The Cape Town Station 2010 upgrade, currently being carried out at an estimated cost of R418m, has entered the final phase of construction. The project, most of which will be completed before the 2010 FIFA World Cup, is part of a longer-term revitalisation plan, with Phase Two of the redevelopment scheduled to begin after the event. The extensive remodelling, which began in September 2008, includes substantial upgrades to the existing 1960s building, which had become seriously degraded and functionally inefficient; the relocation of the long-distance bus facility; and significant improvements to the formal and informal trading spaces.
While the station will remain “a flagship transport node”, there will also be a focus on creating “an exciting retail experience” through the conversion of the formal and informal trading areas into a premier retail space in the CBD, according to Lindelo Matya, regional manager of Intersite Property Management Services, which is undertaking the station revitalisation programme on behalf of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA).
The aim is to transform these areas, which have until now attracted only passing trade, into a shopping destination for commuters and other members of the public, he said.
For the purposes of planning and design during the 2010 upgrade, Intersite divided the station into five precincts. These are the Station Square, the City Concourse, Old Marine Drive, Strand Street and the Station Deck, some of which will cater for different types of retail and trading.
The Station Square, the main access route from the CBD to the City Concourse and train platforms, will be an open, operational space kept clear to ensure a good commuter flow, especially during peak hours and the 2010 World Cup events, and for safety and security reasons. The area will be landscaped, with some trees from the former garden areas being retained or relocated.
The square will serve as a public space where people can meet friends and family, or enjoy meal, and it is envisaged that it could also be used for events and promotions during low-peak rail operational hours.
In the City Concourse, the largest concourse in the station, provision will be made for nine trading “pods” of about four to five square metres each, and also a banking hall. Opportunities for commerce will be restricted to kiosks selling essential items, leaving the space largely unobstructed to allow the free flow of foot traffic, and to improve surveillance and safety.
A food court, with a wide offering of restaurants and takeaway outlets, will also be built in the City Concourse. This will be accessible from various points in the station, including the long-distance bus terminal.
Old Marine Drive, situated close to Oswald Pirow (one of the main roads on the Foreshore), will be the long-distance travel precinct. This will be upgraded to accommodate more buses as well as metered taxis, and to improve passenger facilities. This precinct will also serve as a link to the city’s new Integrated Rapid Transit (IRT) system from Hertzog Boulevard and Adderley Street, says Matya.
Work on Old Marine Drive will include the construction of new offices and ticket-selling points for long-distance bus operators, as well as reception areas and waiting lounges for their passengers. New pavements and curb lines will be provided, and roads resurfaced. There will also be new waiting areas for metered taxis, two drop-and-go areas for long-distance travel services, cycle routes and parking areas. A pedestrian walkway will link all the different means of transport to create a vibrant transport hub.
Once the current phase of construction is completed, take-away food stores and a restaurant will form part of the tenant mix in the surrounding shops that will serve those using this precinct.
The refurbishment of the Strand Street precinct has included the construction of several retail spaces. These shops, which face onto Strand Street, will accommodate a diverse range of products and services, such as fashion, accessories, lifestyle products, and tenants such as restaurants, fast food outlets, and tourist-focused businesses. Some shops are already occupied, with tenants including cell phone companies and an optometrist, and the remaining stores are nearly completed.
An important change will be the opening onto Strand Street of the Railway Police facility, built in 2005, which is currently accessible only from Platform 1, inside the station. This will create a presence and increase the visibility of the SAPS within the precinct, and enable members of the public to access the services of the police.
Facilities for operational functions, such as train cleaning and access control, have also been provided inside the station on Platform 1.
On the Station Deck, where the public parking areas and taxi ranks are situated, a “world-class traders’ market” will be established, giving informal traders who have been operating within the station precinct an opportunity to upgrade. Matya believes the new market, to which all informal traders will be moved, will become an incubator for small and micro enterprises, enabling them to flourish and grow.
Provision is currently being made for about 320 formal trading sites, ranging in size from 4,8sqm to 14,6sqm; and ablution, market management, and solid waste recycling facilities will also be provided.
The traders will be chosen by means of a vetting and qualification process to be carried out in conjunction with the Department of Home Affairs, to ensure that trading will take place under safe and acceptable conditions, and to prevent certain types of goods from being over-traded.
Intersite has taken a firm stand to ensure that no illegal activities will be allowed at the new market, including gambling, selling counterfeit goods or trading with a legal or valid work permit. “We want to empower traders to grow their businesses and plan to do so by formalising the market,” said Matya.
“This will be achieved by signing longer-term leases with the traders, upgrading their trading units and managing the product mix more strictly.”
