<<< JOHANNESBURG DISCUSSION >>> closed August 2006

[SYDNEY]

Thread related to all news and discussion about greater Johannesburg area:

[jimm]

Good thread, Gandalf, strange but as i see nobody has responded yet. So this is my little contribution.

[SYDNEY]

Originally Posted by jimm

Good thread, Gandalf, strange but as i see nobody has responded yet. So this is my little contribution.

Thanks Jimm - we are "restructuring" the SA forum for 2005 .. expect major things to happen ... have a gr8 Christmas and an even better New Year

[jimm]

^
Thanks, the same for you too

[SA BOY]

great articles, so positive.

[Peter The Great]

You hardly see anything from South Africa in this forum...made me think it was a wasteland...boy was I wrong.

[Pule]

Originally Posted by Peter The Great

You hardly see anything from South Africa in this forum...made me think it was a wasteland...boy was I wrong.

I'm glad that you have now realized that there's more than what you thought in SA forum Peter. Make sure that you visit this forum often to see and hear more about the South Africa's good news.

[SYDNEY]

Originally Posted by Peter The Great

You hardly see anything from South Africa in this forum...made me think it was a wasteland...boy was I wrong.

You are quite right, it is a wasteland

[SkylineTurbo]

Sandton has got quite a number of developments, is it one of the 'safer' areas.

[sa-dreamer]

That development is one in Milpark, not Sandton. It talks about the location of the suburb in the article, if you are interested.




Yes, I have read about this before. The interiors are stunning!!!

Please set the record straight. There have been rumors around that a new huge project is set for Newtown. "Copper Square" includes a 830 ft copper clad curtain wall mixed-use building, a 7 floor low-rise at it's base, and a circular development ring around the waterfront extending north from the skyscraper including (take a deep breath) a new baseball/cricket park, a rugby stadium, an enclosed arena, a shopping mall, an aquatic center, a library, a hospital, a new union-house looking building proposed for government use, and 3 four floor copper clad office buildings , not to mention the golf course that would meander AROUND the 830 tower and waterfront ( as far as I know the only truly urban course in the entire world. Now I have heard nothing about this except for a so-so aquaintence and I seriously doubt that a project of this magnitude has even been discussed for Newtown. I think this is just an unreliable rumor. However would'nt it be awesome if such a thing was in the planning stage. Will someone please set the record straight. I have looked and have found no resources on the net. Supposedly the guy who gave me this info (usually a flippin retard but on occasion he has known to be right) got this info from an article in an alternative magazine. Did he just make this up?

[waltjie]

never heard of it... but if you can get some trustworthy info on this.... please let us know... that will be AWESOME!

[SYDNEY]

^ I saw the plans for this in 1995 .. it also involved covering the railway lines and all the above-mentioned amenities were to be built on top of that. A Guggenheim Museum was also planned along the likes of Bilbao's Guggenheim BUT it was shelved. It may have resurfaced but I seriously doubt it - let's hold thumbs that somebody with vision will dust the plans off and get it rolling

[Pule]

R71m facelift for Rockey Street


The Rockey/Raleigh High Street in the once-vibey Johannesburg suburb of Yeoville is set for a R71-million facelift over the next four years.

The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) launched the regeneration project with a street clean-up that was attended by residents from Yeoville, Bellevue and Bellevue East and the area's interim stakeholder liaison forum. "This was to encourage the community members to keep the street clean and help by-law enforcers by reporting any unlawful incident," said JDA Assistant Development Manager, Seipati More.

The aim of the regeneration project is to attract new investment into the area, as well as to restore the street to its former glory as the symbolic heart and soul of Yeoville.

"As an organisation we have a good track record in regeneration initiatives. One of our most recent and successful case studies is the Newtown cultural precinct," said JDA Executive for Marketing and Communications, Tshepo Nkosi.

"We have restored pride in the area and are drawing audiences and business back to the area. Using the same strategies, and with the co-operation of the community and stakeholders, we will restore pride to once glorious Rockey/Raleigh High Street," he added.

The Yeoville regeneration project will include intensive urban management, economic development, public environment upgrade and marketing.

"We are currently busy with the first project, which will focus on by-law enforcement, town planning scheme enforcement, informal trade control and the improvement of delivery of services by the City's utilities and public environment management," said More.

The project identifies different zones for different activities along the length of Rockey/Raleigh High Street.

The strategy sees the section from Fortesque to Kenmere streets being zoned as a civic node with a focus on public services.

The library will be moved into an empty City Power building nearby and the old police station will be used for social services. Next to it will be the new police station, to be built by the Department of Public Works, and alongside will be a clinic, according to More.

Further down Rockey/Raleigh Street an adult entertainment section will be established between Cavendish and Bezuidenhout streets, and investment in a small business hub and support centre will see the creation of a more dynamic business environment.

