VISION
Building a city, I
n a decade, a forward-thinking property development company, Rabie Property Group, has built a ‘city within a city’ on a greenfield site adjacent to Cape Town’s busiest highway, the N1. Well located between the northern and southern suburbs, with no historical baggage, Century City is now a sought-after destination offering a wide range of opportunities to live, work and play in a safe and secure environment to a new generation of South Africans. The success of this R21 billion development is testament to a unique set of circumstances – from the existence of several ephemeral (seasonal) pans, or small bodies of water, that had made the site seem an unlikely opportunity – to a sophisticated approach to land-use rights used flexibly and creatively by a developer with a long-term view and a keen sense of what the market wants. In 2004, Century City was home to a handful of office blocks, Cape Town’s only theme park Ratanga Junction and Canal Walk Shopping
Centre, which at the time was South Africa’s largest. Under the administration of the banks, the site represented a unique development opportunity for the mix of residential and commercial property for which Rabie had become known. John Chapman, a director of Rabie, recalls the weekend the first residential properties went on sale in the Island Club, when eager buyers snapped up 120 units over two days. This was the first of a series of relatively high-density residential developments that have seen about 3 500 new front doors opening to middle-income South Africans, ranging from single professionals, to young couples, families and retirees. “The principle here is based on new urbanism, but rather than an academic concept, the approach is to adapt and respond to what buyers want,” he says. Allied to this is solid, professional city management through the Century City Property Owners’ Association (CCPOA)
John Chapman, Director of Rabie Property Group.
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VISION VISION
creating a community which has put in place the governance and administration of a model municipality. “We have moved far beyond bricks and mortar into building a model city for a community – with pocket parks, landscaped pedestrian paths, a nature reserve, schools, churches, sporting facilities, public transport and more,” says CCPOA CEO Chris Blackshaw, who heads up the management team. “And it’s safe and secure, clean and tidy, which is what residents, commercial property owners and tenants really value. Century City now offers all the goods and services a community requires – for young, single people, growing families and retirees – in a well-managed and maintained environment.”
Chris Blackshaw, CEO of Century City Property Owners’ Association.
The story of Century City is far from over, with a new wave of development in progress, which will see further investment of more than R4 billion in the short term. This includes expanding the green commercial precinct that has attracted many corporate headquarters and an Urban Square linked to
a 900-seater conference venue, a 125-room hotel and restaurants geared to complement the growing international success of Cape Town’s conference offering. “One of the benefits has been the granting of a basket of rights for the entire property, which allows Rabie Property Group the flexibility to develop pockets as complete neighbourhoods in response to demand,” says Chapman. “This is part of what makes Century City a continuing source of fascination for developers and government delegations from many parts of South Africa, Africa and the world.” Blackshaw says Century City is making, and will continue to make, a significant contribution to the economy, spatial fabric and life of Cape Town, alongside and not in competition with the CBD and other business and residential nodes. “2004 to 2014 has been an exciting decade for Century City. We are looking forward to the next 10 years,” he says.
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CENTURY CITY
250 hectares 550 businesses R21 billion investment 55 000-strong community
Green Precinct 150 000m2 once completed More than R4.3 billion earmarked for further expansion
Hotels/conferencing 5 hotels, 6th coming 570 hotel rooms 5 conference venues New 900-seater conference centre opening in 2016
Ratanga Junction 16 hectares of beautiful gardens More than 25 rides and attractions 250 000 visitors per year
Transport 15 410 people use pedestrian walkway and Century City Station daily 2 215 Golden Arrow users 7 750 North Bank Lane daily users
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Sports clubs and leagues Touch rugby SUP Cycling Canoeing Running Fives Futbol
Central Park 4 500m2
Canal Walk 136 restaurants 21 million visitors per year 150 000m2 of retail space 10 000m2 of office space 8 000 parking bays 400 stores
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s s
Leisure and cultural activities Virgin Active gym 4 churches Neighbourhood restaurants Convenience retailing Award-winning beauty and wellness spas
Benefits Convenient, central location Safe and secure Clean, neat and well maintained High speed broadband connectivity World-class amenities in easy walking distance
Residential 3 500 front doors 10 000 residents Studio, one, two and three bedroom apartments Free-standing homes Luxury retirement resorts
Car dealerships BMW-SMG Mercedes-Benz Jeep Porsche
Security 120 CCTV cameras 2 metro law enforcement officers 1 traffic officer
Schools 4 schools from pre-school to matric
ark Intaka Island 120 bird species 213 plant species 25 000 visitors in 2013 Educational eco-centre
Commercial 550 businesses 260 000m2 of office space
