Alice Lane project in Sandton completed

Leading property developer, Abland has recently completed the iconic Alice Lane project, which has altered Sandton’s skyline.

Abland announced the completion of the third and final building on Alice Lane and the new home of law firm, Bowmans, located in the heart of the richest square mile in Africa.

No 11 Alice Lane was originally a two-storey financial services building, 11 500m² in size, with two basements. Now, the building’s total bulk is 70 000m² with seven levels of basement parking, able to accommodate 3 200 cars.

The project, which only took six years to complete, is a premium grade property boasting three new office towers, which were awarded a four-star rating by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) for the design and is linked by a central landscaped piazza and a pedestrian-friendly, public open environment. This is the second building that Abland has developed for Bowmans.

Janet Glendinning, development manager at Abland said, “The piazza is a real differentiator for this project; Abland wanted it to be easily accessible to the public of Sandton. Originally, access to the piazza was planned through the office cores from the basement, which were security controlled. As we rolled out each building it came to our attention that we had to provide lifts and escalators to get the public onto the piazza without the hassle of going through security – incorporating convenience and service retail. For us, timing is key and we believe that one has to be in the market at the right time to attract blue chip tenants like Bowmans,” said Glendinning.

With every big construction project comes challenges during the development stage that need to be dealt with, with caution. For this project it was keeping the original bank intact and occupied, while contractors commenced with work.

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Insufficient parking during Phase 1 for two years into the project and the excavation of bulk earthworks were other challenges Abland had to work around.

“The location to amenities such as financial and legal services as well as the convenience of food outlets, play a significant role in achieving the Green Star rating, as this makes transport and access to the building more efficient. Abland is dedicated to developing property on the natural environment and enhancing the quality of life, while making sound business sense,” concluded Glendinning.

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