Business Day HomeFront 02 November 2018

HOMEFRONT 13 OCTOBER 2016 WWW.BDLIVE.CO.ZA 2 NOVEMBER 2018 WWW.BUSINESSLIVE.CO.ZA

MUST READ

Salsify — seriously stylish dining PAGE 2

Top five lifestyle living must-haves PAGE 10

Moldova opens door to Europe PAGE 14

Eat Play Run Pet-friendly developments are the new property differentiators.

A case for an urban As many South Africans turn to apartment block and estate living, living mind shift PAGE 16

pet-friendly is making its mark

We know the ‘ins and outs’ of every neighbourhood... #RealPartners

PAGE 6

We’re Real about Real Estate

HOMEFRONT DÉCOR AND FOOD

Settle in at Salsify Another smart dining venue is commanding diners’ attention. Skirting heritage restrictions, The Roundhouse has opened in Cape Town with a serious style injection WORDS: KIM MAXWELL :: PHOTOS: JUSTIN PATRICK

T

“You can always feel when a menu is inspired. There’s a sense of someone cooking, it’s not just a plate of food coming out” Ryan Cole, operational partner, Salsify at The Roundhouse

here is usually a waiting list to secure a dinner reservation when chef Luke Dale Roberts or his chefs craft innovative plates. The Test Kitchen restaurant in Woodstock put Dale Roberts on the local and international food map, and now former Test Kitchen head chef Ryan Cole, 29, is leading the kitchen crew at Salsify at The Roundhouse.

Cole says this upmarket lunch and dinner venue is not aiming to be a Test Kitchen duplicate; it will carve its own food niche.

The name is inspired by the “versatility and flavour surprises” of the salsify root vegetable, Cole’s favourite ingredient.

The new upper level restaurant is on the historic Roundhouse site that overlooks Camps Bay. The heritage building dates to 1786. Initially a round guard house, it was once a hunting lodge for Cape governor Lord Charles Somerset.

Somerset’s good friend Dr James Barry — later discovered to be a woman — was a frequent visitor.

“The Roundhouse has always been something of an anomaly. Its shape is unusual, it had a pretty chequered past and there’s a romance to it that fuels people’s fascination with it,” says Dale Roberts. “A restaurant that pushes boundaries just makes sense.”

FOOD A single-page a la carte menu offers five starters, five mains, three desserts and a cheese board. The whole table can opt to eat a set menu too. “We want people to come in, have lunch and a good bottle of wine. If they want to have five courses, or just a starter, that’s also fine,” says Cole.

As with the restaurant décor, where the building’s quirks were softened with softer touches, there is a gentleness to Cole’s plates.

A favourite was the spring minestrone with octopus, oyster and sea herbs: whispering freshness while hinting of the sea.

Slow-cooked local octopus tentacles in a lemon dressing.

A shucked oyster dressed with oyster cream emulsion, a borage leaf echoing briny elements. Vibrant broad beans, cucumber, peas, dune spinach and samphire. A waiter pouring in a pool of raw tomato liquid. A clean, light and delicate delight.

Alongside antique pewterware table accessories there are plates by ceramicists Sarah Walters, Corinne de Haas and Setamono. “We wanted to go light, clean and seaside views; not dark and moody,” says Cole.

Fish is always on this menu: the abalobi linefish (an app indicates where it was caught) partners peas, beans and a yeasty browned butter cream.

“My dad was a commercial

fisherman and my brother runs fishing charters. The one thing we all did together was go fishing,” says Cole.

“So I’m particularly good at filleting fish quickly and efficiently. And I cook a mean piece of fish.”

Vegetarians should consider the fire-roasted asparagus with sunflower/ cashew pesto, that has a few cheffy additions.

On the sweet side I enjoyed roasted pineapple with caramelised chewiness, against a cardamom and coconut cake backdrop. There were tropical additions in coconut meringue wafers, ginger notes in frozen goats cheese yoghurt, a lime hit, then mango coconut lassi freshness.

“You can always feel when a menu is inspired. There’s a sense of someone cooking, it’s not just a plate of food coming out.” Cole’s words, but the description is apt at Salsify too.

DÉCOR Salsify’s dining spaces are situated in the inner and outer rings of The Roundhouse.

Talented Sandalene Dale Roberts (Luke’s wife) has given them a dramatic décor transformation with her keen eye for art, and incorporated her own Naturalis woodwork, metalwork and upholstery brand.

Entering the restaurant, and in the drinks lounge,

HOMEFRONT

“It’s beautiful, I love The Roundhouse.