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Surrounds 79 000m2 lawn 1 500 trees 11km roads 1 000 street lights 70 benches 6 drinking fountains 10km irrigation line 62,5 million litres recycled water used to irrigate per year
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Contributing
to the economy PEOPLE LIVING AND WORKING
55 000 businesses
550 MARKET VALUE
R20.33 billion ANNUAL RATES CONTRIBUTION
R138 million 6
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INVESTMENT
Century City is home to many leading national and global companies including: AIG Aurecon Auditor General BASF BCX BMW (SMG) Business Centre Citibank Chevron Curro DeVere Discovery Health Hi Sense IBM Itec Fusion Lesedi Nuclear Liberty Life Mazars Mercedes-Benz Moore Stephens MTN Nashua Old Mutual Private Wealth Philip Morris Porsche PriceWaterhouseCoopers Regus Samsung SAP Softline Sony Spur Verisign Virgin Active Vodacom
C
entury City is the third largest business node in Cape Town, and is leading the way in creating a true mixed-use environment where the live, work, play lifestyle is possible for between 55 000 and 60 000 people. Cranes are an almost permanent fixture in Century City, as commercial and residential development powers ahead. This is likely to continue across the 250 hectare precinct, which is approaching just 70% of its full development potential. The market value of commercial and residential property forming part of the Century City Property Owners’ Association in 2014 amounts to R20.3 billion, with a combined contribution to the rates base of the City of Cape Town of R138 million a year based on the 2012 valuations. In 2013 and 2014, and continuing into 2015, major commercial nodes in Cape Town – the CBD’s north-west area, the V&A Waterfront Silo precinct and Century City’s Bridgeway precinct – are benefiting from an investment boom in state-of-the-art new commercial
space, running into billions of rands. Each one of these areas has distinct competitive advantages for corporate property owners and tenants. Added to this, is the investment across Cape Town which is expanding the offering in the international and domestic conferencing markets. The new 900-seater Century City Conference Centre will precede and complement the expansion of the central city’s Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). Since the first phase of the CTICC opened in 2003 it has contributed an estimated R22.4 billion to the country’s GDP, and grown Cape Town’s international image as a conferencing destination. Century City’s unique advantage lies in it being a greenfields development, which means bulk infrastructure and services are relatively new and will be maintained to a high standard now and into the future. The City of Cape Town has a sophisticated system that maps data relating to property trends, connectivity and infrastructure to rank the city’s 70 commercial nodes in terms of their performance and
potential. Century City ranks at the top on all measures on the system. Challenges being faced in terms of the bulk electricity supply and peak hour traffic congestion are being addressed by the City of Cape Town, Eskom, Rabie Property Group and the CCPOA. A new substation has been commissioned to meet growing energy requirements while sophisticated traffic management, improved public transport services and the long-term development of further road links is planned, including the upgrade of Sable Road which will create two additional lanes in 2015. However, in all urban contexts peak-hour traffic congestion is a fact of life, and in this regard Century City is no different. “Congestion is a sign of success, and having a morning and evening peak hour was inevitable as the precinct has grown,” says CCPOA Chris Blackshaw. The corporate and investment sectors’ confidence in Century City is shown by the list of major companies it houses and in the number of leading property growth funds that have invested in the precinct.
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Cape Town’s new MyCiTi bus service began operating in Century City in 2013 with further routes into the surrounding areas planned for 2015.
Connecting with
Cape Town
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ACCESS
L
ocation is a key factor in the success story of Century City, situated as it is right on the N1 freeway that connects the Cape Town CBD to the northern suburbs. Century City is also the gateway to the West Coast along the N7, the city’s fastest-growing area with a mix of commercial and residential development.
Century City, with upgraded pedestrian links, for use as a park and ride facility. The management and development team actively promote public transport, with buses, minibus taxis and metered taxis all servicing the area. “Century City has some of the best regulated and managed public transport interchanges,” says CEO of the CCPOA Chris Blackshaw.
Initially, Century City was something of an island, with undeveloped linkages into the surrounding suburbs. Canal Walk Shopping Centre, with 8 000 parking bays alone, consolidated the notion that this was a cardriven destination. This has changed in recent years. In 2010 the hosting of the Football World Cup in Cape Town was the catalyst for the building of a new railway station across the N1 from
A major development has been the extension of the City of Cape Town’s modern integrated rapid transit system, MyCiTi, to Century City. In November 2013 the MyCiTi bus service replaced the privately contracted shuttle service that had operated along the main routes through Century City. Work is underway on a further MyCiTi trunk route with a station on Ratanga Road, which will greatly expand the links between Century City and the surrounding suburbs.
PEOPLE USING station and Pedestrian walkway
There is also the possibility of further integrating Century City through a link to the south across the rail corridor.
