Downtown Joburg is thriving, with Gandhi Square becoming a lively place to hang out or grab a meal.

The burnt-out remains of the northern three-storey building

AS a measure of confidence in the inner city revitalisation, the country's first McCafé will open in August in Gandhi Square.

Gerald Olitzki sees Gandhi Square as his baby and has witnessed it transform from a dishevelled and dirty bus terminus in 2002 to a lively place to hang out at and grab a meal at one of many restaurants spilling out on to the square.

"Gandhi Square has proved to be so popular that we will reinforce the cantilever on the first level so that restaurants can have balcony space overlooking the square," says Olitzki.

Some 25 000 people exit from the buses that pass through the square, which has become a buzz of activity since its revamp.

Olitzki explains that the McDonald's originally "opened with reluctance" in the square, as a small take-away. It has subsequently expanded, and will open its McCafe soon.

McCafe will offer "excellent coffee, including high quality espresso coffees and snacks, with a café-type experience," says Greg Solomon, executive director of McDonald's South Africa.

The Gandhi Arcade, linking to Marshall Square

"McCafé will re-define the coffee experience in South Africa. Our offering will make the café experience more broadly accessible and affordable. McCafé will add new levels of comfort to McDonald's, making their existing restaurants a place where adults want to spend time," adds Solomon.

"The warm, down-to-earth and unpretentious character of McCafé, demonstrates that McDonald's is in tune with the shifts in attitude towards food and eating, by meeting the wants and needs of its 'grown-up' customers."

The concept is not new to South Africa but was introduced initially in Australia in 1993, combining McDonald's fast service with a cup of espresso coffee at good prices.

"McDonald's South Africa is very excited about McCafé. We believe that South African customers will love our premium coffees and our expanded menu choices," says Solomon.

Olitzki is equally confident about McCafe in Gandhi Square. "This is new to South Africa but I feel it will fly, because of the success of this branch."

Marshall Street Barracks
Over the past few years Olitzki has bought the six buildings along the southern side of the square and refurbished them. He also owns a good deal of the buildings on the east and west sides of the square, and has managed to persuade some of the city's most acclaimed advocates, like George Bizos, to move into the CBD, in Bram Fischer House, overlooking the square.

The umkempt south-western corner of the parade ground of the Marshall Street Barracks

He has created a mosaic arcade through to Marshall Street, and is patiently waiting to perform his piece de resistance – the transformation of the burnt-out Marshall Street Barracks, just south of Gandhi Square.

The derelict Barracks was gutted by fire in October 2002. The building, built in 1913 and used by the Transvaal Scottish Regiment, was vacated in the mid-1990s, and subsequently occupied by vagrants and hawkers.

He has grand plans – he wants to pull up the 3 000m² tar parade ground in the centre of the barracks and replace it with landscaped gardens in which various emerging young artists will set up shop. The artists will have workshops in the intact three-storey barracks building on the north side of the grounds. The remaining building and façade will be restored. Restaurants and a place for up to 12 tourist buses will complete the transformation.

The exterior of the Marshall Street Barracks, showing sign of the fire damage

"The inner city lacks tourism," he says, "I want to create a garden or Eden and tourist facility."

His garden has a head start – there are already two huge avocado trees in the parade ground, probably planted when the barracks was built.

He's calculated that the barracks will accommodate 1 000 tourists in one go.

There's only one obstacle to these great ideas – the property belongs to the national department of public works, and although several representations, including from the City, have been made to them over the last few years, those wheels turn very slowly.

Meanwhile, Olitzki has bought the two buildings abutting the east side of the barracks, and has rejuvenated them into A-grade offices, as he has with many other inner city buildings. He has office space in these buildings, moving into newly renovated buildings as part of marketing the buildings, but he is about to move to another building he has renovated. He will be taking penthouse offices at 26 Loveday Street, at CCMA House, just off Gandhi Square.

The western corner of Gandhi Square, where the McCafe will open in August

CCMA House has retained its beautiful engraved brass lift doors and turnstiles, and marble foyer. Olitzki says he blends the old with the new when he refurbishes the buildings. This often means retaining marble floors and walls, but adding rich earth-colour granite to the foyers, enhancing the warmth of the traditional textures.

He is also working on two blocks of Fox Street, between Eloff and Kruis streets, which are to be pedestrianised. "Nino's is to open on the corner, with another restaurant, Lulu, to take up space next door to it," he explains.

"It will be a sea of umbrellas down Fox Street," he enthuses.

Olitzi says that his A-grade buildings are all fully rented. He enjoys walking around the buildings, interacting with the tenants. "I feel I'm approachable, I like it when people come to me with complaints. People still relate to me."

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