Key takeaways:

  • Jewel City & Towers Main Progress: Major redevelopment in Jozi’s inner city is moving forward successfully.
  • Curro DigiEd School: A new e-learning high school opened in Jewel City, addressing the demand for quality education.
  • Growing Residential Community: Over 390 residents have already moved into Towers Main and Jewel City.
  • Revitalized Precinct: Increased activity as new tenants and residents bring life to the area.
  • Project Delays: COVID-19 lockdown has postponed the completion and retail opening to July 2020.

Progress is running smoothly at Jewel City and Towers Main, Divercity Urban Property Fund’s landmark redevelopment projects in Jozi’s inner city. Atterbury Development Manager Derrick Pautz shares some of the latest exciting news.

Very exciting that there is now a brand-new e-learning school for residents of the inner city. Tell us more?
Yes, it is very exciting that the first Curro DigiEd high school in Gauteng is incorporated in our development. It brings a highly regarded new school offering to residents of the CBD, who have to date had limited choices. When it opened in Jewel City in January, the initial enrolment exceeded expectations, showing that there truly was a need. The unique e-learning model of these schools focuses on 21st-century skills to prepare learners for the fourth industrial revolution through a project-based learning programme that emphasises science, mathematics and technology. Teaching at DigiEd Schools takes place through e-learning tools and videos, with teachers and tutors providing one-on-one assistance as needed.

Where is the new school located?
The school is located in Block 2 in Jewel City, over both the ground and first floors with sports and recreational facilities innovatively being provided on the building’s roof.

How many of the apartments in Jewel City and Towers Main have been occupied as yet?
Residential letting is going extremely well – 102 new residents have already moved into Towers Main and 291 new residents in Jewel City across The Diamond and The Emerald buildings.

And how are things progressing on the next phase of residential accommodation?
Letting pace is expected to increase going forward as the precinct nears completion and retailers start trading – this was planned for June, but with the COVID-19 lockdown this will be moved out to as close as possible to the original date.

Having people live and work in the very same precinct must already have changed the energy of the surroundings. Is that something that you can attest to?
Towers Main’s new tenants have definitely brought more activity to the area already – there is now life in the area when the sun sets on a long day in the office. We find that several of Absa’s employees who live in Pretoria or other places further afield and who used to commute, are now renting apartments here and staying in town during the week, only going home over weekends.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the impact of the new Curro DigiEd school on the Jewel City development?

The first Curro DigiEd high school in Gauteng brings a highly regarded e-learning model to the Jozi inner city, providing quality education focused on 21st-century skills. Located within Jewel City, the school features innovative sports facilities on the building’s roof and has already seen enrollment exceed initial expectations.

How is residential letting progressing at Jewel City and Towers Main?

Residential occupancy is performing exceptionally well, with over 390 residents already moved into Towers Main and Jewel City buildings like The Diamond and The Emerald. The presence of these residents has revitalized the precinct, bringing increased activity and life to the area after office hours.

How has the COVID-19 lockdown affected the completion and launch of the precinct?

While the project was originally on track for a June 2020 launch, the COVID-19 lockdown shifted the completion date to the end of July 2020. Atterbury prioritized safety and government compliance during the crisis, postponing retailer shop fit-outs until normal business operations could resume.

As for the rest of the development, what is currently happening? Is everything on track?
Everything was well on track to complete the precinct by end May for a June 2020 launch. With the lockdown to contain COVID-19 that will not be possible. Safety and compliance with government advisory comes first as our country deals with this unprecedented crisis.

Retailers were scheduled to be taking beneficial occupation of their shops at the end of March to enable them to complete their shop fitouts, so we will reach that milestone as soon as possible after normal business resumes. For now the completion has been moved to end of July.