15 410 myciti feeder service
1 650 PEOPLE USING MINIBUS TAXIS
6 170 GOLDEN ARROW BUS USERS
2 215 NORTH BANK LANE PEDESTRIAN DAILY USERS
7 750 E-PARKING
1 100
An estimated 55 000 people live and work in Century City. Testament to this popularity is that the access roads, especially Sable Road, now experience peak-hour congestion. The CCPOA and the developer, Rabie Property Group, strive to maintain a free flow of traffic within and around the precinct. The use of CCTV cameras, the timing of traffic signals, traffic guidance and vehicle messaging are some of the ways congestion is mitigated. Other measures include the planned upgrade
of Sable Road in mid-2015, which will create two extra traffic lanes. Century City has the dedicated services of a traffic officer from the City of Cape Town and two pointsmen from Outsurance are deployed to assist. There is also agreement in principle with the City’s Traffic Management Centre (TMC) to have controlled access to each other’s CCTV networks. This will enable the CCPOA control room to view the adjacent national and main arterial roads in real time and the TMC to view Century City roads. In recent years, a public transport and pedestrian survey has been conducted with the assistance of the City of Cape Town’s public transport department. The results are a clear indication of the increasing accessibility of the precinct and are related to Century City’s initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint. For those travelling to Century City by car, e-parking offers companies based in Century City additional monthly parking bays at a competitive price. There are four convenient e-parking sites with over 1 100 parking bays, within 500m of everyone’s place of work. With the improvement in public transport services, the City of Cape Town has zoned Century City a P2 area. This means that for new commercial developments, the developer is required to provide one parking bay per 100m2 of office space, as opposed to four per 100m2 previously required.
Connecting with the world Accessibility is about more than physical connection, as access to fast, reliable broadband and multimedia services have become essential for business and residents. Century City Connect has installed an open-access fibre optic network, over which 17 accredited internet service providers offer world-class broadband and multimedia services to those living and working in Century City. Specifically designed competitive packages are offered, allowing businesses and residents to select the services, cost and speed that best suits their needs. See www.centurycityconnect.com
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Waterstone Isles, award-winning residential complex.
Choosing a new place
to call home
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LIVE
I
n 2004, the idea of living next to Canal Walk Shopping Centre was a novel one, yet the first residential development, the Island Club, with 450-unit luxury apartments, quickly sold out to buyers who recognised the attractions of living in a central location with easy access to the entire Cape Town metropole. The development, which was completed in late 2005, has its own private waterways and recreation zones and adjoins a public promenade with piazza spaces along the Grand Canal with a pedestrian bridge linking into Canal Walk. The Island Club won the prestigious SAPOA national award for the top residential development for 2005. This put Century City, an area without any of the political history or labels of other Cape Town neighbourhoods, firmly on the map. The early confidence has paid off for buyers, with a capital appreciation of an average 134% in less than 10 years. In the last decade the range of residential options has grown steadily, with most in the R1 million to R2.5 million category, but around 10% in the R3 million to R14 million range catering for the higher end of the market. Today Century City offers modern, secure homes covering the whole lifestyle cycle, from first-time homeowners to single yuppie pads, young couples, families and empty nesters, even retirees. There are studios or one, two or three bedroom apartments, townhouses and freestanding villas, many with water frontage, amazing views of Table Mountain or looking onto Intaka Island and the creeks, canals and wetlands. No matter what the choice of home, Century City offers security and substantial return on investment in the form of capital appreciation and rental income. But perhaps the best value is to be gained from the quality of life and sense of belonging amid diversity that is becoming a feature of living in Century City. The single developer model ensures that the urban fabric that links one development to another is well developed and maintained, with a network of pedestrian walkways and cycle paths and lush landscaping. The efficient, unobtrusive urban management model and the growing number of community facilities, including schools, places of worship, a clinic, sports clubs, and a range of community events underpins this sense of place.
Above: Award-winning Bougain Villas. Below: Palm Royale Oasis Luxury Retirement development.
homes
3 500 Average capital gain
134%
Setting the standard Residential developments at Century City have won numerous awards, including: 3 x Winner SAPOA Best Residential Development of the Year (2006, 2009, 2010) 2 x Finalist SAPOA Best Residential Development of the Year (2008, 2009) 1 x SALI Gold Award for Landscape and Turf Maintenance (2008) 2 x SALI Gold Award for Construction and Design (2008) 1 x SALI Silver Award for Landscape and Turf Maintenance (2008) 1x Best Residential Development in South Africa (International Property Awards) (2006) 1 x Best Retirement Development in South Africa (European Property Awards) (2008) 1 x Rated SA’s best middle class suburb in 2008 by Finweek
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Aurecon, South Africa’s first 5 star Green Star rated building.
Turning green
into gold
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SUSTAINABILITY
A
competitive advantage that Century City has over older business nodes is that it offers large corporates a way to make a commitment to environmental sustainability and a reduced carbon footprint. Century City is home to Aurecon, South Africa’s first 5 star Green Star rated building. The building, which was developed by Rabie Property Group on a site overlooking Intaka Island and rated by the Green Building Council of South Africa, serves as the regional offices of the global engineering group Aurecon. Century City is also home to Bridgeways precinct, which when completed is expected to be the country’s largest all-green business precinct. Bridgeways is already home to Chevron – the second 5 star Green Star rated building at Century City and two 4 star Green Star rated buildings occupied by Phillip Morris and The Business Centre. Also under construction in the precinct is the 18 000m2 Bridge Park office development being undertaken in a joint venture by Rabie and Growthpoint Properties at a cost of R450 million and the Century City Urban Square where a further R1 billion of development including a 900-seater conference centre, a 125-room hotel, offices, parking, showrooms, restaurants and apartments are under construction. Looking forward, several other buildings are vying for Green Star status, which will consolidate Century City as a premier destination for companies committed to improving their environmental scorecard. Going green contributes to multinational low-carbon scorecards.
