Swakopmund — A massive development to be known as Bahnhof Square and Lifestyle Centre is planned for Swakopmund.

The development, which is set to transform the façade of Swakopmund, could come to fruition as early as 2017 if the assurance of developers, Steven Skoppelitus and Paulo Shipoke, of Stark Property Development CC, is anything to go by.

Construction commences next year with work on a 16000 square-metre piece of land spread across two large plots measuring well over 180000 square metres. This first for Swakopmund will also re-write the history books of Namibian shopping and lifestyle design centres.

By its sheer size, the Bahnhof project will unseat the Maerua Mall in Windhoek, which covers 40000 square metres, by a whopping 120000 square metres - nearly three times - to officially become the largest lifestyle and shopping mall development in Namibia and the only one of its size outside the capital Windhoek.

The first phase of the project will be the 16000 square-metre development, west of Moses Garoëb Street, next to the Swakopmund Hotel and Entertainment Centre, followed by a 162000-square-metre development east of Moses Garoëb Street. This particular area is currently home to the town's railway station.

The development is in partnership with TransNamib Holdings, on whose land the gigantic shopping and lifestyle centre will be situated. Stark Property Development has signed a memorandum of understanding to this effect, although the company is keeping details of the agreement confidential.

"Complete with greenery, the developers have themed their dream project around contemporary urban designs that will take into consideration the town's architectural themes and traditions and create additional vibrancy, shopping experience and excellent leisure activities for the residents of Swakopmund, while transforming idle TransNamib land into valuable, high-earning assets," say the developers.

The complex, once complete, will have the country's first insulated train station modelled after New York Central Park Station and Piccadilly Square, where current passenger and tourist train schedule service operated by TransNamib from the town will board within the complex. The developers intend to integrate the new station into the complex.

"We are happy to inform you that it is no longer a dream or a vision, it is a reality, we will do it and, yes, we can," says part director of Stark Property, Skoppelitus.

The developers say this is a multi-billion-dollar development, although they are unable to give exact figures arguing that the project is in its preliminary stages with professional teams of architects, engineers, planners and quantity surveyors working around the clock to complete the costing factors. The company has earmarked another TransNamib piece of land at Grootfontein to develop another shopping complex.

Shipoke said the company is bent on improving livelihoods in Namibia, as the investments will not only create jobs but also contribute greatly to the aesthetics of Namibia's

Source (http://allafrica.com/stories/201111030185.html)


http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/8307/bahnhofswakop1.jpg

:( I thought 'OMG' would bring some people in

Thats actually very impressive!

:( I thought 'OMG' would bring some people in

It gave me a good chuckle at least :lol:

Nice development!

Nice! I wonder where frank is these days

Thanks for the comments! Will be looking around for better renders..

Impressive:yes:

STACKS Property 37 of local businessmen Steven Skoppelitus and Paulo Shipoke, in partnership with TransNamib, last week announced their multi-billion development plan for Swakopmund, appropriately called 'Bahnhof Square and Lifestyle Centre' (German for 'railway-station') due to its location.

The development will be situated on two open properties belonging to TransNamib, which includes the present railway platform that, according to the developers, provides a unique opportunity to have a railway station connected to a busy retail and public square.

"An opportunity now exists to bring tourists into the heart of the city as the development is close to the CBD," they said in a joint statement.

The project is divided between two pieces of land on either side of one of Swakopmund's main road (the Henties Bay road) and will consist of a 'lifestyle centre', which will include high-end business premises, fine dining, offices and space for professionals to work from; and regional shopping centre space, which will include business premises and light industrial warehouses, as well as 'high-end residential complexes.

The land for the lifestyle centre, according to the developers, is the 'artery' leading from the railway platform towards the Swakopmund hotel and casino.

"This mix between retail and lifestyle is a first for the growing coastal population of Swakopmund," they said.

One of the main objectives of such a development is to add value to Swakopmund current business area, according to the developers.

The designing and layout is a joint effort from leading professional designers in Namibia.

