Kilimani’s Galana Plaza

By JAMES WANZALA

NAIROBI, KENYA: Areas previously designated, as residential zones are now mixed-user districts, spotting stylish office parks, modern shopping malls and arcades — all amidst high-rise residential buildings.

Leafy suburbs, as they are commonly called, continue to be the choice office space locations for Kenya’s blue chip companies and multi-national corporations.

Kilimani, Westlands, Karen and Upper Hill areas are, however, lead the pack as the preferred office locations mainly because of their accessibility, availability of parking space, and modern office space, including high quality finishing.

It is projected that three-quarters of all the 1.7 million square feet of commercial space being delivered every year in Nairobi is in Kilimani and Karen.

This figure is based on the number of construction projects approved, as well as the proposed completion dates.

Nairobi’s office space market moved from a position of oversupply to one of stability over the 12 months to February, according to the Africa Report 2013 by Knight Frank. Demand has been upped by large corporations setting up offices in the city, which is restating its position as the regional commercial hub of sub-Saharan Africa.

The country is also positioning itself for a potential resource boom after the discovery of oil deposits in Turkana County.

One among such office developments is Galana Plaza, which is being developed by Gold Rock Development Ltd and will be centrally located within the emerging commercial zones of Kilimani, Ngong Road, Argwings Kodhek and close to Yaya Centre in Nairobi.

The developers say it will be a modern office complex providing high standard office space. Construction started in June 2012 and is expected to be complete in April this year.

The road expansion and modernisation project in progress in Kilimani will ensure efficient traffic flow and easy access to Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) as well as Upper Hill and Westlands.

Galana Plaza will consist of nine twin tower office floors, providing about 128,000 square feet with a minimum lettable area of 1,600 square feet.

It will be managed by Lloyd Masika. According to Timothy Mutisya, Lloyd Masika’s Director of Commercials, rent for ground floor Sh120 per square foot per month for restaurants and banking halls plus a Sh25 service charge.

PRICES

First floor offices will go for Sh100 per square foot per month for shops and showrooms. Service charge will be Sh25 per square foot.

Upper floors will charge Sh80 per square foot per month and a Sh25 service charge per square foot per month.

Office areas will be linked by centralised cores (areas for lifts on the ground floor), each with lifts, kitchenettes and ample WCs. Generous floor heights allow for suspended ceilings, facilitating the installation of air conditioning, if required.

Galana Plaza will have a parking space that can accommodate over 200 vehicles on basement, ground floor and the first floor. The building will be surrounded by additional open car parking space interspersed with trees and pleasant landscaping.

There will be a bank and a restaurant on the ground floor, while the first floor will have shops and/or showrooms.

There will be open plan offices on upper floors designed to offer flexibility for sub-division with minimum lettable area 1,600 square feet.

Porcelain floor tiles in common areas and washrooms will also be part of the structure. The office complex will have 24-hour security with computerised access control and CCTV surveillance.

There will also be a perimeter fence of eight strands on wall-top and compound lighting to enhance security.

The complex will in addition have fibre optic ICT link, fire alarm and detection system, water reservoirs, full-time power back-up generator and an automatic fire sprinkler fighting system.

Galana Plaza is also targeting Small and Medium Size Enterprises with space requirement of above 1,500 square feet.