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When the New Property Ventures Group (NPV)purchased the Atrium in 1999, many property market observers thought Chris Drummond and Mike Nixon had bitten off more than they could chew. Eight years later it is clear to see that Stadium on Main, with its varied participative entertainment offerings and occupying a key position on one of Claremont’s busiest corners, is not only a great success, but has also been a wonderful investment.

Chris takes up the story: “Everyone knows that corner properties attract a premium in terms of value and exposure and it really was an obvious strategy for us to try and further enhance our portfolio in the Claremont CBD by purchasing other buildings in prime positions. In 2004, we purchased the former Steers building on the corner of Vineyard and Main Road, and a few months later, the Koh-I-Nor Building. This enabled a prominent and meaningful development, which has required a total restoration and architectural respect for the heritage credentials of Koh-I-Nor”.

Sean Mahoney from StudioMas, the architects on the project, confirmed the solution was not an easy one: “The scale and the modern cutting edge response we wanted to achieve for this project was tricky. Although the Koh-I-Nor building is small, because it protrudes over the pavement with its Victorian balcony, it does dominate the much larger façade of the new building. Our objective was to respect and enhance the building’s historical context but provide cutting edge modern infrastructure”. Churchill Murray, the Newlands based property brokers, will move into the building within a few weeks and occupy it as their National Headquarters.
The main retail unit on the ground floor of the building has been leased to Mr Price and a leading firm of Asset Managers have taken major floor space in the building. Completion of the project is scheduled for October 2008.

The CIDC waged a campaign (under the guidance of Chairman, Chris Drummond) to stop Adult World from establishing a sex shop on a property that NPV had purchased opposite the Mosque on Main Road. Readers can imagine Chris’ horror when Adult World confirmed that they would not be proceeding with opening a shop opposite the Mosque but then promptly purchased a much larger building next door to his own Stadium on Main. It took New Properties Ventures 3 years of patient and persuasive negotiation to finally acquire the building from Adult World. Construction of the total redevelopment and extension of the building commenced earlier this year.

Mike Nixon explains: “The existing structure is very sound and had for many years housed the main branch of Nedbank. The key to the success of the revamp is the connection that will be provided direct from the building into the enormous adjoining parkade of Stadium on Main”. Shoe HQ will develop a mega shoe store on the ground and first floor, with an exclusive “private trainer only” gym taking the entire second floor. New penthouse offices in a modern steel frame structure are in the process of construction on the new third floor.

The Clarion wishes the New Property Ventures Group great success with these two exciting buildings in their burgeoning Claremont portfolio.

Our Claremont Clarion this month leads with the article on the property investments in Claremont of New Property Ventures, who are in a very real sense “cornering the market” with their exciting two new buildings. Chris Drummond, the chairman of NPV and also the chairman of the CIDC, is also featured in this edition celebrating his 50th birthday, always a very significant event in any person’s life. For my part I want to say to all our readers that what was expressed throughout his birthday breakfast function and echoed by all those present and by the CIDC in particular, is that we are very fortunate in Claremont to have Chris Drummond so actively on board. His contribution to Claremont Central in very many ways is enormous!

The new bus terminus is open at last
After informing you in the previous Clarion that “At the end of this month of May we expect that the new Bus Interchange will be open!”, at long last it really is open! The contractors and the Roads Branch of the City of Cape Town who are responsible for this construction, had advised us originally that it would be open by the end of last year! Regrettably after being told time and again “it will be open next month” and “it will be open next week” and then for one or other reason, contractor’s delays, the weather, etc. it did not happen. How frustrating and annoying, especially for the bus commuters who had to brave the rain out in the open to board the busses parked in the first phase of the Boulevard road which had been completed before the Interchange. Obviously this also impacted seriously on the traffic congestion along the Main Road. The CIDC, who were not responsible for the construction of this Interchange, sincerely regret the inconvenience and we are delighted that it is now operational, providing as it does convenience and protection to commuters from the heavy rain that we are currently experiencing. The busses are now using the Boulevard and not the Main Road as they had been forced to do during this necessary construction work.

Anthony Davies,
Executive Manager

Phase Two of the Claremont Boulevard to open in October
After all the delays regarding the opening of the bus terminus you may well wonder why I am now being so bold in stating that Phase Two of the roadworks from Hawthorne Road under Stadium on Main, the lower section of Vineyard Road, is due to open in October. Also, if you look towards the south from the top of Campground Road bridge, all you will see after the heavy rains is a long wide strip of mud where old buildings have been demolished to make way for the Boulevard. Nonetheless, our experienced consulting engineers HHO Africa, who are overseeing the construction, have confirmed to me that subject to no unforeseen circumstances, the Boulevard will be open in October, enabling through traffic to drive from the Main Road at the Newlands swimming baths intersection to the Stanhope Road bridge. When that happens what a relief that will bring to the traffic congestion along our Main Road!

