Work to begin on Sh5.2bn Nairobi condominium tower

A two-acre plot of land at the intersection of Bishop’s Road and 4th Ngong Avenue in Nairobi’s Upper Hill district is about to be transformed into a 44-floor condo tower termed 88 Nairobi Condominium, the first of its kind in Kenya. 

Its developer, Czech-based Kenyan billionaire Jonathan Jackson, has finally received City Hall’s clearance for the Sh5.2 billion tower, after a lengthy delay that had stalled the project. 

Chinese builder, ZJCC Engineering and Construction Company was expected to launch works in April 2018, but this did not happen as the development was yet to be cleared.

The matter became even more complicated in June last year when Governor Mike Sonko disbanded the committee tasked with authorising projects.

This saw 88 Nairobi Condo and other key projects such as the proposed Mi Vida Homes at Garden City Mall grinding to a halt.

In a recent public notice, Nairobi County Lands and Urban Planning Executive Charles Kerich said his team had scheduled weekly meetings on Wednesdays to expedite review and approval of low-risk development applications.

“It has been a challenging time for construction companies meeting the Nairobi County Government’s technical planning committee to seek approvals for multibillion-shilling projects,” Mr Jackson said.

When completed in 36 months, 88 Nairobi Condominium will inject into the city some 12,000sq feet of rental space and an additional 16,000sq feet of gardens space.

The development will feature a branded restaurant, a convenience store, 435-car parking space, heated swimming pool, smart-house technology, among other amenities.

Buyers will reportedly spend between Sh11.5 million and Sh35 million to acquire one-bedroom and two-bedroom units respectively.

A one-bedroom unit will be leased at Sh480,000 a month, according to media reports.

Mr Jackson, the founder of Lordship Africa, had earlier said 88 Nairobi Condominium is targeting CEOs, business people and professionals in the legal, medical and financial sectors.

“Kenya is becoming the hub of investment in the sub-Saharan Africa. Lordship Africa is responding to this trend and the resultant demand for quality residential units,” he said.

A condominium is one of a cluster of houses where the homeowners possess their individual unit space, and all the residences share ownership of common use areas such as halls, elevators, roof, stairs, etc.

Such developments are popular in parts of the United States and Europe, especially in places with high property values such as vacation hotspots and fast growing urban settings.

Join 15,000+ pros getting our weekly digest of news and insights.