Growthpoint Properties has completed the multi-year, multi-million-Rand revitalisation of the historic Longkloof precinct.
The heritage-led redevelopment project injects new life into the Longkloof Precinct which involved the renovation of several Growthpoint-owned buildings and the creation of a public square which connects to the city via four different access routes.
The REIT’s vision was to reimagine six buildings made up of a historical school and an industrial building with its boiler room and a vacant parking lot as a vibrant mixed-use precinct that “embodies Cape Town’s essence in something new and exciting, yet respectful of its heritage,” says Wouter de Vos, Growthpoint’s Regional Head: Western Cape.
Work on the precinct began in 2019 after several years of planning with most elements completed by 2021. The 21 164m2 multi-use property has become a preferred address for innovative businesses including Travelstart, Mushroom Media, and Workshop17. Longkloof is also the fifth Cape Town location of WorkAgility, Growthpoint’s agile, ready-to-occupy office concept.
The final hospitality and retail elements were originally planned to open in 2021 but were delayed by the pandemic lockdowns and subsequent period of local and global uncertainty.
The 154-room Canopy by Hilton Cape Town Longkloof Hotel is the first of its kind in Africa and incorporates the façade of the former MLT House, the structure of which has been carefully preserved and integrated into the new design. The hotel entrance leads from Longkloof’s public open square, Longkloof Square, with newly curated retail and social spaces.
De Vos says the hotel is the perfect complement to the mix of uses and tenancies in the Longkloof precinct.
The thoughtfully designed Canopy by Hilton Cape Town Longkloof Hotel blends upscale comfort with the charm of the city’s rich cultural tapestry featuring custom art pieces that reflect the neighbourhood’s creative spirit, articulated in a Cape Malay colour palette and inspired by fynbos, the ocean, and nearby Bo-Kaap on different floors.
The precinct’s retail element is situated on the ground level fronting Park Road and extending into Summit Lane, spilling into the square. Each shopfront expresses the identity of its occupant through a mix of timber finishes and different window choices, adding to the charm of the precinct’s distinctive red-brick facades and quirky industrial interiors.
