Creative Workspaces to Lease in Kramerville, Sandton's Trendiest Node

1. Introduction
2. Area Overview
3. Business and Market Insights
4. Infrastructure and Accessibility 
5. Property Landscape (Office Parks + Specs)
6. Incentives and Lease Options
7. Lifestyle and Quality of Life
8. Conclusion

Introduction 

If you're serious about leasing quality space in Sandton, Kramerville should be high on your radar. This once-gritty industrial pocket just east of the M1 has transformed into a polished, design-driven commercial district with real edge. It's now a top-tier destination for businesses who care about image, atmosphere, and accessibility. Showrooms, creative workspaces, high-end office suites — it's all here. And demand hasn't slowed down.

Clients often ask me, "Isn't Kramerville mainly showrooms now?" Fair question. The truth is, the area's matured. It's still the interior design capital of Gauteng, but today it's also home to marketing agencies, architects, production studios, tech outfits, and a few premium light industrial users hanging on. The tenant mix is evolving, but the one thing that hasn’t changed? Kramerville draws the kind of client who appreciates good design and doesn't mind paying a bit more for the right space.

Let me walk you through why Kramerville works so well for forward-thinking businesses.

Area Overview 

Kramerville sits just off the Grayston Drive off-ramp, flanked by Marlboro Drive to the north and Katherine Street to the south. That puts it a few minutes from Sandton Central and within quick reach of the M1, N3, and N1 motorways. But it doesn’t feel like the middle of a city. This is a low-rise district with a creative heartbeat.

The streets are walkable, often filled with architects in jeans, buyers visiting showrooms, and agency types grabbing coffee at Razor Charlie/Father Coffee/Munch. There are barely any high-rises. Buildings are mainly one to three storeys, with exposed steel beams, repurposed brick, open trusses, and polished concrete. The vibe is closer to Woodstock or Maboneng than corporate Sandton.

It used to be pure industrial. Think mechanics, storage yards, and light manufacturing. But over the past 15 years, it’s been rezoned and redeveloped into a design district, anchored by flagship showrooms like Coricraft, @Home, The Gallery Direct, and Weylandts. Now, offices, studios, and bespoke hybrid spaces dominate.

Business and Market Insights

The tenant mix here is unlike anywhere else in Joburg. You've got furniture showrooms next to digital agencies, and textile importers around the corner from production studios. It works because the businesses here tend to serve or complement each other. Interior designers bring clients to the area, who then walk into neighbouring showrooms. Marketing firms host client meetings in stylish suites. 

A few quick insights:

• Most tenants are SME to mid-size (20 to 100 staff)

• Client-facing businesses prefer ground-floor exposure

• There's a lot of repeat foot traffic from the design trade

• High client retention due to limited stock

Rents reflect this: they’re not low. Showrooms fetch R120/m² to R260/m² depending on visibility. Office space ranges from R90/m² to R180/m², typically with good fit-outs. Light industrial is rare, but when it comes up, it’s around R90/m². Vacancy is low and good space moves fast.

Infrastructure and Accessibility

You can get in and out of Kramerville from just about every direction:

• M1 via Grayston Drive or Marlboro

• Katherine Street southbound to Sandton

• Bowling Avenue cuts across from Wynberg to the M1

Roads have been resurfaced in most parts of the district. There are functioning traffic lights, decent lighting, and growing pavement networks. It’s not perfect — parking can be tight, and certain back roads need TLC — but for a semi-industrial node that’s gone commercial, it works.

The Gautrain Marlboro Station is under 5km away, with taxi stops at Katherine Road and nearby minibus routes running past Desmond Street and Kramer Road. Most staff commute by car or Uber.

The district falls under a City Improvement District (CID) initiative, and landlords have seriously stepped up. You’ll see private security patrolling properties, well-maintained gardens, and even recycling drop-offs at some complexes. It’s clean, calm, and watched.

Property Landscape (Office Parks + Specs)

Most buildings in Kramerville are standalone or sectional-title blocks with:

• Polished concrete or screed floors

• High-volume ceilings (often double-height)

• Great natural light

• Roller shutter or courtyard access

Here are a few worth knowing:

• Block 3 Kramerville Corner: Offices and showrooms with excellent visibility. Popular with mid-sized creative agencies.

• Wendywood Industrial Park: One of the last options for light industrial. Well-managed, with a mix of storage and creative tenants.

• 14 Kramer Road: Mixed-use building with stylish offices and front-facing showroom opportunities.

• 16 Dartfield Road: Flexible units with back access. Occasionally suitable for light industrial users.

• Halogen House, 8 Desmond Street: A design hub, mostly showrooms and small agencies.

• 3 Desmond Street: Known for modern fit-outs and visual appeal. Tightly held.

