mmmmm i guess you guys wouldn't believe me about some cranes in a south africa cbd and that most of the projects are new constructions not just renovations welcome
hsark's Photo Tour 1/ 2
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00348.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00349.jpg
this is portside a mixed used complex it will have big brand shops at the bottom hilton , aca joe
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00350.jpg
this area is in greenpoint just next to the cbd the only thing that separte the two is a road so you cant really tell the difference
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00351.jpg
the greenpoint main road has many upmarket clubs and cafes, thai and chinese resturants and the woolworths food shop the on the right is one of my faves theres also a news cafe which as always is fab
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00360.jpg

next to it is a new 6 star appartments for an irish developer forgot the name though
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00358.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00366.jpg
the eclispe is almost complete it turned out better than the renderings
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00359.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00362.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00363.jpg
one the other side of the road the waterfront
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00364.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00369.jpg
view of the cbd and a new office block
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00367.jpg
on the same main road a new renovated building its going to be a small boutique
hotel
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00368.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00370.jpg
this is whats happening in the cbd buildings are being gutted completey cleaned out then they double the height of the building and make the look really modern ,a ad agency is moving in this building they'll be office space and 2 floors of retail it also will have underground parking
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00371.jpg
a new construction site rock and soul will be here
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00373.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00375.jpg
that blue building used to be broad way(renovations) next to it is the famous pulse where the aus players decided to have a punch up wit some uct students , the clubs got loads of flat screen tvs its really nice and mostly packed on fri and sats
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00376.jpg
1 block down this is where metropolis skyscraper will be built should be the tallests in this area

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00378.jpg
another crane in the distance
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00379.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00380.jpg
thats the edge

im move quite deep in the cbd with this pics
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00381.jpg
new office block(not only residents moving back to the cbd eh!) its consist of about 4 buildings
so off to longstreet :)
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00382.jpg
more cranes this is in longstreet dont know what the project is
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00386.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00383.jpg
on the other side of the road a new on is starting
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00384.jpg

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00387.jpg
now down to greenmarket square this is how a gutted building looks like from the side with out the facade ill explain later
new hotel and restuarant not complete yet
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00385.jpg

now to nelson mandela place
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b143/hsark5/DSC00389.jpg
there was too much dust for me to go closer bleh! will post rest later and yes i do hav the cornerhouse pics

Amazing pics!!! Nice to see Cape Town again and very glad to see all that construction in that incredible city!
Thank you!

the cbd is growing like crazy.

Three cheers for hsark!!!

No, really, you are awesome, hsark! I was worried that without Gandalf/ENIGMA, our photo supply of Cape Town Construction would run dry... but you saved the day! ;)

ps. Hsark, could you put the names of buildings that you mention? More importantly, can you space the photos or type "(above)" and "(below)" so we know what photo is being described, because it is confusing. Good pics. update though! :)

You know The Icon?what do you all think about it?

OMG! What a coincidence!

I just put The Icon in the fact file... you will be glad to know there is a large entry on it there...

Anyways, does anyone have any idea where Icon is @?.... I am way outta touch with that project.

i was by it today. its in a good area in the cbd.i read that it was to start construction in 2006. that must be wrong cos it is already leveled off and has fencing around it. probably will start building in the next few weeks. and it looks awesome!!

i was by it today. its in a good area in the cbd.i read that it was to start construction in 2006. that must be wrong cos it is already leveled off and has fencing around it. probably will start building in the next few weeks. and it looks awesome!!


No, they plan to be FINISHED in 2006. Well, glad to hear where it's at.

How about Fountain Suites? (I think hsark has some pics of it in Part 2/2)

o.ok.thats cool.

With Fountain Suites, Cartwright's Corner, and The Rockwell.

Fountain Suites- Accross the road from taxi stand/rank

Cartwright's Corner- Next to CT station (which could be good and bad i guess)

The Rockwell- One block away from a night shelter.

