Scramble for Nairobi's skyline

For over 40 years, the iconic Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) was synonymous with Nairobi. Standing at 105 metres, KICC ruled the capital’s skyline until Times Tower took over.

However, KICC and Times Tower are set to face stiff competition from new commercial buildings coming up in the city. In Upper Hill, UAP Tower is nearing completion. The 33-storey building being developed by UAP Properties Limited will be 163 metres tall.

On completion, UAP Tower will be a Grade A office development with very high quality and durable granite finishes, generous parking (over 800 parking spaces) and fire and safety provisions (fire detection and alarm warning systems). It will also have a fireman’s lift, sprinkler system, jockey pump, water storage tanks, fire hydrant with  hose reel provision and a building management system (BMS).

Green-building features incorporated in the design of the building include natural ventilation, lighting control with motion and occupancy sensors and use of LED and energy-saving fittings to achieve low consumption of energy in public area.

The development comes on the back of high demand for Grade A offices by multinationals in Nairobi, which is becoming a regional business hub.

According to Dominic Kiarie, group managing director of UAP, property development has been one of the key segments of the UAP Group's operations.

“Our current portfolio is valued at over Sh15.4 billion as per the last valuation undertaken in 2014. This covers Union House, Equity Centre, Telkom Plaza and UAP Tower in Nairobi; UAP Insurance House, Nakawa House and Nakawa Business Park in Kampala; UAP Apartments and Equatorial Tower in Juba, South Sudan and a mixed prime property in Kigali, Rwanda,” he said.

“We are currently in the final phase of completion of the UAP Tower in Upper Hill, which on completion will stand at 5,700 feet above sea level with 33 stories and a total of 350,000 square feet of office space available to let,” he said, adding that the project will be completed early next year.

UAP Tower will compete for Nairobi’s skyline with the 33-floor Times Tower (140 metres), which was completed in 2000; Teleposta Towers (120 metres) completed in 2000; KICC (105 metres, 28 floors) completed in 1974; NSSF Building (103 metres, 28 floors) finished in1990; and Kenya Commercial Bank Plaza (100 metres, 24 floors) finished 2013.

The scramble for Nairobi’s skyline is not over, however. The National Environment Management Authority (Nema) last year received a proposal from a firm planning to put up a twin-tower commercial building in Nairobi.

Nema said in a Kenya gazette notice in October last year that it had received a proposal from Jabavu Village Ltd to build a 45-story building. The building will be constructed on a 2.5-acre plot at the junction of Upper Hill Road and Haile Selassie Avenue.

There are also other proposed projects, some of which will be as high as 270 metres with 70 floors. Currently, Britam Towers (193 metres and 31 floors) is under construction. Hazina Trade Centre (180 metres) will have 40 floors. It is currently under construction.