A revolution in service led urban living, BlackBrick has launched an entirely new residential concept in the centre of Sandton, Africa’s economic capital.
Sandton, South Africa – Conversion of the building at 25 Fredman Drive, formerly home to the offices of SAB / ABInBev, is already underway and will soon be home to 208 apartments including a hotel component in an environment anchored by hospitality and community, with a world-first residential club membership offering.
Buyers into BlackBrick automatically become club members – as will the tenants who rent the apartments. Membership will allow for the use of the property’s extensive facilities, which include a cafe, workspaces & boardrooms, boxing gym, rooftop boma, dining lounge, cinema room, library, meditation garden and more.
“The vision is to eventually offer BlackBrick members access to a network of residential clubs, which allow for fluid, facilitated movement between BlackBrick properties in different cities,” says BlackBrick Founder Moritz Wellensiek.
“The way people live and work is changing – and it’s not a cycle, it’s a systemic change. The rise of flexi-hour workdays, hot-desking and mobility means that people have different requirements when it comes to their homes, too. We see BlackBrick as the future of flexible living, where members will be able to move freely between cities on both a short and long-term basis”.
BlackBrick pricing starts at R950 000 with studios, 1-beds, 2-beds and Penthouses selling for around 40% lower than the nearest-comparable properties in the area. The accessible pricing means that rental pricing can start at around R8 000 per month. Units on the hotel floors are sold with a guaranteed yield, which gives the investor a reliable monthly income.
“With sales getting off to a strong start and outperforming the rest of the market, we are excited about the traction to date, as we are about to hit the 50% mark after only two weeks of sales,” says Wellensiek.
The turnkey offering includes several bolt-on packages which can be added to the apartment purchase, including a tech-pack, electric bicycle, car-sharing and more. Most notable is BlackBrick BOX, a furniture brand which is a partnership between BlackBrick and Weylandts, aimed at providing high quality yet accessible furniture to the urban market. The BOX range includes customised pieces designed to maximise space in the apartments with clever touches like folding tables and high-tech beds with lockable storage.
The lockable storage is a nod to accommodating the commuter who visits Sandton for business regularly, preferring a home to a traditional hotel.
“If a company buys an apartment, they could use it to facilitate stays for numerous employees on a rotating basis. It’s part of our vision to revolutionise the way people live and travel,” says Wellensiek.
The Sandton BlackBrick building is being developed with investment from Empowered Property Fund, Setso, and in partnership with HB Realty who have a long track record of delivering high-quality projects at scale, which is seeing the BlackBrick apartments constructed to an incredibly high standard while remaining accessibly affordable,” says Wellensiek.
The BlackBrick development is in line with global trends which are moving towards high-density mixed-use urban living. Locally this is being driven by the City of Johannesburg’s Spatial Development Framework 2040, an initiative which aims to promote residential opportunities in commercial nodes.
Elements of the BlackBrick experience are on show in the building, with viewings available via appointment.
For more information, visit www.blackbrick.club
Check out some of the amazing planned changes below:
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