The Claremont Main Road Improvement Project
Once this new road is built and operating, this will open up yet another exciting and innovative initiative in our continuing quest to make Claremont a better place for all. The Claremont Main Road Improvement Project is a joint venture between the City of Cape Town and ourselves. More about this in future issues of the Clarion.

Please will all our readers note one very important statement to make in this regard. In spite of the rumour that we are constantly hearing, THE CLAREMONT MAIN ROAD WILL NOT BE CLOSED TO THROUGH TRAFFIC. By means of traffic calming measures, vehicles wishing to drive through Claremont will be encouraged to use the Boulevard. Plans for this development are on view in our offices on the Upper Ground floor at the top of the escalator in Stadium on Main.

Anthony Davies
Executive Manager

Cavendish Square has become the first South African shopping centre to introduce an intelligent parking guidance system for visitors. The system, developed by Nortech International, uses state-of-the-art technology which co-ordinates vehicle movement within the parking facility. Using real-time information on occupancy, drivers are directed to available parking spaces by intersection guidance displays and colour coded LED lights – red for occupied, green for available, yellow for moms and tots and blue for disabled – placed above every parking bay.

Automatically adjusting ambient light conditions, the system effectively runs off a low power base, in line with the commitment by Old Mutual Investment Group Property Investments to reduce energy consumption across its managed properties. According to Brenda Bibby, centre manager, the system will alleviate parking congestion and allow customers to park in a stress-free environment, adding to the Cavendish Square shopping experience.

Situated between the Link and Clicks, Herrer’s Lane Street Market was started by Don Sheasby in December 1980. Sited where once a Mr Herrer ran his butchery, it provided a colourful addition to Claremont’s shopping area.

The market has now moved to the upgraded area between Cavendish Square and Connect and is managed by the Claremont Trader’s Association. Read the full story further down.

Chris Drummond, Chairman of the CIDC and director of New Property Ventures, was completely bamboozled and by his own admission, left speechless at the surprise breakfast function held in his honour at the Vineyard Hotel’s Myoga Restaurant on Thursday 20 May to celebrate his 50th birthday and to recognise the tremendous contribution he has made and continues to make to the urban development of Claremont Central.

Amidst much behind-the-scenes planning and co-operative subterfuge, invited guests were sworn to secrecy. Despite Chris having had interaction with some 18 of the invited guests during the days leading up to the function, amazingly the surprise did not leak out.

Guests were welcomed by CIDC Executive Manager, Anthony Davies, and addressed by Ward Councillor Owen Kinahan. A large scale painting in oils, “Claremont Rooftops”, undertaken by local artist, John Martin, was unveiled and presented to Chris as his birthday gift. This magnificent landscape of the Claremont skyline against the dramatic backdrop of Table Mountain will surely occupy pride of place in New Property Ventures new offices when they relocate to Claremont later this year.

At a lunch two weeks later, Chris was presented with an album of the morning’s event. Congratulations, too, must go to Anthony Davies who successfully masterminded the clandestine affair.

CIDC Contracts Supervisor, Abraham Davids, supervises a team of 47 staff, comprising 30 security members and 17 cleaners. Reporting to Operations Manager, Charl Brooks, Abraham is responsible for all elements of cleansing and security patrols within the CIDC area of jurisdiction, including vehicles and equipment. “I enjoy working with the staff under my supervision”, says Abraham, “as I have a very good understanding of them – probably because I trained them”, he beams broadly.

Abraham has been with the CIDC since its inception in 2000. His ground level familiarity means that he is very much in touch with the precinct which he manages. Often found doing his supervisory rounds on foot around the streets of Claremont, he is well attuned to spotting anyone or anything that seems out of place. “Every day presents a different challenge and I am kept very busy, particularly on Saturday mornings when Claremont is jam-packed. I am also kept on my toes for a two week period from the 15th of the month onwards, leading up to pay day,” he declares.

One of the most challenging incidents he recalls was the arrest of three armed robbers at a popular local nightspot resulting in the successful recovery of cash and stolen goods. Although crime hotspots, such as the Draper subway, Werdmuller Centre and the area around the station still exist, Abraham has noticed a marked decline in criminal activity. A regular church-goer, he prays every morning before work. “I know that God is behind me in everything I do”, he says confidently.

Abraham’s favourite way of unwinding is a Sunday morning cycle - a journey that may take him as far afield as Eersterivier and Kuilsriver from his home in Blue Downs. He is an ardent Bok supporter and enjoys watching the game on TV.

Faieda Jacobs is OMIGPI’s recently appointed regional general manager for the Western Cape, taking on the responsibilities formerly managed by Amelia Beattie, now chief operating officer of the company. The Claremont node, valued at approximately R2-billion, accounts for almost half of the total OMIGPI portfolio in the Western Cape estimated at R4,5-billion.

