HEADSPACE

MAXIMISING PROPERTY POTENTIAL Edition 3

At , Louis Rabinowitz shows

no sign of slowing down

98

WOMeN make their mark

aT BROLL
PROJecT MaNaGeMeNT breaks ground

Broll shopping centres raise more than R160 000 for CANSA

N1 City Mall

scoops Energy Barometer award

www.broll.co.za

PART OF THE CBRE AFFILIATE NETWORK

In this issue...
MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

3 4 6 7

EDITORS nOTE
Welcome to the rst edition of Headspace for 2012. Once again, weve assembled a nice spread of stories that showcase the people who make Broll tick and our capabilities in the commercial, retail and industrial property sectors. The companys workforce comprises 55% women, so we spoke to some of the female leaders within Broll, many of whom have grown with the business, and discovered some interesting points of view. On the retail front, were proud of the award presented to N1 City Mall for the progress theyve made in saving energy. This is a great achievement, especially when you consider that the shopping centre is more than 20 years old and was built at a time when energy saving wasnt a priority. And we give you some practical energy-saving tips to use at home.

AT THE TOp OF THEIR GAME

N1 CITY: POWER RAnGER

FASHIOnABlE FOOT SOlDIERS

EnERGY-SAVInG TIpS

INTO THE DEEP

8 9 10

A LITTLE SOMETHInG EXTRA

LOUIS RABInOWITZ: A lIVInG lEGEnD

On the subject of shopping centres, were also proud of our involvement in the management and recent launch of the new and improved Blue Route Mall. While centre management ensured that the mall continued to trade while under renovation, the retail leasing team were responsible for bringing a number of exciting new tenants on board to cater for the increasingly afuent shopper prole. Project Management, a new discipline within the Facilities Management division, is fast gaining traction in the market, with a number of new projects completed to total customer satisfaction. Also important for internal as well as external clients is the health and safety training that Broll now offers; read more about it on page 9. One thing that sets Broll apart from its peers in the property sector is its people. Whether theyre assisting with the annual CANSA Shavathon, running in the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge, serving their community as life-savers or as patrons of the arts, they all try to make South Africa better. We meet several of them in this edition. Enjoy reading about the Broll family

SAFELY AT AnCHOR

12 13

THE BEAUTIFUl nEW BlUE ROUTE MAll

HAIR lOSS FOR A CAUSE

14 16

FOllOW THE MARKET lEADER

Headspace is produced by Imbongi Communications for Broll Property Group. Imbongi Communications CC PO Box 2198, Clareinch 7740, Tel: 021 671 9143 Fax: 021 683 0644 Email: info@imbongisa.com www.imbongisa.com All rights are reserved. Reproduction of this publication without the permission of Broll is prohibited. For editorial contributions or more information contact Sanett Uys 021 419 7373 or suys@broll.co.za

Sanett Uys GM Research and Marketing

From the CEO

It was with much sadness that we recorded the passing of Alan Wallace, one of Broll Property Groups founding shareholders. My condolences to his wife and children. I hope its a small consolation to them that his spirit and inuence will live on in the organisation that he helped build. On a happier note, Im very proud of our team of motivated people across the continent. Often, the output and attitude of staff in remote locations are a true indication of an organisations internal bre, and during my travels over the last few months Ive experienced this positive culture rst hand. Id like to express my sincere appreciation to all staff across all service lines and locations who contribute to our success and deliver great service to our clients. The feature on pages 4-5 highlights the role of some of the senior women within Broll who set the pace in this regard.

Skilled and innovative team-oriented people with passion to excel have created a winning culture within Broll Property Group.

employ more than 800 people and we anticipate that this will increase to over 1 000 in a short time. While South Africa remains at the centre of our operations, weve built a separate team focusing on opportunities in Africa. This will add value to our client base and lead to expansion into new countries keep watching this space. Thanks to all of our staff for their dedication and commitment to making a difference in this very competitive industry. Im proud to be one of you and look forward to a very interesting and rewarding year ahead.

