Daveyton Mall owners to spend R90 million on upgrades
Daveyton Mall owners are to spend R90 million expanding and refurbishing the shopping center located in the Ekurhuleni Metro, Gauteng.
JSE-listed diversified property group Vukile Property Fund has commenced the upgrade of Daveyton Mall and expects completion by 10 December 2021, in time for the festive season.
The Mall is one of the first township malls developed in South Africa. It opened in 1993 with more than 60 shops.
Today, nearly 30 years later, this successful mall’s retail mix is still led by its original anchor tenant, Pick n Pay, with OBC Chicken, Mr Price, Pep, Jet and various national and local brands, including Ackermans, Clicks, Sport Scene, KFC and Debonairs.
Laurence Rapp, CEO of Vukile, says the mall has a remarkable history and legacy and is a prize asset in Vukile’s core portfolio of defensive, dominant shopping centres.
“The Mall is an excellent shopping centre asset that trades phenomenally well across all retail categories and enjoys huge tenant demand and a very loyal customer base that deserves the best. Our R90.4m investment in Daveyton Mall’s strategic upgrade will ensure it is optimised for the next generation of shoppers,” says Rapp.
Seen at the Ceremony: Councillor Romeo Mokone of Ward 70 Daveyton; Laurence Rapp, CEO of Vukile Property Fund; Itumeleng Mothibeli, Vukile Property Fund MD SA and Councillor Solani Silawula of Ward 71 Daveyton |
The new upgrade will put Daveyton’s rich artistic legacy front-and-centre with a unique new look inspired by its community. Artistic splashes of bright colour will be incorporated into its new glossy modern aesthetic, which also includes spaces to showcase the work of local artists.
All shopper-facing areas of the mall will be modernised, inside and out. Its landmark Eiselen Street exterior façade will be remodelled with its entrances transformed into welcoming beacons, additional tenant signage communicating its interior purpose and improved traffic flows for cars using its free parking.
Inside, the upgrade will add more natural light, shiny new tiling throughout and fresh bathrooms. Higher and brighter shopfronts will be better configured to make space for more retailer variety, and its retail area will be increased by some 2,000sqm. Better shopper flows and sightlines are on the cards, and tenant adjacencies will also be improved.
Creating a new bright, airy interior for the mall will be an eco-friendly exercise by illuminating its courts with natural sunlight. New bulkheads will bring the mall in line with the latest trends while allowing light into the mall. It will also receive added energy-saving interior and exterior lighting.
A highlight of the upgrade is the all-new food court, which will add an entirely new dimension to Daveyton Mall. It will introduce sit-down dining with inside and outside seating areas. While currently somewhat at odds with the context of Covid-19, the new seating and pause areas planned for Daveyton Mall meet the long-term vision for the mall’s future aligned with its customers’ love of meeting, connecting and enjoying a genuinely social shopping experience.
Customers can look forward to free Wi-Fi access. The upgrade also supports the operation of the mall and its tenants, with state-of-the-art CCTV and foot counting systems.
The mall will trade as usual during the entire construction process. The development will take place in three phases to minimise disruptions for shoppers and tenants. Most interior work will be done after regular trading hours.