Is this South Africa’s biggest success story?
The Waterfront Story is the inside story of the development of Cape Town’s Waterfront — with many stories never told before. It is largely ‘good news’ stories but without any sugar coating. This is a book for Capetonians who love their city and its history. It’s for visitors who want to know more and want a keepsake with stunning photography. It’s for property professionals who want to discover the V&A’s success factors.
The online version of the eBook costs R169. The print version costs R369 online (buy here) or R440 at selected Exclusive Books. If you buy the eBook, you get a R169 discount on the print version when you buy it online (so it only costs R200). You can look at the book before you buy it or, if you are overseas and delivery costs are prohibitive, you can still read the book. You can see many sample pages below.
The history of Cape Town harbour
The two photographs on the left are from 1898. The photo on the right is 1936. In 38 years, wood and sail made way for larger steel, burning fossil fuels. The book shows how the city was cut off from the sea, and how the V&A re-established that connection.
The inside story
The book was David Jack’s idea (V&A’s first CEO). His contributions were invaluable. Current CEO David Green and his team, as well as tenants and consultants, provided up-to-date insight.
Living at the Waterfront
Buy or rent in a neighbourhood renowned for its safety and cleanliness. Shopping and dining on your doorstep. It’s a unique Waterfront neighbourhood.
Conservation
Conservation — in it’s broadest sense — is at the heart of everything the V&A does. Adapative re-use of the historic built heritage, the views and vistas, and the character of its working harbour. It’s all about sustainability.
Sustainability
The V&A is the ‘greenest’ property of the African continent. From award-winning buildings to its own black-water treatment plant (to avoid polluting the ocean), water desalination plant (above) and recycling depot (to minimise transport of waste), the V&A plans to be carbon neutral by 2035.
Was it all plain sailing?
Not at all. The original owner was an evolving parastatal and introduced cadre deployment. New, foreign owners were at odds with each other. Did Kerzner sell a One&Only penthouse for R100 million? No, it was R119 million.
An unbeatable CBD experience
It’s home to corporate financial powerhouses — Nedbank, Allan Gray, PWC, Deloittes and EY. Award-winning, sustainable office buildings and an environment that can’t be beaten.
Shopping at its best
Where else can you park right at the front door of a Woolworths or PicknPay? With over 450 retail outlets right there! And… it’s cleaner and safer than anywhere else in South Africa.
A rich but not always glorious history
There’s the human Treadmill, used to break the spirit of inmates — which epitomizes man’s inhumanity to man — at the Old Breakwater Jail! Today that’s UCT’S Graduate School of Business.
The anatomy of a successful project
How did the Waterfront’s successful projects come about? How does a good idea become a successful idea? You will find the answers in The Waterfront Story.
And along the way
The Waterfront became the most valuable property in South Africa — twice! It was sold in 2006 for R7 billion and in 2011 for R9.7 billion. It is owned by 1,6 million South Africans through the PIC.
It’s much more than just a book
The book is full of QR codes which link to online reports, publications, lessons learnt, planning documents and even the original agreement between the Municipality and the V&A Waterfront.
Who is the book for?
It is foremost a book for Capetonians. If you’re a property or tourism professional anywhere in the world, it is essential reading. It is the perfect corporate or personal gift for clients and visitors.
