Upper Long Street in the Cape Town CBD has been defined of late by its late-night energy and mix of bars, nightclubs and independent retailers. Now, business owners and property investors are seeking to restore its allure as an investable urban node without losing its cultural panache.
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A renewed sense of confidence is taking hold in Upper Long Street as coordinated public and private sector investment begins to reshape one of Cape Town’s most iconic urban precincts.
This is the view of Joy Millar, Benzing Properties asset manager and board member of the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID), who says improvements in safety, cleanliness, public spaces and property management are laying foundations for further investment, helping to reposition upper Long Street as a vibrant mixed-use destination.
“Upper Long Street has always had strong fundamentals – a central location, rich heritage architecture, excellent connectivity and a distinct identity that can’t be replicated elsewhere in Cape Town. What we’re seeing now is a demand for new businesses, hospitality offerings and residential development, signalling growing confidence that the area can realise its full potential,” says Millar, who is among a group of landlords actively investing in the precinct.
Renewed confidence, collaboration
Artistic render of ELEVENONB, the R650-million residential development near Long St.
This momentum is being driven by collaboration between the City of Cape Town, the CCID, property owners, businesses and community organisations. Together they are investing in the public realm through enhanced security, improved urban management, place making, lighting upgrades, building maintenance and the activation of previously underutilised spaces.
Developers, too, are signalling renewed confidence in the area.
Two years ago, Blok – an urban precinct property developer – moved into the area, securing its first CBD location in Vredenburg Lane (just off Long Street). The subsequent development, TENONV, has delivered 152 apartments on the edge of the Company’s Garden. Residents have just started moving in. Blok has followed this up with another residential development in the precinct, namely the R650-million residential development ELEVENONB, the company’s biggest and boldest development to date. Construction begins soon, and the ambitious development is set to contribute quality retail venues which will be of great benefit to the day and night-time economies of the area.
“The West City chose us as much as we chose it,” says Jacques van Embden, Blok founder and CEO. “Beyond the numbers that are needed to make a development viable, what draws us to a neighbourhood is the quality that already exists there. This isn’t an area that needs to be invented, it already has 35 restaurants, 47 shops, good public transport, a world class park, schools, gorgeous laneways and many cultural institutions. It scores well against every dimension of what makes a thriving urban neighbourhood. It just needs more people living in it.”
He says that the addition of residential density is widely seen as a catalyst for change. More permanent residents translate into increased footfall, stronger demand for daytime retail and improved passive surveillance, all of which contribute to a stronger sense of safety and stability.
For investors, safety remains one of the most important indicators of a precinct’s long-term prospects. In Long Street, investment in urban management and public safety sees the CCID playing a central role in creating a secure and welcoming environment for residents, businesses and visitors.
Community is key
Hey, Stranger! Coffee situated at 172 Long Street.
Tasso Evangelinos, CEO of the CCID, says the organisation deploys hundreds of Public Safety Officers across the CBD – including Long Street – working in partnership with the City of Cape Town and SAPS to address opportunistic crime and support the ongoing revitalisation of the area.
“We recognise that different kinds of support are needed at differing times of the day and areas of the city. Our safety officers are deployed 24/7 and at nighttime the number of PSOs may increase in different nodes, to have an increased security presence in these areas,” he says.
Community forums such as the Long Street Association (LSA), which was initially established in 2015, are also playing a role to renew confidence in Long Street. Its aim is for businesses, property owners and partners to focus on safety, cleanliness, communication, street improvements. “Our progress is grounded in collaboration. Property owners, the City and local businesses are aligned around a shared vision to strengthen the precinct and create a better experience for everyone who lives, works and visits here,” says Romano Simpson, the chair of the LSA and owner of the Long Street Boutique Hotel.
On the ground, a new generation of independent businesses is reshaping the street’s character. Among them are husband and wife duo Thomas and Natalia, of Hey, Stranger! Coffee Collective, who chose upper Long as the home for their café.
“We were drawn to the street’s character,” says Natalia. “The foot traffic creates a strong sense of community and a character that’s distinctly Cape Town. We’re proud to strive to make our café a safe, welcoming and professional place that supports local economic development and allows locals and visitors to connect and experience the vibrancy of the area.”
Millar believes the future is bright for Long Street, saying its distinctive character sets it apart from other Cape Town neighbourhoods and it continues to attract people to the city centre.
“As the sun rises on a new era of Long Street whether you’re heading home after a night out, arriving for an early meeting or grabbing a coffee at the end of your urban run, Long Street will welcome you, proudly,” Millar concludes.
