A CITY PROPERTY PUBLICATION 1 .Urban Renewal 3 Living in the city 5 Message from the MD 6 Selfie competition winner 7 Grub Guide 9 Meet the tenants 11 Chillaxing in the city 12 Corporate Social Investment 13 Customer Service APRIL 2015 – JULY 2015 Celebrating a decade of urban renewal in Jozi URBAN RENEWAL Celebrating a decade of urban renewal in Jozi After achieving unprecedented success with our urban renewal projects in the Tshwane CBD, City Property set its sights on the Joburg CBD. Armed with a belief in the life of the inner city of Joburg, we opened our offices on the corner of Loveday and Marshall streets in 2005. The first conversion project in the Joburg CBD involved the redevelopment of the nine-storey New Plaza building at 150 Jeppe Street into 213 residential apartments, as well as ground floor retail and parking. We took the successful brand of residential accommodation, The Places, created in the Tshwane CBD, to Joburg’s CBD, and renamed the building Plaza Place. Anyone moving into any one of “The Places” can be assured of a wellmanaged, secure city home with modern, durable finishes. Our Johannesburg office celebrates 10 successful years of urban renewal and is particularly proud of the latest project in Eloff Street which offers 225 apartments for city slickers to call home. 1 Since this first project, we have remained confident about the investment, renewal and conversion opportunities available in the Joburg CBD. Scott Jones, who has been General Manager of the Joburg office since its inception explains: “We have been targeting investment in the Joburg CBD in both properties that lend themselves to urban renewal projects, such as vacant office buildings, which can be converted into commercially viable Artist’s impression of the new Bosman building. residential apartments, and buildings which can be leased as they stand.” Since those early days, the managed portfolio has grown from 13 to 87 buildings, 2 700 apartments, with a combined area of commercial space in excess of 420 000 m2. To put the commercial space into perspective, imagine around 66 soccer pitches based on the FIFA sizes of 64 m x 100m. Jones reminisces: “What started out as a team of five staff members and myself has grown to a staff complement of fifty people in 2015!” Jones is particularly excited about the latest conversion of the Bosman Building at 99 Eloff Street into a residential apartment block consisting of 225 apartments varying in size from bachelor, one and two bedroom units. The building also offers tenants a recreational space with a netted ball court to use in their leisure time. The ground-floor retail will also be upgraded with new shop fronts and roller shutters. This project, which is scheduled for completion in May 2015, will contribute to the modern cityscape created by City Property in Bree, Eloff and Jeppe streets, which includes two other residential conversions, Dan’s Place and Temple Court, the new home for Jeppe College and the newly renovated medical suites at the Lister Medical Centre. “It is a priority to bring about a revitalisation in the areas where we manage buildings” elaborates Jones. Our commitment to urban renewal goes beyond the buildings to include upgraded pavements and street furniture to revive the urban landscape. “Although City Property deals with many challenges of the CBD, including the city’s lack of capacity to enforce by-laws, reduce crime and regulate informal traders, we remain confident about the investment, renewal and conversion opportunities, especially in Braamfontein, the Newtown precinct, the financial district, the Absa precinct and the retail precinct close to the Carlton Centre and the Supreme Court,” says Jones. We strive to employ industry best practice in our systems, management and staff recruitment. This ensures efficient administration for our tenants. Be part of the urban rejuvenation and contact us for your new residential or business addresses. Our Johannesburg management team: Back from left to right: Jennifer Pretorius (Residential Leasing Manager), Scott Jones (General Manager: Johannesburg) Front from left to right: Linda Chabula (Residential Portfolio Manager), Aruna Maharaj (Commercial Portfolio Manager), Daniel Swimmer (Commercial Portfolio Manager) Cover: City Property Johannesburg staff in a celebratory mood. 2 LIVING IN THE CITY A perfect 10 for Corner Place CityLife met up with Mdumiseni Wakhaba who has been living in the same apartment at Corner Place on the corner of Hamilton and Pretorius streets for the past ten years. In 2005 he left the Eastern Cape to take up a position at the Department of Justice in Pretoria. He