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Afhco refurbishes buildings with a view to renting out flats; underlining its mission is the aim to "put people in places that we wouldn't mind staying in ourselves".
THE Affordable Housing Company (Afhco) has hit End Street in the CBD in a big way - it has bought 90 percent of the buildings on the border of the End Street park, and is busy revamping the largest of them.
Afhco, a property investment, development and management company that provides quality affordable rental accommodation, recently picked up several of the Johannesburg Development Agency's Halala Joburg Awards for innovation, caring and preservation of the inner city. They were for the categories Living Joburg, not houses but homes, and Caring Joburg, supporting Joburg's citizens for CityKidz Primary School.
On the market are studio, bachelor, one bedroom and two bedrooms flats
Afhco owns 85 buildings in the inner city, a good deal of which have been converted to residential units. Its latest is the 26-storey 120 End Street, where 924 apartments will eventually be created. Originally built as a hotel, it was abandoned before being completed. The refurbishment began in November 2007, starting from the top floor and working downwards.
So far 390 units have come on to the market, 90 of which are occupied. Units will be furnished or unfurnished, says the company's urban development manager, Lebo Mashego. And they're catering for the "bottom offering" of the market.
On the market are studio, bachelor, one bedroom and two bedrooms flats. The 10m2 studio consists of two small rooms - one a compact bathroom with shower, toilet and basin; the other with a double bunk bed, a small flat-screen TV, and a single kitchen counter top containing a sink, a two-plate hob, and fridge beneath it. If furnished, this goes for R1 600 a month, unfurnished for R1 100 a month.
"This is perfect for security workers, who go home over the weekend," says Mashego. These people will be earning around R2 500 after deductions.
The bachelor flat is 12m2, renting for R1 250 unfurnished, or R1 700 with furniture, also with a double bunk bed. The furniture is stylish and robust. If rented without a TV but with furniture, it goes for R1 540.
The 27m2 one-bedroomed flat has an en-suite bedroom, a lounge and kitchen. It is described by Mashego as "dignified accommodation". It rents for R2 200 without furniture, and R3 100 with furniture. Without a TV the flat goes for R2 860.
The 51m2 two-bedroomed unit goes for R3 570 without furniture, and R4 700 with furniture, and with furniture but minus a TV goes for R4 480. It is strictly for four adults, stresses Mashego.
"We are very strict on density levels," he says. Entry to the building is through an access card which carries the holder's fingerprint.
Dry-walling and stations
Afhco has used innovative dry-walling for the outside walls of each apartment. A cement and vermiculite mix sits inside the drywall, which is fire, sound and water resistant. Much like a bricks and mortar wall, it would need a hammer to break it, says Mashego.
The building is half a block from the refurbished Metro Rail station, and four or five blocks from the Mooi Street BRT stations. Afhco will supply a free shuttle bus service to the taxi rank and BRT stations.
Downstairs plans are afoot to create two levels of shops and restaurants, in a 10 000m2 shopping centre. To cater for families in Afhco's many residential units, in January 2008 the CityKidz Pre- and Primary School was opened in the CBD, a project that was largely sponsored by Afhco.
Opening with 140 pupils, children are given classes in maths, science and computer studies. The school also supplies learners with meals, and afternoon care and activities such as drama, arts and crafts are offered by volunteers from Childline.
End Street park
The flats overlook the completed End Street park, recently revamped by the JDA
The flats overlook the completed End Street park, recently revamped by the Johannesburg Development Agency. It is now an attractive place, with play equipment for younger children and two five-a-side soccer fields alongside one another for older children. There are fountains, ablution facilities and artistic fencing closes off the walkway between the two areas.
Four CCTV cameras have been installed on the corners of the park, and 16 community policing forum volunteers patrol the area, reporting to the South African police and precinct managers. The cameras are linked to the security desk in the foyer of 120 End Street.
The park will be maintained by local residents, a mechanism to get the local community involved in their surroundings. The early stages of establishing a city improvement district for the area have begun.
The makeover of 120 End Street is costing Afhco R680-million. It has bought another nine buildings around the park, and five in the immediate vicinity. In all, the company now has about 3 500 rental units and another 6 500 in development.
Mashego echoes the standard Afhco sets for itself: "We want to put people in places that we wouldn't mind staying in ourselves."
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