They say that the only constant in life is change, and the key to success is how we embrace it. With the proposed sale of the Fountainhead Manco to Redene, I can only encourage staff to remain true to our value system and continue delivering superior service. There are many opportunities in the marketplace and Im convinced that the year ahead will be lled with growth. Our service offering as a Group has expanded over the past few years, as has our footprint in both South Africa and Africa. And were continuing to grow: as a Group, we currently

Regards

Malcolm Horne Chief Executive Ofcer

Broll bids farewell to a property pace-setter

We were deeply saddened by the sudden passing of our colleague and friend Alan Wallace on Tuesday 22 May 2012. Alan joined the edgling Broll Real Estate in 1983, and, along with founder Jonathan Broll, put the company on a growth trajectory that has seen it become one of the leading multi-disciplinary property services groups on the African continent. Alan was an incredible business partner. His energy, attention to detail and vision helped build the company into a market leader, says Jonathan Broll, his colleague of almost 30 years. He was a hard worker who positively inuenced many people during his dynamic working career. His untimely death robs not only his family of a loving husband and father but the South African property sector of someone who made an indelible mark. In recent years Alan had taken a less active role in the day-to-day business but his inuence and interest remained high. Alans insightful leadership and vibrant approach to life were an inspiration to all. We offer our sincerest condolences to Heather, Danielle, Courtney and Jordyn-Lee.

ALAN WALLACE

17 June 1954 22 May 2012

OF THEIR GAME
Resilience. A lot of resilience. This is what portfolio executive Vuvu Lugqola maintains is required from women whore carving a career for themselves in the commercial property sector. And she should know: although she brought with her impeccable credentials (including a Masters in Real Estate), she says she found the challenge of all time to be gender and race in the property environment. How did she tackle this? One faces these challenges until one acquires respect and establishes ones own track record. And, indeed, Broll has an impressively high representation of women at management levels, notes deputy chairperson Noluthando Gosa. A committed entrepreneur who sits on company boards as well as the National Planning Committee, Noluthando has had plenty of opportunity to observe respected leaders, both male and female. I nd women to have a distinct leadership style, more consultative and teamdriven in nature. Women are also more nurturing and thus are able to help with retention of their subordinates. Sure enough, asked to describe their leadership style, Brolls women leaders overwhelmingly voiced the importance of maintaining an open-door policy. But while being approachable is important, they have little patience for anyone who fails to pull their weight.

AT THE TOp
Theres no time for mediocrity and I expect maximum efciency at all times, says CFO Elscke Badenhorst. She also believes in protecting her staff, however, and giving them the benet of the doubt until proven wrong. Lizelle Cloete, divisional director: retail projects and consulting, says, Every woman has the potential to be a director or a CEO, just as every man has the potential to be a secretary or bookkeeper. And Karen Henning, Group executive: HR/legal, agrees: Ive never taken the view that women arent equal to men, she says. Your condence and abilities will get you to where you want to be, whether thats in an environment dominated by men or not.

While women remain under-represented in senior management at many South African companies, Broll has several female managers leading the company. Nine of them share their tips for success.

Women in the spotlight, from left: Noluthando Gosa, Vuvu Lugqola, Lizelle Cloete, Thandeka Bengu-Towo, Yvonne Behari-Ram, Bev Esterhuizen, Elscke Badenhorst, Fran Teagle and Karen Henning.

Prospects are as good for women these days as they are for men, says Fran Teagle, divisional director: broking. In fact, I think women are often more driven and harder working, so have a good chance of success. Sanett Uys, general manager of research and marketing, agrees, but adds, There are still very few women in the hard-nosed deal-making area of the business, with most tending to be in the softer service-related sector. Women, as a whole, bring different skills and its time these were given an opportunity to ourish in the entrepreneurial side. Whatever their experience of the industry, however, everyone recognises hard work, integrity and self-belief as key ingredients for success. I think the prospects are as good as in any other industry if youre prepared to give 100-percent effort at all times, says Bev Esterhuizen, director of IT, who also advises reinventing yourself through studies. Yvonne Behari-Ram, divisional director: internal audit, offers straightforward advice: Eliminate the prejudice early in your career by delivering a superior service and remaining professional and rational while being proud to be a woman and never apologising for it. While there are preconceived notions of this being a mans world, perseverance and dedication to perfection wont go unrecognised. Business is business.

BROll BUCKS THE TREnD According to the Businesswomens Association of South Africas (BWASA) 2011 Women in Leadership Census, just 15.8% of directorships in JSE-listed companies and stateowned enterprises are held by women, while a dismal 4.4% of South African CEOs and MDs are women. Broll, however, seems to be bucking the trend. Brolls workforce comprises more than 55% women and this seems to be growing steadily, with many occupying senior positions, says Karen Henning. I believe the environment at Broll is very conducive for women to achieve senior positions by demonstrating good management skills, extensive property knowledge and a good work ethic.

Sanett Uys

SUCCESSFUl WOMEn

WOMEN
Helen Zille, Patricia De Lille and Maria Ramos: these ladies work very hard to be the best in their elds. And I have immense respect for single moms who balance work and family life. - Sanett Uys

ADMiRE

I had great respect for Margaret Thatcher as prime minister of Britain at a time when there were few strong women leaders. - Fran Teagle Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is quietly condent, clear and focused, and gets the job done without fanfare nor losing her femininity. - Noluthando Gosa Advocate Thulisile Madonsela, Helen Zille, Maria Ramos, Wendy Luhabe, Yvonne Chaka Chaka - Bev Esterhuizen Thuli Madonsela, South Africas Public Protector. Having already played an integral part in South Africas most recent history, I believe she has an enormous role to fulll. I see really good qualities in her. Karen Henning

N1CITY:
The National Energy Barometer Survey uses scientic methods to compare the energy consumption of similar buildings, based on factors such as occupancy, oor area and climatic condition. The aim is to create a reliable benchmark that building owners can use to assess their own energy consumption and, ultimately, reduce industrial energy consumption across the board. According to Energy Cybernetics, the company that runs the National Energy Barometer, a building can reduce its energy consumption by between 10% and 30% by putting measures in place that will pay for themselves in less than two years. We asked Tanya Heimann, centre manager at N1 City Mall, and Gary Ward, Western Cape regional operations manager, what it takes to create an energy-efcient shopping centre. WhaT INspIRed The decIsION TO Make N1 CITY MORe eNeRGY effIcIeNT? The building turned 21 years old and, as a result, we identied certain improvements that could be made to the air-conditioning to make it more efcient, such as replacing corroded piping, as well as the installation of new chillers. There was also the constant load shedding that weve experienced over the last few years and the loss of trade as a result of it. And, of course, there are Eskoms constant reminders of the pressure on the electricity grid and the very high tariff increases in the past three years.

power ranger
amount of effort and dedication, and many different systems were explored before we nally settled on a system we believed would work for us. Nothing we did was rocket science, but it did require good design. ARe TheRe aNY NOTIceabLe chaNGes ThaT haVe beeN cOMMeNTed ON? Not really from the customers, but theres certainly been a remarkable reduction in call-outs from tenants. WhaT aRe The cOsT saVINGs ThaT ResuLT fROM haVING aN eNeRGY-effIcIeNT ceNTRe? Our initial estimate was a saving of around R350000 per year on the electricity account but in fact weve achieved around R1 million in savings. Is ThIs a VIabLe OpTION fOR OTheR ceNTRes? Absolutely, but it must be remembered that its a long process and requires a commitment from the landlord.The process must be fully thought through and a plan put in place. WhaT dOes ThIs RecOGNITION MeaN TO N1 CITY? Well be using N1 City as a benchmark to show whats achievable in our other Cape Town buildings. We now have the ability to show the landlord that savings are achievable and that its possible to reduce our carbon footprint and save energy, and weve just started with a similar project at Kenilworth Centre.

