Krisp fares well in challenging conditions

Langa Shopping Centre

Krisp's portfolio has been boosted in 2013 by the increased interest in Johannesburg's planned OR Tambo aerotropolis, with high profile companies such as Michelin SA moving its headquarters to Krisp's R500m Clearwater Office Park across the road from the aerotropolis.

Meanwhile, the implementation of e-tolls in Johannesburg has seen the company's planned 9,000m² neighbourhood shopping centre and 114 residential unit development along the R55 (12ha of land called Olievenhoutbos Ext 47) - a popular new alternate route for motorists avoiding e-tolling - substantially gain in value.

Attention to position

"We have found that there is increasing demand for top-class developments whose locations have been carefully plotted. We pay careful attention to where we position our developments," said Krisp Properties executive director, Jordan Mann.

Michelin SA moved its 120-strong staff compliment into the new AAA-grade purpose-built headquarters at Clearwater Office Park earlier this month. It joined other tenants at the 20,000m² office park, including Discovery Health, Old Mutual, ABSA Bank and Imperial Air Cargo. Given the demand, the company was already planning a third phase - 28,000m² of additional office space set for development in the second half of next year.

In Cape Town, Krisp's 5,000m² pedestrianised shopping centre alongside the busy Langa train station also received the green light earlier this year. The station is rated the 16th top railway station nationwide by Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa. On average, about 43,000 passengers pass through the station daily.

Solid growth expected

"The railway has been upgraded and is in fact a first world station. Langa Junction is a very nice fit for the station itself," said Mann, adding that he hoped to have the centre completed by the second half of next year.

"Given the strong demand for our developments this year, we are anticipating solid growth during 2014 as the construction industry begins to recover along with the economy, and as many of our developments begin to come to fruition," he said.

Krisp is also the latest high-end developer to invest in the increasingly sought-after light industrial space between Johannesburg and Pretoria, which has seen a host of established companies flocking to a new light industrial hub in Olifantsfontein, between Johannesburg and Pretoria and 20 minutes from OR Tambo International Airport.

City within a city

Due to the high demand for industrial space, Krisp was developing a gated industrial estate in the area. The company is in the advanced stages of developing the Olifantsfontein Industrial Park along Olifantsfontein Road.

Krisp Properties is part of the Nu-Hold Group which has several successful developments completed and under way around South Africa. The group is in the advanced planning stages of developing a R6bn 'city within a city' holistic lifestyle and low cost housing estate - constructed over 15 years - on the outskirts of Nelson Mandela Bay on a 3 200ha site. The plans include provision for clinics, hospitals and shopping centres.

Krisp already boasts other successes which include Randburg Office Park, Ebony Park Shopping Centre in Midrand and Sandton Office Park.