MAIN CONTRACTOR ’ S COMMENT The R600-million project to extend and upgrade the popular Eastgate in Bedfordview , East of Johannesburg , is complete , reports Grinaker- LTA , a subsidiary of the JSE-listed Aveng Group .
The contractor undertook a R350m contract that formed part of the 30-year-old mall ’ s facelift and expansion . It comprised some 12,000m 2 of extensions , including the relocation of the food court and restaurants , upgrades and extensions to some of the existing shops , as well as the addition of new retail space and renovations to some of the entrances . A new , single storey parkade was also constructed .
John McLaughlin , contracts director at Grinaker-LTA Building Inland , reports that working in a “ live ” shopping centre was one of the most challenging elements of the project . “ Working close to the public in a well-established retail environment means there must be an increased
emphasis on safety . Keeping noise and dust pollution to a minimum has been a priority , and the demolition work took place in the early mornings ,” he notes .
McLaughlin elaborates : “ The ‘ eye ’ skylight is the main feature of phase 1 , and its casting was very complex in design and execution . We cast the beams and slab and supported the formwork over an existing structure with no backpropping . We hired a specialist to design the steel I-beam support to carry all the wet loads imposed .”
The completion of the casting of 85 % of the composite slabs ( 3,400m 2 ) was also an enormous challenge , he adds . “ After this , we had to apply ± 4,000m 2 of a torch on waterproofing product to protect the centre from rain ingress during the festive season break ,” he explains .
The elements of the contract that are currently underway include the steel structure , screeds and the remainder of the concrete composite and mezzanine slabs . “ The food court building comprises a steel structure , and this is currently 40 % complete ” McLaughlin reports . “ The screeds have now commenced in the piazza area .”
The contractor ’ s next major task will be the removal of the old lifts and the creation of bigger lifts over the existing food courts . “ This is a particularly testing portion of the contract , particularly as it happens over an operational shopping mall ,” stresses McLaughlin . The new lifts will be completed by August 2009 .
Grinaker-LTA ’ s contract at Eastgate was undertaken for Liberty Group Properties , a division of Liberty Group Limited with focus on property development , property management and asset management . Their shopping centre portfolio includes Sandton City , Nelson Mandela Square and the Liberty Midlands Mall in Pietermaritzburg .
296 Eastgate Shopping Centre