"The vision we have developed for Yeoville Rockey/Raleigh High Street is that it will be an attractive, well maintained, safe, secure and convenient urban environment, which is sustained by a vibrant local mixed-use economy, providing opportunities for convenient shopping, accessible retail, entertainment, recreation and social services facilities, predominantly to the neighbourhood community and attractive to the sub-regional community," Nkosi said.

[Pule]

City plans makeover
for Ellis Park precinct
THE Greater Ellis Park precinct, an area housing the city's premier sports complexes, is to receive a multi-million rand facelift over the next five years.





January 4, 2005
By Ndaba Dlamini

THE Greater Ellis Park precinct will receive a multi-million rand upgrade over the next five years - a move expected to sell the area as a place that is ready to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup and, hopefully, the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

The R2-billion upgrade is also expected to reverse inner city decline and attract investment. According to a report from the City of Johannesburg's development planning, transportation and planning department, the developments will benefit the whole area.

"The Greater Ellis Park area will be a secure, safe, vibrant and sustainable world class, competitive and leading destination of choice for sports and recreation within the City of Johannesburg," says the report.

It will be an integrated inner city multi-nodal area offering "highly appealing and diverse opportunities" in which to live, work, visit, educate, shop and relax, according to the report.

The Greater Ellis Park precinct is home to three international sports complexes - the Johannesburg Stadium, Ellis Park Stadium and the city's premier Olympic-size swimming pool.

The project will also see business offices and the commercial and light industrial areas in Doornfontein, New Doornfontein, Troyeville and Lorentzville being given a facelift. The adjacent residential areas of Judith's Paarl, Bez Valley and Bertrams have also been hooked into the proposed developments.

The City of Johannesburg, through its utilities, agencies and corporatised entities, is expected to provide over R500-million to upgrade engineering services and infrastructure.

The public sector is expected to chip in with over R450-million, with the private sector contributing over R800-million.

The rest of the funding will be sourced from donors, the South African Railway Commuter Corporation and Intersite, a state-owned black empowerment property management and development company.

The utilities, agencies and corporatised entities, the South African Railway Commuter Corporation and Intersite will be involved in specific projects "mainly to provide technical support and other resources".

It has been estimated that R67-million will be needed specifically for the preparations for the 2010 Soccer World Cup. This money is expected to come from central government.

According to the City's development planning department, the 2010 Soccer World Cup and the 2011 Rugby World Cup - an event South Africa is currently bidding to host - "are opportunities that could be the catalyst to needed change in the area".

"It is crucial that an environment and mechanisms are created that sell Greater Ellis Park as a place that is ready to host such international events and that these events can be managed in a manner that optimises benefits to the local community and that of the City of Johannesburg," the report states.

The project is seen as complementing the Nasrec Development, a R350-million facelift to FNB Stadium, South Africa's soccer headquarters.

Better known as Soccer City, the 94 000-seat FNB Stadium southwest of Johannesburg is expected to host the final of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, with Ellis Park Stadium being the venue for one of the semi final matches.

"Ellis Park is a sports, educational and commercial hub - unlike Nasrec, which is the home of soccer," said Sibusiso Buthelezi, Johannesburg Development Agency development manager, in October 2004 during a presentation of the plan. "The Ellis Park developments are expected to complement the Nasrec developments," he added.

As part of efforts to improve infrastructure ahead of the number of soccer fans expected for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, the Doornfontein and Ellis Park railway stations will be upgraded, with a new 20 metre-wide subway at the Ellis Park Station to be constructed at a cost of over R26-million.

Like other inner city neighbourhoods, the precinct has been undergoing infrastructural decline and the City plans to extend its Better Buildings Programme - a project aimed at fixing up city slums - to the Greater Ellis Park area.

A R1-billion physical environment upgrade is planned for the precinct, and during the implementation phase of the project 11 148 temporary and 329 permanent jobs will be created.

In Lorentzville, some R39-million will be spent to improve the environment of the Jukskei River Park, with projects including the realigning of the canal, landscaping, river treatment and the building of recreation facilities.

Improvements of roads, pedestrian facilities, public transport facilities and the provision of integrated parking will be part and parcel of developments. About 10 000 parking bays will be constructed and seven kilometres of road and intersection will be upgraded.

In accordance with the City's housing policy to provide sustainable and affordable housing, 3 215 housing units will be built, 780 of which will be for social housing.

Work began in November 2004 and, according to the department of development planning, will be completed by June 2009, with sub-projects crucial for the 2010 Soccer World Cup being completed in June 2008.

[SkylineTurbo]

Is the carlton centre going to get a renovation?

[Pule]

Originally Posted by blackadder

Is the carlton centre going to get a renovation?

