: What do Jo' burgers like to do in their free time?

Neil: It's a very sporty place -- there's lots of road running and cycling. People spend a lot of time outdoors simply because the weather's pretty decent.

Like anywhere, younger people go clubbing and drinking. There's a lot of nightlife around Rivonia, which is part of Sandton. That area has whole boulevards dedicated to nightclubs and pubs and there are also clubs and pubs in Melrose Arch.

CNN: What don't you like about living in Jo' burg?

NM: There's a lot of corruption in various forms, not just at the top level but in all areas. Even going to get a driver's license you come up against it.
I know corruption is a given in some other African countries but I think this country is kind of going that way.

Being a photojournalist I might pay more attention to it, but it's everywhere. There's cops trying to solicit bribes, people trying to bribe municipalities, that kind of thing.

CNN: We hear a lot about crime in Johannesburg. How bad is it in reality?

NM: Crime is pretty bad but the police are doing a relatively good job; they're going in the right direction.

I think the crime situation is overplayed in our media and the international media. It does happen, it is intense, but I feel the police are winning the battle, slowly but surely.

CNN: What do you think the future has in store for Johannesburg?

NM: I think the future is bright, simply because of all the construction. Things are getting fixed up. The World Cup is coming and people are really looking forward to that. And beyond that, the infrastructure created for the World Cup will have long-term benefits for the city. Not everything's fixed but things are looking up


CNN: If Johannesburg were a person, what would he or she be like?

NM: It would be resilient and strong. It's not an old city, so it would be a middle-aged man. He's been around and there have been some problems in his life, but he's tough and things are coming right.

Regarding the Library, that is really really good news! I have been waiting for so long for this to happen!:):) so happy!

It seems like Mutual and Federal centre in President street is being worked on.

Did anyone watch the news last night? Bra Jacob met with the Jhb Taxi Assoc. at Gallagher estate, and he gave them a garuntee that if he becomes president he will put the BRT i.e Rea Yaya system on hold! So that they can sort out the problems with them. Excuse me if Im too harsh, but WTF? Jhb city has invested SO MUCH FUCKING money in this, why the hell would you want to put it on hold? We need this to run its course so that come 2010 it should be running smoothly with all the kinks happening in this period?

I was expecting him to say that when he met with the taxi operators. A perfect example of how he totally panders to the audience he is speaking to, in this case the taxi association. It will backfire on him, though, either when Jeff Rabebe overrides his decision (because this man at least has a backbone in his body and is fully in support of the BRT) or when he gets blamed for public transport being in a shambles in 2010. I fear the latter...

JZ is clearly not a leader.. Leaders have to be ready to take unpopular decisions when there are two divergent interests involved. Mbeki at least had that in him!

Zuma is but a puppet for the "perceived" majority. We protect a couple of thousand taxi bosses at the expense of millions of commuters.

i'm very confident that the anc knows there's a lot at stake i.e their 2010 promise. Zuma himself knows that a lot has been invested into the BRT. they just want to get their vote and these elections to pass so that the dust can settle, then slowly implement it. what was quite interesting is that taxi people do listen to him he really calmed them down they where even applauding him. he has made too many friends and thats whats gonna kill him :banana:

There's office construction taking place at MonteCasino and a hotel and retail development designed by same architects that designed Soccer City just outside MonteCasino. By the way the hotel is one of Town Lodge hotels.

Was driving through Joburg CBD with my mates last night and wow it's an extremely busy place at night. Taxi's everywhere, people all over, lots of atmosphere. Didn't really feel threatened but the CBD is in serious need of a cleanup. More cops + less taxis would be a perfect combination

^^ during the night the cbd gets dirty as there is too much pedestrian traffic and cleaners logoff at about 15:00 and start at 03:00 the following morning.

The Pules
http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr270/rulani/P1170070.jpg
No this is not Ponte
http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr270/rulani/P1170068.jpg
http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr270/rulani/P1170064.jpg

GOLDREEF CITY
http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr270/rulani/P1170153.jpg
http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr270/rulani/P1170143.jpg
http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr270/rulani/P1170123.jpg
http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr270/rulani/P1170120.jpg
http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr270/rulani/P1170117.jpg
http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr270/rulani/P1170148.jpg
http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr270/rulani/P1170115.jpg

Diagonal street upgrade
http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr270/rulani/P1160984.jpg
http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr270/rulani/P1160986.jpg

Pule, is this the same one undergoing rennov at 120 end street -26F
http://i490.photobucket.com/albums/rr270/rulani/P1170086.jpg

Yip, that's the one.