N1 City Mall took top spot in the shopping centre category of the National Energy Barometer Survey, proving that energy saving in a retail centre is possible and setting the benchmark for the industry.
WhO dId YOu wORk wITh TO cOMe up wITh The IMpROVeMeNTs? We worked with our air-con consultant to effect certain improvements, as well as painting/roong specialists and electrical consultants. WhaT MeasuRes dId YOu puT IN pLace? We started with lamp replacements about ve years ago and then progressed to the HVAC (heating, ventilation, airconditioning) system and roof.The project was carried out in ve phases. First, we replaced the inefcient cooling towers. Next, we replaced the piping and lagging, including resizing for efciency. Then we recongured the HVAC system, which included moving late-trading stores to single plants as opposed to running all air-con plants because of late trading. Fourth, we replaced the chillers with energy-efcient units that included energy-efcient pumps and a new building management system. And the last phase was the refurbishment of the malls roof, including painting with heat-shield paint. This resulted in an 8-10 degree reduction in heat on the roof, which in turn allowed the HVAC system to operate more efciently. We also had all building and shoptting plans scrutinised carefully to ensure that new tenants made use of energy-efcient lamps and other equipment. With the help of the national tenants embarking on an energyefciency drive within their tenancies, this greatly assisted us with our own plan. HOw LONG dId aLL ThIs Take? Approximately ve years.It took a fair

Fashionable foot soldiers

An enthusiastic team of runners took to the streets of Joburg representing Broll in the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge on 8 March. Nearly 13 000 people entered this years 5.6km race, among them a 41-strong contingent wearing Broll red. The race supported the Make a Difference Foundation, which gives academically talented youngsters from disadvantaged backgrounds access to excellent education. Evangelos Karnavos was the rst member of Team Broll to cross the nish line with a time of 27:48:00.

SIMplE EnERGY-SAVInG tips for home

1 2 3 4 5

TuRN YOuR GeYseR dOwN TO 550C Look for a round panel on the end of your geyser, unscrew it and there should be a yellow plastic dial. Simply click it over to 55 from its current setting and close up the panel again. You wont have to add cold water when showering and youll save a lot of energy. MaTch The pOT sIZe TO The sTOVe pLaTe By ensuring the whole plate is covered by the pot, youll save 25% on electricity when cooking. Use The RIGhT appLIaNce fOR The JOb For example, if youre cooking pasta, boiling the water in the kettle before putting it in a pot on the stove will use 50% less electricity. TuRN appLIaNces Off aT The waLL When you go to bed or leave the house, ensure appliances are switched off completely. In standby mode, they still use electricity. Use NaTuRaL VeNTILaTION Opening windows on the north and south side of your home will maximise air ow, so you wont need to use fans and air-conditioning as often. Water features such as ponds, fountains and swimming pools naturally cool air down.

N1 City Mall staff at work in the HVAC plant

Into THE DEEp

Property manager PJ Duffy was swimming by the age of 2, so its no surprise that he was selected as National Lifesaver of the Year at 24. Now in his early forties, he still loves the water.

When Im swimming in the ocean I can clear my mind and enjoy the freedom from the daily grind and totally relax. Its a great stress beater and I always take a moment to consider how fortunate I am to be able to experience and be part of nature. Thats how Port Elizabeth property manager PJ Duffy sees the sport of lifesaving, which the rest of us might consider something of a challenge. Lifesaving encompasses many disciplines from sprinting on the beach to paddling a surf-ski but that, for PJ, isnt a problem. Indeed, in his career with Broll, which began in 2001, hes also had to master several prociencies, starting as a leasing consultant and moving through various positions before becoming property manager. Broll is a wonderful, dynamic company to work for, with lots of opportunity, says PJ, whose aim is to grow the PE portfolio. A job challenge? Dealing with unreasonable tenants. A father of two, PJ is engaged to Liz, whom he calls one very special lady. Shes the catalyst that holds our family together and keeps us on the right path, he says. When it comes to lifesaving, PJ appears to already be on that path: recently chief

referee for the National Surf Lifesaving Nipper Championships held at Kings Beach, Port Elizabeth, hes a lifesaving judge, examiner and national selector. He also holds various awards in lifesaving, including National Honours (2008) and Meritorious Service (2010). This waterbaby also plays water polo and swims long-distance ocean races he swam the 8km Bell Buoy challenge on Easter Sunday and completed it in two hours and 59 seconds. The Bell Buoy Challenge is considered one of the toughest ocean swims in South Africa. In addition to the physical requirements, theres a huge mental component when youre 2.5km out to sea, and every piece of seaweed or otsam that brushes past you conjures up images of something more sinister! PJ has not only garnered a host of personal awards and prizes as a competitive swimmer and lifesaver, hes also given back to watersports in the country by ensuring his skills and knowledge are used to improve the sport in general.

