Five-star Hilton in Kenya part of Africa’s tallest building project set to open in 2020

A five star Hilton in Nairobi is part of Africa’s tallest building project The Pinnacle set for completion by 2020. At 300 metres it will overtake Johannesburg’s 223m Carlton Centre, offering luxury apartments, commercial office space and shops. Marketing began this month.

Sean Osterloh

2018-01-11 07:48:04

Marketing has begun for homes and offices inside The Pinnacle, set to become Africa’s tallest building once complete in 2020.

The twin towered skyscraper is being built in the capital city’s vibrant financial hub of Upper Hill, only 16km from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, this landmark, luxury mixed-use development will include its own helipad, residential apartments alongside a Five Star Hilton Hotel at a cost of $200m (20billion Kenyan Shillings).

Kunaal Samani is MD of Pam Golding Properties in Kenya, appointed to market the residential apartments where the foundation stone was laid by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta marking the official construction in May 2017 : “This project is arousing a great deal of interest in the marketplace.

“Backed by the Dubai-based project developers, White Lotus Group and Hass Petroleum of Nairobi, Kenya, the new luxury, development includes two glass-facade towers – one comprising 70 storeys with 20 floors commercial (11 offices and nine retail) and the balance consisting of 209 opulent residential apartments, and the other tower the 45-storey, 255-room Hilton Hotel with conference facilities, luxury spa, gym and open-air infinity pool.”

The Pinnacle will include offices, a shopping mall and basement parking, as well as a viewing deck with views to Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. Other features are four high-speed passenger lifts dedicated for residents – travelling at six metres per second, a back-up water supply served by borehole and water storage tanks, back-up generators and built-in internet infrastructure, satellite TV and air conditioning.

Hitlon signed a management agreement with Jabavu Village Ltd more than a year ago and joins 50 Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties trading or under development in 17 countries across Africa.

“In recent years Upper Hill has grown to become a hub for international businesses and organisations, with a number of embassies and organisations setting up their regional offices in the district, including Cisco Systems, World Bank and the IMF,” said Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president, development, EMEA, Hilton Worldwide. “The striking new-build property will pierce the skyline of Upper Hill and will be well placed to meet this growing demand in one of Nairobi’s most exciting and colourful areas.”

Ambitious infrastructural projects in the city and its outskirts are helping fuel construction in the Kenyan capital. Six months ago, President Kenyatta launched a $3.2 billion rail line—the country’s largest infrastructure project since independence—connecting Nairobi to the port city of Mombasa. Kenya is also investing in air transport, opening a new $93 million terminal at its international airport to accommodate the surge in passengers. Upgraded roads and new superhighways are also fuelling property values.

The largest of the two towers will be 70 floors and the new 45-storey Hilton, the only one of its kind in Kenya and the 50th on the continent. It will also have a five-star restaurant on the 42nd floor, the largest banqueting and conference facilities in Nairobi, a luxury spa and gym, and an open-air infinity pool as part of the two-tower development.

Samani told CNBC Africa this week: “The residential units comprise one, two and three bedroom apartments and three bedroom penthouses, ranging in size from 64 to 294 square metres. While the prices of the residential units are still to be confirmed by the developer, we have been given the exclusive mandate to sell 150 residential units.

“The Pinnacle is attracting a great deal of interest from investors. Currently, even prior to the official launch, we already have serious buyers who intend acquiring more than one apartment in order to both live and let within the building.”

The disruption following the elections is not affecting investor confidence, according to Samani: “Most of our buyers are eagerly waiting for us to officially commence sales as they have realised this is more than a worthwhile property investment – it is an opportunity to be a part of history.

“The Pinnacle’s single and family apartments are designed not just for the global business traveller or local executive, but also for the discerning Nairobi resident looking for a home that is a cut above the rest, with an exclusive blend of luxurious lifestyle and world-class services.

“We anticipate many of apartments will be purchased by investors, the majority being cash buyers, drawn by the close proximity of The Pinnacle to various embassies and high commissions such as the British High Commission and most major bank headquarters. Upper Hill is the ‘Canary Wharf’ of Nairobi, home to numerous international corporates and organisations.

“The residential units are ideally suited to high-end buyers seeking luxurious accommodation in a central location, while foreign buyers, whom we anticipate will mostly emanate from East African countries, will want to invest in this iconic development that will be known throughout Africa.

“We also believe we will be able to lease out the units to the burgeoning middle class and high-end business hub base who are already expressing high interest in this unique property, which is expected to be completed in the second half of 2021.”