GaboroneÔÇÖs new CBD: The dream unfolds

Source : Kutlwano

Author : Thomas Nkhoma

Location : Gaborone

Event : interview

A few years back it was just a small patch of land with no particular landmarks except a thick bush of indigenous trees that made it look like a game reserve in the centre of Gaborone. It was a blank space on the Botswana map hemmed in by the Gaborone/Francistown railway line in the east, Molepolole Road in the south, P G Matante Road in the west and Nyerere Drive in the north. Government purchased the land in the early 1980s and converted it into state land.

That it would one day be a beautiful place,accessible to all, lively, economically viable, a place to visit and to do business in, only existed in the minds of city planners.

The dream

The vision, which was to be actualised over a period of 20 years, entailed turning this 97-hectare site into Gaborone’s new Central Business District (CBD) to complement and extend the existing city centre, otherwise known as Old Mall, in terms of the built and open environment. According to the CBD Master Plan the new CBD is expected to accommodate a mixture of commercial, institutional and recreational uses that function throughout the year and around the clock.

It should promote a balanced city structure, attract a broad cross-section of people and activities within the site and reinforce Gaborone’s role as a significant metropolitan and national capital city. The internal CBD road network should be composed of five road types designed to maximize access into the site and promote interior circulation and access parking.

 It should have streets which interface pedestrian, recreational or open spaces to promote pedestrian safety and comfort and minimize conflict with vehicles. According to the plan, cyclist will also have a share through an integrated bicycle system to link the CBD to the larger citywide system, providing a fast and safe means of cycling to and through the site.

The new CBD is expected to promote the development of hotels, convention and similar visitor facilities to support Botswana’s growing tourism trade and enhance Gaborone’s position as an important capital in southern Africa.

City planners also wanted an area that must meet requirements of large and small investors by providing state of the art infrastructure and technology that are easily accessible by both clients and workers. It should further provide good exposure to potential markets and offer flexible development opportunities in terms of parcel size and potential building types.

The transformation

 Although it has taken a long time to implement the plan, the dream is now beginning to materialise. Implementation was supposed to start with phase one in 1995 to 2003, with the second phase following between 2004 and 2009. The last phase was to be implemented between 2010 and 2015. Partly the delay was attributed to the fact that there were no investors with the capacity to develop the area.

Such angered some Batswana investors who complained that they were being overlooked after they had shown interest to develop the place. However, the place is now a beehive of activity with new buildings mushrooming almost every day. Some have already been completed.

These include the SADC headquarters officially opened in November 2010, Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), Industrial Court and Square Mart shopping centre which are part of seed projects anchoring further development of the district.

The site is also the citadel of justice boasting the magnificent and imposing structure of the High Court and Court of Appeal. Approaching the city centre from the north one’s eye is struck by a twin dome structure with two statues on top symbolising the justice system and makes good sight to the eye.

Supporting the tourism sector is the three Dikgosi monument which between the DPP and Industrial Court on the side and the High Court and Court of Appeal on the southern side. Its location, whether by design or coincidence, is symbolic of the link between the traditional justice system of the kgotla and the modern system of the Dutch Roman law.

Other structures nearing completion and expected to give Gaborone a major facelift include Exponential Office Towers by a group of citizen investors, the P400 million and 18-storey I-Towers which will house retail, restaurant and office space as well as Masa Centre which houses a four-star 153-room hotel, five-cinema basement, 23 shops and restaurant. Masa Centre was constructed at the tune of P240 million.

Also occupying an area of 11 180 square metres is Prime Plaza building and Universal Plaza building which will accommodate shops and offices with basement and ground floor parking. ENDS

Teaser:

A few years back it was just a small patch of land with no particular landmarks except a thick bush of indigenous trees that made it look like a game reserve in the centre of Gaborone. It was a blank space on the Botswana map hemmed in by the Gaborone/Francistown railway line in the east, Molepolole Road in the south, P G Matante Road in the west and Nyerere Drive in the north...