Five-star plans for prime SANDF land at Cape Waterfront
WEDNESDAY JUL 03, 2013
Plans are under way to develop defence force land around Fort Wynyard in Cape Town's Green Point into a five-star hotel and to convert some of the buildings into bistros and cafes.
The land lies between Beach Road and the Cape Town Stadium.
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An aerial view of the site between the V&A Waterfront and Cape Town Stadium.
There are also plans to develop another piece of SANDF land in Tamboerskloof into a state guest house, five VIP guest houses and an old-age home for military veterans. The Tamboerskloof Ammunition Magazine, a national monument, will be converted into a conference centre.
The Fort Wynyard land will have a four- or five-star hotel with 150 rooms, six suites and two penthouses. The laboratory buildings on the land will be converted into small restaurants and cafés.
The Department of Defence has appointed the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to come up with a proposal to develop the two sites, both prime pieces of land.
The CSIR put out a call for architects to draft conceptual drawings for each development, specifying the type and size of buildings that will be developed. Both pieces of land are defence endowment property.
CSIR spokesman Tendani Tsedu said yesterday the organisation had put out the call for proposals because it needed architects who were experienced in designing hotels, guest houses, old-age homes and conference centres.
Fort Wynyard, opposite Somerset Hospital, is a landmark on Beach Road with its raised embankment and cannons on top.
The fort has been a military site since 1795 when the Dutch built it as a coastal gun battery.
The British rebuilt it in 1861 and it stayed in commission until 1958 when guided missiles made it obsolete.
It was declared a national monument in 1975 and turned into a museum.
This was closed in 1988, but Fort Wynyard has remained the headquarters of the Cape Garrison Artillery Regiment.
Some of its gun mountings are the only ones of their kind in Africa and among the few that remain in the world.
Part of its heritage value is that it has a clear view of the harbour that it protected for 200 years.
This may affect the nature of buildings that can be erected, as part of maintaining its heritage is maintaining this historic line of sight.
The Tamboerskloof site is prime land off Military Road and borders Signal Hill.
The land used to house the military armoury.
Plans are that the state guest house will have 30 rooms, 16 senior management rooms, six self-catering units, a bar, lounge and dining room.
The military old-age home will accommodate 90 people. There will also be facilities to service the conference centre.
Part of the land houses the SA Police Service stables and staff members of the equestrian unit.
A number of tenants live on parts of the land, some in old buildings, others in makeshift homes.
The site has been a sore point with some locals, who have complained about its unkempt state.
Its future has been under discussion for many years.
Cape Times
Source: IOL Property
WEDNESDAY JUL 03, 2013
Plans are under way to develop defence force land around Fort Wynyard in Cape Town's Green Point into a five-star hotel and to convert some of the buildings into bistros and cafes.
The land lies between Beach Road and the Cape Town Stadium.
An aerial view of the site between the V&A Waterfront and Cape Town Stadium.
There are also plans to develop another piece of SANDF land in Tamboerskloof into a state guest house, five VIP guest houses and an old-age home for military veterans. The Tamboerskloof Ammunition Magazine, a national monument, will be converted into a conference centre.
The Fort Wynyard land will have a four- or five-star hotel with 150 rooms, six suites and two penthouses. The laboratory buildings on the land will be converted into small restaurants and cafés.
The Department of Defence has appointed the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to come up with a proposal to develop the two sites, both prime pieces of land.
The CSIR put out a call for architects to draft conceptual drawings for each development, specifying the type and size of buildings that will be developed. Both pieces of land are defence endowment property.
CSIR spokesman Tendani Tsedu said yesterday the organisation had put out the call for proposals because it needed architects who were experienced in designing hotels, guest houses, old-age homes and conference centres.
Fort Wynyard, opposite Somerset Hospital, is a landmark on Beach Road with its raised embankment and cannons on top.
The fort has been a military site since 1795 when the Dutch built it as a coastal gun battery.
The British rebuilt it in 1861 and it stayed in commission until 1958 when guided missiles made it obsolete.
It was declared a national monument in 1975 and turned into a museum.
This was closed in 1988, but Fort Wynyard has remained the headquarters of the Cape Garrison Artillery Regiment.
Some of its gun mountings are the only ones of their kind in Africa and among the few that remain in the world.
Part of its heritage value is that it has a clear view of the harbour that it protected for 200 years.
This may affect the nature of buildings that can be erected, as part of maintaining its heritage is maintaining this historic line of sight.
The Tamboerskloof site is prime land off Military Road and borders Signal Hill.
The land used to house the military armoury.
Plans are that the state guest house will have 30 rooms, 16 senior management rooms, six self-catering units, a bar, lounge and dining room.
The military old-age home will accommodate 90 people. There will also be facilities to service the conference centre.
Part of the land houses the SA Police Service stables and staff members of the equestrian unit.
A number of tenants live on parts of the land, some in old buildings, others in makeshift homes.
The site has been a sore point with some locals, who have complained about its unkempt state.
Its future has been under discussion for many years.
Cape Times
Source: IOL Property