November 26, 2007
By Neil Fraser
NOW to fill in the bits and pieces - looking back at some of my projections for 2007, I see that we have fallen short in regard to anticipated progress on a quite a number of fronts, which is rather disappointing.
In Newtown, no physical progress is evident on Transport House, two, three and six Central Place and the proposed Majestic mixed-use complex opposite the Market Theatre. Some of these projects were delayed because of heritage requirements but, to my knowledge, these were sorted out quite some time ago. So where's the hold-up?
The common thread that runs through these projects is the Johannesburg Property Company, wholly owned by the City, and one can't help but surmise that it is part, if not more, of the source of the delay. The other possibility is that the delay has been so long - certainly the Central Place projects and the Majestic were announced about two years ago - that developers may well have opted out for more practical alternatives.
The Sci Bono phase two extensions have resumed after a long delay and the World of Beer, Bus Factory and Turbine Hall refurbishments are completed and in operation. Also complete are the Quinn Street apartments, while a major new residential project to its west, The Sidings, should start in the next few months.
Activity in Diagonal Street centres on the refurbishment of AA House and 11 Diagonal Street from commercial premises to offices for financial institutions FNB and Absa, respectively. Opposite, The Franklin conversion to residential still appears to be limping along.
New building
In Ferreirasdorp, just west of the magistrates’ courts, excavations and foundations are proceeding at pace on the new headquarters for the Zurich insurance group. This will be the first new major commercial office building in the inner city for a very long time - probably 20 years. The building will no doubt be the catalyst for the much-needed revival of that part of the city. The adjacent Chinatown urban upgrade proposals appear to have stalled completely - hopefully they will form part of the general inner city urban environment upgrading proposal in the Inner City Regeneration Charter.
Moving east, the Anglo American Corporation parking garage has been completed and put into operation, as has the adjacent four-star sectional title development Mapungubwe Hotel Apartments (the previous French Bank building). This area has also spawned some interesting residential refurbishments from office space, including Isibaya House, Loveday Place, Harrison Place and the Dogon and Ashanti. On the southern edge of the inner city, Standard Bank has bought what has become known as the Ussher site. It adjoins its campus and I believe the professional team has been appointed, so one may see some movement in the next year to 18 months.
But what is happening in regard to the Gauteng provincial government precinct? After all the ballyhoo about underpasses and giant public squares and the furore created by plans to demolish heritage buildings - subsequently overturned - there has been nothing but a deafening silence. Surely the provincial government owes it to the people who use the inner city to advise them what its plans are for the buildings and the historic square that it now owns?
Beyers Naude Square remains a disgrace years after ownership passed to the provincial government - the very least it could do is demolish the atrocious structures that border its north and south sides. Then there is the pitiful situation of the Rissik Street Post Office, now in the ownership of the provincial legislature. It must be at least 10 years since the building was vacated and it still stands as evidence of government neglect - the added tragedy is that developers who were keen to restore the building into public life would have already done so and we would have an asset instead of a memorial to "demolition by neglect".
The Barbican
Directly opposite, another great building from our past, the Barbican, also quietly rots but at least the owners have been working on plans to refurbish the building as part of a major new project for the city - maybe 2008?
South of these historic buildings, a great deal of activity is apparent on the corner of Market and Rissik streets in the conversion of the existing Aegis / St Andrews buildings into residential / hotel accommodation. But little progress is apparent on the Corner House development now in progress for four or more years.
The CNA and Shakespeare House buildings appear to have been abandoned by their developer - the only flurry of activity was in erecting a hoarding at least a year or more ago. On the other side of Commissioner Street, 87 Commissioner is really looking great now that it has been spruced up and has a fancy new restaurant set to open shortly.
Further southeast, the old police barracks in Marshall Street stands as another burned out ruin while the national government dithers about its future and would-be refurbishers grind their teeth in frustration. Next to it, in Eloff Street and further north in Fox Street, some great refurbishments have been completed or are under way by Gerald Olitzki.
The public environment upgrading around the high court is well advanced, as is the area around Fashion Square in Pritchard Street. The same can't be said about the square itself, which should have been completed months ago but now looks like facing a 2008 opening. Both the Carlton and Southern Sun hotels remain vacant - at least design work on the latter is fairly well advanced. Next to the Carlton Centre a new residential conversion has been announced - the Brooklyn, which appears to be the previous Colosseum building.
The new R1,1-billion addition to the Absa campus is progressing rapidly and the urban upgrade around Jewel City is looking good.
Much activity
The Jeppe-Bree-Plein Street corridor has been the scene of much activity, with a great deal of upgrading, refurbishment and use conversion in evidence. Work has started in the eastern precinct, below New Doornfontein, on a number of residential and housing projects and is progressing around the Ellis Park precinct.
Conversion of 120 End Street from offices to residential is being billed as the world's largest such project and will provide 924 flats, a 6 000m² shopping centre, a 500m² gym and a 400m jogging track. A swimming pool is already part of the complex.
At R100-million, the Gautrain Station is advancing steadily but nothing exciting has happened in the Joubert Park area. Braamfontein has witnessed a number of residential projects coming on stream this year and the new Metro Centre visitors’ building looks as though it is ready to be occupied.
There is still some urban upgrade work proceeding in the Hillbrow health precinct, while the restoration work and paving being done at the Fort is starting to look spectacular. This Constitution Hill project was slated to have a hotel, museum and tourism centre, offices and flats, but progress remains mired in bureaucracy - nothing has happened for a number of years.
Hillbrow, Berea and Yeoville are in line for a much needed make-over, as reported last week, this will probably start early next year. The sectionalised Ponte flats have been sold out.
Service delivery
And service delivery? Last week, the results of the
Customer Satisfaction Survey carried out by the Bureau of Market Research of the University of South Africa - it carries out the survey on behalf of the council - were released. If 50 percent is the breakeven between satisfaction and dissatisfaction only 43,6 percent of residents were happy with the service delivery provided, which is down from the previous year's 45,7 percent.
In contrast, there is an improvement among businesses, with the figure at 49,6 percent as compared to 40,5 percent last year.
How would you sum up inner city progress in 2007? Well, this year the inner city reminds me of the little girl in the ditty from my youth: "There was a little girl and she had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead. When she was good she was very, very good, but when she was bad she was horrid."
Cheers, Neil
PS: award
I believe that Taffy Adler, the chief executive of the Johannesburg Housing Company has been awarded the Ernst & Young and the Schwab Foundation South Africa Social Entrepreneurs Award for 2007. The award was introduced to recognise excellence in innovative solutions, creative design and implementation of high-impact initiatives that have significantly transformed the lives of thousands of people. I can't think of anyone more deserving. Well done, Taffy and the JHC.
PPS: Northwards - House Tour
End the year in style with The Parktown and Westcliff Heritage Trust on 1 December and bring your friends on a tour of the landmark Sir Herbert Baker mansion on the Parktown ridge - Northwards.
The tour will be conducted by witty raconteur and devoted Northwards admirer, Dr Neil Viljoen. Northwards and Jose Dale Lace, the glamorous ghost, are certainly worthy of special attention. Get to know and admire Parktown's most romantic villa. Even Sir Herbert, a bit of a Puritan when it came to women, succumbed to Jose's charms and allowed some fanciful details to creep in - lapses in Baker's usual style.
Meet at Northwards, 21 Rock Ridge Road, Parktown at 2pm. The price is R85 per person, including refreshments. Booking is at Computicket. For information telephone Gaynor Antonakis on weekdays from 9am to 1pm on 011 482 3349.
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