A green light for walkways The CCPOA has replaced halogen lamps with LED lighting. The 70 watt halogen lights have been replaced with 30 watt LED lamps, which use 74% less electricity. This will see the lighting system paying for itself over the next two years. After a successful pilot project in which 58 lamps over a kilometre were converted, there are plans to install LED lighting on all the walkways and throughout the green Bridgeways precinct.
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The multi-use venues on Intaka Island play host to a range of events and gatherings.
Intaka Island –
a natural asset
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ENVIRONMENT
A
wetlands area and a series of ephemeral pans has become an award-winning green lung, home to 125 species of the birds after which Intaka Island is named. When the initial environmental impact report recommended that part of the wetland area be retained, it was embraced as an opportunity to create something special. Intaka, meaning bird in isiXhosa, is constructed from several man-made cells and the surrounding restored wetlands, which feed the 8km of canals that run
through Century City. A magnet for a growing number of bird species and 213 species of indigenous plants, including 24 Red Data species, it is now not only a space where residents and visitors can reconnect with nature and wildlife, but has become the starting point for a birding route that stretches to Namibia. The Environmental Education Centre’s green building is the point of arrival at Intaka and was designed to be a multi-functional space. Visitors can stroll along footpaths over a 2km route or ask for the guidance of a field ranger, who will explain more about the birdlife and fynbos vegetation. Boat rides on the Century City ferry that navigate around Intaka Island and down the Grand Canal are also available. The Eco-Centre is designed to showcase sustainability, with solar panels, a wind turbine, grey water recycling systems, rain water harvesting, compost and worm farms, and recycling. There is also an outdoor classroom used by schools and other groups. The reserve offers several venues, including the educational lapa, for hire for approved
corporate and private events, including launches, workshops and meetings. Intaka Island is open to visitors and groups every day except Christmas Day, from 07h30 to 17h30 in winter and until 19h00 in summer. For further details go to www. intaka.co.za or telephone 021 552 6889.
Educating youth Intaka Island offers the perfect space to teach young people about the environment. It has become increasingly popular with school groups, with 134 school groups visiting in 2013 up from 100 in 2012. Up to November 2014, 83 schools were hosted compared with 77 and 45 for the same period in 2013 and 2012. Of the 25 000 visitors to Intaka in 2013, just under 6 000 were learners attending with their schools.
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An aspirational, contemporary work environment contributes to productivity and the bottom-line.
A home for business
at Century City
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COMMERCIAL
W
hether it’s a cutting-edge green building that houses a major corporate, a self-contained set of offices overlooking the water a few steps away from a coffee shop or a fully equipped temporary office suite, there’s a business environment for everyone.
Century City has grown exponentially as a place to do business and is now Cape Town’s third largest commercial precinct. Despite the financial downturn and recessionary climate, commercial office space has maintained a steady growth trajectory, expanding from 80 000m2 to 264 000m2 in a decade. Over 550 businesses have offices in Century City. There are many reasons for its success, including its central location, easy access to the freeway network, the Cape Town CBD, the V&A Waterfront and the Tygervalley business nodes, as well as to the Cape Town International Airport. Within the Century City area, an abundance of parking and hospitality and small conferencing facilities has encouraged continued growth and variety in the commercial mix. In addition, the retailers at Canal Walk Shopping Centre provide just about every type of product and service a business needs.
being based here. Century City Connect has installed an open-access fibre optic network that offers world-class broadband and multimedia services to many businesses and residential units. All future residential and commercial properties will have direct access to the network. With 17 major accredited internet service providers, users have a wide range of tailored packages to choose from to suit their specific needs and budgets. According to John Chapman of Rabie Property Group, the aim has always been for Century City to complement other major business nodes, rather than compete. However, in one respect Century City does have an advantage – and that’s in the opportunity for new buildings that meet the standards for sustainability and environmental impact set by some major global companies for all their offices.
“It’s substantially more cost effective to construct a green building than to retrofit an older one in an established area like the CBD, and Century City offers this,” he says. There’s also a proven demand for small office space from owner-managed businesses and consultancies. Century City has mixed-use developments that cater for these non-corporate enterprises, including owner-occupiers, which provide business efficiency with a great lifestyle setting – the opportunity for a leisurely creative session over breakfast or a paddle along the 8kms of navigable waterways in the late afternoon. Investors in commercial property have seen great returns. Investors across the spectrum have received initial yields of between 7% and 9% and increased returns consistently thereafter.
Given the increasing dependence of businesses and individuals on digital access, there’s a major advantage to
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The Century City Conference Centre and a new 125-room hotel, opening in 2016, will add significant life and business to the Bridgeway precinct.