Construction is set to start next year, and the entire project could be completed within five year - by 2017.

At the announcement, the developers stated that Bahnhof Square and LifeStyle Centre was no longer just a dream, but a reality in the making.



http://allafrica.com/stories/201111080582.html

New theatre proposed for Swakopmund

A NEW theatre is proposed to be included in the multi-million dollar commercial and leisure development in Swakopmund, called the ‘Bahnhof Square and Lifestyle Centre’ by Stacks Property 37 in partnership with TransNamib.
The theatre will stand alongside the Swakopmund Hotel and Entertainment Centre, as part of a ‘theatre block’ that will also house a wellness centre, a series of fashion shops and fine dining restaurants.
According to Swakopmund architect, Karen Miller, the developers envision the theatre as an “acoustically designed” facility. “It has been planned in the design to provide a position for such a building. It remains to be seen whether the public express an interest in such a facility and are willing to participate in the realisation thereof.”
“The stage has an orchestra pit and ancillary spaces geared at practice and warm up for performers. Change rooms, storage rooms, and choir practice rooms are included, as well as a fully equipped recording studio. The theatre will include seating with tablets to convert to a lecture hall, providing equipment for digital screening including possible 3D movie screening,” she said.
The theatre block will be a public facility run by a number of private owners, according to Miller, and will be recognizable as a public centre of entertainment, with ample basement parking.
She said the idea of this building was to have an up-market entertainment and cultural centre for Swakopmund, together with other activities which will help to drive it.
It will serve all schools and local performing groups, and is hoped to be an attraction to entice local, national and international performers to perform in Swakopmund, according to her.
“It is intended as an asset to the town’s public and its well established and very active performing arts fraternity,” she said.
The theatre block will form the link between the old and new building style in Swakopmund, introducing the rest of the lifestyle centre development, which will include several thousand square metres of leisure and commercial facilities.
“It has also been considered that this building is adjacent to a National Monument (the Swakopmund Hotel) and as such will be sensitively designed to ‘fit in’,” said Miller.


Source (http://www.namibian.com.na/news/full-story/archive/2011/november/article/new-theatre-proposed-for-swakopmund/)

Iconic!:cheers:

Nice.

Billion-dollar Bahnhof plan balloons with retailer interest

DUE to a good response from prospective retailers wanting to do business in Swakopmund, the N$1,2 billion ‘Bahnhof Square and Lifestyle Centre’ project will have to be 5 000sqm bigger than the original 15 000sqm plan introduced in December last year by local businessmen Steven Skoppelitus and Paulo Shipoke’s ‘Stacks Property 37’ in partnership with TransNamib.
“Retailers are very excited, and there is substantial interest, and if we have to do everything these clients want, then we have to enlarge the area,” said Michael Schirnig, who is one of the representatives responsible for marketing the development.

According to him, there may be between 67 and 72 businesses accommodated in the centre with many new brands that might be a first for Swakopmund and even Namibia.
Amendments to the original floorplan are currently being made to accommodate specific retailer requirements within the building envelope.

A revised floorplan will be available for discussion shortly, and it is anticipated that retailers will have an opportunity before the end of this month to thrash out any final design issues in a workshop format. This will be followed by a final floorplan and related offers to lease.

Construction is still set to begin in the middle of 2012.
The development will be situated on two open properties belonging to TransNamib, which includes the present railway platform that provides a unique opportunity to have a railway station connected to a busy retail and public square, according to the developers.

The project is divided between two pieces of land on either side of one of Swakopmund’s main road (the Henties Bay road) and will consist of a ‘lifestyle centre’, which will include high-end business premises, fine dining, offices and space for professionals to work from; and regional shopping centre space, which will include business premises and light industrial warehouses, as well as ‘high-end residential complexes.

“This mix between retail and lifestyle is a first for the growing coastal population of Swakopmund,” the developers said at the launch of the project last year.
One of the main objectives of such a development is to add value to Swakopmund current business area, according to the developers.


Source ("http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=93786&no_cache=1)

Nice project!