Company Announcement - Growthpoint Properties’ Inanda Greens office park is the new home of two top names in business: Heineken and FirstRand Bank Limited. Growthpoint confirmed it has signed both companies as tenants at its sought-after office park, in the high-demand business district of Wierda Valley in Sandton Central. Commenting on the deals, Rudolf Pienaar, Growthpoint Office Division Director, says: “We’re pleased to welcome these great businesses to their new offices. Inanda Greens consistently enjoys high occupancy levels and is a good example of the benefits Growthpoint’s leading Sandton office portfolio offers businesses. The office park is near the CBD of Sandton, with hotels, restaurants, shopping and conferencing all within easy reach of the Gautrain, public transport and major access routes.”

With its prime location, the 40,753sqm Inanda Greens office park offers a unique setting with a nine-hole golf course, beautiful landscaped gardens and coffee shop. Pienaar adds: “We are confident the Wierda Valley precinct, and its close surrounds, will be a future office and commercial property hotspot. There is already significant tenant-driven development underway in the area. We’re also in discussions with the local government about strengthening transport routes in and around the node.” Heineken and FirstRand Bank Limited join the 25 tenants of this distinguished office park including blue-chip and multinational names Fasken Martineau, The Independent Institute of Education, Kisch IP (formerly DM Kisch), Credit Suisse, S.A. Bank of Athens, Empowerdex, Meropa and the French Trade Commission.

Growthpoint signed a 10-year lease with Heineken at Inanda Greens for 3,371sqm of office space set over three floors. Heineken took occupation of its new building late in 2015. Growthpoint Properties’ office sector asset manager for the region, Paul Kollenberg, says: “Heineken’s management team felt that Inanda Greens, its golf course, green features, proximity to both the Gautrain and the Sandton CBD and the access to the major transport routes fitted well with its brand.”

“These premises will house the Heineken management team while its brewery and distribution centre will remain at its Sedibeng plant,” confirms Kollenberg. Heineken’s Inanda Greens office features a roof terrace, which Heineken plans to use for marketing events, taking full advantage of the lovely views over the Sandton CBD, the north-east of Sandton as well as the golf course. FirstRand Bank Limited has joined Inanda Greens on a five-year lease in contemporary new offices measuring 8,833sqm set over three floors.  “FirstRand Bank Limited installed significant IT infrastructure into the building and has already taken occupation of its new offices. It includes a 24-hour call centre environment for its Premier Client Services Division,” Kollenberg explains.

Both businesses will benefit from the modern design of their new offices at Inanda Greens. This includes all-important resource efficiency. The buildings feature solar water geysers, energy-efficient lighting with sensors and thermal-storage central air conditioning. 

The robust demand for office space at Inanda Greens is clear. The park is essentially fully let, with only one office space of 631sqm, facing onto the Polo Fields, available.

Growthpoint is South Africa’s largest REIT and a JSE ALSI Top 40 Index company. It is a Platinum Founding Member of the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA), a JSE Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Index company and a Dow Jones Sustainability Index company. It owns and manages a diversified portfolio of 471 properties in South Africa, 53 properties in Australia through its investment in Growthpoint Properties Australia (GOZ) and a 50% interest in the properties at V&A Waterfront, Cape Town. It also recently announced its strategy to invest in commercial real estate in certain other African countries. Growthpoint’s consolidated property assets are valued at over R100 billion.