consequently had to find a new place to call home. After shopping around a bit he was delighted with the offering and service received from City Property. Mdumiseni Wakhaba at home. Mdumiseni signed his first City Property lease and has never looked back. He frequently travels in his capacity as State Law Advisor and needs the peace of mind of a safe and secure home. After being in the same building and in the same unit for a decade, Mdumiseni comments that he has witnessed many changes in and around Tshwane, but the one thing that has always remained constant was the exceptional service and security he has received from City Property. The only change he considers making after ten years is to move from a bachelor into a one-bedroom apartment! After a long, hard week, Mdumiseni enjoys watching movies in the comfort of his home. When asked about his favourite movie of all time, The Negotiator with Samuel L. Jackson is at the top of his list. Corner Place is also within walking distance of Sterland, which gives a movie lover like Mdumiseni the latest movie releases on his doorstep! Following the recent upgrade at Corner Place, Mdumiseni can also enjoy relaxing in the new recreational area at the building. He loves the big-city vibe and living at the centre of it all, but finds a balance by spending time with his family in the Eastern Cape where the pace is a tad slower. Meet some of the people who live in the city and catch a glimpse of our new city apartments in Pretorius Street. 1 3 Change of season, change of address This winter, we’re launching 123 newly developed city apartments at Sentrakor, 173 Pretorius Street. Snuggle up in your new bachelor, 1 or 1,5-bedroom apartment in the heart of the CBD. If you enjoy a bird’s eye view of the city, wrap up warmly and spend some time on the rooftop, which has been turned into a recreational area. Sentrakor is close to Centre Walk Shopping Centre and major retailers, as well as all transport routes from Gautrain, bus, taxi and A Re Yeng Bus Rapid Transit systems. Sentrakor, formerly occupied by the Department of Home Affairs, has been converted into modern city apartments, ground-floor retail and basement parking. yS y yS Va n der al t St Wa S 4 Park Col. 4 Target H 4 Supreme Court C-Progressive S 8 Col. Government De } Post A Printer Office Palace of 4 4 Bruynpark VEE4R M G 4 7 4 Museum4 Justice c ç It is easy to apply. All we need is the following: y : r y 4 Vermeulen B Ä Sammy Marks A St W â Square • A completed application form } 8 State Library BV Ä 4 4Sammy yG Dept. Pretoria | CHURCH4 r : Noordvaal V â 5 4 Marks A/B Correctional Die 4 SQUARE all 4 Ma • Copy of ID of the legal tenant* Services Meent 4 O M OM u RaadCentre Burr eau Strijdom Bus Terminal 2 saal : r La. yS Walk Square V â 4 4 Princefield Die T • Latest salary slip of the legal tenant* O4RIUS ST TO 4 4 PRET Pretoria Tremloods Trust 4 4$ Sanlam r New Central St 4 Claude r : Centre : New y Dawn 4 Malan A apartments # u B 4 • Three months’ bank statements of 8 Col. 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P liamentt St $ S Queen S t Mu tua l St Palacce St $ S $ y $ $ ST BOSMA N E4S ST OE SOPH IE DE UYN ST BRUY Sentrakor offers: • 24-hr security and access control • Affordable telephone service • Basement parking • DStv connectivity • Energy efficient hot water system • Internet access • Parking • Prepaid electricity • Recreational courtyard S Branded Since 1954 4 MESSAGE FROM THE MD Allow me to take you back to 1985… I had been visiting our residential portfolio, which back then consisted of a single building called Rosandra, situated opposite the Pretoria train station. A whole 48 residential units – I was the building manager, the property manager, the leasing manager – you get the picture. One of our tenants had vacated their flat and I went to inspect the unit, to try and understand why I was struggling to re-let it. I realised that the flat was in a sad state of disrepair and that it was in desperate need of a coat of paint and some maintenance. So I mobilised the maintenance team – which was me – and got to work; painting the flat and attending to the repairs to the best of my ability. Once complete, the flat was re-let within days. I learned two very important lessons from that experience: Nobody wants to stay in a place that looks old and run-down. Plumbing was not my forte. Let’s fast forward to 2015… City Property’s managed portfolio has grown to over 400 buildings. Our urban rejuvenation initiatives have spread from Tshwane to include the Johannesburg CBD, but the basic principles remain the same. We now have designated leasing, property management, customer service