But when it became my responsibility to convert it, it became quite daunting” Sandalene Dale Roberts, furniture designer, Naturalis

PRODUCED BY BLACKSTAR PROPERTY PUBLISHING 1st Floor, Block H, Sable Square, Cnr Bosmansdam and Ratanga roads, Milnerton, Cape Town 021 447 7130

A EDITORIAL TEAM Editor: Kim Maxwell Designer: Samantha Durand

avant-garde graffiti art grabs attention by international South African artist Louis de Villiers, under the Skullboy label. Salsify, a 1.3m bronze sculpture by Otto du Plessis, stands under a gold-painted domed ceiling.

The sculpture depicts JM Barry as a woman’s body with a male pheasant’s head, on a base of cutlery.

“Through his mural work, Louis tells the story of Lord Charles Somerset and Barry at the hunting lodge as you walk in,” explains Sandalene Dale Roberts.

“He started the job on boards that hang in the reception room. Then he worked directly, making murals on the walls of the drinks lounge.

“On the gold Salsify ceiling, he punctured a black spraycan and let it go wild.”

Dale Roberts added colour by sourcing original antique chairs, stripping them and introducing a luxe feel with reupholstery in vibrant jewel tones. Faded Persian rugs lie on oak floors.

Thanks to heritage restrictions and the restaurant’s rounded spaces, refurbishing the space was not straightforward. “It’s the hardest job I’ve ever done,”

says Dale Roberts. “I always start with the walls in our restaurants. I usually use an Earthcote product in a waxy finish, after skimming the walls. But we realised we couldn’t skim because of heritage. Then I thought I could wood-clad, but the walls were curved.”

Brown leather walls in the inner oval dining room were the final solution. In this room, Dale Roberts created chairs from raw metal.

In the outer dining space, she electroplated chairs in antique brass. Their varied backrests alternate plain upholstery fabric with colourful tapestry coverings, above stitched leather seats.

At an old dresser, chefs finish off some dishes. Vintage wooden bedside tables and sheer curtains soften the modern mood.

“It’s beautiful, I love The Roundhouse,” says Dale Roberts. “But when it became my responsibility to convert it, it became quite daunting. Also, I’m not an interior designer with story boards and stuff. I don’t plan it; I design and manufacture metal, wood and upholstered furniture in my factory. It just comes … and I do it.” salsify.co.za.

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Artist’s Impression

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HOMEFRONT

Residents at pet-friendly Evergreen Val de Vie near Paarl, opening next year, will have access to Val de Vie estate’s dog parks

E Eat Play

PROPERTY TREND

Run

Pet-friendly developments are the new property differentiators.

As many South Africans turn to apartment block and estate living, pet-friendly is making its mark WORDS: GEORGINA GUEDES :: PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

states and apartment blocks have traditionally had restrictions relating to pets, but now many developments are allowing residents to have fourlegged friends — as long as the friend in question is well behaved.

For many people, home is where the pets are. But as more South Africans turn to the security and lifestyle of estates or urban apartment blocks, they find themselves faced with pet restrictions. Fortunately a number of developers have recognised that people need the companionship of their pets and have made their estates or apartment complexes pet friendly.

“When you are looking to relocate to a new home and you already have animals, you have to be fair to the animal in question and ask yourself if the property solution is appropriate for that specific animal type,” says Jessica Hofmeyr, Century Property Developments executive in charge of sales, rentals, marketing and operations.

Balwin Properties has also jumped on the petfriendly bandwagon. From secure estate Paardevlei Square’s upmarket apartments in Somerset West to the one- to threebedroom apartments in Ballito Hills on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast, all the developer’s estates are pet friendly.

“At Century Property Developments, we believe that all forms of accommodation can house a pet — but it is the type of accommodation that should dictate what sort of animal is kept on the premises,” says Hofmeyr.

SUITABILITY While cats can live in smaller apartments, many apartment blocks have high traffic volumes, which could present a danger to pets, she says. Dogs, however, need a garden or lawn where they can roam freely and so should have a ground-floor property or freestanding house.

“We allow animals at all our estates except The Campus in Auckland Park, which is a student accommodation development.” Hofmeyr says that the most important rule is that pets may not cause discomfort to neighbouring residents.

“In some of our estates, we even have ‘leash-free’ parks to allow dogs to play with one another off the lead,” says Hofmeyr.

“Waterfall Estate hosts several walks for residents and their dogs along more than 13km of walking trails.”

MILLENNIALS Chris Cilliers, CEO and Principal for Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty in the Cape Winelands, says millennials often have children later in life and start out with a

pet instead. Older people may have kept animals for a long time and don’t want to part with them when they are scaling down, she says. “Many new developments are prepared to provide the facilities for animals to be exercised.”

