Somerset West CBD rejuvenation sets the scene at Village Collective

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23-10-2023
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Cape Town Etc
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The Village Collective, located in the centre of Somerset West, is a vibrant new shopping and lifestyle district that enhances already existing, underutilised infrastructure while capturing all the charm of the old town.

With the Central Improvement District (CID), property developer Dewvest and the Rola Group as founding members, the area springs from Somerset West’s hidden gem, the Village Garden, to the Caledon, Drama Street and Main Road precincts, with positive spin-offs in store for the whole of Somerset West. 

There has been a significant push in recent years to revitalise abandoned and underutilised CBDs all over the world. 

‘Since as far back as 2017, Somerset West’s old town has been earmarked as a potential growth area and, as a result, much has been done to upgrade properties and create a cleaner, safer environment,’ explains Bertus De Waal, managing director of Dewvest.

The goal is to revitalise and transform the heart of Somerset West into a vibrant community where people want to live, work, visit and shop.

Some of the most notable developments include the revamp of the Forum building and 42 New Road, which attracted sought-after tenants, such as Bootlegger Coffee Company, William’s Bike Shop, Wild Eatery, Holy Dough, Poke Co, Sushi Box, Tyson Properties and artist Jimmy Law. An exciting new wine emporium, WYN, will open soon.

These successes have come about through a massive communal effort involving the City of Cape Town, Somerset West City Improvement District (SWCID), the local community, property developers and local business, which has seen upgrades and new developments within the Village Collective precinct like The Avenues, Lion’s Square, Trading Post and various Nadmic buildings.  

‘Within the next few months, upgrades to Fountain Square will be completed, which has already seen new eateries open their doors to the public in recent months. The plan is to beautify and reposition the Twin Oaks Centre and Tower buildings as an integrated shopping precinct with a collection of speciality shops, eateries, galleries, offices, and co-working spaces,’ says De Waal.

The Smokey Brisket opens its doors in November at the Fountain Square. 

The upgrade and revamp of Alexandra Place to offer 26 apartments is complete. Locals and visitors can look forward to a boutique retail premises opening soon.

It will feature an interior design firm called The Mood Collectives, a bike shop called TREK, and an authentic German bakery called Bäckerei.

To complete the scene, there will also be a deli, coffee shop, restaurant, flower shop, women’s beauty salon, and other exciting retail options. 

‘Further residential densification, a fresh new shopping and lifestyle offering, events and improved security will attract more local shoppers and visitors, increase property values, uplift the area and ultimately have a positive spin-off for the greater Somerset West and its communities,’ added Councillor Norman McFarlane.

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The Village Collective is working with Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold, previous CEO of Cape Town Tourism and resident of Somerset West, on a marketing programme and campaign for the Village Collective.

This, together with beautification initiatives by the Somerset West City Revival Project, will see people return to the historic heart of Somerset West to enjoy the new offerings.

At its heart, the Village Collective is a community effort and will only succeed with the support of everyone who loves Somerset West.

The collective has already received a generous donation of 30 trees that will be planted in the Main Road area in conjunction with the municipality.