A hub for business
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HOTELS AND CONFERENCING
hotels
5
(6th under construction, due for completion December 2015)
ROOMS
451
(+125 under construction)
Century City Conference Centre (2016) TOTAL CAPACITY
1 900
people
venues
20
including 4 halls and 12 meeting rooms
C
entury City’s popularity as a hospitality node has grown phenomenally in recent years, in tandem with the growth of the precinct which is now home to over 550 businesses. Five hotels catering to different sectors of the market are in demand from business travellers to visitors with families, attracted by the central location, safety and security and attractions like Ratanga Junction theme park and Canal Walk Shopping Centre. The African Pride Crystal Towers Hotel and Spa, the Colosseum Luxury Hotel, Manhattan Suites, Island Club Hotel and the Stay Easy Hotel offer a total of 451 rooms, with a mix of rooms, suites and penthouses. For longer stays, including family holidays, there are a number of rental pools offering furnished apartments, including Century City Apartments, Island Letting and The Residences Luxury Executive Apartments. Century City’s growing status as a business destination with some of the biggest corporate names has led to a rising demand for conferencing facilities. This is met to some extent within the hotels, but there is a gap in the market for facilities for events, exhibitions and mid-size conferences. The next phase of development for the Rabie Property Group is the Bridgeways precinct, adjacent to the hotels, with convenient access from the N1 via Sable Road. It already houses a number of green buildings, one of which is The Business Centre which offers furnished serviced
African Pride Crystal Towers Hotel and Spa. offices and a range of facilities, such as video conferencing. The hub of the node will be the Century City Conference Centre, which is already under construction and scheduled for completion by early 2016. As part of the development, a new hotel will offer 125 rooms around an Urban Square designed to provide a vibey, late-night venue with a variety of eateries. The conference centre, in partnership with Century City Connect, will offer delegates world-class fibre optic and wireless connectivity in every room. There will be facilities to host 1 900 people in a total of 20 venues. This includes flexible configurations with three adjoining halls with a capacity for more than 900 delegates cinema style with a fourth hall able to accommodate a further 480 delegates cinema style. The centre will also have 12 meeting and breakaway rooms and a business lounge. “Cape Town is doing a great job in attracting an increasing share of the international conference market, and we believe that the Century City Conference Centre will assist by adding to the current offering,” says John Chapman, from Rabie. “At the moment there is the Cape Town International Convention Centre and then smaller, niche venues. Our conference centre will be aimed at mid-sized events and will further stimulate business for the hotels, hospitality and other service providers and suppliers at Century City.” The first conferences are expected to be hosted early in 2016.
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Living the
shopper’s dream
A
decade ago Canal Walk was synonymous with Century City. While that has changed with the increasing mixed-use character of the node, this massive and iconic shopping centre remains a major drawcard which has been visited by more than 250 million shoppers.
Today Canal Walk is firmly entrenched as a premier shopping destination, after its acquisition in 2003 for R1.13 billion by Hyprop Investments and Ellerine Bros. Following a decade of growth and expansion – it now has 160 000m2 of lettable space – its value has grown to R7.4 billion, with a R4.8 billion turnover in 2013. The centre continues to grow in popularity and significance meeting every shopper’s need,” says Canal Walk CEO Gavin Wood. “The incredible support from the community and the many international and local visitors have ensured Canal Walk’s status as the top
shopping destination in the Western Cape. We continually improve the tenant mix by introducing new brands and our negligible vacancy rate is evidence of the great demand for space.” The centre has over 400 stores trading from 09h00 to 21h00 daily offering leading local and global brands and the widest selection of specialty stores in the Southern Hemisphere. At its heart is a sophisticated promotions court, with full stage facilities and state-of-theart sound and lighting infrastructure, which draws large crowds. This is backed by Canal Walk’s in-centre television station (CWTV) with two giant screens and 32 plasma screens to enhance the shopping experience. Leisure opportunities include a 17-screen cinema complex and dozens of restaurants featuring food from across the globe. Canal Walk has won many awards for marketing and innovation. It was also the first
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RETAIL
shoppers a year
21 million GROSS LETTABLE AREA
150 000m2 OFFICE SPACE
10 000 TOP RETAIL TENANTS
400 FACEBOOK FANS
117 000 CARS PER MONTH
500 000 800 000 in December
shopping centre in South Africa to launch its own mobile phone app and offers shoppers free Wi-Fi connectivity throughout the mall. Like much of Century City, Canal Walk has a focus on sustainability, with a recycling programme and initiatives aimed at driving down consumption of increasingly costly electricity. Replacing more than 3 400 downlighters with LED and installing more than 4kms of LED strip lighting has helped achieve an 80% reduction in general lighting electricity consumption. An automated air conditioning and extraction system has cut
maximum electricity demand by 11% and water-saving measures are in place too. Once a car-only destination, expanding public transport links through rail and the MyCiTi bus system, are increasing the accessibility of the centre. Add to this an estimated 55 000 people now living and working in the area, and the future for this mega retail paradise is bright. There is also now an expanded retail offering across Century City, with coffee shops, convenience stores and services offered in mixed-use nodes like the Colosseum and various business parks.
