Umlazi's Philani Valley Shopping Centre trading well

The new R 110 million Philani Valley Shopping Centre - the first formal community shopping centre in Umlazi's 'Y' section - is trading well following the completion of its R 86 million design and construction contract by Grinaker-LTA East in August.

Alistair McNair, business development director at Grinaker-LTA Building East – a division of the JSE-listed Aveng Group – reports that the new centre has been well received by the local community.

“There are no other formal shopping centres in the local area, so residents are extremely excited about the one-stop shopping destination that Philani Valley represents”, he said.

The shopping centre on the outskirts of Durban is the second facility to be developed by Durban-based SA Corporate Real Estate Fund, with the first being Umlazi Mega City located at the entrance of the township. Spar is the anchor tenant at the 14 000 m2 single-storey mall.

Job creation and training were priorities for the contractor on all their sites, McNair said, and local labour and sub-contractors were employed wherever possible. A total of 250 workers were employed on construction at the contract’s peak.

The Philani Valley Shopping Centre consists of two properties on either side of Echwebeni Avenue in Umlazi. The main mall on the lower site has been designed as an enclosed, internal mall with Spar as the anchor tenant, and features a barrel vault roof with exposed structural members throughout, as well as barrel entrances.

The centre offers a diverse tenant mix, from regional and national chains to independent retailers and service providers.

The development of the upper site includes a 3 000 m2 “Built It” outlet and a service station adjacent to the main entrance. More than 408 tons of structural steel was used in this project, along with 24 000 m2 of sheeting and cladding.

Written by: Property Reporter - The Mercury 20.11.2008 | Date Added: 08 Sep 2009