Just some stuff they dont mention, but if you dont mind, then i guess its fine.

im so confused... i didnt ask you where any buildings are located... lol

i know. i just told you. lol.

haha sorry about the comments ill rearrange it next time my connection is to slow at the moment for me too see if everything came out right

^haha no prob man

Looks good shark! Keep the photos streaming in. I'm going to miss Gandalf's stunning photography, but let's hope you (or another Capetonian) follows in his footsteps. :)

hey ct guy think u got some of the places wrong cartwright's Corner is a good distance away from the cpt taxi rank the closet place to it is the mutal place and thats even a couple of blocks away the blue boxes are where the buildings are
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v297/hsark/right.jpg
ps i've got the pics of cartwright's corner not the cornerhouse (><) doh!

I said its by the station, and fountain suites is by the taxi.

Cartwright's Corner- Next to CT station (which could be good and bad i guess)

well its close

not if your walking ,its still quite a mission

hsark, do you still have those Fountain Suites construction photos? I really wanna see 'em!!! :D ;)


Anyways, back to Cape Town, I don't want to change where this conversation is going. Cape Town has been almost ignored since the springtime and it's depressing the hell outta me. :)

same here think we dissappered a bit after gandalf left but we've regrouped *wink to all ct forumers* and are back and kicking

good boys

good to see all the action with the cranes...so ct cbd leads the cranes pack, followed closely by umhlanga...but they are more spread out in umhlanga...but 3 more were raised today.

are some of these buildngs in dodgy areas??? i would not want to be near a taxi rank

not dodgy. just would be a bit load in the morning and night. its a small one.

ok please would you all look at the map not near TAXI RANK!!! i've been to most of these area's they aren't dodgy well during the day and the developments are as you said close to each other
ps i also wouldn;t want to leave near a taxi rank bleh!

thats why i called it a taxi stand. like drop off point. maybe 7 taxis could fit there

so ct cbd leads the cranes pack, ...but they are more spread out in umhlanga...but 3 more were raised today.

dysan, your competitive spirit shows through well- you better play on a rugby team or somethin'

i play my tennis still..kicked butt on the wknd! I'm incredibly competitive!!!! Why live life without a competition? now i'm gyming to work the bod, cos i need to compete in that sphere too...summer is coming!

heehee all off topic but blah blah blah.

i need to see all this ct dev in the inner city

It's quite exciting!

I am so glad to see Cape Town AND Durban AND Johannesburg getting attention on the forums now- they all have stuff to offer... and CT's REdevelopments intrigue me- condos going ontops of Parking garages and being stuck in the most random of places... *Ahem* Adderley Terraces, The Decks, etc...

Can someone give me more information about the Hotel they are going to build on those old silos in the Waterfront, and also about the seven-star hotel that is being built!

sol kernzer 7-star info on it is hard to come but we all know were its going to be situtated i have some pictures some where .....its going to be low-rise development by 6/8 floors

I saw bits and pieces of the one and only hotel (sols baby) as my architects are doing it to and its pretty cool. They are having issues with the city council re height issues and bulk servies. Lets hope they sort it pronto as the one and only brand is only the first of the big players in luxuary hotel brands that SA should be having.

when can we expect this baby to go up?

hopefully before 2010 or am dreaming coz its definatly going to happen ....well every one knows about it , and theres some land allocated to it

ok. cool. cos there isnt much about it on the web.

remember when our mayor somebody wanted to reclaim land from the waterfront(dont remember the story that well) and they talked about the plained 7 star hotel being affected and sol also came down to the cape to release the one and only .....somebody is doing a very good job of making sure info isnt released haha

its real irritating though. correct me if im wrong, but isnt the Eurocape hotel a 6 star?

dont think so...i do wonder how many more 5 star hotels will actually become a reality in SA in the next few years. For i was reading an article the other day about the Sheraton groups plans, and they said that that end of the market was saturated in CT and Gauteng, and that Durban was not yet ready for much 5 star dev. With those comments in mind, will these dev go ahead?

i remember that the Cape Royale apartments, were originally going to be a very fancy 5 star hotel, but the developers changed their minds and are building apartments instead. can that be a sign?

