Old East Precinct - About Old East Precinct

Pretoria’s go-to for get-togethers

Since the Old East Precinct’s inception ten years ago with the first developments at The Club, things have evolved rather quickly. The precinct’s success is evident in the tenants that it attracts, but also the partnerships that are formed.

It was round about the same time that the neighbouring development, The Village came to life and after some negotiations, a collaboration agreement was formed. Atterbury Property stepped in to assist the original landlord at The Village to get all trading rights and infrastructure in place that the vibey atmosphere The Village offers, is kept alive.

It was then that Atterbury Property started envisioning the Old East Precinct - a node with two different identities that speak the same language.

The Club development - where Atterbury Property’s head office, Die Klubhuis is based - represents a formal, corporate feel, where The Village epitomises the informal street vibe of destinations like Europe and Stellenbosch. The idea is to eventually pull the node through past The Village, towards the corner of Dely and Hazelwood Roads, and to put up another commercial office building on that end of the node to bring things full circle.

Carefully connecting the nodes

In front of the Club Surgical Centre, you’ll spot a large man made of rock, called Son of the Soil. The monumental sculpture was created by Angus Taylor and consists of various types of unpainted rock. The rocks all differ in colour, texture and hardness, proving that you can create something truly magnificent when different elements work together in harmony – a good reflection of what has been happening in and around the Old East Precinct.

Street art has become one of the ways in which the two Old East nodes – The Club and The Village – speak the same language. It’s visible around almost every corner and with the help of functional art and goosenecks guiding guests in the right direction, the precinct is becoming more and more visitor-friendly and authentic with a clever, creative theme that is evident throughout.

The foreseeable future

Over time, a number of entrepreneurs have started doing business on the peripheries of The Village, which brings more feet and makes the node stronger. “As long as we speak the same language,” says Boshoff. He says that Atterbury Property has started taking hands with these business owners, motivating them to buy in on the bigger picture so that an even stronger node can be built and that everyone can reap the benefits of the Old East Precinct’s success.

The heart of the Village Walk development provides a pedestrian walkway linking The Village to the Club Precinct, enabling easier and more fluid movement between the two hubs while providing a unique attraction in the form of restaurants and boutique retail stores along the way.

The newest addition to this precinct, Village Walk, provides much-needed additional structured parking. The link will make it safer for the public to park in a secure area with easy access to both The Village and The Club. This new development creates both a conceptual and a physical link between the rustic and organic Village feel and the more structured Club Precinct.