Revamped shopping centres win awards

Riverside Mall in Nelspruit, which underwent a R130 million revamp, won Golden Arrow Awards from Professional Management Review as the best shopping centre and as the best development in Mpumalanga in 2007.

At the first annual SA Shopping Centre Council Spectrum awards ceremony, SA Corporate Real Estate Fund, which is managed by OMIGPI, won a merit certificate for the R77 million redevelopment of The Bluff Shopping Centre in Durban. The Spectrum awards honour achievements in innovation, creativity, vision and excellence across the South African retail industry.

Nelspruit's Riverside Mall, which added a host of top retailers through the creation of another 13 000m² of lettable area and provided another 1 000 covered parking bays, also won a Footprint marketing award from the SASCS for a centre promotion.

The Bluff Shopping Centre, a prime shopping destination through a tenant mix of leading national chains and established local business, was extended and revamped last year. The lettable area was increased by more than 7 000m² to 19 215m² through a new row of shops and parking facilities were improved by adding a roof deck and semi-basement bays.

Another centre in the company's portfolio, which featured in the Spectrum awards, is Gateway Theatre of Shopping at Umhlanga. Enforce Security Services, a Gateway contractor, won the National Service Provider of the Year Award for providing exceptional levels of customer service.

Ben Kodisang, managing director of OMIGPI and chairman of SA Corporate Real Estate Fund, said it was encouraging to see recognition by an industry body for the renovation and expansion of existing centres.