Yip, that's the one.

Ah thanks, nice pics by the way. Thanks

That football field installation is SO clever, I LOVE it and hope it stays there forever!
Thanks for the pics Pule

quick random question, how many floors is that vodacom building? the one that you always see on tv when they talking about JHB

quick random question, how many floors is that vodacom building? the one that you always see on tv when they talking about JHB

54F,
such a pity its in the current state where all the rennovations have gone down the drain after just a quarter of work done. Such a waste.

o ok...thanks
Notice whenever talking about JHB they show this building, when talking about CT they show TM

Ya, its such a big symbol of Joburg together with that long Telkom tower. cant imagine Joburg without any of the two.

^^ true Rulani but the sad part is that both of them are only true city icons from the distance only. Telkom doenst wanna open Hillbrow tower for public use and Ponte is not in good condition.

Just so we on the same page, that other tower thing next to it, is the telkom one
Anyways, thanks, now i know about about it when i see it again :)

It really is so so sad Ponte's plans fell through. It was an awesome project. They were aiming for the wrong market, but it's still nice to dream.

So what do you think they'll do with it now? How is the area surrounding Ponte like?

Really a mystery at the moment, but there are people who know. They dont want us to know what they know.

Thanks Pules, great to see Gold reef nice and full. I wish that they would open something new and refreshing at gold reef, exactly what i dont know right now.

Ponte: I never had much faith in the redevelopment, it was overambitious and maybe ahead of its time. There are buildings in Hillbrow that need to be addressed way more urgently than Ponte.

If the building your talking about is Ponte,it has more floors than the Carlton so why is it the second tallest?

Because Carlton is taller in terms of its length (ie measured by metres)
But I wonder if that's still true with the neon sign on Ponte included. With the neon sign, the building must at least be between 60 and 65 floors, and at least about 20m taller than it originally was.

SA BOY would know about this, though...? Or maybe someone else

^^ To my knowledge, Calton is still taller even with Ponte having that sign - please some one correct me if i am wrong.

Alot of people think Ponte is taller and thats because its situated on much higher ground than Calton thus giving it a much taller look.

BTW, good to see you here Joburg, dont see much of you these days.

The Carlton is still 40m taller, floor to ceiling height is more with the Carlton. Ponte's neon sign did not really add that much height.

Properties next to Jewel City sold
2009/05/05

A property development company has acquired four properties adjacent to the Jewel City precinct in the Johannesburg inner city for R40m.

These properties will be incorporated into the precinct.

ApexHi Properties Limited asset manager, Grant Elliott, says two of the properties were acquired at a 12% initial yield, and will increase the gross lettable area (GLA) by 7,500sq m to 37,500sq m, providing an opportunity to let the space to the waiting list of potential tenants who would benefit from being located within the precinct.

In addition, one of the buildings, which was only partially constructed, will be demolished and redeveloped to provide on-grade parking to further alleviate the parking issues and congestion within the precinct.

"Apart from housing South Africa's only diamond exchange centre and the statutory bodies, Jewel City already accommodates both Gauteng's diamond grading companies, 66% of the province's diamond cutters, 54% of the polished diamond dealers, 48% of the rough diamond dealers, and both specialised diamond courier companies.

"The precinct offers a niche service to the industry, which cannot be replicated elsewhere without a huge hike in rentals," says Elliott.

Pule, that documentry of the high speed trains on National Geo channel was awsome. The technicalities around those projects were super. thanks for letting me know
Anybody saw them?

I missed it.

Metrobus strike rolls on and on

Bus drivers and other staff will continue their strike at Metrobus after the City-owned company and the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) failed to agree on a proposed salary increment structure in their negotiation meeting yesterday.

Metrobus spokesperson Kenney Kutu said the negotiations on the proposed structures were continuing notwithstanding their application to the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGB).

"We want the bargaining council to state at what level the salary negotiations can be facilitated. That application does not stop us from negotiating a proposed structure," Kutu explained.

The company was eagerly awaiting a response from SALGB to its application. Metrobus wanted to establish salary increase structures with which Samwu was happy, he added.

"These are the structures that we will present at the bargaining council when salary negotiations go there."

Kutu said Metrobus management indicated in the meeting that it would table its proposed increment structure in the next meeting. "The meeting was positive and encouraging in a sense that we have to report back to the union with our proposed structure tomorrow morning [Thursday, 30 April]."