For example, Cilliers says that Val de Vie, on the outskirts of Paarl in the Western Cape, has allocated land to dog parks where the pets can be let off the leash to socialise with other dogs.

In the rest of the estate they are required to be leashed.

APARTMENTS Pam Golding Properties Pretoria is finalising the prelaunch offering for a new development, Roundabout Brooklyn, a pet-friendly apartment building with units priced between R1.9m and R5.9m.

“People want to bring their furry kids along when they either scale down or invest in a new apartment-living lifestyle,” says regional executive Retha Schutte.

Helga Clemo, Seeff Properties MD for Cape Town’s Century City area, says that while it is easy to accommodate the needs of pet owners on large freehold properties, buyers and tenants need to be upfront about their needs when it comes to highdensity apartment areas.

“In the Century City area, for example, you can find pet-friendly accommodation, but only

HOMEFRONT

Green Park, Rondebosch

“Waterfall Estate hosts several walks for residents and their dogs along more than 13km of walking trails” Jessica Hofmeyr, Century Property Developments Waterfall Valley Mature Lifestyle Estate, Midrand

TYPICAL ESTATE PET SPECS Jessica Hofmeyr, Century Property Developments: Our guidelines are simple: no more than two pets in a household with a garden. In groundfloor apartments, dogs should not exceed 60cm in height. All of our cluster houses and freestanding homes can accommodate normalsized dogs. We prefer all cats to be sterilised.

Retha Schutte, Pam Golding Properties Pretoria regional executive: In Pretoria’s

Roundabout Brooklyn apartment block a pet interview is one of the contract conditions — to establish if the pet will adapt to living in the building. A pet services provider has been contracted to provide various specialist services to residents.

Arthur Case, Evergreen Lifestyle CEO: To many seniors, pets are their best friends and to some they are like children. At Evergreen you may bring your pets with you provided you

are staying in a house, cottage or ground-floor apartment. For true pet lovers, not being able to move in with their pets would be a deal breaker.

Clifford Oosthuizen, Westbrook MD: Westbrook’s policy is that the homeowner must obey the municipality’s bylaws when it comes to pets. Also, homeowners are expected to use common sense by not having pets in a confined area, which will be unfair and stressful to the animals.

six out of 19 schemes are suited to this,” she says.

Seeff sales manager for the area Adrian Louw says that at 78m 2 for a twobedroomed apartment, the accommodation is fine for cats, but dog owners would be better advised to invest in a home on one of the estates. “The pet-friendly complexes tend to restrict it to one cat or dog with only Villa Italia permitting two cats and dogs.”

Other pet-friendly complexes in the area include The Island Club, Century View Estate and Waterstone Isles Estate.

RULES RE/MAX Living sales associate David Spence says Cape Town is not particularly pet friendly on the Atlantic Seaboard.

“Cape Town in general is not the most pet-friendly city in SA, in terms of accommodation. A quick look at the body corporate rules on apartment blocks on the Atlantic Seaboard will tell you that about 90% of the older, more traditional blocks or complexes do not allow dogs, or they are allowed only ‘by special permission’,” he says.

Seeff Atlantic Seaboard

agents Adrian Mauerberger and Cecily Sher say The Avenues in Fresnaye is pet friendly. Buyers can expect to pay R9.95m for a three-bedroom home in the secure complex with a communal pool, tennis and squash courts, clubhouse and a gymnasium.

SECTIONAL TITLE Pet-friendly apartment blocks in Sea Point include Le Village in Oldfield Road and 23 Arthurs Road. Seeff agents say you would pay between R3.5m and R4m for a two-bedroom property.

Buyers should check the sectional title scheme rules — most complexes require buyers to obtain prior permission for keeping pets.

Caroline O’Rahilly, Seeff sectional title agent for Rondebosch, Rosebank and Mowbray, notes that there are some pet-friendly complexes in the area such as Halevery Holt (small dogs and cats), Hermitage (cats only), Green Park (small dogs and cats) and Newlands Court (cats only).

Most blocks will make provision for indoor cats, but the number of complexes that admit dogs is limited.

Prices for apartments in the area range between R1.5m and R2.5m.

Westbrook, a multigenerational lifestyle development in Port Elizabeth, says the estate’s pet policy has the best interests of its residents at heart. “In fact we see pets in the same light as children,” says estate MD Clifford Oosthuizen.

RETIREMENT

Roundabout Brooklyn, Pretoria

Cilliers says many retirement villages with freestanding houses or townhouses with a garden do not object to a small dog or cat. Even larger dogs may be allowed, on the understanding that they will not be replaced with another large dog when the animal dies.