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A new model of
urban management
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MANAGEMENT
C
entury City has adopted a system of urban management akin to that of a municipality, with the emphasis on good governance, efficiency and innovation. The first impression of Century City is one of a neat, clean and well-run space, which has contributed a great deal to the confidence shown by investors in both commercial and residential property. This is thanks to the Century City Property Owners’ Association, which is responsible for the governance and management of the public areas. Heading up the management team is an experienced former senior executive manager from the City of Cape Town, Chris Blackshaw.
to municipal wards and in terms of the memorandum of incorporation a director is elected by property owners to represent each of the precincts. These directors, along with three directors nominated by the developer, Rabie Property Group, serve as the company’s board. The company is funded through a monthly levy system comprising a general levy payable by all owners on a pro-rata basis and certain special precinct levies where property owners want additional services such as extra security.
“South Africa has a sound set of principles underpinning the system of local government, and at Century City we largely follow these – but without the red tape and bureaucracy, and with a high degree of accountability,” he says.
The CCPOA’s head office is centrally located next to Central Park and the Century City Clubhouse, which adds to the feeling of a mini-municipal office accessible to all. The management team is responsible for, among other things, general safety and security, emergency response and traffic management, as well as ensuring that there is safe and reliable public transport available at the public transport interchanges.
The CCPOA is a not-for-profit company, and all property owners automatically become members. There is a system of representation through precincts, similar
Of major importance is the proper management and maintenance of the infrastructure, both above and below the ground, such as stormwater systems,
Precinct Marker Waterford Precinct Century Gate Precinct The Estuaries Precinct Grand Central Precinct Grand Moorings Precinct Century View Precinct Bridgeways Precinct Mercantile Precinct Intaka Precinct Canal Walk Precinct
roads, public walkways and perimeter fencing, lighting and the abundant landscaping in the public areas, which includes running a nursery of indigenous plants. The CCPOA also manages the award-winning Intaka Island wetlands conservation area, the water quality in the canals and treats effluent water for use in maintaining the landscaping throughout the development. Other functions mirroring those of a functional urban administration include budgeting, collection of levies, and corporate governance, planning for maintenance and working with the Design Review Committee to ensure application of an urban design framework, marketing and communication and events management. “It is like running a municipality, and we maintain good relations with the City of Cape Town, the Western Cape Government and other public-sector agencies,” says Blackshaw. “Within Century City we try to fulfill our responsibilities in a cutting-edge and cost-effective manner, responding to the needs and expectations of our customers, the property owners.” Every year the CCPOA conducts a survey to see how satisfied property owners and residents are with the services provided, and to pinpoint areas for future improvements. The survey shows consistent satisfaction levels into the 90% mark, which is a strong vote of confidence in the management team.
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MANAGEMENT
Measuring performance
T
Century City performance survey results for 2014 Overall Satisfaction
he Century City Property Owners’ Association conducts regular surveys for insight into the priorities and concerns of residents and commercial tenants, and to monitor satisfaction with services provided. “The surveys are an important tool for measuring how well the CCPOA is performing in its day-to-day management and pinpoints areas where more development and improvement are needed,” says CEO Chris Blackshaw. The results are a critical input in strategic planning and budgeting and help to strengthen relationships between the CCPOA and the broader Century City community and stakeholders. The survey is administered online and marketed through various internal marketing mediums. The majority of respondents are owners of residential units, but include owners and tenants of commercial and retail properties, residential tenants and workers. The areas surveyed show consistent high levels of satisfaction, but this isn’t cause for complacency. “We hold ourselves to a very high standard and as the development grows and management becomes more complex, maintaining satisfaction levels at well over 90% becomes a challenge,” he says, adding it’s a challenge that the management team is up for.
3.5%
4.5%
Excellent
8%
Good Fair
56%
Poor
28%
Don’t know
Please tell us how satisfied or dissatisfied you are with each of the following services: Infrastructure
Environmental Management and Amenities 1% 2%
1%
10%
55%
30%
67%
34%
Very satisfied Somewhat satisfied Somewhat dissatisfied Very dissatisfied
Public Transport 7%
47%
Safety and Security 4% 5%
8%
38%
51%
40%
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SAFETY AND SECURITY
Safeguarding quality of life O
ne of Century City’s greatest attractions to those living and working here is that it is safe and secure.
“While we can’t claim to be a 100% crimefree zone, we do pride ourselves on our comparatively low crime statistics, which is in no small part a result of the zero tolerance approach to crime that has been adopted,” says CEO Chris Blackshaw. “Also, the success rate in apprehending those who commit crimes in Century City is well above the norm.” There are three levels of security. Firstly, the Century City Property Owners’ Association (CCPOA) is responsible for security in the general public areas. Commercial property owners, the body corporates and home owners’ associations of residential complexes are responsible for the security of their development. Thirdly, individual property owners are responsible for the security of their individual units. The strategy of using cutting-edge technology combined with highly visible policing and rapid emergency response has proven very successful in curbing crime at Century City. A fibre-based CCTV surveillance system with a network of dome and fixed cameras covers the gateway entrances and common areas. More than 120 cameras are linked to digital video recorders in the centralised control centre, which is manned 24 hours a day by a team of security officials. The stateof-the-art control room is the nerve centre,
and is in contact with SAPS and municipal emergency services, as well as with other security officers operating in Century City. The entire perimeter is walled or fenced, and access is monitored through manned security control points, surveillance cameras and a licence plate recognition system. Within the precinct, access to certain areas is controlled by booms. Visible policing is carried out by four easily identifiable Century City branded vehicles, together with bicycle and foot patrols. They work closely with the local police. Century City also has two dedicated Metro Law Enforcement officers working with the response team. CCPOA security personnel, who are normally first at the scene of an emergency incident, are trained to provide emergency first aid and a fire-fighting response as well as traffic control until such time as the City emergency services can get there. There is a sophisticated disaster management plan, which will be put into action immediately if a major event occurs. Regular audits are undertaken to ensure that the plans in place within the premises of individual property owners, including building evacuation plans, are aligned and complement the overall Century City plan. Century City Control Room Tel: 021 202 1000
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Breathing life
into a new city
Outdoor markets are growing in popularity, not least in Century City, where the Night Market and Natural Goods Market draw large crowds.