Strike call
About 600 Metrobus staff members affiliated to Samwu went on an indefinite strike on Tuesday, 28 April. The union had raised two demands: salary increases and a call for the suspension of a manager alleged to have improperly influenced metro police officers during a previous strike. The latter is not part of the negotiations.

On the second day of the strike workers demonstrated outside Metrobus offices in Braamfontein.

Samwu shop steward Dion Makhura said there was no agreement on Metrobus' salary scaling proposal. "We did not agree on anything in the meeting, so we'll see what emerges in the next meeting."

Kutu said Metrobus was hopeful the strike would end soon. "We are just concerned about getting the buses back on the road. We also hope that our commuters will be the winners at the end of the day."

http://www.joburg.org.za/content/view/3781/266/

Metrobus workers to discuss offer

The strike at Metrobus continues into its second week today, with union members now set to examine an offer made by the company yesterday.

THE ball is now in the court of striking Metrobus workers, who will scrutinise the salary increment proposal made by the company yesterday.

"We will consult with our members on the offer that Metrobus has made to us," said the South African Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) spokesperson, Dumisani Langa.

Metrobus's offer, tabled to Samwu on 5 May, marked the start of serious salary increment negotiations, Langa said. "Since Wednesday last week [29 April, the second day of the strike], there was nothing substantial we could talk about. This offer allows us to negotiate."

Langa said the union's striking members would determine the direction that the negotiations would take. "Now the employees will say, How do we go forward with this offer?"

Declining to reveal the exact proposal that Metrobus made, Langa said it is not what they were demanding. "The offer is not quite closer to our demands, but it is not a bad offer."

Samwu is demanding an 11 percent salary increase for its members. The union says Metrobus employees should be moved to higher salary bands in accordance with number of years of employment with the company.

At present, some experienced drivers are on the same band as newly employed drivers, earning R7 021 a month.

Langa said the consultations with union members would determine the fate of the strike. "I cannot confirm that the strike will continue or end soon. It might happen that our members want us to negotiate further.

"It might happen that they want exactly what they initially demanded, therefore prolonging the strike."

Thousands of Metrobus commuters have had to rely on alternative transport during the week-long strike, while the company has lost thousands of rands daily, with its fleet of 476 buses parked in the depot.

http://www.joburg.org.za/content/view/3799/266/

Pikitup red cards litterbugs


Members of the public will be given whistles and red cards to hand out to litterbugs as part of its Pitch in and we'll Pikitup campaign.

PIKITUP is using modern technology to promote its new campaign, Pitch in and we'll Pikitup, which was inspired by next month's Confederations Cup.

The new campaign was launched on Tuesday, 5 May; at the same time, the utility's upgraded website was reactivated.

"Facebook will be used to market the campaign and make it known to many people, especially the youth as most of them are found on Facebook," said Thabiso Taaka, Pikitup's chief operating officer.

As part of the campaign, Pikitup would hand out red cards and whistles to the public. If you see someone littering, you will be encouraged to blow your whistle and give that person a red card. This will mean that they must pick up their rubbish and put it in a bin.

"With this funny and enthusiastic way of blowing whistles and dishing out red cards, we will be raising awareness about illegal dumping," he said.

Former Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs, Moroka Swallows and Benoni United players, who were on duty in the 1970s and 80s, attended the launch in support of the campaign.

New blue 140-litre bins have been designed to mark the campaign. They sport a new logo, a hand bearing the words "Clean city clean game", that was again inspired by the upcoming football tournament.

Success
Getting off over the next two months, the campaign will run for four months and will be reviewed for its progress. It will be reviewed again after two years to gauge its success.
Soccer legends from Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs, Moroka Swallows and Benoni United came out in support of the campaign
Soccer legends from Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs, Moroka Swallows and Benoni United came out in support of the campaign

The campaign will focus on education, awareness and law enforcement. Other stakeholders are the Global Marketing Communications Agency; Absa, the banking group; and BP, the fuel company.

Another aspect of its aim to polish up Joburg is a mass clean-up on 6 June. On this day, everyone in the city will be encouraged to join Pikitup in picking up rubbish. Other small operations that will be run are clean-up days and a clean city summit, focusing on illegal dumping, recycling, and environmental education.

"We want to do away with landfills in the coming few years. It is also important that we visit schools to encourage and educate kids to take care of the environment and to use the bins provided," said Zami Nkosi, the managing director of Pikitup.