What project
MAnAGEMEnT

On-site and hands-on: thats the Broll Project Management team. From left: Mike Maycock, Michelle Gush, Jacky Jacobs and Arend van der Walt.

New project management and health and safety services have further broadened Brolls already extensive service offering.
Project management A-Z
Project management is a new offering that covers the management of everything from a simple tenant installation to a full design and build, explains Mike Maycock, managing director: Facilities Management. Headed up by Jacky Jacobs, who transferred from Namibia, and launched in November last year, the service arose out of work Broll was doing with Vukile Property Fund. They needed a project management service, so out of this need, and other properties that we were involved with, we went ahead and expanded our Facilities Management offering to include project management, says Mike. He explains that Project Management can handle the entire procedure, from the tender process for selecting who will design and build the space to managing the contractors who will get the space ready and the move itself. Weve got the experience to look at any type of project, including things like churn projects, which is moving people around ofces, says Mike. Any division within the Broll group can make use of the Project Management service to handle the logistics of building operations such as construction and installing tenants in a space. The service has already received good feedback from those who have made use of it, such as Preston Gaddy, executive head - retail property management. We used the Project Management team on the tenant installation of Clicks at Westwood Mall, says Preston. All project deadlines were met, snags were dealt with promptly and overall it was an extremely successful installation. Brolls Facilities Management team certainly earned praise from our client.

A Little Something Extra

YOU
STEP 1:
Inception
The team helps you come up with a detailed description and analysis of the project.

can do for

STEP 2:

Concept and viability

The team helps assess the needs of the project, including the time and budget required, and completes a risk analysis.

STEP 3:

Design and development

The team sources and works with the necessary contractors to nalise plans, including managing the tender process where applicable.

Clued up on health and safety

Under Len Alexander, Facilities Management is now able to offer health and safety training, both internally and externally. Weve had ourselves accredited as health and safety training providers, says Mike, so were actually able to train not only within the company but also transfer services to other companies. Centre management at a retail centre, for example, may want a trained rst-aider on staff rather than outsourcing the function if theyre hosting an event that requires it. Similarly, clients who need to have health and safety training in the form of re marshals and rst-aiders will now be able to call on Broll to provide the training.

STEP 4:

Procurement and contract documentation

The team sources necessary products and services, ensures legal requirements are met and puts the correct personnel in place to handle the various aspects of the project.

STEP 5:

Construction

Project Management oversees this phase, keeping all relevant stakeholders informed throughout.

STEP 6:

Close-out

Any loose ends are wrapped up and the nished project handed over to stakeholders.

10

At 98, Louis Rabinowitz is almost certainly the oldest man in the South African property industry and hes not planning to retire any time soon.
In 1914 the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, triggered the First World War. It was also the year, on New Years Day, that Louis Rabinowitz, a property administrator in the Cape Town offices of Broll Property Group, was born. When I was very young, there was no Foreshore in Cape Town, recalls Mr Rabbi, as hes affectionately known to colleagues. There was a pier that went out over the water and every Sunday the Cape Town orchestra would play there. Where the Waterfront is now was all water. And then, slowly, they started filling it over years. The young Louis joined his fathers business, selling building materials. That was during the Great Depression of 1929. It was a terrible time. I dont think anybody who didnt live through that depression will ever know what it was like. But we managed to survive and the business started growing from the beginning of the Second World War. It grew to such an extent we sold it to Barloworld in 1967. Mr Rabbi joined Broll in 1979 after his coastal holiday home sparked an interest in the property business. I owned a holiday flat in Sea Point in a block that was managed by Jonathan Broll, he recalls. I was a trustee who had co-signing rights on the cheques. Jonathan would bring the vouchers and cheques to me for signing and, contrary to the other trustees, I would ask a lot of questions. As a result, Jonathan and I built up a working relationship. At the time Mr Rabbi, who had retired from Barloworld, was living in Paarl. But my dear wife wanted to relocate to Sea Point on a more permanent basis, he says. As luck would have it, Jonathan had an opening in his accounts department and I joined the firm part-time. He was 65 at the time. A member of the city council in Paarl, Mr Rabbi would divide his time between council meetings in the winelands and his work at Broll, which consisted, among other things, of managing creditors and wages. As Broll expanded and his responsibilities increased, Mr Rabbi decided to resign from the Paarl council and dedicate his time to Broll full time. Not long after, he was appointed Director of Broll Real Estate Cape (Pty) Limited. The property bug had bitten and it was not letting go. Decades later, his work ethic continues to inspire generations of Broll colleagues. Mr Rabbi constantly amazes us in the office, says Sanett Uys, GM: research and marketing at Broll. I think its amazing how he has embraced technology and he has a good working knowledge of insurance, tax and council issues. Aside from working in the industry, Mr Rabbi also owns six properties, the first of which an industrial property in Maitland he bought shortly after joining Broll. Looking back, the property was cheap and the rentals were low, but it had great potential, he says. His portfolio now includes a mix of residential, commercial and industrial investments, and he remains actively involved in the day-to-day management of all of them, although he offers a word of caution to first-time investors: With the exception of your primary residence, dont invest in residential property. Residential properties have more demands on the landlord and are categorised as an emotional asset. Commercial and industrial buildings demand less input from the owner, especially if you have a proactive management agent such as Broll. Mr Rabbi recently attended the 80-year matric reunion of Paarl Gyms class of 1931, with one other student. In his leisure time, he enjoys going to the opera and listening to classical music, and hes writing his memoirs. But none of these pursuits is enough to keep him out of the office. Coming in on a daily basis keeps me mentally fit and I feel I can still contribute something to the company. As long as Im physically able to work, I see no need to retire.