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COMMUNITY
P
eople make places, and in recent years, a sense of neighbourhood and community has developed in Century City making the vision of a safe, walkable, people-friendly suburb a reality. One of the risks of large-scale development in new areas is the sense of being a dormitory town, where residents still have to travel outside the area for work, study and play. That’s changing rapidly in Century City, with the opening of schools, places of worship, a gym and other sporting facilities and clubs, and a busy calendar of community events driven by the CCPOA marketing team. As CEO Chris Blackshaw puts it: “The bricks and mortar are here; the CCPOA is adding the soul.” The great attraction of this kind of selfcontained lifestyle is that it reduces the stress and cost of driving, time spent in traffic and provides an environment where it is possible to walk to work, take your young child along the walkways to school or cycle to the shops.
greater convenience and quality of life too. There’s also a flagship Virgin Active gym, and a number of private gym facilities in residential developments, while the walking and running paths are well-used.
gatherings, sporting events or simply for family fun. The multi-use clubhouse bordering Central Park is the hub of this community node and is available for rental for meetings, training courses and events.
It’s a safe, secure and well-ordered lifestyle that appeals to many middle-income singles, couples and families from across the spectrum, which makes for a racially and culturally diverse community.
Century City is home to a variety of sports clubs, including canoeing, stamd up paddling and running, Fives Futbol and touch rugby for those who enjoy a competitive and social element to their exercise routine.
For people who live elsewhere in the surrounding suburbs and work in Century City, the growing number of educational facilities, sporting clubs and amenities offer
Amid the hustle and bustle Central Park is a breath of fresh air. Like a traditional village green, the 4 500m² field is available to the community of Century City for corporate
Every year Century City comes out to play, with a busy calendar of annual events that draw in residents and people from surrounding areas and across Cape Town. There’s an annual three-day Sports Festival with nine different sporting activities, including a 10km road race that attracts around 2 000 runners, touch rugby, soccer, junior cricket, dragon boat racing, canoeing, stand up paddling, canoe polo and kermesse cycling.
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COMMUNITY
Fostering the arts In the second week of December, Century City hosts an annual Carol Service on Central Park Field, attended by thousands of people, with participation from local churches and children from the local Curro school. Other events include a golf day, Women’s Day lunch, Father’s Day adventure, Secretary’s Day lunch, business breakfasts and dinner club evenings.
For a relaxed afternoon, there’s the Century City Natural Goods Market, held on the last Sunday of every month from spring to autumn on the Central Park Field. The market offers fresh produce, organic goods and home essentials, with plenty of childfriendly activities. In winter, the Century City Night Market is held indoors at the Intaka Island eco-centre, where people can enjoy live music, food and wine.
Century City recently formed an Arts Foundation to curate its support for the arts. This began on a small scale some years ago with the introduction of an Arts Trail around Century City with a growing number of exhibits. More recently Art on The Island, held at Intaka, was launched to coincide with the Century City Natural Goods Market, held on the last Sunday of the month from spring to autumn, with different exhibitors each month. Going forward there are plans to open a permanent gallery in the new Century City Conference Centre and the addition of more works of art, including sculptures, to the urban planning design of this growing precinct.
Ratanga Junction Visitors SINCE JUNE 2005
2.2 million Favourite rides
Cobra 44% Ratanga Junction theme park covers 16 hectares and boasts more than 30 rides and attractions. The theme park operates during school holiday, with corporate, function and event facilities available year round. See www.ratanga.co.za
Monkey falls 37% Slingshot 10%
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COMMUNITY
A choice of schooling Century City has four diverse, independent co-educational facilities, catering for children from the age of 18 months. Endeavour Educare, next to Central Park, offers pre-schooling and grade R. Century City Curro Private School admits learners from pre-school to grade 7, and grade 8 in 2015. Abeille Ruche offers an alternative approach, based on home schooling, offering small classes from grades 1 to 6, while Abbotts College offers grades 10 to 12. A high school for the Curro group is set to open in January 2017.
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COMMUNITY
Sham and Kruben Moodliar in the Oasis swimming pool where they did most of their training.
A lifestyle of choice
F
or people who have chosen to live and work in Century City, the emerging ‘city within a city’ offers many advantages.
