Lofty Property Group to kick off Lightsview shopping centre build

One of SA’s larger house builders, the Lofty group of companies, will soon start work on a $35m shopping centre in Lightsview as it ramps up its commercial projects pipeline.

Lofty Property Group will kick off its largest commercial development next month when construction begins on a $35m shopping centre at Lightsview.

Anchored by a Drakes supermarket, the 3800sq m centre, on the corner of Folland Ave and Fosters Rd, will also feature eight specialty stores, and will cap off the development of one of Adelaide’s largest master-planned suburbs.

For Lofty the project represents a push into commercial development after close to a decade building up its residential construction and development arm.

The Lofty group operates three businesses – Lofty Building Group, which started as a residential builder but also undertakes commercial builds, a project management arm supporting other developers, and commercial developer Lofty Property Group which is targeting projects across the office, childcare, medical, retail and industrial sectors.

Lofty Property Group general manager Kris Antczak, left, with Lofty group director Gary Patel at the site of the soon to be built $35m shopping centre at Lightsview. Picture: Mark Brake

Lofty group director Gary Patel said the commercial development business had ramped up over the past three years after former Leedwell, LJ Hooker Commercial and Colliers sales agent Kris Antczak was brought in to drive new projects.

“We had the idea (to set up a commercial development business) about four years ago, we tried to run it ourselves, but then we thought it’s best to fully separate it and put a manager in who is in charge of just running that part and has got nothing to do with the resi,” he said.

“And so we did that and it’s been very successful for us.

“Anything commercial Kris and his team will look at – it could be childcare, a group of shops, bulky goods, industrial, medical, shopping centres, servos, mixed use.

“We’ve got the Lightsview shopping centre – that was the last parcel of land we bought from Peet and Renewal SA, and if you look at Lightsview there’s no shopping centre so we’re catering to that market.”

Mr Patel moved to Adelaide from India as a 17-year-old, completing a business degree before securing his first job in door-to-door sales of gas and electricity plans.

After stints in retail, hospitality and sales, he moved onto small residential developments before setting up the Lofty group in 2012.

Artist’s impression of the Lightsview shopping centre development. Picture: Supplied by Lofty Property Group

Over 10 years he has grown the business from three staff to 45, and it currently builds about 200 homes a year. After a challenging Covid-19 period, Mr Patel has a clear vision of where he wants to take the business over the next few years.

“The growth has been gradual – we had a very slow growth period in that first Covid year because a lot of clients didn’t want to start their builds, wanting to delay because of the uncertainty in the market,” he said.

“But otherwise, year on year we have had that sustainable managed growth.

“We’ve got a target, we want to get to anywhere between 250 to 350 builds a year. We think we should be able to get there in the next two to three years.”

Lofty’s residential development pipeline includes its $13.3m Stones Throw project which will deliver 18 new townhouses in Ashford, and Somerton Waters, a $12.8m development of 17 townhouses on Brighton Rd in Somerton Park.

Mr Patel said his move to Adelaide as a teenager had allowed him to chase his dream in business, and he encouraged other aspiring entrepreneurs to do the same.

“For the young people who really want to achieve something I really want them to know that this is the country you can do it – the doors are open, work hard and your dream will come true.”