• 17 Kramer Road: Recently refurbished. Clean, high-ceiling units, suitable for creative firms or light retail.

• 14a Kramer Road: Trendy offices with great views. Ideal for larger marketing companies or property developers.

Most space comes white-boxed or semi-fitted, though you’ll find turnkey studios with polished finishes if you know where to look. Some buildings offer backup power, but it’s not yet universal.

Incentives and Lease Options 

Incentives are tight because stock is limited. That said, deals do get done, especially if you’re taking:

• Long leases (3-5+ years)

• Large floor plates (500m²+)

• Vacant white-boxed spaces needing full fit-out

Typical incentives might include:

• One to two months rent-free

• Partial contribution to tenant installations (more for offices than showrooms)

• Escalations negotiated at 8% 

But you’ll need to move quickly. The good stuff doesn’t wait around.

Lifestyle and Quality of Life 

Kramerville isn’t just where people work. It’s where they meet clients, host product launches, and grab after-work drinks. It has that semi-industrial charm with a surprising amount of style.

On any given day, you’ll find:

• Team breakfasts at Razor Charlier

• Product demos at LevelThree Premium

• Industry events at Katy’s Palace Bar

• Design meetings through Blue-Chip showrooms

There’s no mall, but you’ve got access to Sandton City, The Wedge, and Morning Glen within 10 minutes. Coffee culture is strong. There’s a sense of place.

It ain't a cookie-cutter area — and that’s exactly why people like it.

Conclusion

Kramerville is niche. It's not for every business. But if you're looking for something creative, non-corporate, and central, it hits all the right notes.

Here’s why it works:

• Central Gauteng location

• Premium-grade showroom and office stock

• Creative, design-led tenant community

• Limited vacancy = strong value retention

• Unique urban environment

You're not just renting four walls here. You’re buying into a brand identity, a reputation, and an atmosphere your clients will notice.

If you find a spot here that ticks the boxes, don’t hesitate too long. Demand is real and supply is limited.

Kramerville FAQ’s

Q: What is the average rental in the area?

It is challenging to give an overall average rental for the area as there are still a few industrial properties which would have a lower rate per sqm. The averages have been broken up into the relative categories:

• • Warehousing/light industrial: R90/m²
  • Offices: R90/m² – R180/m²
  • Showrooms: R120/m² – R260/m²

Q: What type of tenant mix can be found in the area?

Kramerville is sought after as the design district for all things creative, artsy, and interior. There are stunning designer showrooms everywhere, and you can even find high-end car dealerships.

The industrial side of the area is reducing rapidly with older buildings and warehouses being bought and redeveloped into Premium-Grade showrooms.

The asking rentals reflect a very high-end tenant mix.

Q: Can I find a warehouse for rent in Kramerville?

Finding a warehouse for rent has become a little like finding a needle in a haystack, but it isn’t impossible.

The process has become notably challenging due to the area's ongoing redevelopment into prime showroom spaces. Consequently, the availability of industrial properties for lease has significantly lessened, with only a select few remaining. Moreover, the rental rates for these properties have surged to premium levels, reflecting the scarcity of options in the market.

So, to answer in short, it is a challenge to find warehouses for rent in the area, and if you do find something, be prepared for it to carry a higher price tag than your other industrial areas.

Q: What is the security like in the area?

Kramerville is a very safe area to work in. With the redevelopment of older buildings into Premium-Grade showrooms, the area is pristine, and landlords have further invested in it by having multiple private security guards patrolling 24/7 at their properties.

Q: How can I find a ground-floor showroom for rent?

Finding a ground-floor showroom in Kramerville is like finding a golden ticket to Charlie’s Chocolate Factory!

These premises are in high demand, with limited supply and high tenant retention. ANVIL strives to have great relationships with the landlords in the area, and if something becomes available, ANVIL will know about it. Inquire today.

Q: What is the leasing process?

generally speaking;

1. Understanding of requirements and parameters 
2. A property brochure with suitable leasing options will be presented
3. The tenant raises any queries and short-lists options to view
4. A viewing is arranged and conducted
5. Costings are shared for the short-listed properties/additional options are presented and viewed
6. Once a property/premises has been identified to proceed with, the relevant FICA will be requested
7. Once the FICA is received, the Offer to Leasewill be compiled and shared with the relevant person/s for review and signatures 
8. All FICA and the fully signed offer is presented to the Landlord who will then conduct credit and FICA vetting
9. Negotiations take place until there is a mutual agreement
10. Once in agreement and there's an accepted offer to lease, the lease agreement will be compiled and shared with the tenant for review and relevant signatures
11. The invoice for the deposit (and if applicable the first month's rental) and once-off lease fee is sent and then paid by the tenant
12. Handover of the property/premises is arranged