Architect and Builder February/March 2019 | Page 59

Nedbank and Signatura came to an agreement in mid 2017 and construction commenced later on in that year. The development is on the large side for the CBD and consists of 210 apartments and 9 penthouses with private pools and roof gardens. The fact that The Onyx was a development of an existing building allowed the fast tracking of both planning and construction times. The development was launched in May of 2017 and construction got underway in earnest in October 2017. The apartments were handed over in November 2018, which was a fast tracked 13 month build programme and considerably quicker than a new build project of similar size. This reduced build programme put a lot of pressure on the team marketing the apartments as the sales period was significantly less than that of a new development. Signatura made a strategic decision to retain 75 apartments as an investment and these units became the core of what was going to be the hotel component of the building. Other apartment owners are able to place their units into a rental pool for use by the hotel. The hotel currently consists of 102 apartments - 70 apartments on the fifth and sixth floor and another 32 elsewhere in the building. Newmark is operating the hotel on behalf of Signatura and it opened its doors on 1st December 2018. The reception to the new hotel has been excellent and Signatura is encouraged by the high level of room occupancy since its launch. The Onyx doesn’t merely offer a hotel room, it offers luxurious apartment living with access to all the amenities you would expect in a five star hotel. The larger rooms and self contained facilities within the apartments make them an attractive option for stays of more than a few days, especially for those attending conferences at the CTICC. The smallest room at The Onyx is a 35m 2 studio that would be classed as a deluxe suite in a standard hotel. Some of the larger one bedroom apartments range from 50 to 70m 2 . Two bedroom apartments are great for families or business colleagues travelling together. Self-catering is easily accommodated by fully equipped kitchens and a Food Lovers and Woolworths is only a short walk away. Guests have the best of both worlds; the freedom that comes with a fully equipped apartment as well as access to all the amenities of a five star hotel, including a pool, gym, two restaurants, room service, concierge, valet parking and a spa. Left: The original Nedbank building 1968 The Onyx 59