Last time I read on one of the posting, I learnt that there gonna be a shopping mall in Carlton Centre and the hotel will also be re-opened. To anyone who's got an info please repost.

[waltjie]

I agree on that. The Carlton Centre (retail portion) seems to be fully let yes, and Pick 'n Pay recently opened a branch there, which at least means they have some confidence in the area, but I dont really see the Centre being 'upgraded' in the near future. There just isnt a demand for 'fancy' shopping there (yet), and it provides the current clientele with what they need. I must say, I was surprised to find shops like Daniel Hechter and Soviet there...... A hotel is not really what that part of town needs right now, it needs people who LIVE there who would make use of an upgraded Carlton and such facilities. So I vote for residential units within Carlton Hotel

[hsark]

here the news of the carlton centre and hotel

Transnet, through Propnet, is the second-largest property owner in SA after government.

Mashinini said his biggest achievement during his tenure was to attract a large number of tenants to occupy space in Johannesburg's Carlton Centre.

He said office space at the 50storey building, which Propnet bought for R32m about four years ago, was being taken up at an unexpected rate. Currently 90% of tenants used the space for offices and the rest for commercial purposes, he said.

Retail store Pick 'n Pay and the South African Revenue Service would soon be among Propnet's new tenants, Mashinini said.

"That alone will boost the (revenue) of the Carlton Centre and the central business district (of Johannesburg)," he said.

The Carlton Hotel is also set for a major revamp in the next financial year.

The 700-room building would be developed into an upmarket residential facility.

heres the juice on the carlton hotel

Company is seeking a partner to run and manage hotel. Propnet is planning to resuscitate the Carlton Hotel. If it succeeds, the project will be another milestone in the revival of Johannesburg's central business district.

Propnet, the Transnet property arm that manages the centre, needs a private partner in the form of a hotel investor to run and manage the hotel, as Propnet cannot do this itself.
Propnet MD Sipho Mashinini says it has a local hotel operator lined up as a partner and the process of reopening the hotel is at an advanced stage. However, he is not willing to name the partner yet.

Property economist Francois Viruly says activity at the Carlton indicates that efforts to revitalise the city are starting to be rewarded, with people beginning to see the central business district in a positive light. 'Urban regeneration can be sustainable only if the private sector plays a critical role,' he says.

Mashinini says the hotel operator's investigation has proved the project viable and approval from Propnet's board is one of the few hurdles left to clear before the hotel is relaunched.
The viability investigation took into account the fact that Carlton Hotel housed world-class conference facilities and was the only one of its kind in the centre of Johannesburg.

This conference facility should be welcomed by Transnet the centre's anchor tenant government departments and big business, like Absa, which is housed nearby, says Mashinini.
The centre's previous owners, the now defunct Anglo American Properties, sold it for a bargain-basement price of R34m two years ago. The maintenance costs in the then almost empty 50storey tower were prohibitive.

After the sale Transnet moved in and was followed by a host of other tenants, boosting occupancy from about zero to 94%.

The turnaround, says Mashinini, cost Propnet about R50m, which was spent on general refurbishment, including upgrading the foyer, office tower and the parking lift lobby and cabling.

Security has been upgraded. The centre is controlled by a state-of-the-art access card and video monitoring system.

The centre's film theatre is also set for upgrading, following Ster-Kinekor's decision to renew its lease.

Mashinini says the relaunched hotel will have 200 hotel rooms. The remaining 400 rooms will be turned into lodge and office accommodation.

Mashinini says the centre has appreciated remarkably in the past two years, attracting inquiries from would-be buyers.

'We are not willing to sell right now,' he says.

'We believe we can add further value to this development through the relaunch of the Carlton Hotel and later sell for a substantial amount.'

plus

Carlton Centre
With the office section at in excess of 95% let for quite some time now, owners Transnet/Propnet have been focusing, with a great deal of success, on the retail component. One of the big problems that the design of the multi-level underground retail has always faced has been the very deep space over three floors on the southern side of the project that originally was occupied by OK Bazaars.

Within the last few months these have all been filled, the lowest level by SARS (5000 sq metres) above them Pick n Pay (2200 sq metres) and, at ground level, the space is now occupied by a gym that appears to be doing extremely well.

A spokesperson tells me that for the first time in years there is a waiting list of retailers wanting space in the complex. All that is left therefore is the hotel and I know that there have been protracted discussions with a number of groups in relation to opening an hotel facility albeit far smaller than previously. With 2010 just down the road, it would strike me that timing is getting critical. Definitely an Orchid

[hsark]

in short you both get what u want the carlton hotel will be high income residential and 200 room 4 star this info is a bit old as they've found a somebody to run the hotel and they should start work on some time in mid 2005