In 2008 Managing Director and developer Jonathan Liebmann purchased the old DF Corlett Construction offices and warehouses and worked with architect Enrico Daffonchio on converting them into the space that is now Arts on Main - a mix of galleries, private artist studios, advertising agencies and retail spaces.
One of the first tenants to buy a space was world-renowned artist William Kentridge. Following Kentridge's interest, leading South African organizations such as the Goodman Gallery and The Goethe Institute followed suit. Today Arts on Main is a celebrated part of Johannesburg's cultural landscape.
Propertuity place a strong focus on environmental design. At Arts on Main the developer and architects involved ensured as much of the original building features were retained as possible, and existing materials were also recycled during the building process.
The company's next major development was Main Street Life, which transformed a 1970s industrial building into a mixed-use complex with studio, 2-bed apartments and penthouses. Features include creative workspaces, retail shops and a restaurant, independent cinema, a rooftop events venue and a boutique hotel. The '12 Decades Johannesburg Art Hotel' is situated on the top floor of Main Street Life and consists of 12 rooms conceptualized by some of South Africa's most celebrated artists and designers to represent the past 12 Decades of Johannesburg's History.
Arts on Main and Main Street Life all form part of the development of the 'Maboneng Precinct', which will be extending in 2011 with the development of 5 new buildings, furthering the vision for a uniquely conceptualised mixed use hub in the eastern CBD. The new developments will address the practicalities of urban lifestyle by providing more retail and entertainment venues as well as office spaces, networking places as well the extension of the cultural landscape in the form of a Museum of African Design.
2011 developments include 'The Main Change' (office space for small to medium entrepreneurial enterprises), 'Revolution House' (a skate-art-music building housing a skate park, band rehearsal rooms, film studios, residential apartments and the new skate supply warehouse for the Revolution Brand), 'Fox Street Studios' (high-end residential apartments & penthouse) and a transport hub in the form of a 5-Storey parkade 'Off the Grid'.
2011 will also see the furthering of community and social initiatives in the Maboneng Community. 2010 saw the beginnings of a partnership with the One Creche at a Time Initiative which aims to generate resources for and refurbish the physical environments of Inner City Creches in order to improve the quality of learning for the students. Other community projects include lighting and securing the streets and the commissioning of Public Artworks.