The campaign targeted the youth, Joburg residents, staff, businesses and Pikitup stakeholders. Nkosi urged Joburg media to help make it successful. His company would use radio and television broadcasts, billboards, print and the web to publicise its efforts.

Awareness
Initiatives to raise awareness among residents and educate people about keeping the city clean, waste management by-laws, and litter cops would be rolled out by September.
Pikitup MD, Zami Nkosi, said the company would embark on a publicity campaign targeting young people, to spruce up the city
Pikitup MD, Zami Nkosi, said the company would embark on a publicity campaign targeting young people, to spruce up the city

Some R20-million has been budgeted for the campaign, which will operate in 56 000 households.

During a question and answer session after the formalities, it was asked whether people would take the red card and whistle seriously. Taaka responded that they would make people feel that they were being watched when they littered, and this would create awareness of keeping the city clean. France used this method, too, he said.

Nkosi said that there should be 100 rangers before the end of the year, keeping an eye on litter. At present, there are 43 rangers.

To find out how to pitch in on Pikitup cleaning days, visit the Pikitup website or call 011 712 5200.

Pikitup serves 3,8 million customers through weekly refuse collections. It has 60 underground bins in Soweto and 1 000 will be installed in the city. It also has 495 trucks working around the clock. It has 49 garden sites and 11 depots across the city where residents can dump their green waste, which is then recycled and turned into high quality organic compost.

About 1,7 million tons of waste are generated in Joburg each year.

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/may/cleancity1.jpg

http://www.joburg.org.za/content/view/3802/266/

Thanks Guliver, Im definately gonna join the clean up team to make a difference.

:)

The good news:

Finally the City have blocked a portion of the vacant land which is being unlawfully utilised by taxi guys next to Mandela Bridge and after stalling the site is being cleared again. I will keep an eye on the progress.

Good to hear.

The good news:

Finally the City have blocked a portion of the vacant land which is being unlawfully utilised by taxi guys next to Mandela Bridge and after stalling the site is being cleared again. I will keep an eye on the progress.

Are you serious Pule? Finally! Is it a big portion or what?

^^ yip it is a big portion and I also saw road barriers on the smaller vacant land as you drive via biccard street into Simmons from Braamfontein.

Luca, Hsark, Marco and Rulani, do you still remeber this one from our last tour

CBD attracts top artists, galleries
Written by Lucille Davie
Thursday, 07 May 2009

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/may/cbd_top.jpg


Arts on Main will open in mid-May, with galleries, studios, a restaurant and bar, as well as an events space. Next door is Jewel City, making this a fascinating few blocks.

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/may/cbd1.jpg
The DF Corlett building, soon to open as Arts on Main

INTERNATIONALLY renowned Joburg artist William Kentridge is about to move into a second studio ... this time in Berea Street in the CBD, on the eastern edge of Jewel City.

Kentridge will take one of the five warehouses that are being converted into studios and galleries in a development referred to as Arts on Main.

"At this stage he doesn't know exactly what he will be using the space for," says Linda Leibowitz, his spokesperson. But she indicates that he needs more space to run workshops or perhaps even for rehearsals for the new opera he is working on, The Nose, to be performed in New York in 2010.

"He will be working between the two studios - he needs extra space," she adds. His studio will be some 500m². All the spaces are ideal for studios, with their lofty roofs and airy, double-volume interiors.

Other galleries also need extra space - the Goodman Gallery, the David Krut Gallery, Bailey's African History Archives, and the Seippel Gallery will be getting second galleries in Arts on Main. The Goethe-Institut, the Nirox Foundation, a literature project called Right on the Rim, an architect's firm and an advertising company will also be taking up space in the complex.

Bronwyn Law-Viljoen, the managing editor of David Krut Publishing, will be moving to Arts on Main with the gallery's print-making operation, and she is looking forward to the move, planned for the end of May. "I like the city. I always wanted to be based in the city.

"This is a very exciting development and quite a bold move. I am interested to see how things evolve down there on this side of town. We feel very confident about the move."

A restaurant, to be called Canteen, will be moving in by mid-May, facing a courtyard filled with olive and lemon trees. The roof of the restaurant will house a bar and an outdoor cinema.

Opening in mid-May
The developer is Jonathan Liebmann, who plans to open Arts on Main in mid-May with a concert.