The pet-friendly Lazuli Lifestyle & Retirement

Estate offers a luxury secure private lifestyle for people of 50 and older.

Neighbouring Zimbali resort on the KwaZuluNatal north coast, Lazuli allows one medium-sized dog on each property — any other pet requests are subject to special approval.

“Whether it is millennials starting out in their first property, baby boomers looking to downscale or retirees making a move to a retirement development, global research shows that these buyers want pet-friendly properties, especially those that can accommodate a cat or small to medium-sized dog,” says Evergreen Lifestyle CEO Arthur Case.

Evergreen began making accommodation for this 10 years ago and is a petfriendly retirement brand.

Case says he believes that seniors with pets live longer and happier lives.

HEALTH Waterfall Hills Mature Lifestyle Estate and Waterfall Valley Mature Lifestyle Estate are developments by Century Property Developers that accommodate pets. “From our research, we have seen that retirees with a sense of responsibility towards something, such as a pet, lead happier and healthier lifestyles,” says Hofmeyr.

Heritage Estate in Modderfontein in the East Rand is a pet-friendly sectional title mature lifestyle estate for over-50s.

It has communal grounds, but no additional petfriendly features.

Pam Golding Properties Johannesburg development manager Peet Strauss explains why it appeals.

“Apart from wanting to make a sound investment in an appreciating asset, they seek a flexible lifestyle that provides freedom, while living within a likeminded residential community with medical facilities on hand,” he says.

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HOMEFRONT PROPERTY TREND

Must-have amenities What drives interest among buyers or renters when considering an urban development or housing estate? These are the lifestyle facilities in demand WORDS: GEORGINA GUEDES :: PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

D

ata from Lightstone Property suggests that about one in 10 South Africans chooses gated communities when making residential property purchases.

Developers of these estates are obviously doing something right to attract about 10% of property buyers. These are the top five features that seal the deal at lifestyle estates and apartment blocks.

1 Security

Steyn City, Johannesburg

“The number one facility that clients look for on an estate is security,” says Chris Cilliers, CEO at Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty Winelands Franchises.

“On larger estates it’s not unusual to sleep with doors and windows open.”

But “security” doesn’t mean just a boomed entrance and electric fencing. Estate managements now have to keep extensive tracts of land safe and employ leading consultants to set up efficient systems.

Sitari Country Estate in Somerset West provides access primarily through the main gatehouse, which covers an impressive

1,849m² — slightly bigger than an average rugby field. “It accommodates the security control room, on-site sales team, estate management centre and offices,” says Adlab MD Claudius Combrinck.

“Both the main and secondary gatehouses have biometric readers, number plate recognition and 24-hour manned access control.”

2 Village lifestyle People are increasingly drawn to estates that can deliver an all-in-one, everything-close-to-home village lifestyle. Residents often speak about how their children can ride their bikes in the streets or walk to the local restaurant while enjoying the surroundings.

“Most choose housing or golf estates for safety and security reasons, and so that their children can cycle, run and play freely within the estate without their parents having to worry,” says Loua Boshoff, owner of RE/MAX Bushveld, operating in Bela Bela and Modimolle, Limpopo.

“According to our last few sales within golf estates, it seems it is mostly young families who opt to buy here.” Some popular estates in the area include

Zebula Golf Estate & Spa, Elements Private Golf Reserve and Koro Creek Bushveld Golf Estate.

The inclusion of schools in many high-end estates now keeps children safely within “the village”, allowing for the type of freedom of movement that many parents are nostalgic for from their own childhoods.

Steyn City, north of Johannesburg, for example, has a Steyn City School, while Waterfall in Midrand has its own Reddam and Curro schools.

3 Outdoor life Simon Peacock, broker/ owner of RE/MAX Dolphin Realtors on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast, says there is a big demand for estates to be developed around natural environmental assets such as coastal forests.

“These resources act as the drawcard and present an attractive lifestyle element to potential buyers,” says Peacock. “Some major estates have become very creative in what they offer in terms of lifestyle: from fishing dams to mountain bike trails, horseback riding and clubhouses targeted at various age groups.”

Steenberg Golf Estate, 30 minutes south of Cape Town in Tokai, offers expansive open spaces (and a working wine farm) within the estate. Further afield there are mountains and forests and a beach within easy reach.

“At Steenberg Golf Estate we find people who are drawn to the carefree existence,” says Jacques Marais, the office manager at Steenberg Property Sales and Rentals Office.

“It’s like living miles away in the country, yet is only minutes from Cape Town’s city centre.”

