DURBAN Kingsmead office park is emerging as an alternative venue for companies wanting to move out of but not too far from Durban's central business district (CBD).
Next to Kingsmead cricket grounds, the office park development is just 3km from the CBD, with the International Convention Centre, Hilton Hotel, SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) studios, the University of SA and the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, among its neighbours.
Financial services group Marriott held its roof-wetting function for the new 8000m² corporate head office last week, proudly displaying the setting its 300 employees now have across the three floors.
The R45m building, designed by Malcolm Hamlin & Associates with Paton Taylor Associates, houses Marriott on one side, with the remainder sublet to accounting firm KPMG.
Two parking levels are supplemented by additional parking in landscaped grounds.
Marriott executive director Mick Hyatt says the offices have focused "client interface areas" on the ground floor, with the three floors above accommodating staff of Marriott Merchant Bank, Marriott Asset Management as well as Marriott Property Services.
Only the three sites adjacent to the SABC studios remain unsold in the first phase of the Kingsmead development.
The project is a public-private partnership between the city of Durban, Marriott and Grinaker, with the corporate partners planning and executing the infrastructure development and the marketing.
Hyatt, on behalf of Marriott, has commissioned a life-size bronze nyala which will be erected at the entrance to the new building as part of the landscaped office park.
The 13ha development provides for a total of 110000m² of new office space