November 18, 2005
By Lucille Davie
THE first phase in the rejuvenation of the Randburg business district was announced this week, as part of the Randburg Urban Design Framework plan.
Michael Hart Architects and Urban Designers, in collaboration with Syn-Consult Africa and Melinda Silverman Urban Designer, have compiled the plan in an effort to halt the decline Randburg has experienced over the past decade.
Randburg, a relatively young suburb of the city within Region 3, was only electrified in the 1950s. In 1959 it was granted permission to be established as an independent municipality, and a succession of plans have been devised for its benefit.
The area is unusual in that it has an outdoor mall, built in 1976, running in a west-east direction. This circumvents a steep hill further north that it was felt shoppers would not want to tackle.
Hill Street, joining the intersection of Hendrik Verwoerd Drive and Jan Smuts Avenue, was terminated at Kent Avenue, and taken up with the mall.
A new civic centre was built as well, together with office block investments by major Afrikaner banks and insurance houses Sanlam, Volkskas and Trust Bank.
In 1985 an ambitious plan for the expansion of the Randburg CBD was proposed - it was to run from Bond Street in the north through to Republic Road in the south and Main Street in the west.
Nothing came of that plan except for several small commercial developments, and Randburg slipped down the steady slope to becoming an untidy, rundown business and shopping area.
Two factors exacerbated this decline: the development of enclosed, well-managed malls in other areas, in particular the nearby Cresta Shopping Mall, which drew shoppers away from Randburg.
Secondly, self-contained, secure office parks were built in other areas, in contrast to Randburg's stand-alone office buildings, in increasingly decrepit surroundings.
Several informal taxi ranks were set up west and east of Jan Smuts Avenue, attracting hawkers and further adding to the untidiness of the suburb. This added to the pressure forcing the remaining retailers out of the area.
In 2000 the council offices relocated from Randburg into the Joburg CBD in the wake of the restructuring of the city administration, and the buildings were illegally occupied.
An unsightly pedestrian bridge was built across the intersection of Jan Smuts Avenue and Hendrik Verwoerd Drive, in an effort to cope with the pedestrian and vehicle traffic that congests at the point. This bridge is to be removed in the regeneration of the area.
New developments after 2000
In 2001 a new taxi rank was opened, after the two informal ones were closed. Then, in 2004 the Randburg CBD was declared a city improvement district (CID), a vital step in incorporating the private sector into the revitalisation of the suburb. A Kagiso Urban Management branch was established to manage the CID.
Within the coming weeks a Randburg brand will be seen on the streets of the suburb. Already guards, called public safety ambassadors, patrol around the CID.
At the same time it was decided to establish a civic precinct between Jan Smuts and Selkirk avenues and Hendrik Verwoerd Drive. The following offices will move into the civic precinct: Region 3 offices, the library, the regional clinic, the licensing department, local offices of the metro police, offices for rate payments and a branch of the Johannesburg Social Housing department.
Last year Michael Hart Architects was commissioned by the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) to look at Randburg with a view to devising a revitalisation plan.
Development plan
It has developed a four-phase plan, starting with a clean-up of the streets and open spaces, an upgrade of existing lighting and improved lighting, and maintenance of street trees - in other words, an improvement in the general appearance of the suburb.
This has already happened at an intersection on the corner of Phillips and Burke streets, just a block from Hendrik Verwoerd Drive.
The plan was unveiled to the media on Wednesday this week, on the intersection, under the new lighting, and around strategically placed boulders and pebbles, giving the traffic triangle a bold, new look.
Phase 2, comprises the upgrade of the civic buildings, with departments taking up residence, and the creation of a bus terminus within the precinct, alongside the taxi rank, thus consolidating the public transport area.
The South African Revenue Service has already moved into Randburg, with an office on the corner of Kent and Hill streets. Phase 2 is expected to be completed by June 2006.
In Phase 3, Hendrik Verwoerd Drive will be closed off between Selkirk and Jan Smuts avenues. The remaining triangle will be cobbled and largely converted into pedestrian space, with trees and new lighting. Once this triangle is in place, the bridge will be become redundant, and will be removed.
The final result, says Hart, will be a little like Main Street in the CBD, with larger, cobbled pavements, with the emphasis on pedestrian access and enjoyment.
Traffic from Hendrik Verwoerd Drive will be diverted along Pretoria Avenue and join the main arterial again at Burke Street. Traffic from Jan Smuts Avenue will continue as normal.
Pretoria Avenue will have new bus stops installed, with dedicated bus lanes and street furniture.
In Phase 4, Hill Street, the original outdoor mall, will be converted back to vehicular traffic, with one lane in each direction, and with pedestrian-friendly pavements.
"Vehicles create activity and give night-time activities," says Hart. The road will also serve to open up the shops to the street and therefore be more visible to potential shoppers.
The object, says Hart, is to turn Randburg into more of a "destination instead of a place you pass through". Phase 4 is expected to be completed by June 2007.
At the launch mayoral committee member and councillor Parks Tau said confidently, "We will make sure that Randburg works."
Lael Bethlehem, chief executive of the JDA, echoed his positive sentiments. "This is a taste of bigger things to come."
She added that this was the first project in the northern suburbs the City had asked the JDA to oversee.
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