[imagesource: BusinessTech]

The Mother City is getting a new mixed-use development to the tune of R16 billion.

Harbour Arch will include six towers in total upon completion, with the project already reaching its highest point in construction last month.

The 200 000m² area in the Cape Town CBD has been building up and up since construction began in 2020.

It is scheduled to be completed roughly 10 years from now.

It has been described as a “gateway to the Mother City”, per BusinessTech, and is set to boast commercial offices, corporate headquarters, retail spaces, residential spots, as well as a few restaurants, coffee shops, and cocktails bars.

Image: Supplied to Business Insider

It has faced numerous trials and tribulations – delays from the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of structural-engineering problems, as well as “one of the windiest years in Cape Town’s history” – but anyway, the first tower at Harbour Arch is on track for completion in May next year.

That’s according to Dale Blanchard, the director at WBHO, the project’s main contractor. He also mentioned that 65 000 cubic metres of earth and 5 000 cubic metres of rock had to be excavated to make way for the building.

All that has already been replaced with 50 000m² of concrete, 4 500 tons of steel reinforcement, and 13 301 glass panes.

Image: BusinessTech

The first tower finally reached its 23rd-floor last month, which stands 95 meters above ground, after tens of thousands of people spent three-million-man hours in the building process:

Image: BusinessTech

You can see more shots of the construction work so far here.

Business Insider SA has more:

A total of 560 residential apartments, including 82 rental units, 158 studio apartments, 203 one-bedroom apartments, 58 two-bedroom apartments, and 59 three-bedroom apartments, are planned for Harbour Arch Tower 1…

On the eighth floor will be additional retail space that will host restaurants with indoor and outdoor seating.

The basement is more than 1,180 parking bays big and will span across three basements. Its open-air sundeck and swimming pool on the 18th floor will offer 360 mountain and harbour views.

Amdec Group is also involved in this dynamic project.

Apparently, more than 20 000 jobs have been created during the construction phase alone, “with many more employment opportunities – especially in the tourism, hospitality and retail sectors – (available) upon completion”.

That’s according to Amdec Group CEO James Wilson.

Where the development goes from here promises to be interesting.

[sources:businessinsider&businesstech]