More BIG THINGS to come at Baywest: Development of Baywest City kicks into gear following Baywest Ma
Following the successful opening of the R1.7 billion Baywest Mall in May, the mall and the developers behind the Baywest City precinct have unveiled even more exciting milestones for the mammoth project.
EXCITING FIRSTS
Among these is the influx of new and eagerly anticipated stores for the region, opening at Baywest Mall. These include popular food franchises Melissa’s and Subway, as well as leading jewellers Swarovski – all firsts for the Eastern Cape.
Other popular outlets include Schwarma Grill, Jimmy’s Killer Grill, new home-grown Foschini Group outlet aimed at the growing “tween” market, Soda Bloc, Dischem, La Coste, Timberland and Kids Emporium, among many others.
Speaking of the influx of stores, Baywest Mall marketing manager Samantha Hewitson said many brands were keen to invest in the rapidly growing consumer market in the Bay.
“Nelson Mandela Bay is no longer seen by leading retailers as a second rate market to Cape Town or Johannesburg. The influx of new stores and brands is testament to this,” she said.
“Many retailers have seen the success of Baywest Mall and because of this have been keen to open their doors at the mall. For several outlets, it is their first foray into the province.”
GREEN BUILDING
With Baywest Mall the catalyst to the Baywest City rollout – a project which will unfold over the next 10 to 15 years – ground has broken on the next development: the first green star rated commercial office block for the Eastern Cape, which will open towards the tail end of 2016.
According to Baywest City MD Gavin Blows, the green office block is the first of many more to come for the precinct. Developers are focused on positioning the Baywest City development as eco-friendly, having set aside 20% of the 320ha Baywest City site for the protection of rare and indigenous fauna and flora.
“There is immense interest in developments of this calibre,” said Blows. “Port Elizabeth has nowhere else to grow but into the western suburbs, which is why Baywest City is ideally located for the future of
the city.”
ECONOMIC GROWTH
Unlocking the economic potential of the Bay’s western suburbs is the completion of Phase Two of the R300-million Baywest road network, linking Port Elizabeth’s Walker Drive with Cape Road via a new bridge over the N2. Market research has shown that the Bay will grow into the western suburbs over the coming years, making Baywest City ideally located to provide a much-needed “live, work, play” environment for the region, with cutting edge office blocks, retail outlets and modern, safe residential developments.
Phase One of the R6-billion Baywest City development includes 2,000 residential opportunities, office and commercial space, light industry, a private school and hospital, and
a hotel.
ABOUT THE DEVELOPERS
The Baywest development is a joint venture between two major South African developers, Abacus Asset Management and Billion Group. Between them, the developers have over 25 years of experience specialising in retail, commercial and mixed-use developments located in major South African cities.
