Construction for the new Rand Steam Shopping Centre is underway at the Rand Steam Laundries heritage site.
The Rand Steam Laundries was a place where miners from Johannesburg had their clothes washed.
“The buildings were illegally demolished in 2008 and that’s when The Heritage Foundation got involved and stopped the development that was going to take place at the venue,” said Brian Green of Group 44. “Unfortunately, most of the buildings on the site were already gone.”
The Moolman Group and Group 44 will be responsible for the development.
“We will also be re-building the building in the style of the Rand Steam Laundries with the red chimneys,” said Anelda Barnard, marketing manager at Moolmans Group.
“The only things that remain are one tower from one of the buildings and a pepper tree which have been classified as heritage on the site. The new development will incorporate the tower and the pepper tree.
“We will be paying tribute to what was here by incorporating some heritage pictures into the design element.”
The development of the buildings commenced at the beginning of May and the shopping centre is set to be up and running in April next year.
The shopping centre will be on the corner of Barry Hertzog Avenue and Napier Road. The entrances will be at Napier Road and Park Street.
A few stores such as Woolworths, Clicks and Pick n Pay will be available at the shopping centre for the convenience of the residents around the area.
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