Bulawayo Centre gets facelift

BULAWAYO's giant shopping mall, Bulawayo Centre Shopping mall, is undergoing major renovations aimed at sprucing up the centre to meet international standards, an official has said.

Knight Frank spokesperson, Mr Oswald Nyakunika, in response to questions, said the sprucing up was necessitated by the need to meet tenant and shoppers' needs.

The building is owned by the National Railways of Zimbabwe Contributory Pension Fund and managed by Knight Frank.

There have been numerous complaints that the centre was now leaking during the rainy season resulting in most of the infrastructure deteriorating.

"I can confirm ongoing refurbishment works at Bulawayo Centre. There is a need from time to time to inject economic life into any investment property in order to guarantee good returns. This is one of "The Shopping Centres" in town and there was need to maintain it at current trends and improve its shopping environs for the benefit of shoppers," said Mr Nyakunika although he would not reveal how much was budgeted for the project.

He conceded that many areas of the centre needed touch-up especially paintwork.

"Most buildings generally need repainting after 10 to 15 years," said Mr Nyakunika.

This year, Knight Frank also oversaw the refurbishment of the Prince's Business Suites next to the Bulawayo Centre.

"We are grateful the client and the owners, The National Railways of Zimbabwe Contributory Pension Fund, are investing not only in this property but as you are aware they have just refurbished Prince's Business Suites. The building is now open for business and is fully let," said Mr Nyakunika.

"We expect the anchor tenant, Chicken Slice, to open for business by Christmas. This is a welcome addition to Bulawayo shopping centre and to Bulawayo generally. Greenwood Pharmacy is there and is already open for business," said the official.

He said they were courting a number of retailers to come and lease the premises.

"We are targeting a number of other exciting retailers. There are a number of South African and Botswana retailers coming in or which are in the pipeline. We already have Choppies at Bulawayo centre," said the official.

Most of the buildings in Bulawayo city, once considered one of the cleanest cities in the country, are now in need of sprucing up.

A number of them have deteriorated due to neglect.

In 2012, about 36 buildings in the city centre were considered abandoned, dilapidated or derelict.

Compliance notices were issued as per statutory requirement as such structures were in contravention of Section 48, the Dangerous Buildings and Section 49, Dilapidated and Unsightly Buildings and Defective Sewerage Systems of the model building By-Laws, 1977, Section 214, of the Bulawayo (buildings, roads and streets) By-Laws 1971.

Although such non-compliance notices were issued to the owners, nothing changed.

The Bulawayo City Council is also reportedly losing thousands of dollars as it is failing to collect revenue from the abandoned buildings.

The city has been hit hard by the closure and relocation of companies in the process depressing the property sector.

Due to low business in Bulawayo, building owners are failing to maintain their properties.

The situation has been worsened by the occupancy rate in most of the properties which is below 50 percent.

Tenants were also reportedly struggling to pay rentals resulting in some vacating the premises.