New plans to revive city centre
PORT Elizabeth’s central business district will need to be reinvented once again – despite almost R90-million having been pumped into infrastructure upgrades over the past decade.
The infrastructure upgrades of Govan Mbeki Avenue were spearheaded by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s special purpose development company, the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA).
The need to relook at the area comes after two major tenants, Edgars and Woolworths, decided to close shop.
Adding to the CBD’s woes are concerns over parking, safety and building maintenance.
While the Edgars closure is in line with its parent company Edcon’s attempts to streamline business, Woolworths said last week its closure was due to concerns over parking and shoplifting and would not affect its other stores.
MBDA spokesman Luvuyo Bangazi, who confirmed R89-million had been pumped into Govan Mbeki Avenue over the past 10 years, said: “What we planned at the time was based on economic impact assessments.
“Around 2006 and 2007, 80% of shoppers were relying on public transport, but if you look at living standards measures only 10 years later, the black middle class has doubled.
“More people have cars, more are employed and more live in the suburbs.”
Bangazi said the pedestrian walkways of Govan Mbeki Avenue – located along a major taxi and bus route – had made sense at the time, but the changing economic environment meant the municipality and MBDA had to return to the drawing board. “What we did in Govan Mbeki needs a relook.” He said acquiring vacant and derelict buildings and transforming them into parking garages would go a long way in addressing parking challenges and ensuring buildings were maintained.
“Currently, we are working on the Fleming Street upgrade which includes widening the road, creating more parking and landscaping.
“The next thing will be the upgrade of Vuyisile Mini Square outside the City Hall.”
Bangazi said plans for the square would include a possible amphitheatre where concerts could be held when the Campanile’s newly restored bells were synced with the City Hall.
He said as buildings in Strand Street had been transformed into student accommodation, the opportunity existed to bring youngsters back to the inner city.
“These buildings could have accommodation on the top floors and cafes, bars or even shopping on lower floors.
“This happens in the Western Cape but here we have different dynamics. Many students come from rural areas and depend on NSFAS [National Student Financial Aid Scheme] loans and bursaries and have less disposable income.”
MBDA acting chief executive Ashraf Adam said the areas of concern included:
ý Traffic law enforcement;
ý Cleansing and sanitation; ý Security, safety and lighting; ý Location of informal traders; ý Poor maintenance of privately owned buildings.
“We have met with representatives of the property owners, formal traders and the proposed Central Special Ratings Area,” Adam said.
“All agree we need to work cooperatively to arrest the further decline of the CBD.”
The municipality’s political head of economic development, tourism and agriculture, Andrew Whitfield, said the metro was working on a plan to revive the CBD.
“We need to look at how to incentivise businesses to move back to the CBD,” he said.
“One of the main issues is the problem buildings bylaw which, once promulgated, will empower the municipality to act [against] owners who are not maintaining buildings.
“Lack of maintenance is the main reason for deterioration in any CBD around the world.
“We now have metro police to assist in enforcing this bylaw, which could be ready by early next year.”
Whitfield conceded that a significant amount had been spent upgrading Govan Mbeki Avenue and said that “perhaps the original plan was not well thought through”.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber said businesses retracting or closing operations in a specific area was cause for concern.
“The CBD has in recent years been characterised by a vibrant and eclectic economy, which is certainly untapped in many ways,” chamber spokeswoman Cindy Preller said.
“It is important to keep in mind the decline in the appearance of the [CBD] before the MBDA’s upgrade of the precinct.
“While the conversion of derelict buildings to parking garages could go a long way towards solving parking concerns, issues of safety, adequate lighting and cleansing are some of the drawbacks,” she said.
South African Council of Shopping Centres Eastern Cape chairman Marios van Dongen said: “Trading patterns and the nature of retail are changing. What worked 20 to 30 years ago is not going to work today.
“Historically, the CBD was a popular shopping destination but today people prefer malls because it becomes an outing.
“A lot of students have moved into some of the buildings, and those businesses who remain can cater to students,” Van Dongen said.
“I have recently renewed leases of tenants in Govan Mbeki so these tenants are still doing well and want to remain.
“The new Donkin development is vibey, upmarket and has revitalised the area. So it is not all doom and gloom.”
Traders in the area and residents had mixed feelings about the plans.
Boubacar Massaly, 59, a Senegalese and a qualified tour guide who has resorted to informally trading art pieces and African beaded jewellery, expressed frustration.
“In 2009, I was sponsored by the MBDA to study tourism. As you can see, now I sell things to make a living because it is very seldom I am given the opportunity to guide people, especially international people, around our beautiful Port Elizabeth,” Massaly said.
“Before upgrading and changing things, they should see to it that we are given jobs and that promises made are fulfilled.”
Zwide resident Mcebo Lusipha, 28, was more upbeat, saying: “I love the projects that happen in Central, they have a way of enhancing the beauty which exists within the Bay.
“But I hope the unemployed youth are given job opportunities.”