Property development company Crowie Projects specialises in identifying property opportunities, unlocking value and realising clients' vision for their property. It was formed in 2000 by Rowan and Clinton Crowie, initially specialising in project management in the area of construction. However, in response to more complex needs in the market, it merged to form Focus Project Management, which is currently the largest black-owned project management company in the country. The name Crowie Projects was retained and the business restructured to form a property development company.
Headed by MD Rowan Crowie, Crowie Projects - a wholly owned subsidiary of Crowie Holdings - plays a pivotal role in the group by initiating the value chain. The company has developed highly specialised skills in the retail, commercial, industrial and residential sectors where it focuses on property development, turnkey development and development management.
It acts as both a property developer and investor and undertakes projects in association with a range of experienced service providers.
Misha Tolksdorff
In addition the company offers a comprehensive consulting service to property developers and investors as well as the procurement and management of a range of service providers including design consultants (architects, consulting engineers, interior designers and space planners, for example), marketers, leasing agents, project managers, sales agents, financiers, main building contractors and specialist subcontractors.
Crowie Projects has been involved in a number of prestigious developments such as the Bridge City Regional Shopping Centre, Central City Shopping Centre, Garankuwa City Shopping Centre, Lillipark Office Park, and student accommodation at the University of KwaZulu Natal and University of Witwatersrand as well as a residential development at Gold Reef Sands in Ormonde, Jo'burg.
The company has a number of projects pending including the development of Parkside Ridge, a R100m development situated in Umhlanga, consisting of sectional title offices and a retail component; Newtown Mixed Use Development, a R316m development, which will feature a hotel, conference centre, gym and retail centre; Kingsgate, a R603m value retail centre located on the Potchefstroom highway; and Felapeng, a R273m inclusionary housing development situated in Fairlands, Jo'burg.
A sight to behold - An artist's impression of the Ridgeside Jewel
The Bridge City Regional Shopping Centre and Bridge City Intermodal projects are valued at R830m and R107m respectively. According to project director Misha Tolksdorff, the company has spent the past four years developing the project in association with Tongaat Hulett Developments, the eThekwini Municipality and Passenger Rail Agency of SA. Both the shopping centre and the intermodal facility are part of the Bridge City Precinct and will service areas such as Phoenix, Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu.
The project has three distinct phases. Phase one has been the development of an underground train station; phase two involved the development of the 52 000 m² shopping centre, while phase three involves the development of an intermodal facility consisting of a bus and taxi rank. Additional phases to follow include the extension of the shopping centre and the development of 700 apartments above the shopping centre.
Construction of the shopping centre, due for completion by November 2009, has been carried out in a joint venture with Crowie Holdings subsidiary Enza Construction and Grinaker-LTA Building East. The intermodal facility, also due for completion in November, has been carried out by Enza Construction.
"The project has been challenging from a number of perspectives including the fact that it will be operating under a complex sectional title scheme," says Tolksdorff. " Also, it is vital that we get the tenant mix right and have unconditional lease agreements timeously in place."
However, in spite of the challenges, the project is due for completion on time and will be the first shopping centre in the country with a dedicated train station and intermodal facility. The development employed more than 1 200 people, 70% of whom came from the local community. An onsite training scheme provided local community members with the skills required for the project. "The intention is that the people who have been trained will go from project to project within the Bridge City Precinct," he says.
A community-driven art project will result in glass artwork being fixed to the façade of the development, while a community-owned trust fund will benefit local community members. "Not only is there a huge need for a development of this nature in the area, but we're also determined that the centre is sustainable and benefits the local community," he says.
The Ridgeside Jewel is situated in the heart of Umhlanga, one of the most desirable addresses in the country. It is a R4bn mixed-use development consisting of retail, commercial and residential space and will form part of the new Umhlanga Ridgeside Precinct being developed by Tongaat Hulett Developments.
"We're still in the planning stages of this project so we're considering adding a hotel component," says Tolksdorff. "Once the new airport at La Mercy has opened we believe this will be one of the most sought-after addresses along the KwaZulu Natal coastline."
Phase one of the project is due for completion in 2012 and though the development has yet to be marketed, Tolksdorff says interest in the project is high.
