Church pays R16,5m for Dbn building

The church of choice for many celebrities including Tom Cruise, the Church of Scientology has purchased a landmark property in Durban's Morningside for R16.5-million.

Previously the site of the Gordon Road hotel and most recently operating as army barracks, the property was sold by Chantal Williams, a broker at property services company, JHI. The property is situated on two sites covering 2394sqm in extent. It was built more than 60 years ago, and therefore falls under the definition of a heritage building.

Paul Sondergaard, director of external affairs for the Church of Scientology in Africa, stated that the building is intended to house the Durban Church and many of its related community activities. "We have experienced unprecedented growth in the last few years and it made sense to invest in this property, both from an investment in the community and to be able to further serve the community at large." The Church has invested in most major cities in South Africa with its main Church now occupying the old Kensington golf course clubhouse property in Johannesburg, which is a feature in the community.

Williams believes this will undoubtedly be a positive change for the property which has operated on a low key basis for some time. "Due to the shortage of properties, we are seeing investors and end-users opting for properties that call for imagination and foresight with regard to their usage, which is a plus for buildings that may seem limited at first glance," she said. 

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