Namibia: commercial real estate boom

The countrywide boom in the real estate sector is now visible in Namibia, especially in Windhoek, which soon will be getting a largest commercial property development, the 54,000 sq m Mall of Namibia - The Grove.

South African property investment and development company Atterbury will develop Namibia’s largest single commercial property development, the Mall of Namibia - The Grove in Windhoek, with Demashuwa Properties and Safland Property Group.
Atterbury Property Developments MD James Ehlers says: “The three-levels of appealing shopping, restaurants and entertainment at The Grove will open in September 2014, launching Namibia’s dominant retail mall.”

The R1.3 billion Mall of Namibia - The Grove is at the heart of the Hilltop mixed-use estate in Windhoek’s fastest growing node, Klein Kuppe. This mixed-use estate will include a hotel, offices, apartments, medical centre and health and fitness centre. Already Mall of Namibia - The Grove’s neighbours include Food Lover’s Market and Metro, creating an exciting retail precinct in Namibia’s capital city, with superb access for local residents, visitors and tourists alike.

Mall of Namibia - The Grove has already secured Game, Shoprite, Woolworths, Edgars and Spar stores as anchor tenants.

“The development has been greeted with enthusiastic retailer interest for its 126 stores with most South African national retailers already represented in Namibia lining up to trade at Mall of Namibia - The Grove. Several retail brands have also chosen to make their Namibian debut at the Mall” says Cobus van Heerden, Retail Director at Atterbury Property Developments. “There is also keen interest from local Namibian retailers.”

Entertainment and restaurants are also key ingredients in Mall of Namibia - The Grove. It will include Namibia’s most cutting-edge cinema experience as well as a great variety of contemporary restaurants offering open-air dining under the African Sky, with spectacular views of Windhoek.

Other tenants already signed include Truworths, Dis-Chem, Jet, Tekkie Town, Pep, Ackermans, Jay Jay's, Legit, Sportsmans Warehouse, Rhapsody's, Vida E, Clicks, Spar, Cappuccino’s and Wimpy.

Van Heerden says: “Besides being a valuable retail asset for Namibia and a major tourist attraction, The Grove will boost the local economy with valuable employment generation.”

During its construction, Mall of Namibia - The Grove will create direct employment opportunities for 700 people. Once open, retailers and centre operations will create between 1,200 and 1,500 permanent employment opportunities.

The superlative design of this world-class mall is a product of collaboration between South African Boogertman Architects and Namibian Howard and Chamberlain.

Providing an excellent retail experience in an uplifting environment, Mall of Namibia - The Grove is designed to be accessible, whether shoppers visit the mall by car, foot or public transport and even for tourists visiting Namibia by aeroplane. It provides ample, secure parking on all three retail levels. The Grove is easy to reach from almost every suburb in Windhoek and enjoys simple access to two international airports.