The labour force on seven large construction projects totalling around R1billion underway at Century City is peaking at over 1600 with an eighth large project due to start shortly.

The projects include three office blocks in the new Bridgeways precinct at the Ratanga Road entrance to Century City, namely a 9000 square metre office block for Chevron, a 4000 square metre office block for the Business Centre and a second 4000 square metre office block which is being developed on a speculative basis with discussions currently underway with a number of potential owner occupiers and/or tenants.

Two residential developments, Quayside and Quay North are also under construction and set to be sold out before completion in May and November this year respectively.

Steve Cloete, project manager with Rabie Property Group which is developing all of the buildings bar the Chevron offices, said only two of the 66 apartments in Quayside and only four of the 28 apartments in Quay North remain to be sold.

The strong sales, he said, was triggering another residential development, Ashton Park,  due to be officially launched on 21 February.

Also under construction is Palm Royale, the third apartment block in the Oasis Luxury Retirement Resort comprising 57 luxury apartments which is being developed at a cost of around R255million and The Quays, a sectional title commercial development of just under 4000 square metres providing smaller  office users the opportunity to purchase in Century City.

Cloete said a total of five tower cranes and a mobile crane were currently being used on the projects.

“This is the most we have had at any one time since the heady days of 2007/8 when we had as many as 13 cranes in the skyline.”