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/may/cbd2.jpg
Double-volume spaces will soon accommodate galleries

One of the warehouses will be kept as an events space and will retain the rustic feel of the building, with its tall A-framed corrugated iron roof and brick walls. Liebmann plans to create an internet café in an old car that came with the building, which is now on the roof of the restaurant.

He has also bought a piece of land across the road for parking, with further parking available in Fox and Berea streets. He says that he has a 50/50 mix of owners and tenants in the complex.

The original building on Berea Street belonged to DF Corlett, a building contractor and former mayor of Joburg who gave his name to Corlett Drive in Illovo. The buildings have been vacant for some time, begging for development in the untidy mish-mash of factory and motor repair buildings on this edge of the CBD.

Jewel City revamp
The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) has spent some R17,8-million in revamping the Jewel City precinct - replacing or upgrading stormwater outlets and drainage and street lighting.

Freeway columns have been cleaned and painted with anti-graffiti paint, pedestrian ramps have been constructed and, to give the precinct a distinct feel, geometric mosaic shapes were created on the pavements to enhance the new diamond-shaped slabs.

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/may/cbd3.jpg
The view from the new restaurant, Canteen, overlooking an olive and lemon grove

The precinct consists of four city blocks. Jewel City contains offices and workshops of around 280 diamond dealers and manufacturers, receiving and processing diamonds from Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo and Botswana. It attracts some 400 visitors a day, mostly buying cut and polished but unmounted diamonds. Around R7-billion changes hands every year at Jewel City.

In late 2008, the JDA unveiled an artwork by Shepherd Ndudzo in the precinct, a dramatic stone and wood sculpture in the shape of an elongated diamond, positioned on a traffic island at the intersection of Commissioner and Berea streets.

ApexHi, the major property owner in the area, has contributed R2-million to the upgrade.

The final element is the placing of 15 CCTV cameras, says Claudia Mahlaule, the project manager with the JDA, at a cost of R2,5-million, with a contribution of R2-million from ApexHi. The cameras will be in place by the end of June. The JDA is also replacing the pavements around the Arts on Main block.

Meanwhile, Liebmann says he is looking around in the area for further potential developments. "I'm on the prowl," he smiles.

^^ that place is gonna rock, it reminds me of 44 Stanley in Parktown.

Private Sector Investment in the Johannesburg Inner City


Investment in the Inner City is booming thanks to the continuous hard work by the Central Johannesburg Partnership (CJP) and the Johannesburg Inner City Business Coalition (JICBC).

A study recently completed by the CJP reveals that members of the JICBC have invested nearly R4 billion between 2006 to date in the Inner City of Johannesburg. The study, completed by Hans Jooste, General Manager of the CJP, also indicates that capital investment by the private sector in public space and including joint ventures is sitting at a staggering R27,4 million from 2006 to date. Further investment of R120 million in the public space is planned over the next three years.

Many members of the JICBC are also committed to and are members of Joburg’s Inner City improvement districts (CIDs). A clear indication that improvement management of the public space supports and enables investment by the private sector in property in the Inner City.

The JICBC, managed by the CJP, was formed in 1997 with the aim of ensuring economic growth and the revitalization of the urban environment so as to deliver an improvement in the quality of life for all city stakeholders and role-players. According to Mr Jooste, “during the past ten years, the JICBC has been a strong lobby group working on behalf of Inner City property owners, developers and corporate bodies, regularly interfacing with the committees, utilities and agencies of The City of Johannesburg, in order to share information and ideas.” The JICBC is a signed member of the Executive

Mayor’s Inner City Regeneration Charter.
The approximate amount of operational funds invested by the private sector through city improvement districts, safety initiatives and joint ventures in the Inner City as of 2006 to date total R84 million. There are currently six legislated CIDs in the Inner City, including Braamfontein Improvement District, South Western Improvement District, Retail Improvement District, Central Improvement District, Benrose Improvement District and Legae La Rona Improvement District. These CIDs are private sector initiatives and financed by private sector funds.

Joint ventures between the city and private sector in public spaces totalled R10 million and included the High Court Precinct, Jewel City, Hoek Street Linear Market and the Retail Improvement District Strategic Upgrade project.

Key private investments in the Inner City include:
Absa Campus – Substantial investment has been done in the south eastern sector including roads and pavement upgrades, and development of the Absa Towers West to the value of well over R1 billion.

Standard Bank Block – Substantial investment to the value of R73 million has been done in the south western sector including the purchase and site development of the Ussher site, parkade, and public space upgrade.

Main Place (Zurich Development) - Substantial investment has been done also in the south western sector to the value of R500 million.