11

The effect of anchor tenants on the success of a shopping centre cant be overstated. An anchor tenant can make or break a shopping centre so its crucially important to get the right one, says executive head - retail property management Preston Gaddy.
What are the benets of having a good anchor?
Good anchor tenants bring feet lots of them which benets other, smaller tenants. Usually a department store or a major retail chain, they come with national advertising budgets, specials on loss-leaders that seem almost too good to be true, and an established following of shoppers. Even before that, solid anchors with good credit ratings assist developers in gaining the nancial backing they need from banks to develop the centre in the rst place. Bad anchor tenants, on the other hand, impact on everyone in the centre, including the centre owners. niche shopping centres, with a range of boutiques, salons and coffee shops offering a unique fashion, health and beauty shopping experience, along with a very high-end anchor, such as the so-called Black Spar in Cape Town. Similar niche centres built around gourmet foods and other themes are also starting to emerge.

SAFElY AT AnCHOR
Regional and superregional centres need anchors

How do you choose a good anchor?

What makes a bad anchor?

Unfortunately, certain chains are bad anchors they have poor stock and empty shelves and offer poor service. Staff become demotivated and this has a knock-on effect on the whole centre and its protability. Bearing in mind that anchors are often lured with favourable rentals so theyll benet line shops, when the anchor doesnt appeal to shoppers, this impacts on everyone in the centre.

The trick is to cut your coat according to your cloth. If the centre is a convenience centre, do convenience. If a convenience centre already has a decent anchor at reduced rentals, its nave of the centre owner to think that a line-shop fashion outlet that signed up at high rentals will benet from the anchor people want to pop in quickly for bread and milk, not to buy shoes. Rather look at a dry cleaner, small stationer or other convenience offerings to ll out and complement the tenant mix. In smaller centres, a service-related line shop, like a small haberdashery, will benet if its placed correctly within the centre. Also bear in mind the LSM (living standards measure) of the target shopper in the surrounding suburbs. An anchor that attracts a higher LSM grouping than the line shops in the same centre wont provide the feet for those line shops.

The presence of anchors is one of the main dening characteristics for regional and superregional centres two of the largest categories of malls as set out by the International Council of Shopping Centres (www.icsc.org). Regional centres typically have two or more anchors, while superregionals typically have three or more. These centres rely heavily on what the anchor tenant does if the anchor and line shops are targeting the same LSM, the presence of the anchor is likely to entice visitors to the centre to browse the line shops.

MATCHMAKInG 101 Three tips for choosing the perfect anchor 1: Match the centre 2: Match the line shops 3: Match the client LSM

What are the current trends around anchor tenants?

