Property

New luxury apartment development in a former office building getting ready to open its doors

Kirsten Minnaar • 23 May 2026

A former office building in Bryanston is being transformed into the 184-unit luxury aparthotel development 170 Grosvenor, with completion expected in late 2026.

Merelava founder and COO Tabane Ramasala said the former two-storey office block in Grosvenor Road was bought by Merelava during the pandemic, when the market was rethinking how space needs to serve people.

“To watch the building take shape – with light, volume, and community at its core – is a powerful validation of that vision,” Ramasala explained.

Currently under construction, the two-phase project features a high-density, modern architectural design centred on 184 luxury sectional title apartments, as well as lifestyle amenities and co-working spaces.

Phase one, on track for completion in October 2026, comprises 123 apartments. The second phase, with 61 units, will launch in July 2026 and be completed by mid-2027, said BlackBrick co-founder and CEO Jonathan Liebmann.

“170 Grosvenor offers a carefully curated mix of apartments, ranging from studios and one-beds to two- and three-bedroom units, and then four penthouses at its pinnacle, all with sophisticated, high-spec interiors,” he said.

“The ground-floor units have private, enclosed gardens, and the penthouses boast generous balconies with breathtaking views of the treed suburb during the day and twinkling cityscapes at night.”

Liebmann said 170 Grosvenor’s on-site amenity suite has been designed around modern urban living, with a barista coffee bar, a co-working hub for hybrid professionals, and a fully equipped gym.

To ensure complete peace of mind, the development integrates state-of-the-art biometric security access systems at all key entry points, alongside 24-hour smart surveillance monitoring.

He added that the development is also embracing inclusive urban living by incorporating pet-friendly permissions into its sectional title rules.

Conveniently located near the S5-23 Gautrain feeder stop at William Nicol Drive and Grosvenor Road, 170 Grosvenor will provide residents with direct access to Sandton Station in about 20 minutes.

From there, commuters can easily connect to Pretoria, Centurion, Rosebank, Park Station, and O.R. Tambo International Airport.

This mobility advantage is expected to add to its appeal for local corporates like AB InBev, Microsoft South Africa, Samsung, Twinsaver, and a number of other head offices, financial consultancies, and digital agencies.

Final building handover and residential occupation are well on track for late 2026, said Merelava’s Director, Gavin Meskin. Occupation certificates are expected in the third quarter of 2026.

The 170 Grosvenor team grows

Merelava Property Developments focuses on premium greenfield and brownfield transformations across South Africa and broader Africa.

Its portfolio includes the La’Mare coastal residential estate in Hout Bay and international development consulting for luxury high-rises, such as the seven-story Beaufort Ridge Hotel in Accra.

170 Grosvenor recently expanded its expert delivery team by appointing Van Deventer Dowlath & Marx Incorporated and BlackBrick Hotels.

The dual appointment, Ramasala said, will maximise the long-term asset value of 170 Grosvenor for investors and create an added transition point for young professionals into Bryanston’s elite urban market.

Van Deventer Dowlath & Marx has sole rights to the entire full conveyancing process from pre-sales to final handover, to ensure that every transfer is managed through one centralised, experienced legal company.

“For property investors, this is where confidence is reinforced,” said Van Deventer Dowlath & Marx director Cor van Deventer.

“The core legal and structural fundamentals that have driven high market demand from day one are now available on site, for convenience as well as transactional certainty.”

BlackBrick Hotels will head up the scheme’s short-term rental programme, which boasts an impressive projected asset yield of 10.13%.

Appointed as the exclusive operator for phase two and the preferred operator for phase one, BlackBrick will also manage the clubhouse.

BlackBrick Hotels brings its proven track record of managing high-yielding short-term rentals across South Africa’s premier business nodes to the team.

“170 Grosvenor marks a milestone as our seventh development in our network of premier aparthotels,” Liebmann said.

He added that the company also plans to build up to 30 vertical villages across South Africa over the next five years.

“Residents and owners at 170 Grosvenor will be buying far more than a property. They’ll have access to all the amenities in our national network.”

This includes BlackBrick Bedford in Bedfordview, BlackBrick Apartments in Sandton, BlackBrick Foreshore and BlackBrick Gardens in the Western Cape, and BlackBrick Umhlanga.

An opportunity for investors

Ramasala explained that the development’s investment profile is going from strength to strength as construction progresses.

“With projections indicating net yields of 10.13% to 11.49%, while offering some of the most competitively priced stock in the node, early uptake from both buyers and seasoned investors is exceeding expectations.”

Prices at 170 Grosvenor start at R1.05 million for a studio apartment and go up to over R4 million for a penthouse.

Purchases come with a R120,000 rental guarantee on select units for the first 12 months, unique tax benefits for multi-unit purchasers, zero transfer duties, and a 10% deposit structure.

With all these investment benefits, Ramasala said the development is tapping into the massive appetite for high-demand, secure living nodes in Johannesburg.

“We’ve positioned it as a true wealth asset class by combining predictive market data with turnkey marketing, which is attracting immense traction from buyers looking for accessible luxury and seasoned portfolio investors.”

He added that their integrated ecosystem is ensuring that all the moving parts – from structural completion to eventual asset and facilities management – are working as a single cohesive unit and meeting the strict deadlines.