FNB Bank City - FNB Bank City precinct is in process of developing to the west by constructing a parkade and upgrading properties purchased to the north. The estimated development is R 100 million.

Old Mutual has a huge portfolio in the Inner City and their investment between 2006 and 2010 is estimated at R2,2 billion.

Urban Ocean Property Developers have developed properties into upper class residential units and investing in the regeneration of some of their properties into hotels and retail with an approximate total of investment by 2010 of R 1 billion.

CircleVest /Atterbury Property Developers have developed hotels in the south western area including the Mapungubwe Hotel at a capital cost of R 55 million and public space upgrading of R 80 000. Isibaya House with a capital cost was R 40 million and R 100 000 public space upgrading. The pending Newtown development will be approximately R 1 billion. This includes public space upgrading of R 10 million.

South Point Properties have redeveloped buildings into residential units with a total capital investment by 2009 of R 183 million.

City Properties are one of the major residential and retail developers in the Inner City. They provide a large portion of the up market affordable residential units in the Inner City. To date their capital expenditure has been R 450 million and their planned capital outlay to 2011 will be R 800 million. Total capital spent on public space upgrade to date is R 2 million.

The Affordable Housing Company (Afhco) is a major residential and retail developer in the inner city. They provide a large portion of the upmarket affordable residential units in the Inner City. To date their capital expenditure is R 300 million and their planned capital outlay to 2011 will be R 750 million. Total capital spent on public space upgrade to date is R 4 million. They are involved in numerous social projects and will be spending approximately R 5 million thereon. They finance and support a local private school, ‘Citykidz’, in the Inner City area.

With the likes of AFHCO, City Property and other menetioned above, it clearly tells that we in for more upgrades in the Inner City for the next 2 years. If you check the amount they planning to spend until 2011, it shows that even more buildings and landscape/enviromental projects will come on board this year and next year.

Luca, Hsark, Marco and Rulani, do you still remeber this one from our last tour

Pule, this is the best news iv heard all week. That place is going to be so awsome. I wish we had more of these forward thinking developers in our cities as aposed to those who only build mass complex housing

Luca, Hsark, Marco and Rulani, do you still remeber this one from our last tour

CBD attracts top artists, galleries
Written by Lucille Davie
Thursday, 07 May 2009

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/may/cbd_top.jpg


Arts on Main will open in mid-May, with galleries, studios, a restaurant and bar, as well as an events space. Next door is Jewel City, making this a fascinating few blocks.

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/may/cbd1.jpg
The DF Corlett building, soon to open as Arts on Main

INTERNATIONALLY renowned Joburg artist William Kentridge is about to move into a second studio ... this time in Berea Street in the CBD, on the eastern edge of Jewel City.

Kentridge will take one of the five warehouses that are being converted into studios and galleries in a development referred to as Arts on Main.

"At this stage he doesn't know exactly what he will be using the space for," says Linda Leibowitz, his spokesperson. But she indicates that he needs more space to run workshops or perhaps even for rehearsals for the new opera he is working on, The Nose, to be performed in New York in 2010.

"He will be working between the two studios - he needs extra space," she adds. His studio will be some 500m². All the spaces are ideal for studios, with their lofty roofs and airy, double-volume interiors.

Other galleries also need extra space - the Goodman Gallery, the David Krut Gallery, Bailey's African History Archives, and the Seippel Gallery will be getting second galleries in Arts on Main. The Goethe-Institut, the Nirox Foundation, a literature project called Right on the Rim, an architect's firm and an advertising company will also be taking up space in the complex.

Bronwyn Law-Viljoen, the managing editor of David Krut Publishing, will be moving to Arts on Main with the gallery's print-making operation, and she is looking forward to the move, planned for the end of May. "I like the city. I always wanted to be based in the city.

"This is a very exciting development and quite a bold move. I am interested to see how things evolve down there on this side of town. We feel very confident about the move."

A restaurant, to be called Canteen, will be moving in by mid-May, facing a courtyard filled with olive and lemon trees. The roof of the restaurant will house a bar and an outdoor cinema.

Opening in mid-May
The developer is Jonathan Liebmann, who plans to open Arts on Main in mid-May with a concert.

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/may/cbd2.jpg
Double-volume spaces will soon accommodate galleries

One of the warehouses will be kept as an events space and will retain the rustic feel of the building, with its tall A-framed corrugated iron roof and brick walls. Liebmann plans to create an internet café in an old car that came with the building, which is now on the roof of the restaurant.

