THE 17500m² Protea Gardens shopping mall in Soweto is set to get a 7000m² extension as well as more fashion and fast-food outlets.
Jean Groenewald, MD of Greenwold Property Development, which developed and owns the mall, says the group is in talks with the city council to get its site ready for phase two extensions.
“We are going to increase the retail component with more fashion, furniture and fast-food outlets,” says Groenewald.
He says the group is involved in “extended discussions” with Woolworths, which has indicated that it would be interested in establishing a store at the shopping mall.
“We are planning to start construction in June or July and to open the extended phase in March 2007.”
The first phase of the mall was completed at the end of April last year, and the mall is celebrating its first anniversary.
“It has been trading excellently. Of particular interest is that the fast-food outlets are doing excellent turnovers, and so are the national retailers,” says Groenewald. There are no vacancies in the mall.
Some residential developments in Soweto are also set to boost trading at the mall. Among these is a proposed 3035-unit housing development in Protea Glen, being financed by First National Bank. The R500m development will be near the Protea Gardens mall.
Groenewald says it appears there are a number of new residential developments being built in Soweto. He says these will bring more people to the area and more traffic to the mall.
“It also increases the direct trading area.”
Meanwhile the 50000m² Jabulani Mall, which is also being developed in Soweto by Greenwold Property Development, is “progressing well”, says Groenewald. The mall will open on October 26.