and maintenance teams in place to ensure that our tenants have the best the inner cities have to offer. I would like to commend our maintenance division who have the knowledge, skill and expertise to manage approximately 3 500 maintenance jobs per month. They inspect the quality and critically evaluate all technical aspects of the buildings that we manage. Needless to say I choose to leave plumbing to the experts! Every City Property employee is a link in the chain to making life in the city most enjoyable. And although we continually try to improve our service to you through technology and innovations, we are grounded by the basic premise of providing clean, safe, secure wellmanaged residential and commercial addresses in the Tshwane and the Johannesburg CBDs. It’s just who we are. Enjoy the read! Jeffrey Wapnick THE SOUTH AFRICAN STATE THEATRE IN ASSOCIATION WITH ARTISTS LEGEND LEGACY PROUDLY PRESENT THE SUID AFRIKAANSE STAATSTEATER IN SAMEWERKING MET KOSIE HOUSE OF THEATRE, MET TOESTEMMING VAN DIE OUTER EN DALRO (EDMS) BEPERK BIED AAN THE SOUTH AFRICAN STATE THEATRE IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE MARKET THEATRE PRESENTS ZAKES MDA’S THE SOUTH AFRICAN STATE THEATRE IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE BAXTER THEATRE CENTRE PROUDLY PRESENT DRAMA TEATER 2 - 25 APR 2015 ARENA THEATRE 10 APR - 2 MAY ‘15 ARENA THEATRE 4 - 31 MAY 2015 5 Selfie Competition Winner To kick-start 2015, we ran a competition where we invited all our residential tenants to post a selfie of themselves in their new “pozzi” on our Facebook or Twitter page. James Khalifa Maboya stole the show with his supercool selfie! 2015 is the big year in which James started studying electrical engineering at Tshwane’s Denver Technical College. He originally comes from Limpopo and finding a place to stay in the city seemed a daunting task. After a recommendation from a friend, he approached City Property. The leasing team assisted him and he moved into his new home at Metro Court on the same day that he signed the lease. He has grown to love the Tshwane vibe and reckons: “This city is a place where your dreams can come true.” When taking a break from studying he plays chess, loves a game of basketball or enjoys watching movies. He is contemplating buying a couch for his flat with his prize money! Congratulations are also in order for Reobokile Reo Mokgatle from Time Place and Keabetswe Mochoana from Plaza Place who came in at second and third place respectively. Thanks to all participants, we loved each and every selfie you posted and tweeted! 6 GUIDE GRUB Restaurant reviews While Sunnyside is renowned for its night life, it also offers the best variety of takeaway restaurants. Jeppa Duo Myer’s Place, 78 Robert Sobukwe Street, Sunnyside In true South African style, Jeppa Duo represents our diversity as a country by means of its very wide variety of meal options. From classic flame-grilled chicken, T-bone steak, pizza, pasta and salads, to Mexican quesadillas and burritos. These two Mexican beauties are wrapped in soft tortillas and dressed in chicken or beef with fresh peppers, caramelised onion and mouth-watering cheddar. With Jeppa Duo’s array of food choices, it surely is worth a visit on your cheat day! Uncle Fauozi Esselen Towers, 202 Robert Sobukwe Street, Sunnyside The menu comprises a wide variety of Lebanese specialties such as arayes (grilled stuffed pitas), lamb mince kebab wraps or shawarmas, chicken in a deliciously marinated sauce and even falafel wraps as a vegetarian option. You also have the option of finishing your meal with Lebanese baklava. So, if you are feeling exotic, please stop by. You will not regret it! The restaurant is also open 24/7, so if the late-night munchies grab you, this is the place to go. AD SPACE 7 Moving from Sunnyside to Hatfield. Primero mmm! The Field, 1066 Burnett Street, Hatfield This eatery has an array of sensational cheese griller panini and panini pizzas. Its offerings are oh-so-heavenly and there are many sophisticated combinations to try. From grilled slow-cooked beef panini to mouth-watering chicken and mayo panini pizzas. Fancy some dessert after that sensation? Primero mmm! doughnuts are perfect golden brown and the cake of the day is absolutely delicious. Primero mmm! also offers warm and cold beverages, including cappuccinos and Good Olde Frankie’s soft drinks. The restaurant creates a chic urban atmosphere, beautifully decorated in warm colours with stunning chandeliers. If urban chic is your thing, be sure to check this out SOON! Back in the CBD for a sweet treat… Quick Bake Steyn’s Place, 274 Francis Baard Street, Pretoria CBD Quick Bake offers delicious and beautifully displayed baked treats. The strawberry cheesecake and carrot cake are must-haves. In addition, Quick Bake also offers an array of biscuits, tarts and doughnuts. To complement these beauties, it offers a wide variety of exotic teas, including flavours such as strawberry and mint. The restaurant provides a relaxed environment where you can enjoy some YOU time. It is ideal for a quick lunch that will leave you cheerfully humming. 