He has also bought a piece of land across the road for parking, with further parking available in Fox and Berea streets. He says that he has a 50/50 mix of owners and tenants in the complex.

The original building on Berea Street belonged to DF Corlett, a building contractor and former mayor of Joburg who gave his name to Corlett Drive in Illovo. The buildings have been vacant for some time, begging for development in the untidy mish-mash of factory and motor repair buildings on this edge of the CBD.

Jewel City revamp
The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) has spent some R17,8-million in revamping the Jewel City precinct - replacing or upgrading stormwater outlets and drainage and street lighting.

Freeway columns have been cleaned and painted with anti-graffiti paint, pedestrian ramps have been constructed and, to give the precinct a distinct feel, geometric mosaic shapes were created on the pavements to enhance the new diamond-shaped slabs.

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/may/cbd3.jpg
The view from the new restaurant, Canteen, overlooking an olive and lemon grove

The precinct consists of four city blocks. Jewel City contains offices and workshops of around 280 diamond dealers and manufacturers, receiving and processing diamonds from Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo and Botswana. It attracts some 400 visitors a day, mostly buying cut and polished but unmounted diamonds. Around R7-billion changes hands every year at Jewel City.

In late 2008, the JDA unveiled an artwork by Shepherd Ndudzo in the precinct, a dramatic stone and wood sculpture in the shape of an elongated diamond, positioned on a traffic island at the intersection of Commissioner and Berea streets.

ApexHi, the major property owner in the area, has contributed R2-million to the upgrade.

The final element is the placing of 15 CCTV cameras, says Claudia Mahlaule, the project manager with the JDA, at a cost of R2,5-million, with a contribution of R2-million from ApexHi. The cameras will be in place by the end of June. The JDA is also replacing the pavements around the Arts on Main block.

Meanwhile, Liebmann says he is looking around in the area for further potential developments. "I'm on the prowl," he smiles.

Puls, i still remember the place. a lot of work has been done. Excellent stuff.

The good news:

Finally the City have blocked a portion of the vacant land which is being unlawfully utilised by taxi guys next to Mandela Bridge and after stalling the site is being cleared again. I will keep an eye on the progress.

Yeah. The piece of land is being converted into a temporary facility for long-range buses etc. as part of the Park Station Precint upgrade (what did they call it? The International Shopping Portal or something?).

The only reason its temporary is because the land belongs to Transet who refuses to sell it to Johannesburg City. They say they have significant long term plans for the piece of land. Whatever. Transnet, other large parastatals and government departments are the biggest hindrance to development in this country.

Anyway. Saw that JDA had put out a tender early this year for the development of the land. This latest development must mean that the tender has been awarded and things are moving forward.

Another blister in the city is being popped! Hooray!

^^ actually Transnet claim that they have a buyer already. They say the city wont pay them what the private sector will. I really dont understand as to why all these cities do not nail Transnet for every little wrong they do.

... I wish we had more of these forward thinking developers in our cities as aposed to those who only build mass complex housing

With time things will change.

We have heard that investor confidence is increasing in Jozi CBD but it raises questions that the core CBD can only pride itself with Mapungubwe as the only hotel. This simply tells us that there is something wrong happening in terms of attracting investors to the CBD as we can't even attract Road Lodge and Holiday Inn. I tend to think that these companies would actually love to invest around Park Station Precinct but with no movement that shwos that the city is serious about improving the area, the companies wouldn't even bother to waste thier money and invest in the CBD while they do not get any quarantee of their investment in the CBD.

Another addition to the CBD

New upmarket nightclub for Inner City

Traffic café / No Parking club incorporates a restaurant, night club and VIP lounge. Traffic café is an original, fresh, new and innovative restaurant theme sourced from local traffic road rules and regulations. This establishment will operate on a nightly basis offering different music genre evenings from hip hop, house and jazz to live artists.

where is it P?

Here we go T.

The venue is at 130 Fox Street, corner of Von Brandis.

Contact Sekwati “Mike” Marishane at 078 767 1655 or 011 331 3340.

Anybody knowing wich houses are these?

REQUEST FOR QUOTATION: FEASIBILITY STUDY – PEPPER POT HOUSES

BACKGROUND
The Johannesburg Development Agency is a wholly owned entity of the City of Johannesburg, whose mandate is to deliver successful capital expenditure projects in areas in decay, thereby regenerating and creating thriving precincts on behalf of the City. The JDA is requesting proposals from urban designers/architects, for the restoration of the Pepper Pot Houses.

