Abacus DIVISIONS July 2012 News !
Access-controlled office parks – where the money is - Abacus DIVISIONS
Security-focused office parks are set to become increasingly popular – and will generally command higher office rentals and have lower vacancy rates than standalone office blocks, or office parks with a more half-hearted focus on security.
This is according to Org Geldenhuys, managing director of property development and management company, Abacus DIVISIONS .
Abacus DIVISIONS is involved with property development and marketing at a number of office parks, including the R2 billion office park development, Route 21 Corporate Park, in Irene - and Highveld Technopark in Centurion.
“What property developers should take cognisance of is that secure office parks which deploy the latest in access control security features, including biometrics, CC-TV, driver’s license and vehicle scanning at point of entry - and roving guards in addition to guards at the point of entry – are increasingly able to command top-dollar rentals. This is a trend,” he said, “that we will see continue to grow as crime steadfastly remains a vexatious point on the South African landscape”.
Commenting further, Geldenhuys said the Route 21 Corporate Park, situated in Irene, has not reported a single serious incident in the past 18 months. With more than 300 businesses located at the R2 billion office park and more than 10 000 people working in the park, this is “no mean feat”- and was achievable mainly due to the office park’s high level of security.
Geldenhuys said that as buoyancy returns to the commercial property market – with vacancies expected to decrease and rentals expected to increase during the fourth quarter of this year – security office parks will “lead the way in pricing buoyancy” and will “outgun office developments that offer B grade security measures”.
“Tenants,” he added, “are demanding a blend of high level aesthetics and security”.