Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa July/August 2014 | Page 80

Alice Lane:
An Urban Icon
Alice Lane is a landmark development being added to the
Sandton skyline. Situated on the corner of Alice Lane and
Fifth Street, Alice Lane is owned by Standard Bank, Pivotal
Property Fund and Abland, and is being developed by
Abland on behalf of the owners.

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hen complete, this will be
one of the most desirable
addresses in Sandton. Situated
opposite Sandton City shopping centre,
the site is easily accessible from the M1
freeway and is within walking distance
of the Sandton Gautrain station, the
Sandton Towers Hotel and the Sandton
Convention Centre.
The development consists of three new
iconic office towers surrounding a central,
streetscaped piazza. The parking will be
located below the piazza level and will be
accessed either from Alice Lane or Fredman
Drive. In total, 70,000m2 of premium grade
office space is being created in the three
towers. The design of these buildings is
distinctive and contemporary, with topend finishes throughout.
The Piazza
The piazza is a key feature of the design
and will be the first of its kind in the area.
The intention is to create a pedestrianfriendly, attractive outdoor environment
which can be enjoyed by tenants, their
visitors and the public. Trees and benches
will give it a relaxed and welcoming
ambience, while sculptures and artworks
will add a touch of style. The public will be
able to access amenities such as the Virgin
Active gym, restaurants, a hairdresser, dry
cleaners, convenience food outlets and a
Standard Bank branch.
Three Phase Development
The entire site is being redeveloped in
phases. Phase One was completed by
August 2013 and is fully let. This 18,500m2
building had to be constructed before the
old Standard Bank building on the site was
demolished, so that Marsh Africa, which
has taken a substantial amount of space in
Phase One, could be housed in the bank
building while its new premises were being
constructed. Abland also concluded an
agreement with Virgin Active to put a

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gym into the building. The gym occupies
3,600m2 below the piazza level, in a space
which projects over Fifth Street and offers
attractive views of the city. Standard Bank
operates its private banking and business
banking divisions from the first floor.
The construction of Phase Two has
taken place simultaneously with the
demolition of the old building. This meant
that d [[