4 Convenience

Steenberg Golf Estate, Cape Town

No matter how idyllic the life within an estate, real life must go on. The “CBDs” within estates now offer business support services, laundry facilities and convenience stores. Some mixed-use developments

HOMEFRONT

Sandton Gate

"Security is the number one facility that clients look for on an estate" Chris Cilliers, CEO, Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty Winelands Franchises

Koro Creek Bushveld Golf Estate, Limpopo

Capital on the Park, Sandton

take this to the next level, incorporating a true city within the development.

The selling point for residents of Sandton Gate is pedestrian access to everything the urban precinct has to offer, such as shops, premium office space and a gym. The new mixed-use development on the edge of the Sandton CBD overlooks the Braamfontein Spruit, a popular mountain biking route.

Retha Schutte, Pam Golding Properties regional executive for Pretoria, says the Menlyn Maine precinct offers boutique retail, a business centre that includes all the commercial banks, a gym, restaurants and a casino.

At Lazuli Lifestyle & Retirement Estate in Port Zimbali, KwaZulu-Natal, drawcards include a private residents’ clubhouse, business centre with all expected amenities, and a boutique wellness and assisted living facility for the residents’ convenience and peace of mind.

In an apartment block,

convenience is paramount.

Capital Hotel and Apartments MD Marc Wachsberger says that residents in The Capital On The Park use all the “hotel-styled” facilities of the development.

“It offers the best of both worlds that urban city living and staying at a hotel can offer you. Access to all the hotel facilities such as a 24-hour reception desk, concierge, secure parking, high speed Wi-Fi, laundry services, housekeeping and of course, in-room dining makes it a great place to live,” he says.

5 Community activities Important aspects of the “lifestyle” offering on security estates include fitness and a sense of community. For this reason, many estates now incorporate support for multiple sporting activities and offer co-ordinated activities for residents.

“Even golf is very low down on the wish list on golf estates,” says Cilliers.

“Being able to walk, jog and cycle safely, to have tennis courts, gyms and squash are more important.

Health and fitness are the big drawcards.”

She says clubhouses offer a selection of eateries, special events for residents and the convenience of home deliveries are popular.

“Generally residents tend to organise their own wine appreciation clubs and so on, but it is great if the facilities are there — in terms of a space in the building where they can come together.”

Balwin Property’s The Polofields in Waterfall lists among its amenities a training science gym, a wellness spa and sprint track, an outdoor gym and a squash facility. Balwin’s The Blyde in Pretoria East boasts the Crystal Lagoon for watersports and amenities including a cinema and games room, a gym, mini sports field and a restaurant.

Fitness and social amenities on the Val de Vie Estate outside Paarl include the Pearl Valley Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course, tennis courts, fly fishing on the Berg River, catch-and-release fishing in the estate dams, a pétanque association, soccer nets and coaching for children. There are also biokineticists at two gyms, an Olympic-sized pool that offers classes, equestrian facilities and wine tasting relaxation at the Vinoteque at L’Huguenot Cellar. There is also a Camelot Spa. Steyn City offers several lengthy tracks ideal for running, cycling or walking.

There are horse-riding trails and a world-class equestrian centre with a clubhouse and catering.

Other active lifestyle options include a gym and outdoor exercise zones suitable for yoga.

HOMEFRONT

Chisinau, the capital city of the Republic of Moldova

INTERNATIONAL

Moldovan value South Africans looking for an affordable entry into Europe and Russia can now buy into a citizenship by investment programme in this Eastern European country WORDS: GEORGINA GUEDES :: PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK

W

hile owning a home in Moldova might not be at the top of everybody’s list of priorities, there are increasingly good reasons why many South Africans are considering this opportunity. The Balkan state recently launched the Moldovan Citizenship by Investment programme, which offers European, Russian and other access cheaper than similar programmes elsewhere.

“Launched in the second half of 2018, the Moldova Citizenship by Investment programme has already garnered a lot of interest from South Africans due to the access the Moldovan passport grants its holders to Europe’s Schengen

area,” says Amanda Smit, head of Henley & Partners for Central, Eastern and Southern Africa. It has a reasonable capital contribution and a highly efficient application process, says Smit.

“This is the most competitively priced citizenship by investment programme to date.”

Security Moldova, between Romania and the Ukraine, offers applicants an attractive geopolitical and business environment that is safe, secure and good value for money, says Smit.

“These factors make the programme especially attractive for South Africans.”

Henley & Partners won the public tender to design, implement and

internationally promote the Moldovan programme.