8 MEET THE TENANTS Quantum Wallet City Property welcomes Quantum Wallet to the Provisus Building at 523 Stanza Bopape Street in Pretoria. The story behind the opening of these offices is a real rags-to-riches tale. Mathabo Mohlamonyane worked as a receptionist for the software developers, Expertron. When the software was developed for the Quantum Wallet product, she was roped in on the project and gained invaluable hands-on experience. Today she is a partner in Quantum Wallet and Mathabo Mohlamonyane in her new office passionately talks about this quick and at the Provisus Building. easy service for people on the move. What does Quantum Wallet do? Quantum Wallet is a service for consumers who want to buy prepaid airtime, data bundles and electricity vouchers for themselves at a discount, or for resellers who want to make money by reselling prepaid airtime and electricity vouchers. We also cater for people who want to become agents to sign up other consumers or resellers and earn passive income from their sales. How can I buy airtime or electricity through Quantum Wallet? You can log onto our website www.quantumwallet.co.za to register a wallet on the system. Once you have registered, you’ll receive a pin code to secure your wallet. You can load credit onto your wallet and buy airtime or electricity as you need it. The great benefit is that you receive a discount of R1,60 per token and you can buy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. How secure is my wallet? Your unique pin code protects your wallet. We also monitor buying behaviour from our side. If, for example, multiple purchases are made in short succession, we will contact the wallet owner to verify the purchases. If anything unexpected happens, we can block the wallet immediately. We also offer our customers the opportunity to view their sales online. Can I have more than one wallet? No, you can only have one wallet, as we will need an ID number, so one ID cannot have two wallets, but you can have multiple wallets in one household. Parents can, for example, do a wallet-to-wallet transfer from their own wallet to that of a child. What are your future plans for Quantum Wallet? Quantum Wallet is currently contracted to Tshwane and several other municipalities as a supplier of prepaid electricity vouchers. Our goal is to expand the footprint to include even more municipalities. We are also looking for vendors to register on our website in order to resell our service to the public. Time is such a precious commodity these days. Quantum Wallet wants to continue to be a true time-saver that enables customers to avoid long queues by allowing them to buy electricity, data bundles and airtime 24/7. We are also constantly doing product development and hope to bring even more exciting products to the market in the future. Provisus Building, 523 Stanza Bopape Street, Pretoria Office hours: 08:00 – 17:00 Tel 012 753 5599 After hours: 17:00 – 22:00 Tel: 081 872 0773 www.quantumwallet.co.za 9 Tsietsi N Optometrists Tsietsi Nkhumishe is a registered optometrist who started practicing optometry in 2001. After getting to know the ropes, she ventured into private practice by opening Kwagga Plaza Optometrist in KwaNdebele. This practice showed constant growth over 13 years and gave rise to her opening a practice in the inner city in 2014. Why did you consider opening a practice in the inner city? The number of our clients who travelled 100km to the Kwagga practice had steadily grown over the years. I simply moved with my clients. Many people leave the outlying areas to find jobs in the city and choose to live close to their place of work which makes opening a practice in the CBD a good business decision. The move to the inner city is in keeping with our mission statement: Quality eye care for absolutely everyone. What is the secret of your success? Growing the number of clients is a priority but retaining our current clientele is even more important to us. The success of the inner-city practice depends, to a great extent, on the constant support from my husband who is also an optometrist. He returned to the profession to help make the CBD practice possible. I also believe in