The Pepper Pot Houses are situated in Bertrams in the Greater Ellis Park Development, within the Inner City boundaries. Erven 186, 187 and 188 Bertrams (Zoned Residential 4) measuring a combined 1,341 square metres are located on the corner of Ascot and Queen Roads. Erven 160, 161 and 162 Bertrams (vacant stands) measuring a combined 1,341 square metres are located on the corner of Gordon and Queen Roads (Locality Plan is attached as Annexure A).

Easy access to the site can be gained via major routes like the N12 or M1 highways. Most of the dwellings in the area are in a neglected state with multi tenant occupancy.

Again, Rulani and the guys, this is that building that Neil Fraser said Walter Sisulu and Nelson Mandela was practising law. If you still got the pic of it please post for the guys to see.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR A SERVICE PROVIDER TO DEVELOP A CONCEPTUAL
DESIGN FOR THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF CHANCELLOR HOUSE

The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) is a wholly owned agency of the City of
Johannesburg which stimulates and supports area-based based development initiatives
throughout the Johannesburg metropolitan in support of the City of Johannesburg’s Growth and Development Strategy.

As development manager of these initiatives, the JDA coordinates and manages capital
investment and other programmes involving both public and private sector stakeholders.
Kindly furnish me with a written quotation for the supply of the professional services as stipulated below.

The JDA invites tenders from service providers with experience in heritage architecture, in structural engineering and in the costing of architectural designs.

The purpose of the request for proposals is to secure a service provider who can undertake a feasibility study and assessment of the current Chancellor House and its immediate surrounds, develop a concept for the future use of the building and site both with a view to appropriate memorialisation of the history of this building and to appropriate future use of the structure and site within its current context.

Chancellor House is an important historical location. It is a privately owned three-story office building situated at the corner of Miriam Makeba Road and Fox Street opposite the Magistrates’ Courts. The site has great historical significance as the location where Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo had their law offices during the 1950’s; at the time the only black-owned legal firm in S.A.

From these chambers, Mandela and Tambo challenged apartheid laws, both professionally and politically, backed in later years by a team that included Duma Nokwe, Ruth Mompati, Mendi Msimang, Godfrey Pitje and others. The office stayed open until 1960 when Tambo left the country to head the ANC’s external mission. The appropriate memorialisation of this auspicious history is important to the heritage of Johannesburg.

The building is currently occupied by homeless people. The state of the building has deteriorated significantly and is both in itself a decayed and possibly unsafe structure and is within its context an impediment to investment and urban upgrading in this sector of the inner city.

Proposals are invited to address two phases of the project:Phase One: The feasibility study and architectural design will supply at least the following inputs:
1. An assessment of the structural condition of the building and the feasibility of restoring the building
2. An analysis of site conditions, contextual conditions and town planning considerations
3. An assessment of options for memorialisation of the history of the building, whether
through restoration, development of a new building or other use of the site
4. Conceptual proposals and architectural sketch designs for the restoration or
redevelopment of the building and site to ensure the memorialisation of the historic use of the original Chancellor House as offices for Mandela and Tambo, and to the appropriate
future use of the buildings.
5. Recommendations for appropriate town planning regulations that should accompany the site
6. Recommendations for appropriate public space interventions on the site and the interface of the site with its surrounds.
7. Costing of proposals

Phase Two:
Full design and architectural oversight of the restoration and construction of the building and site
The costing of the study will be for both phases (please quote separately for the two phases):
• Phase 1: Feasibility study and conceptual architectural design, to sketch proposals.
• Phase 2: Detailed design and architectural oversight of building restoration, construction and public space upgrading on the site

The expectation is not that the architectural design component of Phase One will be costed on the basis of professional fees. It will be a lump sum proposal for initial designs.
Depending on available finance the JDA will commence with the restoration of the buildings.

However the JDA reserves the right, if conditions or finances do not permit further progress, to terminate the contract of the service provider after Phase One.

This project will commence by 7 April 2009 and the completion date is 20 May 2009.
The quotation must be submitted on the letterhead of your business and can either be faxed or delivered by hand not later than 12.00 on 27 March 2009 to: The Bus Factory, 3 President Street, Newtown. Johannesburg. The quotation should also include a company profile and references for similar work undertaken.

^^ there will be Rea Vaya Station closer to this building.

Another addition to the CBD

Interesting choice of theme that.