Beacon Royal

Beacon Royal was built in 1934 during a period of significant growth as the South African economy, along with the global economy, emerged from the Great Depression. Throughout Yeoville and Bellevue in 1933-34, numerous apartment blocks were constructed, but Beacon Royal stands out as one of the most beautiful. It was designed by the Obel brothers, Louis Theodore. Obel and Mark Obel, who were also responsible for Astor Mansions on Jeppe Street, Barbican Building on Rissik Street, and Circle Court which overlooks Clarendon Circle. .

Louis T. Obel studied at Columbia University, and the brothers were described by Chipkin as “pre-eminently Art Deco designers.” Their peak years were between 1933 and 1937. However, as Art Deco fell out of favor, the partnership faced financial difficulties. The brothers moved to Miami, returning to Johannesburg after the war,never regainingtheir independent status, but instead worked for I. Wayburne. Louis died in 1955 and Mark in 1998..

By 2002, Beacon Royal was in a dire state. "The Building is like a dumping site," read a headline in Homeless Talk, with broken windows, rotting frames, peeling paint, water damage, and balconies piled with furniture or rubbish. Toilets were not functioning, there was no electricity for lighting or lifts, and tenants were using candles and primus stoves amidst a terrible stench. The City of Johannesburg deemed it too dangerous for inspectors to enter. The building's survival seemed unlikely.

In 2004, Graham Pieterse purchased the building, but it took him six months to clear the documentation through the Metro, and he had to obtain a court order to remove hijackers who had threatened him and terrorized the occupants. The City Task Force eventually cleared the hijackers, and with support from the Trust for Urban Housing Finance, Pieterse began restoration and refurbishment in October 2005. What was once a cesspit has now been transformed back into an attractive block of flats, with its original architectural beauty restored.