Limuru to get new mini-city

Limuru in Kiambu County is set to welcome a mini-city that will see investors embark on developing Tilisi into a world-class residential and commercial community.

Tilisi, a portmanteau from Tigoni, Limuru and Sigona, is a development that was conceptualised over two years ago.

The new project, set to run into billions of shillings when completed, was launched by Kiambu Deputy Governor Gerald Githiinji last week.

“With 70 per cent of the population in Kenya expected to be living in urban areas by 2050, Tilisi is targeting that population even as we plan our project in line with Vision 2030,” said the chairman, Dr Steve Mainda.

“This development will be the exception in the entire East and Central Africa region. Occupying 400 acres, it will also be one of the continent’s best planned projects when completed and will compete with the best on pricing,” he said.

Developed by a conglomerate of developers among them Chigwell Holdings, Greenspan Investment Limited and Solitaire Developments Limited, Tilisi will see the construction of educational institutions, residential blocks, playgrounds, a police post, business blocks and a medical centre. The estate is planned to take advantage of the busy Nairobi-Nakuru highway, with two by-passes joining the highway a few kilometres away.

“Our first innovation at Tilisi was in mobilising and succeeding in bringing together so many experts in our real estate industry with the shared vision of launching a Kenyan mega-project,” said Ranee Nanji, co-CEO of Tilisi Development Limited.

“With our master-plan now complete in every detail, and construction of the infrastructure set to begin before the end of this year, we are creating a future oasis,” she said.

“As the county government, we are happy when such a development chose Kiambu to invest in. The development touches on the five pillars of the Kiambu government which are; education, health, urban planning, security and lastly, job and wealth creation,” said Githinji, who was representing Governor William Kabogo. 

“While taking the load off Nairobi, such a mega-project also solves the problem of uncontrolled sub-division of land and change of user,” he said.

 Cost

While cagey on the amount that the mega project will cost, Nanji explained that the master-plan, if fully implemented with no alteration, will cost billions.

“We cannot put a final figure on what the project will cost because it is very open for other developers to jump in, to provide different aspects of Tilisi,” she said. “This will run into billions (of shillings) and possibly, a trillion when it is completed.”

Co-CEO Kavit Shah explained that more developers are opting for multi-use developments and their popularity is due to the need for developers to pool resources.

“Land prices in Nairobi are high. The trend with most developments right now is to move out of the city where land is relatively less expensive and there is space ,” he said.

“A development of this size is a capital intensive undertaking that requires dedicated funding from start to completion. The infrastructure we are putting in place will attract investors to partner with us and experience growth opportunities at Tilisi.”

Some of the developers behind Tilisi have been involved in projects like Delta Towers, West End Towers, Warwick Centre, Capital Centre, Solitaire and Phenom.