When you’re getting it right the heads are up and it’s not just about size, and yes folks sometimes size does matter! But in this case size with bling.
Expanding the family
In November last year Sandton City expanded by 30 000 square meters to 215 000 square meters, 144 000 being retail space. Edgars was upgraded as the flag ship store for Edcon to 12 000 square meters. Edcon’s Jet Store was reintroduced to the centre as well.
Truworths, the Foschini Group and Mr Price have acknowledged that Sandton City’s extension was vital to their own growth plans. The Foshini group doubled its trading area to 1,900 square metres. It also expanded American Swiss Jewellers, Markhams and added a Donna Claire store to the line-up.
Throw in another 58 retailers and by the end of 2011 Sandton City mushroomed like never before. Reinventing itself again, keeping its image fresh and exciting. The Bread Basket, Billabong, Nicci, Cameraland, Hydraulics, Marion & Lindie and Chefs n’ Icers are all recently revealing slick and sexy new store concepts and designs.
Attracting the glitterati.
Then just when you thought it couldn’t get more sparkly, adding to the already nearly 300 local brands represented, Sharon Swain, Centre Manager, announced that there would be an influx of international names too: Polish makeup house Inglot; Brazilian footwear brand Dumond, Italian clothing designer Carlo Pignatelli, Portuguese menswear designer Miguel Vieira and Kurt Geiger from New York. “Each of these retailers boasts a unique premium offering and their arrival brings the best of international trends to our local market.” Declared Swain.
Investment
You may well ask who’s behind all this. “The expansion of Sandton City is strongly retailer-driven. We’ve worked closely with our national tenants to bring the very latest and best retail concepts and designs to shoppers,” said Julie Hillary, general manager Sandton region, for Liberty Properties. The redevelopment is being undertaken by Liberty Properties on behalf of owners The Liberty Group, which owns 75{429ab47ec6edc388b6294e86ae75f304ecbd477a894283ff02535d40af3f3097} and Pareto Ltd, which owns 25{429ab47ec6edc388b6294e86ae75f304ecbd477a894283ff02535d40af3f3097}.
Going Green
The headlines continued throughout last year with the announcement that Sandton City’s landmark expansion was being capped with a South African first: an environmentally-friendly climate envelope roof. Yes it’s true, Sandton City is going Green, but in heels of course. The Protea Court roof has been created with a product called Texlon.
Texlon is an innovative Green technology used worldwide and is being used for the first time in South Africa at Sandton City. The reason for its selection as a roofing material is its lightweight and environmentally-friendly climatic envelope. It is highly energy efficient, comprises of environmentally-friendly technology.
Showing some love
But it’s not just about glitz, glamour and Green. Showing its intentions back in March when Earth Hour was celebrated, Sandton City revealed its warmer side when in conjunction with Mr Price Home 150 quality fleece blankets were donated to the children of Alexandra Township as part of the Corporate Social Initiative programme. Then again this week beanies and scarves were dished out to the kids, and only in the most fashionable of colours!
The recipients were the Banakekeleni and Abangani E Nkosini homes caring for orphans and the elderly. In addition as part of the annual Sandton City CSI programme, a pledge was made to supply these homes with essential hampers during the course of the year to assist with the meeting of basic daily needs.
The future looks all tinsely bright for a shopping centre that’s puts its money where its mouth is as a national retail icon, mindful of the environment and the greater good of the surrounding community. The world is watching you Sandton City.
