The Royal York Skyscraper
Before the Royal York occupied the stand on the corner of Voortrekker Road and Redruth Street, a tea room was established on the site in 1940.
From 1945 onwards the Blue Bird Cafe served its customers there and in later years was followed by the York Cheese factory, a filial of Piel’s Cold Storage.
When the Town Council lifted the restrictions on buildings higher than five storeys, the time was ripe for Alberton’s first skyscraper to be built. In late 1971 the foundations were laid for the building, thirteen storeys high, named Royal York. The owner and developer, Mr Piel, proudly named the building after his cheese factory.
At the time, the value of the stand was R140 000, with the development estimated to cost a cool R1 million.
The building was marketed as ‘modern and functional’. The two lower levels were to house business and retail, with eleven floors of apartments. On offer were flats with three and four bedrooms, all facing north with large built-in cupboards. Each flat would be fitted with net curtains. Also promised in the advertisements was a launderette on the premises.
As many people lived in Alberton and worked in Johannesburg, it was ideally situated right next to the bus terminus. It was to be a symbol of the confidence investors placed in Alberton’s future as ‘the bedroom of Johannesburg’.
The businesses housed on the lower two floors have included Spanish Courtyard restaurant, Royal Deli & Bakery, Newmarket Pharmacy, Ponderosa Steakhouse, Schachatt Caullum, Hill’s Appointments and Royal Fish & Chips.
For many years it served as a landmark with its huge advertising board of the national airways on the roof. Just a couple of years after being completed, its height was surpassed by the Civic Centre administration block of fifteen storeys.
The Royal York Building just after completion in the 70s