Right now, were seeing a trend towards

% 0 6 30-

s mall s a r f ho nt othat anc u o m a e the ble spac t for. n a s u lea ld acco shou

A job made in heaven: Preston Gaddy spends time in shopping malls and gets paid for it!

12

THE BEAUTIFUl
nEW BlUE ROUTE MAll
Situated in one of the most picturesque areas of the Western Cape, just minutes from Claremont and the Constantia Wine Route, the Blue Route Mall in Tokai has been a shopping venue of choice since the early 1970s. But, while the centre has continued to expand in order to keep up with demand and progress, theres also been a marked shift over the years in the levels of afuence and sophistication in the surrounding communities. To meet the demands and increasing spending power of its changing customer base, landlords Fountainhead Property Trust decided that the malls area of 48 000m would need to be substantially increased. Victoria Wharf architects Louis Karol were given the challenge of increasing the malls size to 56 500m while breathing new life into its architecture to make it the sleekest, most sophisticated, most modern version of itself that it could possibly be. This was no quick x with a few splashes of paint here and there; rather, it was a comprehensive redevelopment, reconstruction and rebuilding project, from the ground up. Natural light and the surrounding landscapes play a key role in the redesign, giving customers a totally unique and thoroughly modern retail experience. The existing tenants who continued to trade through the noise and dust of the demolition of 12000m2 of the old mall showed commitment to the project, says centre manager Wendy Radford. The old mall traded until 28 March and the new mall opened on 29 March, so the logistics of moving the existing trading tenants into the new mall with very tight deadlines needed to be coordinated in detail, as all 120 tenants required shoptting and merchandising at the same time. But, she adds, theyre now reaping the benets. Its wonderful to experience the wideopen malls, the wonderful natural light and the fantastic views from the food court, she says. The quality of the stores installations, merchandising and aesthetics complements the new mall and creates a wonderful shopping experience, and weve been thrilled with the positive feedback received so far. But its not only the physical building of the mall thats changed: its the tenant mix, too. While many existing tenants stayed (with

With two years of work behind it, the reconstruction of the Blue Route Mall has made it the premier retail and lifestyle destination in Cape Towns southern suburbs.
exciting re-creations of their stores), We wanted to create an element of newness to the mall, something worth driving to see and experience, explains Broll leasing consultant Tirzah Myers. As a result, every member of the family is catered for: theres Dion Wired and Incredible Connection for Dad, BT Games, Jay Jays and clothing outlets for the teens, Naartjie and Kiddiwinks for the littlies, and plenty of choice for women, including Woolworths, Edgars, Mr Price, Queenspark, Foschini, Jet and Truworths. And then there are DisChem, La Senza, Checkers Hyper and 100 more stores to choose from. But the new Blue Route Mall is about more than just shopping visitors can take a break in the brand-new food court, home to a variety of much-loved eateries and with panoramic views of the Constantiaberg mountain; and theres a Ster Kinekor cinema complex with eight big screens and 3D capability. The grand launch of the new-look Blue Route Mall in March was marked by special offers, exclusive promotions and non-stop excitement provided by crowds of eager shoppers.

Enjoying the festivities at the opening of the new Blue Route Mall were Broll staffers (from left) Donovan Agar, Tirzah Myers, Malcolm Horne, Wendy Radford and Terry Pollock.

