For generations of Capetonians, Golden Acre has been more than just a shopping centre, it has been a landmark, a meeting point, and one of the busiest gateways into the city centre, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Now the historic complex is preparing for its biggest transformation in decades.
Golden Acre’s new owners have unveiled plans to reposition the 24-storey property into a large mixed-use precinct that combines residential living, hospitality, retail, co-working spaces and improved public areas in the heart of the Cape Town CBD.
The redevelopment is designed around a simple idea: create a city destination that works not only for shoppers, but also for people who live, work, travel through and visit the CBD every day.
The project forms part of a broader revitalisation strategy aimed at turning Golden Acre into what developers describe as an 18-hour precinct, a place that remains active long after traditional office hours.
‘This next phase is about reimagining an iconic Cape Town landmark for a new generation, ensuring it remains relevant, accessible and responsive to the changing needs of the city for decades to come,’ says Lesego Majatladi, Director of Gracht Asset Managers, the property firm driving the redevelopment project.
At ground level, the retail mix is being redesigned to focus more heavily on everyday convenience. The vision includes groceries, food outlets, health and wellness stores, personal care, banking services, technology retailers and commuter-focused essentials, alongside selected destination-style offerings.
Perhaps the biggest shift is happening above the shopping centre itself.
Through a partnership with Neighbourgood, underused office space is being converted into a large residential development known as The Acre by Neighbourgood.
The project will create 302 long-term apartments and 115 short-term units across a 27-floor, 23,000m² development.
Short-stay apartments will cater for visitors staying from a single night up to three months, while long-term residents will be able to sign traditional annual leases.
The first 100 units are expected to be ready for occupation from October.
The apartments will include studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units, with rental prices expected to start from R10,500 per month, depending on size.
Residents will have access to:
- Wi-Fi
- Co-working spaces
- A clubhouse with restaurant and bar
- A coffee shop
- Gym facilities
- Outdoor exercise areas
- Communal laundry and storage facilities
The model reflects a growing trend toward blended living, where home, work and social spaces are integrated into a single urban environment.
Developers say the redevelopment is not only about the building itself, but also about improving how people move through the city centre.
Planned upgrades include better lighting, enhanced security systems, refreshed public spaces, clearer pedestrian routes and stronger links to public transport.
Connections to Cape Town Station, the bus terminal, the minibus taxi interchange and MyCiTi services are expected to be improved as part of the broader precinct upgrade.
‘Golden Acre can only thrive within a context that works. We are investing and working with the City so that its immediate environment thrives,’ says Majatladi.
The redevelopment comes at a time when many city centres around the world are rethinking the role of office buildings and retail malls.
By converting office space into housing and adding co-working facilities, Golden Acre is following a growing international trend aimed at bringing more permanent residents back into central business districts.
For Cape Town, that could mean a CBD that feels less like a place people commute into during the day and more like a neighbourhood that remains active into the evening.
Construction and tenant integration will continue throughout the year, with developers focusing on completing the residential component and introducing new retail brands ahead of the precinct’s larger unveiling.
When finished, Golden Acre aims to be more than a shopping destination, it wants to become a future-ready urban hub that reflects how Cape Town is changing: connected, practical, people-focused and designed around modern city life.
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Picture:Ash Muller / LinkedIn