Moldovan citizens have visa-free access to 121 destinations, including all the countries in Europe’s Schengen area, Russia, Turkey, Antigua & Barbuda, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Fiji, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Marshall Islands, Namibia, Oman, St Kitts & Nevis, Tajikistan and Zimbabwe.

Moldova has entered into an association agreement with the EU and is aiming to become a candidate for EU membership. This visafree access arrangement with Europe and possible future inclusion in the EU is one of the biggest drawcards of the programme. The Moldovan passport is ranked 42nd in the Global Passport Power Rank 2018.

The programme requires a minimum nonrefundable contribution to the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) that starts at €100,000 (about R1.64m) for a single applicant, plus additional administration fees outlined in the sidebar.

Industry Moldova has strong agricultural and foodprocessing industries, and is one of the world’s main wine exporters, with wine-making dating back almost 5,000 years.

“The Mileștii Mici winery on the outskirts of Chisinau houses the largest wine collection in the world,” says Smit.

Moldova is also known for its adoption of technology and was the first nation to launch high-

HOMEFRONT definition voice services for mobile devices. It is ranked third in the world in terms of internet speed.

Property

A vineyard in rural Moldova

The most likely property investment destination in Moldova would be Chisinau, which has abundant green spaces, parks and historical buildings. There are restaurants, art galleries, nightclubs, spas and casinos. However, as one of Europe’s leastvisited destinations, Moldova isn’t overrun with tourists, so there’s plenty of room to breathe.

Numbeo.com says the price for property in the city centre is about R14,000/m 2 , and outside the city centre about R9,300/m 2 . It’s possible to find a three-bedroom apartment in Chisinau for €50,000 (about R821,000), and a house

for between €150,000 (R2.46m) and €300,000 (R4.92m) and more. Rental prices range from about R3,600 for a one-bedroom apartment to R6,400 for a three-bedroom apartment in the city centre, and R2,500 for a one-bedroom apartment to R4,900 for a three-bedroom apartment outside the city centre.

Education Moldova does not have a large expatriate population, who are mostly NGO workers, embassy staff and foreign businesspeople — and only four million inhabitants in total. There is a small international school in the capital, the QSI International School of Chisinau, which offers English instruction.

The Free International University of Moldova also offers tuition in English, with internationally recognised bachelors,

masters, doctoral and postdoctoral courses available. The fees are affordable at $1,000 a year for citizens at both bachelor and masters level.

Lifestyle According to Expatarrivals.com, the cost of living in Moldova is low and foreign visitors or residents should easily afford to eat out at Chisinau’s excellent restaurants. And despite it being the poorest country in Europe, crime is relatively low, with petty theft and ATM fraud the greatest concern for foreigners.

The standard of healthcare is low, and anyone intending to live in the country should ensure that they have good medical insurance that allows them the option of treatment in other European countries.

THE COSTS: A minimum nonrefundable contribution to the Moldova Public Investment Fund starts from: €100,000 for a single applicant; €115,000 for a couple; €145,000 for a family of four; €155,000 for a family of five or more; €35,000 service fees.

Cathedral Park, Chisinau

“This is the most competitively priced citizenship by investment programme to date”

Applicants are also required to pay government fees of: €5,000 for the main applicant; €2,500 for a spouse; €1,000 for a dependent child under 15 and €2,500 for a dependent child aged 16-29; €5,000 for a dependent parent.

Due diligence fees: €6,000 for the main applicant; €5,000 for a spouse, dependent children older than 16 years, and/or dependent parents.

Biometric passport fees are €300 a person.

The 16th Century Bendery fortress from the banks of Dniester River in the city of Bender, Moldova

HOMEFRONT URBAN TREND

Changing spaces The plans for Thirty Keyes in Johannesburg’s Rosebank reveal some of the first shoots of urban precinct living in this city WORDS: GRAHAM WOOD :: PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

T

he developers of Thirty Keyes along the Keyes Arts Mile in Rosebank, Tomorrow Co, have a rather different kind of urban future in mind. This block of residential apartments has been designed for a time in which Joburgers looking for luxury homes won’t necessarily aspire to freestanding houses in the suburbs or housing estates with lawns, gardens and swimming pools.

The luxury urban lifestyle and neighbourhood the developers envision looks to a time when commuting in cars, shopping in malls and separating work, home life and play are things of the past.

A council-approved precinct plan will incorporate upmarket urban communities with safe, active street life and people living in close proximity to their workplaces and social hangouts, where shops and cafes face the street, plugged into the urban realm. It requires a mind shift for South Africans, predominantly used to homes in the suburbs.

BREAKING GROUND Urban apartments might not seem a new idea, but Thirty Keyes is no ordinary block.

