The Addis Abeba City Construction Permit & Control Authority has served a notice to Sheger Building, a well-known landmark in Bole District, concerning the use of parking lots for unintended purposes, including a nightclub.
Sheger, located on Namibia Street, has been warned of using a car park for income generating activities. The area has been serving as a nightclub for the past four years, housing a popular hangout known as Yougovia. The club was first founded in Hawassa a decade ago before it branched out to Addis Abeba where it occupies a 952sqm basement in Sheger, making it one of the biggest clubs in the city. It can host more than 700 people at a time.
“We gave Sheger’s owners 15 days’ notice,” said Getahun Abera, head of Building Occupancy Permit & Documentation with the Authority. “They have yet to take actions even though the deadline has already passed.”
Sheger’s owners have requested an extension of the deadline.
Currently, Yougovia’s owners are undertaking construction aimed at boosting the club’s capacity, spending close to two million Birr, according to people who are engaged in the construction project.
“We`ve not seen any progress here, so the extension is not likely,” Getahun told Fortune. “The next step will be informing the Addis Ababa Code Enforcement Bureau and Addis Ababa Police Commission to take action.”
Building owners who rent out basement spaces meant for parking to other businesses have become a major concern for city authorities. They have identified close to 130 properties across the city, before taking measures to close them down. The authorities have also issued notices to 48 other buildings located in various parts of the city, of which 13 property owners have taken corrective measures. Seven of them have started an effort to take action, while the rest, including Sheger, have shown no progress at all.
Last Thursday, there were more than 30 vehicles parked outside of Sheger Building, an area near Edna Mall that is hectic.
Brehan Tadla, the owner of the club, is aware of the situation. He believes that the city government cannot evict him before the conclusion of the contractual agreement.
“This is unfair for a business which employs more than 100 people,” Brehan, who also owns Oasis International Hotel, told Fortune.
The club pays over 60,000 Br monthly rental, according to a source who works at Yougovia.
Sheger is going to construct a parking facility behind the current building, although no significant progress has been made so far, says a source close to Sheger’s operations.
Repeated efforts to contact the owner of Sheger for comment were unsuccessful.
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