Maboneng Precinct | |
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Coordinates: 26°12′S 28°3′E / 26.200°S 28.050°E | |
Province | Gauteng |
Municipality | City of Johannesburg |
City | Johannesburg |
Website | www |
The Maboneng Precinct is a privately developed urban neighbourhood on the east side of Johannesburg CBD. Its name is from the Nguni word Maboneng, meaning 'Place of Light'. Maboneng is home to several independent retailers, restaurants and entertainment venues, as well as loft apartments, offices, a hotel, a museum and creative factory spaces in an urban landscape. In April 2019 Propertuity, the company that led the urban renewal of the area and its largest property owner, was liquidated and its assets sold off at below market estimate prices.[1]
Life & Work
editLoft apartments in a variety of sizes and layouts, surrounded by multiple lifestyle spaces, makes Maboneng an area which is becoming one of the most desirable residential neighbourhoods in Johannesburg. With community living as a primary focus, Maboneng has established a reputation as one of the safest and most exciting places to live.
Considered as a hub for creatives and entrepreneurs with facilities and spaces designed to encourage collaboration and support innovation, Maboneng is a preferred choice for collaboration.
Play
editWith live music, movies, theatre, art galleries, retail outlets, inner city walking tours, rooftop sundowners and a variety of restaurants as well as special events, Maboneng is considered as an unrivaled entertainment destination.
Origins
editThe development of Maboneng, began with Arts on Main in 2009 - the cultural hub known for its mix of galleries, artist studios, creative venues, offices, retail spaces and the weekly Market on Main.
The Foundations
editMaboneng is the brainchild of Propertuity, a development company founded by Jonathan Liebmann. In 2008, the old DF Corlett construction offices and warehouses were purchased, and converted this industrial space into a cutting-edge city destination.
The Vision
editThe vision was the transformation of the area around Arts on Main into a fully integrated, mixed-use community and a comprehensive and mixed-income residential offering. The Sotho word, meaning 'Place of Light' spoke to the vision of an enlightened community in Johannesburg's eastern CBD.
Neighbourhood outlets have been specifically placed to enhance the lifestyle of the residential community, servicing practical needs as well as providing platforms to observe conscious living practices. The spaces focus on providing opportunities for convenience, relaxation and wellness.
History in Detail
editYear | Description |
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2001 | The need for an integrated and mixed-use urban offering is identified |
2008 | The conceptualisation and construction of Arts on Main |
2009 | The word 'Maboneng' is painted on the roof of Arts on Main and Main Street Life is conceptualised |
2010 | The first residents start moving in |
2011 | Phase 3 of construction begins |
2012 | Purchase of number of new buildings providing the framework for an extended expansion of Maboneng |
2013 | Property wins JDA public space upgrade application and applies for 2 adjacent City Improvement Districts to be legislated |
Developers
editPropertuity is the development company behind the Maboneng Precinct. Focused on developing mixed-use buildings that offer progressive, distinctive urban spaces for residences and business, Propertuity has contributed substantially to regeneration efforts around Johannesburg's inner city.
The developers have retained as many existing features as possible while repurposing the buildings in this industrial area.
Developments
editArts on Main, 264 Fox Street
Arts on Main is a mixed-use creative hub and offers a wide range of multi-disciplinary events, galleries and shops. It is a blend of creative, office, gallery and retail space. It brings together art, artists, eateries, urban office space and high-profile events and also hosts the popular Market on Main every Sunday.
Main Street Life, 286 Fox Street
Built from a converted 1970's industrial warehouse, this has become Joburg's most popular home addresses. It offers single, double or penthouse units as well as rooftop boxing gyms and event spaces. It is also home to the Bioscope Independent Cinema, the POPArt theatre as well as several restaurants and convenience spaces.
12 Decades Art Hotel, 7th Floor, Main Street Life
Offering rooms designed and conceptualised by some of South African's top artists and designers, including LoveJozi, Black Coffee and Dokter + Misses, 12 Decades chronicles the history of Johannesburg from 1886 - 2006.
Revolution House, 21 Kruger Street
This residential building offers a variety of loft apartments, complete with balconies and rooftop units. The ground floor includes Savil Row Tattoo studio, NewBrow Art Fashion store and Terres D'Afrique product store.
Fox Street Studios, 280 Fox Street
An exclusive development with only four units. Offices are held by StudioX and UrbanWorks. The top floor penthouse marks the first rooftop unit and is the largest apartment in the neighbourhood. The ground floor retail includes two restaurants and boutique fashion and furniture stores.
The Main Change, 20 Kruger Street
The office building that houses entrepreneurs and innovators in a colalborative working environment with office spaces for rental or purchase. The building features a spa, meditation zone, holistic healing centre, health food cafe and ground floor fashion and furniture stores. The building is also home to OPEN, a co-working space for start ups and freelancers.
Developments Under Construction / Coming Soon
editThe following developments are currently under construction:
- Artisan Lofts, 264 Market Street
- Museum of African Design, 281 Commissioner Street
- Off the Grid, 250 Main Street
- The Urban Fox, 276 Fox Street
- Maverick Corner, 300 Commissioner Street
- Curiocity, 302 Fox Street
- Kruger Container Park, Kruger Street,
- Remed's View, 306 Comissioner Street
- Aerial Empire, Sivewright Street
- The Rocket Factory, 278 Commissioner Street
- Craftmen's Ship, 260 Main Street
- Situation East, 304 Fox Street
Special Projects : Fostering Entrepreneurship & Community
editThe project team focuses on creating sustainable initiatives for uplifting the community and fostering entrepreneurship. Many of these initiatives involve collaboration with and input from community members.
Community initiatives place a strong focus on community integration and social cohesion between the existing and new members of the neighbourhood. These place an emphasis on supporting the local economy as well as upliftment and education for the children and families in the area.
Made in Maboneng
editA local buying philosophy physically manifested in the Maboneng directory. It encourages the buying of goods and services supplied and produced int he immediate area. The main objective of this initiative is to create a strong integrated local economy that offers growth opportunities to all entrpreneurs operating in the community.
References
edit- Visi Article - Mad about Maboneng
- Visi Article - Making it in Maboneng
- Visi Article - Innercity Drool
- Visi Article - Painting the City
- Visi Article - Live, Work, Play
- Entrepreneurmag - Maboneng Precinct
- ABN Digital - Urban-Renewal-Maboneng-Precinct-Part-1
- Mail & Guardian - How the City got it's groove back
- ABN Digital - Jonathan-Liebmann-Founder-of-Propertuity-Part-1
- Elle Magazine - Eye on Maboneng
- The Wall Street Journal - Johannesburg Craft an Artsy Comeback
- Pretoria News - Slum is reborn as a place of light
- Mail & Guardian - Regenerate behaviour making the city sexy
External Links
editMaboneng 2.0 Shifting Urbanism - An Interactive Exhibition
TEDxStellenbosch - Jonathan Liebmann - Developing a Community Economy
Maboneng Precinct - Place of Light
Propertuity - Leading Urban Regeneration
- ^ "Joburg gentrification dream Maboneng goes up in smoke. Here's what went wrong". BizNews.com. 2019-04-23. Retrieved 2019-04-25.