Also 5 star hotel occupany is incredibly low already in most parts of the country (and this is not anti CT talk for all of u that are quick to judge me on that..) but CT fairs the worst on occupancy due to the massive hotel dev that has occured in the preceeding years. With this over supply, i doubt that players will be tempted to enter the market....could that be a reason the "one and only" hotel is taking forever to come about? that they have cold feet and would rather wait until such time that their services are needed?

the one and only has got problems with land. not demand, form what i can understand.

the one and only has got problems with land. not demand, form what i can understand.

Way to rhyme, bru ;) I think it is a matter of both...

lol. i never noticed.

dont think so...i do wonder how many more 5 star hotels will actually become a reality in SA in the next few years. For i was reading an article the other day about the Sheraton groups plans, and they said that that end of the market was saturated in CT and Gauteng, and that Durban was not yet ready for much 5 star dev. With those comments in mind, will these dev go ahead?

i remember that the Cape Royale apartments, were originally going to be a very fancy 5 star hotel, but the developers changed their minds and are building apartments instead. can that be a sign?

Also 5 star hotel occupany is incredibly low already in most parts of the country (and this is not anti CT talk for all of u that are quick to judge me on that..) but CT fairs the worst on occupancy due to the massive hotel dev that has occured in the preceeding years. With this over supply, i doubt that players will be tempted to enter the market....could that be a reason the "one and only" hotel is taking forever to come about? that they have cold feet and would rather wait until such time that their services are needed?
I disagree Mike, Im a 5 * hotel stayer both for work and on holiday and i feel there are not enough of the international 5* brands in SA. I mean look at the list of the usual suspects:
Hilton (conrad, Ritz carlton ,doubletree, embassy suites)
Marriot( JW, Courtyard, renassance )
Sheraton( St regis, W, westin, four points)
Hyatt( park, grand and regency)
Intercontinental
Fairmont
Shangri-la
Four Seasons
Le Meridian

How many of these brands are represented in SA , And even if a brand like Hyatt is here I can garuentee that its a plain Hyatt as apposed to one of the 3 sub brands they offer and then they are only represented in one city as apposed to the 3 major centres.
Another concern is the cost of 5* SA hotels is pathetic and they have priced them selves out the market as far as the well heeled travelor and business man is concerned. I spent 10 days in Thailand and stayed in the sheraton Spa in Phuket and Four Seasons in bangkok in junior suites and the rack rates were like $140 per nighti n 4S and $65 in the sheraton.
Now campare that to a SA 5* hotel and tell me if you could get a suite for that rate.
My concern is there is not enough representation of the big players which means that they dont see enough brand concious international business travelers and there fore the market is an immature one for the luxuary hotel brands.
PS I develop 5 and 6* premium hotels projects so I sort of know the drivers for these

wait till 2007. i think there will be huge dev. Thats when the 2010 custormers will come in.

i agree with SA Boy. I just spent 4 nights at the Ritz Carlton in KL and it totally blew away any SA hotel i have experienced for quality of service, taste of fittings and value for money. we paid <A$100 a night = R450 a night for delux room with personal butler, free laundry, spa access etc and full breakfast.

SA 5* hotels are way overpriced considering the wealth of the country, cost of labour and the minimum / average quality of service.

but thats what i was saying!!!!!

There is no point putting up more 5 star hotels in SA if they are going to remain empty. You may say that they are overpriced (which they are...the 45% occupancy rate in cape town proves that), but how are u going to propose that new entrants will change that?

Sheraton have already vowed that they percieve that the Cape Town and Jozi markets are overtraded and hence will not invest in those areas at all. The same goes for the Hilton group, which in a recent press report, when question about more hotels in SA, said that they wouldnt touch Cape Town (for it was overtraded) and were only considering the Knysna area and St Lucia at the moment.

I know u have experience in the market, but if these global groups think the market is overtraded, what proof do u have to suggest otherwise?

U may say that all global brands arent represented, but if they dont percieve it viable, then obviously that will be the case. U may want them, but they dont obviously see a need for their product.

My sister used to work at the Ritz-Carlton and when she left, they were talking of building a Ritz in Buenos Aires and one in Cape Town...Last week, we found out they are going to start building the Ritz in Buenos Aires, so Cape Town watch out... maybe you are next! I hope so! :okay: