AN R85m "lifestyle" office park is being planned for Illovo Point.

The site of the planned development is at 52 and 54 Melville Road, and will include — if the Johannesburg City Council grants approval — 6000m² of office space, as well as eateries, a gymnasium and a small residential component.

Vincent Christoforos of PMA Projects, which owns the sites and will be doing the development, says the sites are a good location for an office park.

He says the plan is to build the office park around three acres of existing trees.

Only two trees will need to be cut down to accommodate the office park.

"We’re waiting for council approval for the site development plan and we’re hoping to start work by October for completion in March 2007," he says.

The development will involve the demolition of the houses at 52 and 54 Melville Road.

Christoforos says PMA Projects plans to develop about 15 exclusive and expensive office units and sell them off on a sectional title basis. Each unit will be between 200m² and 1500m².

Owners and tenants will also have access to boardrooms and presentation rooms with all the latest hi-tech equipment, says Christoforos.

The developers will also build a gymnasium, a beauty salon and a large eatery, which will serve as a snack bar, coffee shop, restaurant and pub. Christoforos says these other features will be provided by and the cost will be included in the prices.

The total development will be spread over two to three storeys, with a double basement providing all the parking below ground.

The office park will include four furnished one-bedroom apartments, which will be available on a short-term rental basis to the owners of units for their out-of-town-visitors.

There will be a 1000m² communal courtyard with water features. "We are also going to create four outside work stations for outdoor meetings," he says.

Christoforos says many businesses have already expressed interest in buying units in the development.

Office sectional title developments have become popular in Johannesburg, with several being launched in recent years, and many small businesses are electing to buy their own units.