HPA was appointed to restore and refurbish the Park Lodge Hotel at 499 Thabo Sehume Street, across from the south west corner of Burger's Park (Pretoria CBD).
Burger's Park was established in 1870 and was used by the Voortekkers as camping grounds before the Gold Rush. Examples of Victorian and Edwardian architecture include Melrose House, which played a prominent role during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902). The park itself was developed as a Victorian garden where city dwellers could come to promenade and partake in sporting activities such as croquet and tennis. The park measures 4 hectares in size and is the oldest park in Pretoria.
The first title deed registration for the Park Lodge Hotel is dated 1898, during the heyday of the affluent Burgers Park and surrounding area. Development was brought on by the Gold Rush in the 1880s. Park Lodge was initially constructed as communal living apartments, with a communal ground floor kitchen, dining room and bar. The first and second floors were dedicated to private bedrooms and bathrooms.
The external red face brick facades & corrugated sheeting roof were restored back to their original state. Identical aluminium framed windows replaced original mild steel frames where they could not be salvaged and restored. New entrance canopies were added on the east and west facades, while the interior parquet floor was restored throughout the building. The kitchen, bar and dining room on the ground floor were refurbished. Refurbishment and restoration of en-suite bedrooms on the first, second and third floors will form part of the next phase.
