Two of Cape Town’s most authentic early 20th Century city centre heritage properties are going on auction through Liquidity Services. Standing adjacent to one another, the buildings are popular retail and business destinations on Loop Street, forming part of the treasured historic façade of the upper city.
In Cape Town’s Central Business District (CBD) and Waterfront, there are over 260 heritage sites, some famous worldwide. They include the Castle of Good Hope, the Iziko Slave Lodge, the Groote Kerk and the old Town House, as well as the renowned Auwal Mosque, built in 1794 on Dorp Street.
The two Loop Street buildings both offer practical space for many purposes and their position on the upper side of the city gives them access via excellent street connections to the Atlantic Seaboard, the Southern Suburbs, and the Winelands, says Kim Faclier, Head of Property at Liquidity Services.
No. 25 Loop Street, on the corner of Waterkant, (where its number is 37) is a three-storey building, with a huge wrap-round balcony on two sides. Although strictly in the commercial zone, the balcony lends a leisurely lifestyle air to the building which could be considered for use as private quarters. The early 1900 construction consists of a clay brick and concrete superstructure that is plastered and painted both internally and externally. The roof is a stepped, tiled pitch.
Floor finishes on the ground level consist of cement screed with a PVC coated layer and ceramic tiles. The upper floors have a variety of finishes, including wood laminate and ceramic tiles as well as conventional wooden flooring. Window frames are painted wood on the upper floors and on the ground level, large shopfronts are steel framed glazing set in concrete. The wooden staircases provide access to the upper levels which are accessed separately from the spacious, open plan ground floor retail showroom.
The office space on the first floor has enclosed cubes and a large centralised open plan space with access to the balcony. Further up, the business area has modern finishes with a reception area and open plan office space, work-pods, boardroom facilities as well as private office spaces.
The position of the buildings and the accessibility of the locality is considered very good both as a sale or letting proposition.
Right next door is 31 Loop Street, on Erf 1757, consists of built improvements of 1 030m2 over four floors of commercial space zoned for business and retail. As with its neighbour, No.31 has heritage status due to its age and history. It has been graded by Heritage Western Cape for its historical, architectural, and aesthetic value.