As head of this region, Jacobs, together with three portfolio managers and a team of 65, manages the Claremont portion, comprising Cavendish Square and Connect (which alone account for approximately R1,5 billion), Werdmuller Centre, Toffee Lane, Cavendish Close and ABSA on Grove.

Jacobs rejoined OMIGPI in her current capacity in February this year after an absence of eight years, having spent the last five years managing the Commercial and Industrial portfolios for Allan Gray Property Trust and Fountainhead Property Trust.

Challenges which confront her within the Claremont area are the redevelopment of Werdmuller Centre which is still in the early planning stages and coming up with increasingly innovative ideas to maintain Cavendish as the premier shopping destination in the Southern Suburbs and beyond, especially given the current economic climate. Traffic and parking around the Cavendish precinct, according to Jacobs, continue to present a challenge, emphasizing the need for greater co-operation and a much more active role by local authorities in regard to these problems.

Highlights over the past 12 months have included the very successful upgrade of the Dreyer street informal traders’ market, the launch of Cavendish Connect and hosting the Proudly South African Fashion Festival at Cavendish Square.

OMIGPI has set itself the goal of increasing its property assets under management from R26bn in 2007 to R100bn by 2015, with new ventures planned locally, as well as in India and Nigeria. Proposed local developments include the 40-storey Portside development in Bree Street due for completion in 2011 and further components of the Thembokwezi Lifestyle Estate in Khayelitsha, comprising some 540 apartments, office space, a gym and a retail element. Jacobs is particularly proud of OMIGPI’s status as a platinum founding member of the Green Building Council of SA. “Our aim at OMIGPI,” says Jacobs, “is not only to make a positive contribution to transformation of our business and the property industry, but also to limit the impact our business has on the environment by applying green building principles across our portfolio”.

Note: In our lead story in the April/May edition of the Clarion, we highlighted several energy savings initiatives being implemented and considered by OMIGPI.

The newly upgraded market in Dreyer Street consists of 36 stalls, down from the original 60 traders. “Although there was a natural attrition as some traders could not sustain their trade during the development, trader numbers had to be reduced in line with the number of kiosks available,” says Narriman Davids, founder member and current chairperson of the Claremont Trader’s Association and also one of the earliest informal traders in the area. The bulk of stall holders are “permanent traders” stocking a consistent and comprehensive range of goods from clothing, accessories, shoes, toys, wireworks and beaded products. “There is no overtrading in any particular category and the trading environment is definitely more conducive,” says Narriman. “Over peak periods there is a spike in trading, but it is still too early to tell whether the upgraded market is boosting traders’ sales. In winter it can be very dark, so some traders have taken the initiative of installing additional fluorescent lighting in their stalls”. Their main focus at present is improving their merchandising in line with the upgrade. “We really want our traders to give attention to making their product and stalls look attractive”, advises Narriman.

Casual traders are allowed in from time to time, but only when a permanent trader is absent with good reason. “ We have 100‘s on our waiting list”, says trader representative, Simon Rome, “but we work pretty much on a ‘last in, first out’ basis. We used to have the whole road to trade in but have had to forfeit a huge part of the road to create the street café ambience that now exists. In future, the overflow of traders may be accommodated in the new informal trading markets which are planned for the CBD”.

Simon Rome, traders’ representative with Narriman Davids, Chairperson of the Claremont Trader’s Association

“We don’t have enough of an inflow of tourists into this area”, says Narriman, “thus crafters who have attempted to make a go of it here in the past have not succeeded as locals don’t really buy craft products. We are, however, looking at introducing a Sunday craft market in the near future to promote this element.”

Topping the traders’ wish list are lock up stalls so that stall holders at the end of a day’s trading, can lock their goods on site without having to cart them backwards and forwards. “The City Council, especially Paul Williamson, who is responsible for co-ordination of informal trading in Cape Town, and has been involved since the beginning of our negotiations with Council, has been phenomenal in helping us get to where we are today”, says Narriman. The market’s trading hours are from Monday to Saturday 09h00 until around 4h30pm.

The mission of the Claremont Improvement District Company is to support the existing and future environment through programmes to ensure that the public space is safe, clean, attractive, exciting, entertaining and user-friendly, ensuring that various bodies and authorities meet their responsibilities, assisting wherever possible and thereby protecting and enhancing the existing asset base and attracting new investment, tenants and customers.

For any cleansing and security emergencies or complaints,
please phone 0800-200-597 toll free or e-mail: davies@cidc.co.za

Claremont Improvement District Company
Upper Ground Floor, Stadium on Main
PO Box 24063, Claremont 7735
Tel: (021) 674-0639 Fax: (021) 674 1533
Executive Manager: A H V Davies E-mail: davies@cidc.co.za

This newsletter has been compiled and produced on behalf of the CIDC by
The Executive Connection (021) 671 4297 / 082 2241 222
E-mail: executiveconnection@iafrica.com
If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail claremontcentral@iafrica.com

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