BRAAMFONTEIN is starting show signs of life as the district's regeneration project gets into high gear, with shopkeepers sprucing up their shop fronts and even extending their hours of business.

THE regeneration of Braamfontein has had a ripple effect on shopkeepers along Jorissen Street - they are sprucing up their shop fronts, extending their hours, and in some cases, bringing tables and chairs out on to the pavements for outdoor eating.

Newlook tree-lined Jorissen Street

The Braamfontein Regeneration Project is being managed by Monica Albonico, project manager and urban designer of Albonico & Sack Architects and Urban Designers, in collaboration with the City.

The project began in 2002, with planning continuing throughout 2003. Implementation started in 2004 and should be finished by the end of 2005. A Section 21 company has been created to oversee the process.

"Property owners have responded very quickly - they're fixing up their buildings," says Albonico.

Whereas Jorissen Street previously had many vacant shop fronts, now chain restaurants like Nando's and Kentucky Fried Chicken have taken up the space, and are helping to turn the suburb into a friendlier place.

Braamfontein is bordered Ameshoff Street in the north, Joubert Street in the east, Smit Street in the south, and Eendracht Street in the west. It includes the imposing Metro Centre on one end and Wits University at the other. It also has a mix of office blocks, several private colleges, warehouse space, and restaurants and corner cafes.

Like the city centre, it has seen an exodus of businesses, and over the past decade has become rundown and untidy.

The project proposes changing the look of the streets by planting rows of trees, inserting new lighting, placing benches along pavements, and creating focused, linking areas by means of new paving.

Seven distinct districts have been identified, some already completed.

The Wits Gateway

The idea is to open up the south-east corner of Wits University, which presently houses the Wits Theatre and the arts department, to the public.

"The plan will allow access but maintain security," says Albonico. The lighting and landscaping will continue along this corner, in keeping with the new look for Braamfontein.

The Heartlands District

This area, consisting of four blocks immediately south of Wits University, has traditionally housed gay clubs, two of which, Therapy and Seamen, recently closed.

A private initiative, led by husband and wife team Peter and Stacey van Rijn of PlatinumX Entertainment, sees the conversion of the defunct clubs into four new clubs, nearing completion on the corner of Juta and Henri Streets.

The other buildings in Heartlands, largely offices and warehouses, are being accessed, says Albonico, as potential student accommodation. A parking garage on the corner of Melle and Juta streets, needs to be re-activated - at present only one floor of parking is being utilised.

The lighting and street furniture will continue into this side of Braamfontein.

Bertha Street

Bertha Street has undergone transformation as an extension of the Nelson Mandela Bridge, at the bottom of Braamfontein. The ugly Absa bridge on the ridge of Jan Smuts Avenue has disappeared, and the triangle of pavement space has been converted into a pleasant pedestrian area with trees, benches and plinths creating interest.

The street has pedestrian paving crossing it, into the campus, continuing the theme of walkways through the suburb.

Corporate district

Another area that has been completed is the upper end of Ameshoff Street, where Sappi has created an attractive garden outside their headquarters, complemented with equally attractive paving forming a circle.

The gardens and paving outside the Sappi head office

Sappi has also sponsored the upgrade of the former grassy patch below the Civic Theatre, now called the Sappi Theatre Gardens. Now imaginative reed-shaped, green fencing, paved walkways, newly planted trees, a raised central, circular podium, elegant lighting and a water feature trickling down from the theatre entrance, offer the office worker and pedestrian a relaxing respite from the traffic and stuffiness of their offices.

Juta Street

Juta Street is at present the residential street of Braamfontein, with privately owned buildings jammed with university students. Albonico says efforts are being made to upgrade the accommodation, and create more upmarket accommodation in the area.

Property developer Adam Levy is in the process of converting a former office block in Smit Street into luxury apartments overlooking the Nelson Mandela Bridge and the city centre.

Civic Precinct

The Metro Centre, at the top of Rissik Street, is a 1960s apartheid government building, often reviled by Joburgers as a monstrosity. Albonico says that it's very difficult to make the building more attractive. The possibility of re-cladding it was considered, but cost considerations discounted that option.

Instead, plans being considered are a "safe corridor", running from Joubert Street in the east to Loveday Street in the west, with paving and lighting demarcating it, and safely guiding the pedestrian through the adjoining buildings. The corridor will display public art, and possibly become an exhibition space.

It has been felt for some time, says Albonico, that the building has not been easy for residents to find their way around and get answers to their queries. To answer this, a new building, on the south-west corner of the site, will be constructed.

"This will be a reception centre, with a forecourt, a gift shop, a coffee shop and a retail component," says Albonico.

It will have "a transparent front" facing Loveday Street, and interface with the public in a more positive way.

The rates hall, presently in Jorissen Place, will move closer to the Metro Centre, in Simmonds Street, in keeping with making services more user friendly. These interventions will only begin towards the end of the year.

Queen Elizabeth Bridge

On the border of Braamfontein, plans for the bridge include creating a "Ponte Vechio", or old bridge, containing small vendor stalls. Originally two rows of stalls were envisaged but Albonico says it's only going to be possible to create stalls on one side of the bridge.

This will link with an open market space on either side of Biccard Street, tying in with the Rotunda bus terminal, and the Park Station bus point.

Toilet facilities

A perpetual problem of Braamfontein (and the city centre) has always been a lack of toilet facilities. As a result, the alleyways of the suburb have been used as open-air urinals, with the accompanying smell polluting the area.

Albonico said after accessing the situation, it has been decided to close off some of the alleyways (with gates created by local artists) and place toilets or pissoirs in others, in all placing 13 toilets in the area. One has already gone up, in an alley off Reserve Street.

"It is visible, transparent, simple to maintain, and because the head and feet show either end, it is safe to use," says Albonico. It is made of metal, and makes good use of an area that previously was a dumping ground for garbage.

Emerging contractors

Albonico says they sub-contracted the regeneration work to 10 emerging contractors, and although there have been some delays as a result of having to carefully monitor the work to ensure standards are maintained, it has been "a worthwhile experience". They have even managed to stretch the budget a little further to accommodate more contractors.

Costs

The City has contributed R25-million to the project, with private sector involvement at R10-million.

Albonico says the private sector has been concerned to maintain the correct balance of residential, office and retail space in the suburb.

Security is never far from any city dweller's lips - guards are already in place along Jorissen Street, and north of it. Once areas south of Jorissen Street are complete, guards will be introduced there too. A satellite police station was opened six months ago, on the corner of De Korte and Station streets.