SA Affordable Housing May - June 2019 // Issue: 76 | Page 32

PROJECTS
The Jewel City site where construction is underway to bring an amenity-rich mixed-use affordable housing precinct to the
Johannesburg CBD.
Derrick Pautz, Atterbury development manager. Residents
are expected to move into their Jewel City apartments from
November this year as the first floors of residential
development are completed. Upper floors will be available
first, moving down the buildings until all floors are finished
with Phase 1 completion in April 2020.
The precinct also includes commercial space and parking.
There is already good progress on leasing the
development’s first 14 000m 2 of commercial space, which
includes a primary and high school and medical facilities.
“Jewel City is enjoying excellent buy-in from major
national retailers, which are showing keen interest and
commitment,” reports Pautz.
The world-class ‘live, work, play’ Jewel City will connect
with two other Divercity projects including the new Towers
Main redevelopment in the ABSA precinct and its vibey
Maboneng residential addresses. This link will be facilitated
with a people-friendly walkway along Fox Street.
“We’re excited to break down the walls of Jewel City and
open up great living opportunities and enhanced quality of
life for people in the city,” says Pautz.
The development is a massive boost for the economy of
Johannesburg and will create an estimated 1 279 temporary
jobs and 25 permanent jobs and add to both the municipal
and national tax base. Jewel City is expected to have a total
development value of more than R1.2-billion once complete.
CHALLENGES AND IMPACT
“Some elements of difficulty of this development include
the affordability pressures that tenants face that demands
extreme cost-awareness from the development team to
bring the project to market as affordably as possible. Also,
being an inner-city rejuvenation project, the sites are
30
MAY - JUNE 2019
"The fact that this
development is in the inner
city already makes it a very
sustainable solution."
constrained and site access for delivery of materials is a
constant challenge,” says Carel Kleynhans, director at
Ithemba Property Development.
However, urban densification is essential for reducing the
overall cost of housing delivery, reducing its environmental
impact and providing easy access to job opportunities and
social amenities for households. This project serves as proof
that well-located affordable housing precincts are
commercially viable.
ELEMENTS OF EFFICIENCY
AND SUSTAINABILITY
“Most significantly, the fact that this development is in the
inner city is what makes it very sustainable. For its
residents, its proximity to job opportunities and amenities
dramatically reduces commuting time and distance,”
Kleynhans adds.
In addition, the development utilises existing
infrastructure rather than requiring new infrastructure to be
installed to a greenfield site.
In terms of services, the residential buildings feature
heat pumps for hot water generation, low flow shower
heads and taps, dual flush toilets and smart metering for
both water and electricity.
www.saaffordablehousing.co.za