Living close to work, and lapping up the downtown lifestyle, are among the main reasons why residents set up home in Cape Town’s Central City district.
This emerges from the latest residential survey by the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID). Most respondents – 63% – say proximity to their workplace is the main reason why they like living in the Central City, while 39% like the idea of a downtown lifestyle. Other plus factors are good access to public transport (22%), entertainment options (31%) and the city’s being a ‘prime work location’ (38%). The results of the online residential survey are published in the CCID’s latest State of Cape Town Central City Report 2018 – a year in review.
DOWNTOWN LIVING
Downtown living is a key element of safe, liveable and sustainable cities, confirms CCID chairman Rob Kane. "The Cape Town Central City has developed into a sought-after centre that is vibrant, busy and thriving," he notes. Recently, a study by the Pam Golding Property Group confirmed that demand for sectional title units in apartment complexes in easily accessible locations continues to rise. Chief executive, Dr Andrew Golding, notes that with South Africa's young demographic profile, this trend is not surprising, with homeowners seeking smaller homes in more convenient locations that reduce their daily commute and provide access to a range of facilities such as shopping, coffee shops, restaurants etc.
Of the approximately 6 000 people living in the Cape Town CBD, 43% of residents live in the East City, according to the CCID residential survey. The largest proportion of the 137 respondents – just over 20% – have lived in the city centre for five years or more. Nearly 60% of residents own the properties they live in, while nearly a quarter are tenants living in rental properties. The remaining 15% own their property and rent to tenants. Most downtown residents are employed full time (63%) or are self-employed or freelancers (24%) and live within five kilometres of their workplace.
LIVING CLOSE TO THEIR WORKPLACE
The primary occupations of residents are media, marketing, communications, PR, advertising and publishing; creative industries ranging from the arts, animation and IT to design, film & TV, fashion, entertainment, sports, performing arts and music; computer technology and ICT; and architecture and engineering. Highest on the list of what they like best about the Central City is “proximity to work, restaurants, mountain and other areas” (24.8%). The “vibe/buzz” is cited by 17.9%, followed by “the amenities available” (12%), diversity (10.3%), the city’s being clean and safe (7.7%) and “walkability” (6.8%).
CENTRAL CITY HOMEOWNERS
The SCCR notes that just over a third of Central City homeowners have owned their homes for 11 years or more. During 2018, just under a third of buyers were young adults (18-35), many of whom were likely first-time buyers. The largest age cohort of buyers (42%) were middle-aged (36-49). The median price of an apartment sold in the CCID area in 2018 was R2.1 million, marginally up from R2 million a year earlier. Some 361 units were sold in the CCID footprint last year, with the average size of apartments decreasing from 82 square metres in 2013 to 77.6 square metres in 2018.
GETTING TO WORK
The most popular modes of getting to work or school are driving (41%) and walking (35%). Sixty-nine per cent of respondents eat out weekly, and 82% visit a coffee shop at least once a week. The Company’s Garden is the most popular public space: 85% go there to relax. St Georges Mall (41%) and Greenmarket Square (36%) are the next top favourites. Respondents in the survey say they would like extended shopping hours (59%); movie theatres (45%); public toilets with changing facilities (37%); and “more child-friendly public spaces, such as parks with playgrounds” (24%).
IMPROVING THE CBD LIFESTYLE
Tackling aggressive begging and rising homelessness (29.9%) and improving security (26.5%) are the top suggestions for how the Central City experience could be improved. Other suggestions are addressing “traffic and parking issues” (7.7%); more green spaces and child-friendly activities (4.3%); finding ways “to make the city more affordable/inclusive” (3.4%) and providing ‘more bike lanes’ (3.4%). The most popular retail options among the survey’s respondents are grocery stores (77%); large chain retailers such as Woolworths, Pick n Pay, Truworths and Edgars (70%), takeaway outlets (57%); clothing shops (44%), and small bespoke retailers such as jewellery stores, designer boutiques and art galleries (44%).
Concludes Rob Kane: "The Cape Town CBD continues to offer residents a culture-rich, dynamic environment in which to live and work, with world-class infrastructure and technology, and also a sound return on their investment."
Image by: Herman Strydom