Among the Century City locals, Kruben and Sham Moodliar have assumed somewhat of a celebrity status. They are affectionately known as ‘Team Everest’, as they pursued a vigorous training programme for an ascent to base camp of Mount Everest, in the Himalayas, which they achieved in September 2014 belying the usual image of a retired couple.
Harries Projects – were on to a good thing when I made the decision to purchase, the returns have been greater than anything I ever imagined,” Kruben says. For the Moodliars, the convenience of the precinct is among the many benefits. “We never leave this place. Everything we need is here and we walk everywhere,” says Sham.
After years of living and working in Canada and India before returning home to South Africa, the Moodliars were one of the very first investors in Century City, buying a home in Oasis Luxury Retirement Resort off plan in 2005.
Although officially retired nothing about their active lifestyles suggests this. The couple trained vigorously since November 2013 for their ascent. “We were training six days a week, six hours a day and living here made it very easy. We make full use of the Oasis gym and the swimming pool.” They were also often seen walking briskly around the area, wearing weighted vests and backpacks and dragging tyres behind them as part of their training.
In 2010 the couple moved in, and have become ardent proponents of the Century City lifestyle, particularly enjoying the luxury lifestyle at the Oasis which is also proving to be an excellent investment. “I knew that the developers – the Rabie Property Group and
One of the best things about living in Century City for the Moodliars is the community spirit. “We come together in the Oasis Clubhouse and have meals together. Every Thursday we have a ‘boys’ hiking trail. I have made a new family here,” says Kruben.
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COMMUNITY
Khaya Mayedwa has lived in the Century View complex for the past six years, with his wife Khanyisa and their two daughters. He moved to Century City after relocating from Johannesburg to take up a new job. He’s a senior manager at the South African Rugby Union, where he works as a government and stakeholder relations officer. “When I started looking for houses, I was thinking of getting a place in the southern suburbs but I found that the houses there were quite old. This place appealed to me because it was new,” he says. Khaya Mayedwa, a proud home owner in Century View.
For the Mayedwas the convenience and the safety and security offered by Century City
is what they enjoy the most. The couple are both members of the Virgin Active gym and their youngest child attends Endeavour Educare, next to Central Park. It’s the perfect lifestyle with everything they need on offer in the neighbourhood and the shopping centres. “I’m sure there is crime – there is crime everywhere – but I haven’t heard of anything for the six years I have lived here,” says Khaya. The Mayedwas have no intention of moving out of the Century City any time soon, in fact they plan to renovate their home in the near future and possibly invest in another property around the precinct. Business owner Rodney Stein, of Rodney Stein Financial Services, moved his office from Sea Point to Heron Crescent, Century City four years ago. “We moved after realising how central the location is for our customers who come from all over the Peninsula,” says Rodney, whose clients from the northern and southern suburbs, the CBD and City Bowl are all able to access Century City with ease. “It’s extremely convenient for staff too. The added convenience of the shopping centre with banking facilities, restaurants and access to the gym is also an advantage,” he says.
Rodney Stein overlooks Intaka from his office in Heron Crescent.
For the middle-to-upper income clients that Stein services, the clean well-managed environment is a compelling advantage. “We also overlook the wetland, which is absolutely glorious, and we feel in touch with nature.”
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COMMUNITY
Maggie Rowley of Rabie Property Group and Adam Fine of Fives Futbol hand over a R250 000 cheque to Sinenjongo High School.
Reaching out to neighbouring communities
I
n 2007 Rabie Property Group adopted a high school in neighbouring Joe Slovo Park as part of their corporate social investment programme. Over the years Rabie has made a significant contribution towards improving the infrastructure and the learning experience of the learners and teachers at Sinenjongo High School.
the teaching staff. Rabie funds a number of programmes aimed at improving maths and science skills as well as the English proficiency of both learners and teachers. When understaffing proved to be a challenge, the company also paid the salaries of five additional maths and science teachers.
Two of the earliest projects were the construction of computer and science laboratories, followed by an ongoing mentoring and upskilling programme for
This support has had positive results. Six years ago the matric pass rate was 27%. In 2013 the school achieved a 94% matric pass rate and was one of the 10 most improved schools in the Western Cape for the second consecutive year. The quality of results has also improved, with most matriculants going on to tertiary education. The CCPOA also supports the school, planting trees on Arbor Day, hosting learners for environmental education programmes and school feeding schemes. In an innovative approach, Rabie Property Group invested in the construction of the first two Fives Futbol arenas at Century City, with the proviso that a portion of the net profit would be donated to Sinenjongo High School. In May 2014 the school received its first dividend of R250 000, which will go towards funding the intervention programmes.
Empowering people The Intaka Island Environmental Education Centre is a partnership between Century City, Rabie and other stakeholders to raise environmental awareness. This has also been an opportunity to create jobs. Two of the three field rangers who were previously security guards have successfully completed training courses and now run the primary school educational programmes. Ten other general workers have undergone training and obtained their boat skipper’s licences. They are now qualified to launch the boats that take visitors on tours of the canals around Intaka Island.
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