Preparations have started for the construction of The Innovation Hub - the first internationally benchmarked science park in South Africa.
The site, situated between the campus of the University of Pretoria (UP) and the CSIR in Pretoria, and adjacent to the N1 and N4-highways, is currently being secured by fencing and construction access roads provided. Bulk earthwork and piling commences within weeks, so that full construction of the buildings can commence in January 2004.
An open invitation to tender for the construction of the first phase of the Science Park, with a value investment in excess of R300 million, will be advertised next month. This includes construction of a R70 million Innovation Centre and multi-tenant building, as well as a bridge over the N1 to connect The Innovation Hub to Meiring Naude Road in Brummeria, directly opposite the CSIR's main entrance.
The envisaged completion of the first phase, comprising an Innovation Centre and multi-tenant facilities, is towards the end 2004, according to Dr Neville Comins, CEO of The Innovation Hub Management Company (Pty) Limited.
"The combination of red face-brick, glass and aluminium, balustrades and exposed steel stairs, will give the Innovation Centre an appropriate high-tech appearance and open space functionality, in step with its main objective of stimulating interaction between entrepreneurs and other Hub tenants to encourage innovation and the development of high-tech competitive capacity for the country," he said.
An Innovation Centre, with state of the art infrastructure and communications capacity, will accommodate the offices for The Innovation Hub Management Company (Pty) Ltd and house, amongst others, an auditorium, video conferencing facilities, an exhibition area, a cafeteria, and meeting rooms for small to medium size meetings. On completion, it will also provide shared facilities, such as reception, retail and business support services to Hub tenants, including the companies participating in The Innovation Hub Incubator and pre-incubation programme.
Potential tenants of the multi-tenant building will include high-tech companies of all sizes, from start-ups and growth companies to development centres for major businesses. These tenants will enjoy the advantage of having input into the design and configuration of their office space to satisfy their specific needs.
ARUP Consulting Engineers has been appointed as project manager, and Moross Architects won the contract for the design of the above-mentioned core building of The Innovation Hub Science Park. Provision is being made in the contracting for this project, for the advancement of black economic empowerment, with about 50% of construction work earmarked for this sector.
The Innovation Hub is one of the 11 major projects of the Gauteng Provincial Government's multi-billion Rand Blue IQ-initiative, and one of two with a technology focus.
In addition to the construction of access roads and the fencing currently ongoing on the site, the announcement of the first tenants is expected in the near future.
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