Dispatch legacy to make ‘radical’ move

For more than 100 years, Daily Dispatch has been produced in what was once a wool store on Caxton Street, but soon the city’s daily newspaper will move to new custom-designed offices.

The newspaper is relocating to a state-of-the art new home on Quinera Drive in the Triple Point development in Beacon Bay at the beginning of December.

The new two-level building is already at roof height.

Dispatch circulation manager Ryan Megaw said that while the newspaper had benefited from its city centre location, it was time for it to flourish in its new position.

“The new building provides a really dynamic, interactive space for people to be creative in and the design allows for the integration of the different functions of the business. It creates a more collaborative, open environment.

“The design is quite radical – it will become a landmark,” said Megaw.

Architect Marius Greef of Architecture in Africa (AiA) described the newspaper’s new building as having an industrial aesthetic with polished concrete finishes.

“It will be totally out of the ordinary and different from anything we’ve seen in East London,” said Greeff. “It is a very big move away from the square or rectangular building with a roof.”

He said large glass panes at the entrance would offer visitors a view of the editorial department where editors, reporters, photographers and sub-editors worked to meet daily deadlines.

“Visitors will be able to see the machine of the newspaper and how it operates and this will bring the newspaper closer to the people.

“This building will be internationally recognised and fits in with what a media house should look like.

“It’s been a privilege to be part of contributing to the legacy of the Daily Dispatch, especially with it being such an old newspaper,” said Greeff.

Site manager Alfred Christian said despite weather delays, the construction, which began in April, was on schedule.

Showing the Daily Dispatch around the building, part of which is situated on what was once a car-wash, Christian said all the “wet work” should be completed by the end of this month.

The offices will also include a large new warehouse and an existing building (once the headquarters of a national fast food franchise).

Megaw said the paintwork would be finished by the end of October and “we will move off-site by November 1”.

The Dispatch’s move to the city’s ever-growing new business hub of Beacon Bay will have lots of parking, making it more accessible to readers and advertisers.

Megaw said the plan was to retain a satellite Daily Dispatch office at the Caxton Street location for those who preferred to make payments and place adverts in the city centre. — barbarah@dispatch.co.za

lThis is the first in a series of reports over the coming weeks looking at the history of the Daily Dispatch.