Vukile Property's Pine Crest Embizweni shopping centre, in KwaZulu-Natal
Vukile Property Fund has completed renovations at its Pine Crest shopping centre, in Pinetown, in KwaZulu-Natal and has rebranded it as Pine Crest Embizweni.
The R200-million, 14-month multifaceted refurbishments began in January 2018 and included the addition of a new floor of retail beneath the original centre and a stylish overall design.
The new floor was constructed by converting the centre’s ground-level parking, which added an indoor-outdoor food court, that is unique to the town.
Vukile MD Itumeleng Mothibeli said the entire shopping centre has a fresh look internally, more retail brands and better customer flows. Pine Crest first opened in the 1980s and became the first shopping centre in town; it remains the biggest retail centre in Pinetown.
“Pine Crest’s upgrade is focused on the people of this great community; their expectations and the experiences that they enjoy. The redevelopment of this asset has been delivered using a customer-centric market space value design to ensure that the product will appeal to the entire community and the broader Pinetown ecosystem,” he added.
The centre’s upgrade not only advances local shopping but also environmental responsibility. Eco-friendly, energy-saving equipment has been added to the centre.
Escalators and lifts were replaced with modern, energy-efficient models, while a low-energy lighting system was incorporated during the refurbishments.