Construction World March 2015

CONSTRUCTION WORLD

MARCH

2015

PROJECTS AND CONTRACT

The project is a joint venture

between Billion Group, headed

by Johannesburg-based property

magnate Sisa Ngebulana, and the Stellen-

bosch-based Abacas Asset Management,

responsible for Cape Town’s Cape Gate

shopping centre and Mooi Rivier Mall in

Potchefstroom, among others.

Speaking about the economic impact of

the mall on the region, Baywest MD Gavin

Blows said an average of 10 permanent jobs

would be created to staff the mall’s 250 retail

outlets. On top of this, staff would be needed

for security and cleaning services at the

90 000 m² (gross leasable area/GLA) centre –

contracts which would be advertised in the

coming weeks, he said.

“Because Baywest Mall is the catalyst

to the entire Baywest City development,

development will continue around the mall

once it opens in April,” Blows explained. “We

already have R500-million worth of develop-

ment lined up for this year, which includes

office blocks and a motor showroom.”

Tenants, such as Shoprite-Checkers,

have begun the hunt for employees to staff

their Baywest outlets with advertisements in

the local media and CV collection points at

their Port Elizabeth stores.

“We have been inundated with requests

for work at the mall,” said Blows. “Our

community liaison officer has already

received more than 500 CVs for our data-

base. We will pass the database on to our

tenants as they begin their search for staff.”

With major anchor tenants including

Woolworths, Game, Shoprite-Checkers, Pick n

Pay, Edgars and Blows said the centre’s full

Eastern Cape

EMPLOYMENT

BOOST

The opening of the R1,7-billion Baywest Mall in Port Elizabeth

this April – the Eastern Cape’s largest retail and entertainment

centre – will bring with it the creation of up to 2 500 permanent

jobs, while development to the tune of R500-million rolls out

around the centre, say the developers.

Workers carefully lay the piping which forms the foundation of the 2 300 m² Baywest ice

rink in the mall’s R100-million Fun Factory wing. The mall will open this April, upon which

time development around the centre to the value of R500-million will commence.

Facts about Baywest

• The mall size, 90 000 m², is the gross leasable area and

excludes the parking area for about 3 200 vehicles.

• The development of the mall is a joint venture between

Abacus Asset Management and Billion Group.

• The construction value of the mall is approximately

R1,7-billion, with a further R300-million being spent on

developing the road network in the area.

• The mall is central to the development of the greater

Baywest City project, which will be similar in concept to

Cape Town’s Century City development.

• About 25% of the 320 ha Baywest City site has been

allocated for environmental preservation and will not be

developed at all.

tenant list would be revealed in the weeks

leading up to the April opening.

Blows said a key attraction at the

mall was its R100-million Fun Factory

wing featuring the province’s only ice rink,

allowing for the formation of ice hockey

leagues and school sports teams. Eight

Ster-Kinekor cinemas, restaurants, a ten-pin

bowling alley and a state-of-the-art games

arcade would also form part of the Fun

Factory, he said.

Also included in Phase I of the Baywest

City development is a gym, a private school

and hospital, 100 000 m² of office and

commercial tenants and about 2 000 housing

opportunities. Phase II will add another

2 000 housing opportunities, a light indus-

trial park and value retail developments.

“Baywest City is a long term investment

in the region,” said Blows. “It’s going to

change the face of the city and put the Bay

on the leisure and corporate tourism map,

growing much the same way as Century City

in Cape Town has grown around Canal Walk

shopping centre.”

ABOVE:

This aerial photograph, taken on 12

January 2015 shows progress on the R1,7-billion

double-storey mall, as well as the R300-million

road network surrounding the mall.