A new development, Hallmark House, is giving momentum to developer Jonathan Liebmann's vision of revolutionising inner-city living. Three streets from Arts on Main, a block in the Maboneng precinct near Jeppestown that's been undergoing gentrification in recent years, Hallmark House will be a 17-floor luxury residential tower, hotel and retail space.Some R200-million is being spent on its development.It will propel the plans of Liebmann, founder and CEO of the Propertuity development company, to regenerate the Johannesburg city centre.He started in 2009 by buying a few buildings, which he made over as studios for prominent artists and galleries, calling it Arts on Main. In 2011, the architectural visionary started a Sunday-morning market for Johannesburgers, Market on Main.Now, after travelling the world, Liebmann says he is even more inspired by different cities and how the people that live downtown make their urban lifestyles work for them.Drawing inspiration from Rio, New York, London and Tokyo, the property developer intends to be a major mover in the evolution of the city centre."I believe Hallmark House is going to inspire people to live in our urban environment," he said.Dubbed the second phase of Maboneng - which mean "light" in Sotho - reconstruction of Hallmark House began two years ago. Completion is scheduled for mid-2016."Residential sales opened in March and already 70% of the development is sold out," says Liebmann.The 66m-high postmodernist modular structure was originally designed by Greg Cohen in the early 1970s to house the then growing diamond polishing and cutting industry.Now, internationally acclaimed architect David Adjaye, who oversees a global architectural practice with offices in London, New York and Accra, is leading the transformation of Hallmark House.''Adjaye's track record and his trademark practice of allowing design, music, science and civic life to permeate his designs enables him to transform disused buildings into architectural masterpieces," says Liebmann.''He was at the very top of our list for this project."Hallmark House will be home to apartments with floor-to-ceiling views of the city, a secure parking garage and ground-floor shops.Residents and guests will have easy access to facilities like a spa, gym and swimming pool and can relax at The Grand Café and Rooftop Bar, situated alongside The Bioscope outdoor cinema.Studio apartments have been designed with young, creative types in mind and are priced from R495000.Four of the apartments are double- storey corner luxury penthouses, costing R3.6-million each...