
Newsletter_December 2005

Mandela Rhodes Place_Brings Country's First Inner–city Winery To Cape Town

Eurocape announced in July this year that internationally renowned winemaker, Jean–Vincent Ridon of Signal Hill Wines, will establish the city's first fully fledged inner–city winery in Mandela Rhodes Place.

The winery forms part of the unique retail and lifestyle component of the mixed–use Mandela Rhodes Place. Together with fine restaurants and a gourmet food hall, Mandela Rhodes Place is destined to catapult Cape Town's inner–city into a cosmopolitan food, wine and lifestyle haven.

French winemaker Jean–Vincent Ridon started producing wines in South Africa in 1997 and he will relocate Signal Hill from its current premises in time for the 2006 harvest. The winery will see the full production process taking place on–site which will include de–stemming, crushing, fermentation, barrelling, bottling and packaging.

The micro–winery will boast the most advanced winemaking technology and in addition to Signal Hill wines, the winery will also produce Tutuka wines on–site. Tutuka is the only fully black empowered operation in the wine industry and is produced by Ridon's associate winemaker, the Burgundy–trained Laurence Buthelezi.

Retail Opportunities_Now Available

The retail agency at Mandela Rhodes Place has been placed in the expert hands of David Murphy, a chartered surveyor who previously worked at Ireland's leading estate agents, auctioneers and valuers, Hamilton Osborne King.

With a clear mission to secure distinctively unique tenants, Murphy confirms that discussions are underway with a number of interested prospective tenants to lease approximately 3,500m2 of prime retail accommodation.

"We want to secure a tenant mix that reflects the vision and diversity of this unique destination, and we're planning a range of offerings that will encourage visitors to return again and again."

Targeting gym, health and wellness centres, top–end jewellers and luxury brand gift emporiums will complement the primary focus of attracting restaurants of international standing, a bistro–style meeting and dining venue, a cocktail–tapas bar, whisky–cigar bar and a gourmet food hall.

For further information about retail opportunities at Mandela Rhodes Place, contact David Murphy on +27 21 426 4759 or +27 83 395 7576.

Construction_Update

It has been just over one year since construction commenced on Mandela Rhodes Place and Eurocape is happy to report that the project is on schedule and progressing well. Construction remains on programme, with the 180 apartments, 330 bay parking garage and approximately 3,500m2 of retail space at various phases of completion. The new concrete structures are progressing particularly well and the focus on apartments has moved firmly to on–site detailing.

Once complete, one of the signature features of Mandela Rhodes Place will be the glazed tower, sensitively designed and constructed within the existing historic structures. From ground level, the tower reaches 21 floors and structural work on the car park and six of the 11 residential levels is already complete.
The structures of the retail units are advanced enough to enable interested concessionaires to view the spaces.
Construction on the winery is progressing towards partial operation in preparation for Signal Hill Wines to relocate in time for the 2006 harvest. A prominent feature of the winery will be the inclusion of a historic brick wall dating back to the eighteenth century which has been protected throughout the initial demolition and construction process.
The 330–bay parking garage, with its entrance situated on Burg Street, has also been completed.
Scaffolding is in place around the old buildings on the block and cleaning and restoration of the exteriors of all five historic buildings is well advanced.

Construction_Tidbits

To date, thousands of tons of rubble have been removed from the construction site
Millions of Rands have been spent on steel structures to retain the beautiful facades of the buildings
30,000 tons of concrete are being used for structural building
1.4–million bricks have been used to date, with a further 900,000 bricks estimated to complete brickwork on the buildings
Tens of thousands of metres of electrical cabling will be installed
675 doors will be fitted
260,000 litres of paint will be used
8,750m² of new glazing will be installed
11,200 metres of water supply pipes will be installed in the development, enough to circle 26 football fields

St Patrick's Ball To Take Place In_The Company Gardens

South Africa is Ireland's biggest African trading partner and investment into South Africa from Irish companies has seen steady growth over the past decade. In celebration of this growing partnership between the two countries, Eurocape and the Irish South African Association will host the St Patrick's Ball on 17th March 2006.

The venue for the evening could not be more historically appropriate. Cape Town's Company Gardens will come alive as guests attending this prestigious event are transported into a world of magic, mystery and mischief.

Sponsorships, corporate tables and tickets to attend this event are available and all proceeds will be donated to charity.

Make sure you diarise this important date – 17th March 2006 from 20h00 – you don't want to miss what will become Cape Town's most talked about annual social affair.

For more information on sponsorships, corporate tables and individual tickets, contact:
In South Africa – Simphiwe Mathebula on 021–426–4759
In Ireland – Natalie Fulton on 01–277–6200

Seasons_Greetings