13

HAIR lOSS
At the beginning of March, Broll staff and retail centres once again took part in CANSAs annual Shavathon, with some enthusiastic participants going far beyond the call of duty.
Dawn Troskies hair is gone! The newly bald Broll Foundation chairperson shaved her shoulder-length tresses at her local shopping centre during this years CANSA Shavathon. Several Broll-managed shopping centres participated in the nationwide event, raising thousands of rands for the ght against cancer. And Dawn wasnt the only brave staff member who was willing to bare her head for the cause. At KZNs Westwood Mall, centre management receptionist Veena Pillay joined three female shoppers in donating long lengths of hair to CANSA after shaving her head in memory of friends who succumbed to cancer, among them her Westwood colleague Carolyn Nash. Veena dedicated her hair in loving memory of my dearly departed friends who impacted greatly on my lifelove you and miss you. In memory of those who beat cancerkeep the faith! Many centres created a festive atmosphere, with centre management staff at Glenfair Boulevard in Pretoria describing their event as feeling like a braai at a friends house on Glenfairs stoep, while Weskus Mall in Vredenburg kicked off their Shavathon with a parade led by the Cape Minstrels. Galleria in Amanzimtoti held their Shavathon across two days with great results, and at Cresta in Joburg a record 31 ponytails were collected, the longest of which was 49cm. 7de Laans Ray Randall kept shoppers entertained at Kenilworth Centre in Cape Town, where heads were shorn by staff from Regis and Classic Cuts hair salons. Other tenants contributed spot prizes, giveaways and refreshments. The Grove Mall in Pretoria combined Shavathon 2012 with a blood drive on what they dubbed Lets Give Day. In addition to the 250 heads shaved at the centre, the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) collected 50 units of blood while shoppers were entertained by the Tshwane Police Orchestra, a live Impact Radio broadcast and a snake display coordinated by Animal Wildlife Services. At Northgate in Joburg, shoppers were treated to a live Rock FM broadcast during the Shavathon. Three weeks later the centres ice rink held a CANSA Relay for Life on ice, where teams kept at least one person on the track for the duration of the overnight event. Students from Mopanie residence at the University of Pretoria lent a hand at Eldo Square Shopping Centre in Centurion, helping with shaving, DJing, MCing the event and encouraging shoppers to get involved. Enthusiastic tenants donated the contents of goodie bags such as shopping vouchers and small trinkets that were handed out to each shopper who sprayed or shaved their hair. Many tenants also took the next step, submitting their heads to paint and blade. And that was just the beginning of the March festivities at Eldo Square, which also hosted the SANBS, the Wildlife Reptile Park and Sandton Auctioneers on subsequent weekends, proving that a retail centre is more than just a place to shop.

FOR A CAUSE

Before...
Dawn Troskie shows commitment to the CANSA cause.

After!

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ShaVaThON

2012
IN NuMbeRs

0 0 6 1

distributed sites clippers havathon to S

where the MONEY

GOES

A unt CANS o m a : n o li R6 mil h in 2011 rc a e s re invested in

Money raised at CANSA Shavathons is used to support a number of different projects covering the full spectrum of the ght against cancer, from prevention and education campaigns to medical treatment and emotional support for those undergoing treatment. Among these initiatives are CANSA care centres where patients can receive guidance to help improve their quality of life throughout treatment, a toll-free support line for those affected by cancer and their families, CANSA care lodges, which offer a home-from-home for those undergoing treatment, with meals and transport to treatment centres, and CANSA-TLC lodging, which cares for child patients.

For more info visit cansa.org.za

400 participating places of work

Missed the Shavathon?

You can still donate R50 or more. Go to shavathon.org.za
rais

ed by Bro

R16000
during ll centres

Shavatho

n 2012

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Follow
the Market

Leader

Broll is using its wealth of knowledge to benefit the industry through a partnership with the Johannesburg Property Company.
Broll has been appointed property management consultant for one of the Johannesburg Property Companys (JPC) buildings in the Joburg CBD. The short-term consultancy will see JPC staff upskilled in all areas of facilities management and property management through the Broll Training Academy. With Broll being one of the market leaders in the property management business, the request for skills transfer comes naturally for small start-up businesses and state-owned enterprises, says portfolio executive Vuvu Lugqola, whos spearheading the initiative on the Broll side. She says the reason for this is that companies are under pressure to employ proven, successful methods in the main focus areas of their business, and are eager to start playing in the big league in the property sector. The rst staff member nominated by JPC to receive training has already begun online studies, covering a general overview of what commercial property management is all about, why individuals should take an interest in the industry, the various career options in this line of business, and how modern technology can be used to work smarter in lease management. Three more candidates will soon follow suit. The association works in Brolls favour as well. Because of issues of condentiality in the property business, its always advisable to train candidates on buildings that are owned by the companies the candidates work for, explains Lugqola. This way, its a win-win situation.

Vuvu with Asanda Johnson (left) a property administrator from the JPC.

Vuvu Lugqola has been tasked with leading Brolls team to assist in upskilling staff at the Johannesburg Property Company.

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