keeping up to date with the latest technology and am forever studying to improve my skills and expertise. Last but not least, I have a remarkable team at the practice. They are the oil that keeps the engine running to ensure our clients receive excellent service and expert advice. What products and services do you offer? We offer comprehensive eye examinations, including the monitoring of eye pressure, a wide range of local and international branded eyewear at competitive prices, contact lenses, advice on eye healthcare, as well as screening for licences. We accept most medical aids and credit cards, as well as Jet, Edgars, Boardmans and Legit cards, and also offer great payment terms on lay-byes, with discounts to pensioners or unemployed customers. What advice would you give our readers who are considering optometry as a career choice? Optometry is all about people and respect. You have to be a people’s person and respect each client. You not only care for your clients but also for the community? We offer a free examination and spectacles, if warranted, to a needy and deserving learner per school in our district. Teaching educators to be vigilant of students with possible visual problems has helped our cause. Tsietsi concludes that when it comes to eye care, prevention is better than cure. When an eye condition is detected early, especially in children, it can make a big difference to their future eye health. Tsietsi Nkhumishe (third from left) with her friendly team. Special offer to City Property tenants Visit Tsietsi Nkhumishe Optometrists for a FREE eye screening during April and May 2015. All you need to do to qualify is the following: Make an appointment by contacting the practice on 012 323 5252. Bring along a current City Property statement in good standing and your ID. Eye-care tips for our sunny climate Invest in quality sunglasses that offer good protection: • block out 99 to 100% of both UVA and UVB radiation; • screen out 75 to 90% of visible light; • be perfectly matched in colour and free of distortion and imperfection; • have lenses that are grey, green or brown; • for extra protection use wrap-around framed sunglasses. Contact details Shop 5, Theo’s Place Johannes Ramokhoase and Thabo Sehume streets, Pretoria Tel: 012 323 5252 • Fax: 012 323 5297 Email: [email protected] 10 IN THE CITY CHILLAXING Rooftop movies every Wednesday Bank Towers might be just another office block in the city during the day, but every second Wednesday the building undergoes a Cinderella makeover when the rooftop is turned into an outdoor movie theatre. Molo Mollo Cinema Club hosts these open-air film screenings in the inner city. The aim is to create a community for film lovers who can share in the enjoyment of good cinema. If you want a cinema experience outside of mainstream movies, log on to Molo Mollo’s website (molomollo.wordpress.com) or Facebook page for more information on the forthcoming attractions. You are welcome to bring your own seats, food and drinks. Beer and wine are fine, but no hard liquor is allowed. Popcorn, soft drinks, ice tea and water are for sale. Where? Bank Towers, 190 Thabo Sehume Street When? Every second Wednesday Time? 20:00, doors open at 19:00 Cost? R30 per person Parking? Centre Walk, 266 Pretorius Street at R10 per vehicle jamclothingsa Ladies’ Jerseys 11 Station Square 012-323 5354 • Pretorius 012-323 7225 Thabo Sehume Street 012-321 0245 • Prinschurch 012-320 8514 CORPORATE SOCIAL INVESTMENT City Property – caring about the kids of the city With our lives becoming ever more complex, it is worth reminding ourselves just how important our role is in nurturing a child to adulthood, whether we are parents or not. While ultimately parents are responsible for the upbringing of their children, there is a lot of wisdom in the old African saying that “it takes a community to bring up a child”. We at City Property take this very seriously and believe we should support those in our community and help them face the future with hope and aspirations. But as a vital part of the community, we also cannot ignore the apparent dangers there are for our children. With this in mind, we have partnered with Women and Men against Child Abuse (WMACA) to help raise awareness about the plight of our children and how we can help them grow up in a friendly, safe environment. Their website (www.wmaca.org.za) is the perfect resource for tips on how to handle awkward situations, such as talking to children about sex, what to do if abuse has occurred and what the warning signs are. By educating our children about the dangers around us, we can hopefully help them avoid the trauma that comes with