Growthpoint breaks ground on new R450 million hi-tech Pretoria Head and Neck Hospital

admin July 25, 2018 Commercial property, GBCSA, Green Building Council of SA, Growthpoint, JSE, Menlyn Maine, Menlyn Maine Central Square, REIT, Rudolf Pienaar, SAREIT

By Suren Naidoo

The new R450 million Pretoria Head and Neck Hospital – an 11,000sqm special surgical facility being developed by JSE-listed Growthpoint and Cintocare – broke ground this week.

Growthpoint said in a statement that the hospital would be the first of its kind in Africa and become the first the green-certified hospital in South Africa. The development’s “green” edge is bolstered by the fact that it will be located in the burgeoning green precinct of Menlyn Maine in Pretoria.

“Working closely together, Growthpoint and Cintocare are creating a clinical centre of excellence that focuses exclusively on the head and neck, spinal and vascular surgery with highly-specialised medical professionals and state-of-the-art technology,” it said.

“The development partnership is delivering the full suite of services for the hospital – from inception to completion. The building comprises seven floors; the hospital plantroom, three clinical and consulting levels and three parking levels. This 100-bed hospital, with the built-in capacity to expand to 160 beds, will have five theatres, one of which is a hybrid. The hospital has 335 secure, structured parking bays,” it added.

Growthpoint said bulk earthworks for the project was underway, and construction will begin in August. The building is scheduled for completion during the first quarter of 2020.

George Muchanya, Head of Corporate Finance at Growthpoint, said that Growthpoint Healthcare Property Holdings’ investment mandate allows it to invest in greenfield investments, thus playing a leading role in promoting the growth of the healthcare sector by providing the capital to build new healthcare facilities.

Muchanya added: “Growthpoint Healthcare is in an exciting growth phase and we are increasing its scale through asset acquisition as well as specialised developments. Partnering with Cintocare provides Growthpoint Healthcare the opportunity to own this world-class hospital on completion.”

According to Growthpoint, the group’s in-house development team and Cintocare were applying their mutual experience to achieve the goal of creating a clinical centre of excellence. This project has been a year in the planning and is the result of a wide collaboration of its operators, doctors, promoters, developers, owners, and other stakeholders.

Rudolf Pienaar, Growthpoint’s new Chief Investment and Development Officer, said: “We have worked closely with Cintocare to create a tailor-made, high-performance space, which includes positive social and environmental impacts.”

Andre Brink from Cintocare, said: “The development responds to the real need for a specialist hospital of this kind in South Africa. With its keen focus and exceptional synergy, this development partnership has been the driving force behind unlocking the unique opportunity for South Africa that is the Pretoria Head and Neck Hospital.”

Located adjacent to Menlyn Maine Central Square, the new hospital will enjoy street frontage. The exterior of the building has been designed to be in sync with its particular inner purpose. Its glass façade will be complemented by design features that evocate spinal vertebra found in the neck, which serve to shade the building. The hospital will have a direct access-link to the retail and restaurants of Menlyn Maine Central Square.

Growthpoint is an international property company with assets on three continents and is the largest South African primary REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) listed on the JSE. It owns and manages a diversified portfolio of property assets, locally and internationally.

Growthpoint is a Top 10 constituent of the FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Emerging Index. It is also a constituent of the FTSE/JSE Top 40 Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index and has been included in the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index for eight years running. Growthpoint is a Founding Member of the Green Building Council South Africa and a member of the GBCSA’s Green Building Leader Network. It owns and co-owns the largest portfolio of certified green buildings of any company.