The old picture this week features a familiar face on Durban’s Florida Road. Florida Mansions was built in the acclaimed Berea style probably in the 1920s or early 1930s.
The picture is from our archives and was published on August 17, 1979. The caption reads: “Florida Mansions realised a top bid of R67 500 when auctioned this week by Mr Basil Lavene of J H Isaacs Geshen. The block of seven rent-controlled flats, a post office and ground floor shop was bought, subject to confirmation, by Mr J Gonsalves, the shop tenant. Municipal valuation is R80 150 and estimated net income R6 843 a year.”
The building realises a substantially improved income today. Renamed the Hacienda Suites, the building is part of Urban Lime’s Florida Road portfolio. It has been lovingly restored, and the flats have been converted into office suites and conferencing facilities.
Shelley Kjonstad’s picture taken this week is one of the few in our series in which the modern picture shows the building in better condition than the original.
The Independent on Saturday