eBusiness Weekly
Business Writer
The introduction of penthouses by WestProp Holdings Limited is changing the property landscape in Harare that for years had a limited stock of luxury dwellings.
The existing penthouses are in the avenues area along Tongogara Avenue. However, WestProp is spreading the properties at all its development sites, giving customers a choice of location and an option to assist in the design of customers’ tastes.
Tastes and preferences for the city’s middle- and high-income earners are changing fast following world trends and WestProp, one of the largest property firms in Zimbabwe is moving with the times and rising to match this challenge.
Last year WestProp CEO Ken Sharpe announced the game changing development amid a lot of excitement from a market that has long been deprived of such luxuries and exclusivity associated with penthouses.
The first penthouses are under construction at Millennium Heights on Block 4 popularly, known as the ED Block that is under construction with the next set of penthouses set for Block 5 to Block 8.
The next exciting development to comprise of penthouses will be The Hills Golf Lifestyle Estate and the emerging opulent Pomona City Estate Phase 3 & 4 — a unique city within a city concept. There is massive development of modern homes at WestProp’s Pomona City Estate and this is where major construction works are currently taking place in Harare.
A good number of Zimbabweans were opting to invest in penthouses in South Africa, Dubai and parts of Asia and Europe, but with the availability of the premium housing units — the trend is set to change with more Zimbabweans buying the properties locally.
“We scanned the local market and discovered the huge demand for penthouses. We also listened to our growing customer base that requires a change in lifestyle.
“We then decided to follow the market desires,” said Sharpe.
The penthouses bring the much-needed flair in the growing property market that now feeds on exclusivity and luxury life styles.
The signature penthouses are an affirmation of wealth as the units denote “arrival”. They are usually perched on the top floor with the best views described by Sharpe as “owning the clouds and witnessing daily sunrises and sunsets in unparalleled privacy.
The advantages of penthouses on ED Block to customers provide the customer the first opportunity to own a penthouse in the tallest residential building in the northern suburbs with panoramic views.
The ED Block has vertically integrated gardens with spacious balconies/verandas which can be used as entertainment areas.
WestProp Holdings Limited listed on the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange (VFEX) in May last year, as party of its great grand agenda of promoting its mantra of promoting “a Billion Bricks by 2050”.
During the listing, Sharpe described the journey to fulfilment of the company’s dream as an interesting one adding: “We are just over 57 million bricks.
“That makes us have the confidence and belief because 6 percent of the billion brick journey has already been achieved. We won’t stop until our vision is realised.”
