Spotlight on Arcadia, Pretoria
Arcadia, established in 1889, has experienced many changes through the decades. It is remarkable for its many foreign embassies, historic buildings, apartment blocks as well as hotels. Situated adjacent to Bryntirion, the elite location of the home of the State President, his deputy and cabinet ministers, it also boasts the famous Union Buildings. “Arcadia has slowly transformed into a noteable commercial area as many of the old homes have been replaced by commercial properties,” says Leon Breytenbach, National Manager of the Rawson Property Group’s commercial division.
Location and access
Arcadia lies to the east of Pretoria CBD, flanked by Hatfield, Sunnyside and Bryntirion. It is situated between Stanza Bopape Street to the north, Park Street to the south, Du Toit Street to the west and Hill Street to the east. “Easy access to the N1 and N4 highways via wide suburban roads is a bonus, although the traffic can become slow in peak periods,” says Breytenbach. Wonderboom Airport lies 14 kilometres to the north of Arcadia, while OR Tambo International Airport lies 48 kilometres to the south. Lanseria International Airport is 53 kilometres away via the N14. The Pretoria CBD lies just over eight kilometres west of Arcadia, while Johannesburg is 58 kilometres to the south.
Amenities
Arcadia offers every necessity for both commercial and residential convenience, besides having access to even more in the adjacent suburbs. A full spectrum of retail outlets, entertainment, restaurants, gyms, medical and dental specialists are readily available. Municipal buses run throughout the area as does the Gautrain bus which serves the Hatfield station, four kilometres away. “The gardens surrounding the Union Buildings in addition to Venning and the Pretoria Art Museum Park offer fresh air and relaxation. Arcadia Primary school, Pretoria Technical High School as well as Pro-ed Private School are situated here, while some top English and Afrikaans schools, both government or private are nearby. The area is well supplied with hospitals such as Mediclinic’s Meulmed, the Heart Hospital, Femina Netcare Women’s Hospital and the Eye Institute.
Commercial property
Numerous shopping centres of varying sizes offer all manner of retail possibilities. The head offices of Ethel M Healthcare Resources, Forever Resorts group in addition to the Public Servants’ Association are located here. Among the many foreign embassies in Arcadia are those of the United Kingdom, Canada, India and China. “The U.P. Prinshof Campus, T.U.T. Arcadia Campus, Pretoria University in adjacent Hatfield, besides numerous businesses have created a need for short or long term accommodation resulting in many apartments or hotels within the suburb,” Breytenbach explains. The Sheraton Hotel is located opposite the Union Buildings while several others are scattered throughout the suburb besides there being many private guest houses.
Facts and figures
Most properties sold over the past 10 years were in sectional schemes, being predominantly apartments. Freehold properties account for a minimal percentage of the sales; only four recorded thus far in 2017. The SAPOA Report for April 2017 reports that Arcadia offers a total of 355 490 square metres of rentable commercial property made up of 125 570 square metres of A-grade, 119 310 of B-grade and 110 610 of C-grade space. Of this, 9 537 square metres of A-grade, 12 073 of B-grade and 1 063 of C-grade property are currently available for leasing. Current vacancies stand at only 6.4%, slightly higher than a year ago. Rental asking price averages at R133 per square metre for A-grade space while B-grade lies at R85 or C-grade at R80 per square metre. There is no report of new developments in the area at present, though renovations to existing properties may occur. “Arcadia offers a singularly wide spectrum of commercial investments or rentals, while ticking all the boxes,” says Breytenbach. It is a good place to be.
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