Residential Citichat 20 April 2001

CITICHAT 15/2001 - 20 April 2001


Residential Development

This week let’s talk ‘inner city residential’ and start with a description of a recent inner city loft conversion:

“The designers removed the prefabricated panels surrounding the interior structural columns to reveal iron pillars, complete with large rivets, which added to the industrial feel to the apartment. The bay windows positioned along the walls of the apartment made stunning rest points and are features not often found in office/apartment blocks. The sheer space of the floor, not evident when it was used as office space, was carefully converted into an open plan concept, with a lounge, diningroom, kitchen and scattered living area. Leading off this area was the bedroom and bathroom separated by panels made of woven twigs, accentuating the almost eclectic elements of the loft. The lounge area was elevated in the centre of the room and with skin covered couches and a central pit-like fireplace, added an extra dimension to the apartment. The kitchen was a raw construction, with a central butcher’s table and suspended pots and knives focusing one’s attention. The bathroom was constructed to fully enhance the industrial nature of the loft, with a copper bath elevated in the centre of the bathroom and a light fitting resembling an operating theatre light suspended above it. The shower was accentuated by glass bricks, lit be blue lighting, adding an almost eerie mood to the setting.”

Inner city loft conversion? In Johannesburg? You’ve got to be kidding! Read on!

I didn’t have the most current information to hand on private sector investment into residential in the Inner City when I wrote the project update in last week’s Citichat.

So here’s the residential buzz.

Taffy Adler, CEO of the Johannesburg Housing Company, has provided the following information of work recently completed, underway or shortly to be commenced by his company:

• The former 5-star Landdrost Hotel was converted to 241 one-and two-bedroom units at a cost of R20 million, completed late last year.

• The Carr Gardens townhouse project to the north east of the Oriental Plaza is situated on the site of a former police station and comprises 210 one-and two-bedroom units. Was also completed last year at a cost of R20 million.

• Brickfields is part of a new regeneration project which will provide 750 new units at a cost of R63 million.

• Tribunal Gardens which will be ready for occupation by 2002 will provide 140 one- and two-bedroom units at a cost of R15 million.

• 15 Albert Street Housing will include work/live units for people who will be trading on site amongst the project’s 190 one-and two-bedroom units. Construction starts in September for completion by December next year.

Apart from their considerable contribution to the inner city residential stock and urban regeneration efforts, JHC purchased a building corner Main and McClaren Streets in the city as their headquarters - putting their money where their mouth is.

Shimi Maimela the GM of the COPE Housing Association, confirms that the information in last week’s Citichat is correct but has provided some additional facts that rounds off the update:

Philani Ma-Afrika Housing Association 67 units R1,2 million

Everest Court Housing Association 35 units R0,6 million

Hadar Court Collective Housing Co 22 units R0,4 million

Bertrams One Development Company 53 units R3,5 million

Newtown Housing Co-operative 351 units R22,6 million

Troyeville Housing Co-operative 120 units R7,8 million

Tswelopele Housing Co-operative (formerly Voortrekker) 51 units R3,8 million

Castle Blaney 68 units R2,7 million

Koch Mansions 56 units R1,5 million

Eastleigh Court 27 units R0,7 million

Terrace Road Housing Co-operative 148 units R9,9 million

Lamoen Street Housing Co-operative (Belgravia) 114 units R 7,3 million.

Two companies spending nearly R200 million on 2 643 residential conversions, upgrading and new units translating into in excess of 5 000 more people to be properly housed in the inner city – great stuff!

And there are also those still passionate about the Inner City like Richard Yell whose successful search for an inner-city-eyrie is reported on in a recent ‘Planning’ magazine. It records Richard’s search: “I climbed, knocked, called the realty board numbers, begged, asked caretakers and security guards. Nobody knew anyone who could help me find a living space in the city. And everyone thought I was mad, confused or taking something. Eventually I found my rooftop. It was your typical kaya-in-the-sky and needed some stuff done to it. Now it is a funky upbeat studio loft with loads of everything. How come one of the finest views in Africa had never been used? I grabbed it. Now I live it. My piece of sky. At night as I take my little trips to dozeyland with my sliding doors wide open, I wonder what it must be like living in the north. I would have to have high security walls. Trellidors. Dogs. Alarms. Ultra sonic. Sentry. Firearm. And as I hit Z’s, I wonder what made us leave the city in the first place. Whose city is it anyway? It’s time to head back, coz very soon everyone will want to be here. Inner City. If not you, who? If not now, when?”

Way to go, Richard! (You can contact him on richard@iafrica.com)

And the inner city loft that we started with? Well, it’s not make believe but certainly may be fantasy with a future. The description comes from a ‘Building’ magazine report written by Cara Pauling on the conversion of the top floor of the old FNB building (on the corner of Commissioner and Simmonds Streets) into a loft apartment “providing a living space which epitomises the feel of a New York apartment.” Fantasy because the conversion was done for a film being shot by an international film production company, Peak Viewing, but ‘fantasy with a future’ because the article reflects how an empty office building could be used to bring ‘tempo and positive energy’ back to the city. The film evidently switches from historic to future “Techno scenes’ and the article states; “The Techno future scenes of the film are shot across various city scenes all taking place in the Johannesburg city centre and ranging from night club settings to Anya’s (the film’s female attraction) ‘home’ a loft apartment in the middle of the city.

Way to go Anya! (You can’t contact her, but you can get more info from Cara Pauling at carap@bizpub.co.za).