The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) and the City of Johannesburg Property company (JPC) have called for proposals for the mixed-use development of three sites in Central Place, in Newtown, Johannesburg.

Property-management, asset-management, development and consulting company marketing consultant Nicole McLachlan says that it is envisaged that the developed property would comprise a retail facility on the ground floor, with office and/or residential space on the upper storeys, possibly open 24 hours a day.

However, she says, this is not prescriptive and all viable proposals will be considered.

She says that the key issues for the development project are sustainability and empowerment, and this will be decisive in the appraisal of proposals.

A budget for the development has also not been determined, as each proposal will be examined on the merits of its financial viability and feasibility.

No proposals have yet been received, although there have been enquiries into the proposal-call documentation, says McLachlan.

The closing date for the submission of proposals to the JCA is June 6. A shortlist will be announced during June, and the final bid is expected to be awarded on September 1.

Central Place is a large square of buildings and building space situated south of Mary Fitzgerald Square, in Newtown.

It consists of 24 200 m2 of land with 56 000 m2 of potential building space.

It is home to a number of heritage buildings, including the Electric Workshop, which has been transformed into the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre. The Gauteng Tourism Authority also has its offices on the site.

The development of Newtown is also conducted under the auspices of Blue IQ, Gauteng’s multi-billion-rand initiative to develop economic infrastructure for specific major projects in smart industries, high value-added manufacturing and tourism.

Blue IQ has identified the Newtown Development as one of its eleven focus projects.