February 17, 2004
By Lucille Davie
JUST as the task of preserving the Rissik Street Post Office is coming to an end, the next phase in the story of the historic building is about to unfold - selling or leasing the post office to ensure its further preservation and restoration.
Over the past two months protective measures have been implemented to arrest further deterioration of the 106-year-old Rissik Street Post Office. Now the City, who owns the building, is about to sign a deal with the Gauteng Legislature, who owns the neighbouring City Hall. This week the City and the legislature will meet to decide whether the latter will buy the building or sign a long-term lease agreement.
One of the oldest buildings in the city, it's been vacant for the past seven years when the Post Office moved out in 1996, but even before they vacated the building, maintenance on the structure had ground to a halt. In the past six years the building has rapidly deteriorated, mostly the result of vandalism and theft.
Over the past two months some R2-million has been spent to preserve the building. The exterior of the building has had a waterproof coat of paint. The ground floor windows have been sealed with fitted steel covers. A palustrade fence has been erected on the pavement around the building.
All the ventilator shafts have been enclosed and waterproofed. All broken windows have been removed and reglazed. Every second window has been screwed closed, with alternate windows to be opened periodically to aerate the interior. Floorboards have been badly damaged as a result of water leaks from the numerous broken windows.
Then finally, the clock tower, which recently had its clock hands, bells and copper dome stolen, has had a hood placed over it to waterproof it.
The adjoining Ernest Oppenheimer Park belonged to the Post Office, but it was given to the City recently in lieu of several million rand of unpaid rates owed to the City.
Daphne Chili, property manager: inner city portfolio of the Johannesburg Property Company, says that the City hasn't yet decided what to do with the park, but whatever option is taken, it would be made into an attractive area for the city's residents.
The province and the City are to meet on Thursday, 19 February. If this deal does not go through, the City will advertise for tenders for the redevelopment of the post office before the end of the month.
If the City has to advertise for tenders for the building's redevelopment, one of the major criteria for evaluating the winning tender will be "the impact of the investment on the City in terms of the value of economic returns and the potential of the investment to stimulate growth", according to the City's January council agenda.
In 1978 the building was proclaimed a national monument. It was built in 1897 and designed by President Paul Kruger's architect, Sytze Wierda, a Hollander, and was at one time the tallest building in town.
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