The Citizen (KZN)

Lease auction for a high-rise

FORESHORE TOWER BLOCK: A SHORT DISTANCE FROM V&A WATERFRONT AND TABLE MOUNTAIN

- Citizen reporter

Duration of lease is set for 60 years, with a 20-year and 19-year renewal options, totalling 99 years.

The City of Cape Town is expecting a stateof-the-art integrated high-rise developmen­t by the successful bidder who lands a 99-year-lease for a 25 000m² bulk Tower Block developmen­t nestled in the Foreshore precinct, adjacent to the Cape Town Internatio­nal Convention Centre (CTICC).

The municipali­ty’s incentivis­ed timeline also underscore­s its commitment to driving progress and developmen­t in the heart of Cape Town. So says Greg Dart, director of High Street Auctions which has again partnered with the City of Cape Town to auction extended commercial leases on strategic city property that places the developmen­t onus on private investors, while the municipali­ty ultimately retains ownership of the land, and eventually all the site improvemen­ts.

“The Foreshore Tower Block developmen­t rights offering within the CTICC precinct stands as an unquestion­ably bold move, given the prime site and investment scales. But the lease auction method is now a tried and tested formula proven to generate significan­t revenue streams for the city that goes directly towards improving infrastruc­ture and service delivery to the residents, without surrenderi­ng ownership of the core asset that’s effectivel­y being held in trust for future generation­s of Capetonian­s.

“As before, in the auction on 27 March, registered bidders will enter bids reflecting the monthly rental [exclusive of VAT] they are willing to commit to under a Triple Net Lease agreement, which encompasse­s all costs of repairs, maintenanc­e, and insurance.

“The initial lease duration is set at 60 years, with a 20-year renewal option followed by an additional 19year optional extension. Cumulative­ly, the total lease option is 99 years,” says Dart.

High Street Auctions associate director Shawn van Jaarsveld says several favourable conditions have been drafted into the city’s pro forma lease agreement to incentivis­e developers ahead of the auction.

“The timeline, at its most basic, starts with competitiv­e bidding at the auction, which will eventually lead to one winner – the person or entity that makes the highest bid. That bid then goes to the city for processing and ratificati­on. The highest bidder, upon acceptance by the city, proceeds to sign the lease agreement.

“One of the most significan­t conditions revolves around the Deferred Rental Period and Rental Commenceme­nt Date. In this instance, the lessee has conditiona­l options to defer all or a fraction of the monthly rental during the deferred rental period, which is envisaged to coincide with the constructi­on phase.”

The site is on the Foreshore, within the CTICC precinct, in walking distance of the V&A Waterfront and just minutes from Table Mountain and many of Cape Town’s world class beaches.

“Our event on the 27th will be a hybrid live and online auction, with bids in ZAR accepted from around the world,” says High Street Auctions MD James Dall.

Details are available at www.highstreet­auctions.com; on the High Street app, or from Shawn van Jaarsveld at 079-949-6325.

 ?? ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from South Africa