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NELSON Mandela Bay is undergoing a massive spring cleaning ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, but when international visitors begin descending on the city in 11 months’ time, not even a makeover will be able to hide the city’s greatest eyesores. Central and Richmond Hill, two of the oldest and most historic suburbs in the city, have most of these tattered buildings, some owned by controversial property magnate Ken Denton.

Historical Society of Port Elizabeth chairman Bill Wright says the organisation is disappointed with the slow rate at which Denton has started to restore some of his properties.

“He has started work on one of the houses in Donkin Street but it is going very slowly. I think it will put Port Elizabeth in a very negative light for visiting tourists next year,” said Wright.

DA councillor Terry Herbst said Central especially was a “scandalous disgrace”, adding that he blamed now suspended municipal manager Graham Richards for allowing the rot and decay of certain buildings to continue.

Herbst has recently also written to the Presidency, drawing its attention to the apparent “rape of historical buildings” in Central Hill, which is South Africa’s second-oldest suburb.

“In January 2007 a group of us went to see Richards in his office to speak to him directly about this problem.

“He agreed with us and commissioned law firm Goldberg and De Villiers to submit a legal document which would force Denton to do something about his buildings,” said Herbst

The document had cost rate- payers R32000, but Richards had to this date not made the document public, Herbst said.

“He (Richards) said the mayor had decided to keep the document a secret, but why we do not know. The National Heritage Resources Act of 1999 protects all buildings older than 60 years.

“That means what Denton and a handful of others are doing is in contravention of this Act, but nothing has happened. I want to know who is protecting Denton and why,” said Herbst.

“I am not xenophobic, but he is not even South African, and here he is ruining our built heritage. I have no idea what game he is playing.

“Why would anyone pay good money for buildings, but allow them to rot and decay?

“Next year hundreds and thousands of people will arrive in Port Elizabeth with their cameras. Is this really the image we want them to have of our city when they eventually leave?”

Herbst named the Old Post Office in Baakens Street, the Holy Rosary Convent in Bird Street, Thedmar in Clyde Street and all the properties in Wasley Road – only two of which do not belong to Denton.

“The oldest house in Port Elizabeth was built in 1837 in Constitution Hill and it was a museum when Denton took it over. There is also Canterbury House in Constitution Hill and Victoria Hotel in Victoria Road, which is a beautiful building that is now falling apart. The Donkin Street terrace houses are also rich in history and look at them now,” said Herbst, whose own former house is one of the derelict properties, on the corner of Wasley and Victoria Streets.

Other Central buildings and properties The Herald visited were the Tramways building, Cora Terrace in Bird Street, Alderton Mansions near St Georges Park, Wesley Court in St Patrick’s Street, the entire block of flats in Whitlock Street between Salford and Sorrento, Sunnyside in Bird Street, Pearson House in Pearson Road and Highview in Chapel Street.

Others include Brookes Pavilion, which closed down earlier this year, Bayworld, the Campanile and the Campanile Hotel, the Apple Express Station and the Seaview Hotel.

Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA) chief executive Pierre Voges also said the state of some of the buildings in Central saddened him.

“I have told Terry on numerous occasions that the MBDA is not a law enforcement agency.

“We cannot force anyone to do anything about the state of some of the buildings. I am just as hurt to see this happening, but I cannot do anything,” said Voges. The revamp of Parliament Street and of Govan Mbeki Avenue were excellent examples of business owners welcoming the urban renewal aim of the MBDA.

“When you get one owner who does not want to come on board it pulls the whole street down. I call this a stink hole. There are many stink holes in Central. However we need these owners to invest as well or else the entire effort is pulled down.”

He said the MBDA would now start with the upgrading of Strand Street as well as the Donkin Reserve.

Mandela Bay Heritage Trust chairman Bryan Wintermeyer said Port Elizabeth had a lot to offer tourists but many of them would be alarmed to see the number of buildings standing idle.

“Brookes Pavilion was our only major entertainment complex and it was on the beach- front. Big, empty buildings like that are very negative for the city. I know it was probably a financially driven decision but it does not look good on our beachfront,” said Wintermeyer.

He said he thought things were changing for the better and there was less crime and prostitution in Central compared to a few years ago.

“People might not see it but there are more positives now than negatives. However, tourists might not be impressed when they see heritage buildings that are in poor condition – the Campanile as well, and the Donkin Terrace houses.

“They have started to paint but a building needs a lot more done than just painting.”

Wintermeyer said the city needed to put some serious thought into putting more into its facilities, whether they were municipal buildings or private property.

“Some pressure definitely needs to be applied.”

MBDA planning and development manager Dorelle Sapere said the Tramways building, which has been standing idle for 10 years, was earmarked to be redeveloped into a nightclub in January.

“Pambili Developers are planning to start clearing the premises and cleaning it up in August ahead of the development, which will start in January. They have only recently received approval and it is very positive news because it might be completed ahead of the World Cup,” said Sapere.

Denton said his properties in Central primarily became vacant when there was no longer a demand for them.

“The wish of a property investor is to have all buildings performing to the best of their ability. It is not in our interest to have a building vacant as it is contrary to our business mission to use the buildings for an income stream and as a long-term investment which attracts capital appreciation of its value,” said Denton.

He said demand for rental property in Central was weak because of the economic recession, limited car parking areas, the perception that all of Central was unpleasant and decayed, and the exodus of commercial tenants who had moved to more spacious surroundings.

Other reasons include shopping facilities drawing businesses away, uncertainty due to demographic changes, and built environment stagnation.

Denton said he thought that Central’s period of decline was over because of the improvement work done by the MBDA and the municipality, bank interest rates being more competitive, reported crime reducing, enquiries about leasing space increasing and fewer buildings vacant in the last year.

“Denton Properties is doing more to encourage tenant demand. Our focus is primarily aimed at keeping existing tenants happy, but we are anxious to encourage demand for our vacant buildings.” He said methods included offering established users of space generous terms and incentives like rent-free periods of up to 12 months, participating in and sponsoring the Central community policing forum, redesigning and seeking planning and other consents, enforcing strict criteria for the letting of residential property and engaging and supporting authorities responsible for securing, maintaining and upgrading the city.

“We are committed to Central and have based or recently renovated offices there to demonstrate our confidence in Central’s future. Denton Properties is optimistic about the future of its unoccupied buildings. We are sensitive and aware of the value of the historical and architectural merits of many of the buildings in Central.”

He said the company had invested millions into buildings in Central. However, he said there was still a vast amount of work to be done.

He said Denton Properties had recently renovated and revamped 111 Russell Road in Central, Cammeray Court in Havelock Street, a yet unnamed hotel in Parliament Street and three properties in Perkins Street in North End. The spire of the Old Post Office had also recently been restored for a total of R800000.

He said Sunnyside in Bird Street, 3 Cora Terrace, Whitlock Mansions, properties in Victoria Road and Wasley Street, properties in Constitution Hill, Highview in Chapel Street, the Old Court House and Old Police Station, the Old Post Office and Wesley Court in St Patrick’s Road had all been earmarked for redevelopment and they were awaiting the necessary consent. He also said some of these properties were planned for social housing and the company needed to obtain the necessary approvals.

Municipal spokesman Luncedo Njezula said the municipality had developed a Gateways and Beautification Project. The project entails the beautification of major transport routes such as the N2, the Settlers Freeway and Uitenhage Road.

“The municipality has a vibrant tree-planting programme in place. This involves greening as well as physical improvements, especially, of the previously disadvantaged areas. This project also includes the development and upgrading of public open spaces to make them more aesthetically pleasing,” said Njezula.