This will see the existing 22,000sqm retail space bolstered by another significant 15,000sqm for a significant investment of R350 million.

Scheduled to open at the end of October 2010 - in time for the busy festive season - this shopping centre which is strongly established and supported by local shoppers is owned by Pietersburg Property Development (Pty) Ltd and leased by Broll Retail. The Principle Architect for the project is Tjaart van der Walt from LVDW Architects Incorporated.

George Heyneke, Senior Asset Manager Pietersburg Property Development is confident that the new Savannah Mall will offer even more for every shopper.
 
In a first for Polokwane shoppers, Savannah Mall will feature the city’s first Dis-Chem, providing shoppers with an extensive array of health, beauty and pharmaceutical products, at good value.
 
“This popular store will no doubt be a major draw card for the centre, and complement and enhance the overall retail offering of Savannah Mall,” notes Lizelle Cloete, Broll Retail Leasing Executive.

Another two top retail outlets favoured by consumers in other regions and debuting for the first time in Polokwane, is Baby City and Toys R Us, which will be joining the Savannah Mall retail mix. Toys R Us Savannah Mall will be the only store this respected retailer has in the Limpopo province. Together this exceptional mix will specifically bring a wide range of baby goods and toys, and ultimately offer consumers a wealth of choice.

All four major banks -- Standard Bank, Nedbank, Absa and FNB -- are represented in Savannah Mall and will boast expanded branches as a result of the extension, with each one literally doubling in size. In addition, a new stand-alone KFC Drive Thru will provide convenience for the many shoppers and residents in and around the centre.
 
Savannah Mall’s expansion will also accommodate national fashion retailers that are expanding and adding new ranges. One of these is the introduction of a Truworths Emporium, which will also feature this national retailer’s Identity brand, a strong favourite with fashion conscious shoppers. Foschini is also expanding in size and adding a Markhams & Donna Claire to the tenant mix.

“A number of new local tenants debuting in Polokwane for the first time have already committed their new space requirements, confirming the excellent value proposition that Savannah Mall offers in the retail space,” notes Cloete.

The expanded Savannah Mall is set to accommodate even more shoppers and will reinvigorate this already popular and bustling centre.

A multi-disciplinary property services company with nearly 35 years in the property industry, Broll has negotiated the leases for the Savannah Mall extension, bringing a new sense of energy and vitality to the centre and ensuring its tenant mix remains relevant and appealing to today’s Polokwane consumer.

The company has an impressive list of clients including the properties South Africa’s leading property owners such as Retail Africa, Pareto, Atterbury Property, Growthpoint Properties Limited, Sasol Pension Fund, Resilient Property Income Fund and Keystone Investments. Landmark properties under management across South Africa include Southgate Mall, Cresta Shopping Centre and Northgate Mall in Joburg, Mimosa Mall in Bloemfontein, and The Grove in Pretoria.

As in the case of Savannah Mall, Broll’s retail consulting services include identifying critical-success-factors for centre refurbishments and redevelopments and performing retail trend analyses, headed up by Hilton Dukes, Broll Director Retail.

“The additional space being introduced at Savannah Mall offers retailers’ superb opportunities. Ideally located in the heart of the community, with a strong, loyal shopper base, strong local retail representation and excellent trading densities, the new look centre ably meets all prospective retailers’ requirements. To date, we’ve had a good response from potential new tenants, and anticipate this will increase as the project nears completion,” says Lizelle Cloete.

Savannah Mall’s new extension includes a triple-volume centre court area, with access from the new roof parking, basement parking and other levels. Ideal for promotions and displays, the spacious centre court will also feature an information kiosk. With clean lines and offering good functionality, the space will act as an excellent draw card. Two new glass lifts and six new escalators will also link access for the three levels around the centre court and provide for optimal traffic flow.

Across the newly enlarged centre, shoppers can expect to see larger shop fronts, lifted to an impressive 3,35 metre high. This provides retailers with more display space. 
 
Leon Jacobs, design architect from Leon Jacobs Architects for Savannah Mall says, “The newly extended part of the mall will feature finishes that are simple, yet strikingly effective. The centre will be brighter, with special light fittings used in the new extension and later being introduced across the entire building.”
 
Attention to detail has been key to the project with every individual element given complete attention. This will be reflected in everything from the modern, wooden benches and clear, visible directional signage.

Tiles in the new section will be bolder, yet flow well with tiles used in the original building and these have been specifically selected for their semi-polished qualities, which work well in an area where excessive mine dust can create slippery surfaces. Furthermore, walk-off carpeting at the access points to the mall, provides an anti-dust action.

The combination of all these factors – an already successful shopping centre, an owner with a long-term vision, keen retailer demand, a dynamic leasing strategy, and a bright contemporary design – point to an exciting future for Savannah Mall which is as inspiring and rich as its wonderful history.