September 12, 2002
By Thomas Thale
BRAAMFONTEIN is set for a major revamp, aimed at renewing its role as a centre of business
and entertainment in Johannesburg.
A massive R200-million development project was unveiled by big business this week. The
project entails creating a “Braamfontein Corporate Precinct”, an area likely
to be more attractive to business and more welcoming to regular patrons and visitors than
parts of Braamfontein are at the moment. The landscape and level of safety will be
improved.
One of the design proposals is for a park behind the Civic Theatre
Financing for the development will come from Sappi, Liberty Life and other property owners
in the vicinity. The Johannesburg Development Agency, the city’s economic
development arm, will contribute some R20-million towards the project. A Section 21
company comprised of ratepayers is to be set up to “oversee the maintenance of the
project on an ongoing basis”, said Jim McLean, managing director of Liberty
Properties.
Braamfontein is well located, straddling Jan Smuts Avenue and Empire Road, which provide
quick access north, east and west. The problem is to the south – the area is cut off
from the rest of the CBD by the railway line.
Big business has often cited the high numbers of uncontrolled and often illegal street
traders as a reason to vacate the inner city – and Braamfontein, a restricted area
in terms of the street trading by-laws, has been no exception. Tselane Maila, deputy
director of central operations of the Metro Police Department, says: “We will embark
on a full scale operation soon to remove hawkers who continue breaking the by-laws.”
According to Johannesburg’s Executive Mayor, Amos Masondo, this investment by Sappi
brings the overall cash injection into the development of Braamfontein, including the
construction of the Nelson Mandela Bridge, to more than R1-billion.
Sappi House at the corner of Simmonds and Ameshoff Streets will be given a facelift.
Streets around the building have already been closed to the public so that construction
can begin. Eugene van As, executive chairman of Sappi, announced that the building
“will be modernised and upgraded for the 21st century”. The adjacent Fedgen
building will also undergo a major revamp under the project.
The project will see the construction of an underground parking bay for the Civic Theatre,
complete with escalators to the theatre levels. Van As explained that the parking bay will
be used by Sappi employees during the day but will be “available to the city after
7pm and over weekends”. This will enable theatre patrons to leave their cars in the
safety and security of the parking bay and take the escalators to the theatre foyer or
restaurants upstairs.
Bernard Jay, Chief Executive Officer of the Civic Theatre, welcomed the initiative, saying
it will attract even more people to the theatre. “We will now have a leisure
environment which is easily accessible, pleasant and inviting.” He added that the
renovations would boost the theatre’s efforts to position itself as a “live
entertainment hub” of the city. The park alongside the theatre will also be upgraded
as part of the landscaping of the area.
Jim McLean, managing director of Liberty Properties, said work on the site would begin
“early in the new year”. He added that Wits University has also bought into
the project. Mc Lean said that Liberty Life, which owns a number of properties in the
area, expressed confidence that the project will lead to an increase in occupancy rates of
buildings in the precinct.
The first phase of the project will be centred on the area bordering Ameshoff and Jorissen
Streets and from Jan Smuts Avenue to Simmonds Street. The place will be given a facelift,
with the greening and paving of sidewalks and the upgrading of signage.
Masondo hailed the investment as a major boost to the city’s efforts at rejuvenating
the inner city. He commended the companies for their investments, saying “Your
contribution to the rejuvenation of Braamfontein is indeed a welcome development. It is
through partnerships of this nature that our city will become a world class city ”.
The mayor hinted that another development to create a “health precinct” around
Esselen Street in nearby Hillbrow will be unveiled in the near future.
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