In its ninth year of operation, the Cape Town Partnership is gearing towards celebrating its first decade, proactively planning the way forward. During this time, we have seen the Central City reverse years of urban flight and blight.

The Central City of today is a changed one – new developments rise into the sky, governed increasingly by factors such as sustainability and environmental awareness. People are returning to the Central City to live, work and play, safe in the knowledge that their safety and security is a priority.

Preparations to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup have accelerated many development plans. The biggest breakthrough is in public transport – the City of Cape Town has begun work on its Integrated Rapid Transport system. Linkages to the Central City have been prioritised, while movement within has been enhanced through various pedestrianisation initiatives and public space upgrades.

In the past year more than R1 billion of development has been completed or is under construction. While the world is currently in the grip of a financial crisis, the Central City has remained relatively unscathed to date. There has, however, been a slight contraction in retail; a situation we are monitoring closely and looking at ways to counteract.

Outline of Key Investments

During the past year, many private and public developments have been completed and many more are under construction. A few of the bigger projects are listed below:
• The development of the Convention Towers, adjacent to the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), was the first fully new AAA-grade commercial space built in the Central City in nearly 10 years. This R230 million development added 17 500m2 of commercial space to the Central City.
• Customs House, on the other side of the elevated freeways will soon make way for the extension of the highly successful Convention Centre. This development will almost double the size of the existing complex and is worth an estimated R1.3 billion. This pioneering business model of three spheres of government should generate an additional R1 billion annual economic spin-off for the Western Cape. The plan includes the construction of the first six-star rated green building in South Africa.
• The R345 million upgrading of 11 Adderley provides 28 000m2 of commercial space, including three floors of retail, while the refurbishing of the Liberty Life building in Long Street at a cost of R80 million upgraded commercial space with ground-floor retail.
• An emerging trend is the extension of the high-end commercial sector into Woodstock, as is seen in the completion of The District – a R260 million mixed-use centre, which includes a significant number of parking bays.
• Also in Woodstock, The Boulevard is slated for completion in early 2009. At a projected cost of R700 million, this mixed-use centre will add 38 000m2 of AAA-grade office space, 1 900 parking bays and retail.
• The cleverly designed Piazza on the Square links the newly renovated Church Square to Adderley Street. This R70 million upgrade hosts three floors of retail, commercial and residential space.
• The Decks, around the corner from Greenmarket Square, is an innovative development of R120 million clustering retail space, including a creative Jewellery Avenue, additional parking space and some residential units.
• The Four Seasons residential development in Buitenkant Street was completed at a cost of R100 million.
• St George’s Mall now houses Cape Town’s first Holiday Inn Express. This R100 million three-star hotel added 160 rooms to the Central City’s visitor economy.
• Meanwhile, at the upper end of St George’s Mall, Africa’s first Taj Palace Hotel will soon be one of the Central City’s biggest assets with completion scheduled for mid 2009. Adding 174 luxury rooms to the Central City’s five-star offering, this hotel will also include magnificent apartments.
• Under construction, the five-star Cape Coral Hotel is the first of its kind – a luxury hotel targeting Middle Eastern visitors. Situated on the corner of Wale and Buitengracht streets, the Coral will add 140 rooms and suites to the visitor bed pool, some of which are for sale under sectional title.
• Sol Kerzner’s One and Only is under construction at the V&A Waterfront at a cost of R650 million.
• The five-star 15 on Orange hotel development, worth R420 million is underway. Nearby, the Orangerie, an upscale residential development is being built on an erf measuring more than 8 000m2. This R230 million development will provide 100 apartments for those in search of inner city living.
• New creative spaces opened their doors this year. The historic Drill Hall, restored at a cost of R42 million is now known as a Centre of Excellence – or the new Central City Library, housing more than 200 000 books, a computer centre, children’s area, bookshop and coffee shop.
• The ground-breaking people’s theatre – the Space Theatre – was resurrected at its erstwhile location of 44 Long Street. Further down, 210 on Long provides space for the creative industries.
• Pier Place on the Foreshore was transformed from a barren, windswept area into a creative and inviting public space with the addition of quirky sculptures. St George’s Mall was enhanced with ambient lighting, contributing to a safer night-time experience, while daytime safety will be prioritised by the erection (most of it complete) of permanent and collapsible bollards to limit vehicular traffic in this public concourse.
• The restoration of St Andrew’s Square was completed at a cost of R8 million to honour the City’s slave legacy.
• The R21 million refurbishment of the Grand Parade has begun and continues apace in order to provide a safe and fitting venue for the official FIFA Fan Park in 2010.
• Of course no summation of the developmental highlights of the year would be complete without mentioning the match venue of the city’s 2010 Soccer World Cup games – Green Point stadium, which is rising into the air, changing the skyline. At a cost of R3.2 billion, the stadium will be one of the lasting legacies of the 2010 Soccer World Cup. The adjacent R160 million Urban Park is also being planned.
• Two new green buildings have just been announced – the R1.2 mixed-use development, the Portside, which at a projected 150 metres, will challenge the LG Building and the Metropolitan building in height. A historic building located at 14 Loop Street will be upgraded into an upmarket office complex, while retaining its historic character.

Other Highlights: Making connections

During the past year, the Partnership:
• joined the World Business Districts Network for Sustainable Development;
• signed a knowledge-sharing agreement with Barcelona Activa, an organisation involved in strengthening Barcelona’s knowledge economy, entrepreneurship and small business growth;
• heard from Enrique Penelosa, a former Mayor of Bogata and internationally renowned authority on public transport solutions and Dave Wetzel, a former Deputy Director of Public Transport in the City of London about solving congestion and other transport-related problems; and
• underwent a peer review process – facilitated by local and international experts to help plan, define and refine the Partnership’s role for the next 10 years.