A first phase of 55 units breaks ground this year and is due for completion in 2020. These high-end units represent a new kind of luxury urban lifestyle.

And they will plug into an urban framework that has been percolating for many years in the precinct along Keyes Avenue.

As the precinct’s first residential building, Thirty Keyes will have to work to shift paradigms as much as to answer a demand. As such, it aims to be a catalyst for communal values, where people walk and connect, interacting with a broader community and breathing new life into the area.

Providing creative solutions to high-density urban demand is a global challenge. So in Johannesburg’s Melrose

Arch precinct, construction of One on Whitely residential and retail development is well on its way. The same developer will eventually give Cape Town its first six-tower, landscaped inner city precinct — construction of Harbour Arch starts in 2019.

FUTURE REALITY “This is very much a present-day, but futurereality urban living environment,” says Tomorrow Co director and co-founder Anton Taljaard.

“We are so encouraged by how the Keyes Art Mile has contributed to Johannesburg’s cultural landscape,” he says.

“The atmosphere, sense of engagement and participation that prevails along the avenue is all set to work in harmony with the respect the design of Thirty Keyes has given to privacy.”

The precinct that first Circa Gallery and then The Trumpet catalysed is a promising start, and as good a picture as any of what the future city might look like. Circa and The Trumpet have shown how buildings designed as if they are part of the street and not simply edifices looming over it actually do change the character of the city.

EXTENSION In the Thirty Keyes mixed-use development, StudioMAS architect Pierre Swanepoel explains that the concourse level of the building, much like a piazza, will function as an extension of the street. It will be accessed by stairs off Jellicoe Avenue and form a forecourt to the Thirty Keyes reception and ground floor “atelier” units and to a coffee shop, blurring public urban and private life inside.

Not designed in isolation, Thirty Keyes will live adjacent to a new art foundation, a cross between private museum and public exhibition area. Between the two, at street level, the buildings will extend the “high street” of the Trumpet Building to the other side of Jellicoe Avenue.

Even inside Thirty Keyes,

The landscaped courtyard space between apartments — for neighbours to meet

“This is very much a present-day but future-reality urban living environment” Anton Taljaard, director and co-founder, Tomorrow Co

inspiration from European street culture continues with a central communal space — a central sky garden is modelled on the dimensions of an Amsterdam street. All the apartments open on to it and residents can interact.

But there is clever design consideration for degrees of privacy too. The bedrooms don’t open on to the shared courtyard at all and some have private courtyards.

GLOBAL TRENDS The whole idea is influenced by global living trends, where supportive residential communities are emerging, designed to create a sense of belonging.

The developers hope that by stimulating a communal mind-set and then introducing the right people to bring it to life, there will be more opportunities for commercial and social spaces to flourish. There’s a new kind of city springing up beneath our feet.

Local expertise, national presence and international audience

From R1 585 000 - R5 000 000 FINE & COUNTRY FEATURE 30 KEYES, ROSEBANK, SANDTON

Your art district apartment awaits.

Perfectly positioned on what is arguably Johannesburg’s most creative high street, Thirty Keyes artfully extends the neighbourhood’s existing architectural profile with a building that offers residents both immediate access to the Art Mile lifestyle, as well as the sanctuary of urban courtyard living. Across the road from a host of hand-picked galleries, eateries and storefronts, and a mere ten-minute stroll from the Rosebank Gautrain Station and its dense concentration of retailers and businesses; Thirty Keyes is intelligent, tasteful living on the Art Mile’s doorstep.

Pricing and lifestyle options:

• • • • •

Solo apartments: 1 bedroom from R1 585 000

•

Edition apartments: 2 en-suite bedrooms from R4 950 000

Demi apartments: 2 bedrooms from R2 350 000 Duo apartments: 2 bedrooms plus courtyard from R3 300 000 Duo apartment: 2 bedrooms plus roof top terrace from R3 450 000 Atelier apartment: double-storey with 1 bedroom plus studio or showroom space from R3 700 000

Mark Mitchley +27 (0)83 656 4774 markm@fineandcountrysa.co.za WEB: 1252446

Sandton Office 29 Autumn Road, Sandton, 2128 +27 (0)11 234 6545 sandton@fineandcountry.com

Park Lane Office 119/121 Park Lane, London, W1 +44 (0)207 079 1515 admin@fineandcountry.com

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HOMEFRONT PROPERTY NEWS

Mall to spearhead new Durban precinct

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he first phase of Tongaat Hulett project the Ntshongweni Urban Development region will be an 85,000m 2 regional retail offering. The Mall of the West will cater to Durban’s underserviced western suburbs and surrounding areas.

