Name and Location
Baywest City development project, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Client
The development of the mall is a joint venture between Abacus Asset Management and Billion Group.

Project Description
The Baywest City is a 320 ha ‘city within a city’, which is expected to be developed over the next 15 years and will comprise 6 000 residential opportunities, secure office parks, private schools, hospitals, a light industrial node, parklands and conservation areas.

The Baywest mall is the catalyst for the Baywest City development and will involve the construction of an 87 500 m2 regional shopping centre, with 250 retail outlets, a Fun Factory, an ice rink, a food court and designer stores.

For ease of access, four main entrances will be constructed and double-level structured parking will surround the mall, providing ample parking close to the entrances.

Infrastructure in the area will also be overhauled. This includes a multimillion-rand road network upgrade, which will link Walker drive with Old Cape road and the construction of a brand new interchange on the N2, at the doorstep of the mall. This new road network will bring any household in Port Elizabeth to within 20 minutes of the Baywest Mall.

The Baywest Mall and surrounding Baywest Precinct will be monitored with the latest camera security system. Linked with a fibre-optic network, the alarm, detection, scanning, infrared and recognition platform will secure all aspects of precinct life.

Value
R6-billion.

The mall will cost an estimated R1.7-billion to build.

Duration
The mall is expected to open its doors in early 2015.

Latest Developments
Construction has started on the new R300-million road infrastructure in the city’s western suburbs.

The first phase of the new road network, being built by construction company Basil Read, will link the suburbs of Sherwood and Rowallan Park, which are situated on opposite sides of the N2 freeway along which the Baywest Mall is being built. This will be accomplished by joining Walker Drive (Sherwood) to Cape road (Rowallan Park).

There will also be an interchange with on and off ramps to the N2, allowing easy access from the freeway to Baywest Mall and at the same time alleviating traffic congestion in the western suburbs.

Eventually, the network will link up opposite ends of the city, Redhouse and Chelsea.

Work has begun on clearing the path for the roads. By the time Baywest Mall opens next March, the on and off ramps from the N2 will have been completed and by September next year, Walker drive will have been linked with Cape road.

Abacus Asset Management and Billion Group, as well as the South African National Roads Agency Limited, will pay the bulk of the costs for the new network, with the city contributing 15% of the costs.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Mawethu Civils (civils work) and Basil Read (road construction).

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Baywest Mall, tel +27 21 886 5262 or email info@baywestmall.co.za.
Mawethu Civils, tel +27 41 363 0862/7, fax +27 41 363 0962 or email admin@mawethu.co.za.