Councillor Candice James cut the ribbon and officially opened the revamped Cambridge Crossing Shopping Centre in Paulshof, Gauteng last week. (January 25, 2018).
One of Johannesburg’s first “steampunk” centres, Cambridge Crossing promises a whole new retail experience. The on-trend architectural theme, which encompasses strong elements of industrial design, echoes the railway station/steam train theme that is inspired by the name of the centre.
According to Carmen Collison, Retail Asset Manager, SA Corporate Real Estate, the revamp not only enabled the centre to grow its tenant base but also to optimize consumer convenience and to keep pace with trends in the highly competitive retail space.
“Cambridge Crossing is a place where friends meet, families shop and professionals do business before heading off to their next destination or out into the busy world. Being on the artery of Witkoppen, many people are in transit or even trying to step out of the rat race. So, we have provided a place that can be a meeting point which addresses the full complement of services required by all patrons of the centre.”
This is in line with the vision of its owner, SA Corporate Real Estate. One of South Africa’s oldest and most established property companies, it is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and boasts a diversified property portfolio of 179 properties in South Africa and Zambia.
“Our vision is to not only invest in quality real estate but to manage our assets in order to deliver lasting benefits for all stakeholders. We achieve this through efficient operations that drive growth over the long term. In these tough economic times, maintaining an efficient operating structure that contains the costs of occupation for our tenants is a significant achievement. We have managed to ensure that we are launching a revamped centre that is focused on customer convenience, has a truly varied tenant mix and one that speaks to all of the key needs of a modern lifestyle – She pointed out.
She added that the decision to revamp Cambridge Crossing hinged on a broader strategy of constantly enhancing and upgrading retail assets to maintain dominance in the node being serviced.
Cambridge Crossing’s catchment area includes Paulshof, Petervale, Kleve Hill Park, Magaliessig, Rivonia, Lonehill, Bryanston and Edenberg. It caters for a broad category of LSMs. This has grown considerably due to ongoing development of upmarket, high density residential accommodation in the area.
The gross letting area (GLA) has increased from 3 560m² to 4850m².
The phased construction process began on the 6th February 2017 with the building of a new structured car park with additional parking bays. The stepped levels of 1200m² were demolished to create a comfortable single level retail experience.
“The retail sector is evolving and transforming. It is no longer enough to simply sell merchandise. Today’s consumers want more than a shopping destination. They seek a retail experience. According to researchers, we have moved from an experience economy to a participation economy. Customers want to be part of our story. Firstly, we need to understand our customers. Then, we need to provide a retail experience that is personalised and meets consumer needs,” Collison Said.