Work on the R700 million Boulevard Office Park, a joint venture development by Faircape, Baker Street Properties and Trematon has been exceptionally fast: it is only ten months since the first sod was turned and 50% of the project has already been completed.

Completion of the development, will all buildings coming on stream, will be at the end of March 2009.
 
Richard Thomas Divisional Director of Nedbank Corporate Property Finance Cape - being the funders of the development and owning a part equity stake therein - commented that Faircape's timing of the project had been excellent because vacancies in the Cape Town CBD have now reached a new low point.  The increased call for office space, he said, is reflected in Nedbank Corporate Property Finance's Cape order book, where 25% of the loans are now related to the provision of commercial space.
 
Thomas maintains that in both its design and its size the development is setting a new benchmark for Cape Town CBD fringe properties.  "With 38,000 m2 of 'A' grade office space, it will be the largest CBD fringe complex in Cape Town.  It is pleasing to be able to report that only 7,000 m2 still remains to be sold."
 
Proponents also point out five factors which set The Boulevard Office Park apart. These are:
 
1.The Convenient Location
The project's very central position, with links to the major freeways running both south and north (in particular almost direct access onto the N2 (Eastern Boulevard), will make this one of the most easily accessed of any office park in the Greater Cape Town area, said David Matheson Faircape's internal Project Manager.
 
2.The views
The project is on sloping ground and has seven buildings varying in height from three to five storeys all rising from a three level “super-basement” parking garage.  Both the podium deck and most of the buildings will offer stunning views either of Table Mountain and Devil’s Peak or of the city, the harbour and Table Bay.
 
3.The designs
“Peerutin and dhk Architects went to great lengths to allow us to consider a wide range of possibilities for this project," says Matheson.  "We looked at face brick, painted plaster and other alternatives, but in the end it became clear that to achieve a contemporary triple-A grade office ambience, which is what the development is aiming at, the developers had little choice but to select buildings with clean lines and components of flush glazing.”
 
Performance glass, with an appropriate shading coefficient, will accordingly be used on the façades of the buildings.  In all cases it will run from floor to ceiling height.  There is a considerable variety in the façade treatments of the seven buildings:  on some buildings balconies and walk ways are prominent, while others flush glazing.
 
A significant achievement of the project, said Matheson, has been that the two architectural firms have liaised closely to achieve a consistent design look for the development as a whole while still incorporating changes to give each building its own character and identity.
 
The restaurant and coffee shop which will be situated on the piazza will be a particularly striking design with glass wall façades. Being open onto the piazza and with views over the city, it will generate action and life within the park.
 
The designs and streetscape within the office park will have both hard and soft landscaping.  This will include the use of exposed aggregate on the road surfaces, flamed granite on the walkways and tree and shrubs lining the boulevard and linking in with a central piazza. The design also compliments the triple-A grade finish with features such as glass lifts and high floor to ceiling heights.
 
Nestled into one corner of the site is the Berlin Mission building.  This building, which has heritage status, will be renovated and restored. This building will provide convenience shopping for occupants.
 
4. The parking
The three level super basement parking garage will cover 16,000 m2 per level (approximately 90% of the site) and will be capable of holding approximately 2000 vehicles.
 
The buildings have been sold with at least four bays per 100m2, the parking ratio that is widely accepted as being right for a successful office park.  Numerous additional parking bays for visitors will be provided within the development.
 
5. The security
Being one of the largest office parks in the Cape, it will have state-of-the-art security: fully encircled by electrified perimeter fencing, monitored by over 150 TV cameras and patrolled on a 24/7 basis by guards.