these situations. As a community we also have a responsibility to report any dangers that might affect those in our community. With this in mind, we would like to share the following tips from WMACA on how to arm yourself and your children with knowledge that will help them. • Never tell anyone you are alone at home. • Know your neighbours and plan how you will respond in a crisis. • Know your local police station and discuss safety matters with the police. • Become involved with local crime prevention efforts with the community police forum or police. We hope these tips can play a positive role in ensuring the safety and wellbeing in our communities. If you require further information, please visit www.wmaca.org.za 12 SERVICE CUSTOMER We are delighted to introduce our new queue management system and highlight some of the most frequently asked questions in this regard. 012 357 1515 Our customer service and residential leasing centre at CPA House, 101 Du Toit Street, received a facelift at the end of 2014. We would like to thank all our customers for their patience during this period. As part of the renovations, a queue management system was introduced to manage the queues for queries about customer service, residential leasing and parking. We have implemented the queue management technology because it does more than just shorten a waiting line, it also assists with the improvement of customer service efficiency. How does queue management technology benefit YOU, our customer? The technology enables agents to call the next customer more quickly and easily. It ensures you are directed to the correct service station based on the service you need. Research has shown that technology decreases customers’ average waiting times by up to 30%. How does the queue management system work? Once you enter our reception area, you collect your queue ticket from the reception counter. You are now in the queue. You can have a seat in the waiting area. Listen for your number to be called and displayed on the screens in the waiting area. Once your number has been called, go to the service counter that has been allocated to you. Your query will be dealt with by one of our agents. For how long is my number valid? Your number will be called 4 times. If you do not respond, the ticket will be closed. 13 Thanks for letting your voice be heard During January 2015 we contracted an independent research house to conduct an online tenant satisfaction survey. This survey was aimed at all our residential tenants in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Kempton Park, who supplied us with email details. The feedback has given us valuable information on the areas where we can improve our service to you and enables us to work at enhancing your overall experience in dealing with City Property. Thanks to all who participated in the survey – we truly value your feedback! Congratulations to our two lucky draw winners, Dimakatso M Mokgonyana (pictured left) from Ricci’s Place, Johannesburg and Bonita Van Aardt from The Hangar, Centurion. We hope you enjoy staying connected with your Lenovo tablets! Fear of missing out… Be in the know. Like us on /CityProperty or follow us on /City Property Administration @CityPropertySA and City parking Did you know that City Property offers casual, monthly and visitors’ parking? We have covered and open parking, which is safe and secure. Call our team on 012 319 8700 or email [email protected] for more information on affordable CBD parking options. 14 CONVENIENTLY YOURS FREE PARKING ON SUNDAYS 011 646 4657 • www.killarneymall.co.za 60 Riviera road, Killarney, Johannesburg CONTACT US City Property Head Office CPA House, 101 Du Toit Street, Pretoria GPS: 25˚ 44’ 37” S, 28˚ 11’ 50” E Tel: 012 319 8700 • Office hours: Mon-Fri 08:00-17:00 Sat 09:00-13:00 City Property Johannesburg CPA Place, cor. Loveday and Marshall streets, Marshalltown, Johannesburg GPS 26˚ 12’ 26” S, 28˚ 2’ 28” E Tel 011 378 3200 • Office hours Mon-Fri 08:00-17:00 City Property Kempton Place 12 Pretoria Road, Kempton Park GPS: 26˚ 6’ 16” S, 28˚ 13’ 36” E Tel: 011 966 8700 • Office hours: Mon-Fri 08:00-17:00 Sat 09:00-13:00 City Property, The Fields 1066 Burnett Street, Hatfield GPS: 25˚ 45’ 0” S, 28˚ 14’ 0”E Tel: 012 362 4473/4504 • Office hours: Mon-Fri 08:00-17:00 Sat 09:00-13:00 Customer service 012 357 1515 • [email protected] Prepaid electricity 012 357 1515 • 082 605 0555 (after hours) • [email protected] /CityProperty • @CityPropertySA • www.cityproperty.co.za /City Property Administration City Life Editor: Anja Schlüter 012 319 8746 Email: [email protected]
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