Development rights for the urban core — the first precinct — are already in place, with preliminary infrastructure upgrades expected to begin early next year. Located 30km

west of Durban on the N3, the 2,000ha Ntshongweni Urban Development is expected to unlock significant economic activity. Nicola Muir, spokesperson for mall developers Fundamentum Asset Managers, says the Mall of the West is “at the forefront of building a whole new town to the west of Durban”.

Development of the mall is due to begin in late 2019, with completion expected in early 2022.

Tongaat Hulett Developments MD Michael Deighton says the Mall of the West will simulate the original Gateway Theatre of Shopping in Umhlanga in its ability to drive the new precinct’s urban and retail core.

Construction of the entire development will take between 15 and 20 years.

Tongaat Hulett anticipates that it will create 35,000 permanent jobs and 400,000 short-term construction jobs

Balwin reports a healthy year of growth

D

espite tough economic conditions and an increase in the VAT rate, Balwin Properties reported strong growth for the interim financial period ending August 31.

“This was mainly as a result of continued demand for our unique product and lifestyle offering,” said JSE-listed Balwin’s CEO Steve Brookes.

A total of 1,058 units were handed over during the

period, which translated into a 33% growth in revenue to R1.19bn.

The average unit selling price remained consistent at R1,125,488 (2017: R1,218,089).

“We continuously investigate opportunities to enhance our offering, adding to the lifestyle experience of our customers, such as with Crystal Lagoons at The Blyde development,” says Brookes. The R4.2bn

residential development in Pretoria East includes a clear-water lagoon, the first in sub-Saharan Africa.

Balwin also recently won 2018-19 International Property Awards, Africa region, for two local developments. The Polofields, Waterfall, won the Five Star Award — Best Leisure Interior. Paardevlei Square, Somerset West, was an award winner in the Apartment SA category.

SA developments awarded

D Investment boost for Johannesburg CBD

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ivercity Urban Property Fund is investing R2bn in Johannesburg to create mixed-use innercity precincts. This investment, the largest in the Johannesburg CBD for some years, is focused on the redevelopment of the ABSA Towers Main building and Jewel City.

Major shareholders and stakeholders are Atterbury and Ithemba Property, with Talis Property Fund playing a big part in the formation of the fund. RMH Property and Nedbank Property Partners will

be cornerstone investors, subject to Competition Commission approval.

The unoccupied ABSA building will be redeveloped into a mixeduse area including 520 affordably priced residential rental apartments, coffee shops, restaurants and recreation, ground-floor convenience retail, child care facilities, a public park, integrated public transport facilities and public art. The project will begin in early 2019.

Jewel City, the former heart of the diamond and precious metals

trade in Johannesburg, spans six city blocks between ABSA Tower Main and Maboneng.

The area will reopen as a mixed-use precinct with a fully pedestrianised streetscape and a total development value of more than R1.2bn.

The project includes the redevelopment of existing buildings and the construction of more than 40,000m 2 of new buildings. Work begins in November with the first phase of retail, commercial and residential space scheduled for August 2019.

e Plattekloof Lifestyle Estate by Arun Lifestyle recently won three accolades at the Arabia and Africa region International Property Awards in Dubai.

The awards recognise the region’s leading property developers, architects, agents, interior designers and professionals.

De Plattekloof was recognised in the Residential Development SA category and won a further two awards for its website, created in partnership with Adlab Advertising.

Waterfall Management Company won the 2018-19 Best Mixeduse Development in SA

award for its Waterfall development. Scooping this category for the fifth year in a row, Waterfall was also nominated for Best Mixeduse Development in Africa.

The International Property Awards to determine the world’s best in each category will be held at the Savoy Hotel in London on December 3.

Two Benoni housing projects launched

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s demand in Ekurhuleni for homes near OR Tambo International Airport grows, Multi Spectrum Property has announced Gem Grove and Campus View, two new affordable housing developments in Crystal Park, Benoni.

MSP director of sales and marketing David Britz says Crystal Park is an

established and popular family-friendly suburb with Prestige College private school for pupils from Grade RRR to nine.

Gem Grove offers eight home styles, ranging from two-bedroom, onebathroom homes priced from R649,900, to threebedroom and one- or two-bathroom homes from R709,900 and R749,900 respectively. Larger

homes are also available.

Campus View is close to Prestige College. It includes 251 Tuscan-style homes, with six options ranging from two-bedroom, onebathroom homes priced from R619,900 to threebedroom and one- or two-bathroom (main en suite) homes ranging from R719,900 to R759,900 respectively. Again, larger homes are available.

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