By Nangamso Mabindla
21 February 2005

ONE of East London's landmark buildings, St George's Garden in Southernwood, is to undergo refurbishment worth R21-million.

Speaking at the sod turning ceremony for the development on Saturday, 19 February 2005, Buffalo City Mayor Sindisile Maclean said he was happy the building would finally be refurbished.

Skyways, as the 14-storey block is commonly known, has become an eyesore and a haven for criminals and vandals.

"When I came here in 2003 I was flabbergasted to find out that we had a building like this in our city. But now we know that by the end of the year this whole building will have had a major facelift," Maclean said.

Own Haven Housing Association (OHHA), a social housing organisation, has been appointed to carry out the development and return the complex to its former glory. "We are confident that Own Haven will carry out this onerous task," Maclean added.

Andrew Wiseman, the project manager, explained what was planned. The complex, with a total of 103 units, would have two and three-bedroom units, which had been designed for quality modern living "ensuring both security and privacy".

"All units will have a modern, open-plan kitchen and lounge area leading to a balcony. Each unit has also been allocated at least one parking bay," Wiseman said.

Entry to the complex would be controlled through a single access point and there would be 24-hour security. There were also plans to included services like a day care centre, a laundry, a recreational room and other amenities.

"We're expecting to complete our work by December, when we will call the mayor and his people to give the keys to the first tenants of the newly refurbished complex," Wiseman said.

The mayor and guests were given a chance to view the state of the units in the building, before work began. "If I hadn't come here to witness this for myself, I wouldn't have believed it if someone were to tell me that such a building existed in our city," Maclean said.