RE: A PROPOSAL TO REVAMP FISH HOEK CBD. – 2003 proposal
I AM UNDER NO ILLUSION THAT THE PROPOSALS MENTIONED BELOW ARE GOING TO TAKE A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND EFFORT . HOWEVER THIS EFFORT WILL BENEFIT AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND THE INVESTORS WHO CAN SEE THE SEASIDE VILLAGE OF FISH HOEKS POTENTIAL.
MY SUGGESTIONS.
1) CREATE A FIRST FLOOR WALKWAY (DECK) ABOVE THE EXISTING PAVEMENT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE MAIN ROAD. (TO THE PAVEMENT VERGE).
FISH HOEK USED TO HAVE THIS OVERHANG AND STILL HAS IT IN PARTS. IT WAS DONE AWAY WITH WHEN THE NEW ARCADE WAS BUILT. IN OTHER WORDS WE COULD HAVE A COFFEE SHOP DECK ABOVE THE EXISTING PAVEMENT LINE - ALL ADDING MUCH NEEDED ENERGY TO THE MAIN ROAD. AND ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO STOP AND STAY AWHILE.
YES WE HAVE THE WIND - BUT WE HAVE INTERESTING WALKWAYS AND CONDUIT CHANNELS LINKING IST AVENUE WITH THE MAIN ROAD WITH THE BEACH. ALL BEGGING FOR CLEVER DESIGN TO KEEP THE TOURISTS INTRIGUED.
THIS WILL DEFINETLY CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR MORE SHOPS AND INCREASE THE ACTIVITY ON THE MAIN ROAD.(NIGHT AND DAY)
CARS WILL ACTUALLY SLOW DOWN THROUGH OUR MAIN ROAD. INSTEAD THEY SPEED UP THROUGH OUR LITTLE INDUSTRIAL MAIN ROAD.
FROM BRICKLANE OR THE BERLIN WALL (AS I HAVE HEARD IT NOT SO FONDLY CALLED) AT THE CLOVELLY END , THROUGH AN UNINVITING MILE OF OUR TOWNS INDUSTRIAL TYPE MAIN ROAD AND ONLY SLOW DOWN AGAIN AT SUNNYCOVE.
2) SHOPRIGHT CAN TURN THE BACK OF THEIR SHOP (WHICH IS FACING THE MAIN ROAD) INTO A MORE INVITING FRONT FAÇADE . CREATE A MINI MALL ON THE MAIN ROAD SIDE WITH SMALL DESIGNER SHOPS.
3) AP JONES CAN ADD MORE SHOP FRONTAGE TO THERE FAÇADE. (THEY CAN HAVE SHOP FRONTAGE RIGHT TO THE TOP LEVEL) AND HAVE A DECK OUT THE FRONT .
4) THE NEW COFFEE SHOPS WHICH ARE SPRINGING UP ON THE MAIN ROAD NEED TO BE SUPPORTED BY THE LOCALS. THESE COFFEE SHOPS NEED PERGOLAS AND OUTSIDE SPACE TO MAKE THEM MORE INVITING FOR THE CARS HURTLING PAST ON THEIR WAY TO SIMONSTOWN OR KALKBAY. MUIZENBERG IS GETTING A WONDERFUL FACELIFT AND WILL BECOME A GREAT PLACE TO SPEND THE DAY.
5) THE RAILWAY LINE WHICH SEVERES THE ACCESS TO THE BEACH FROM THE TOWN NEEDS TO EITHER BE RAISED (AS IN KALKBAY ) OR BURIED UNDERGROUND. FROM THE STATION TO JUST PAST THE GALLEY RESTAURANT. THIS WILL CREATE A BETTER PEDESTRIAN LINK BETWEEN THE MAIN ROAD AND THE BEACH. (A MUST FOR A SEASIDE RESORT.)
6) PARKING BEHIND IST AVENUE TO BE EXCAVATED TO 2 LEVELS BELOW GROUND , 1 ABOVE AND HAVE DECK PARKING. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR THE BEACH BOUND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC TO PARK BEHIND THE SHOPS AND WALK THROUGH THE VILLAGE TO THE BEACH.
7) THE WATER POINT CIRCLE AT THE END OF FISH HOEK MAIN ROAD, ON THE CIRCLE THIS NEEDS TO BE MADE INTO A RESTAURANT - PEOPLE STOP IN A VILLAGE WHEN THEY SEE OTHERS.
8) GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE NEEDS SOME LOCAL ARTIST SCULPTURES TO ENHANCE THE GARDEN EXPERIENCE . YES REMEMBER THE PAST BUT EXPERIENCE THE PRESENT. IMAGINE THE FUTURE - THE GARDEN CAN BE A LIVING ENTITY NOW WITH POSSIBLY A COFFEE SHOP OR SOUVENIR SHOP OR SOMETHING.
9) IT IS POSSIBLE TO THEME THE MAIN ROAD WITH SHIP LAP CLADDING ON CERTAIN BUILDING FACADES. (AS PER ATTACHED SKETCHES) AT THE MOMENT THE MAIN ROAD OF FISH HOEK IS AN UNINVITING STRETCH OF PRIME REAL ESTATE. WITH ABIT OF VISION. THE MAIN ROAD CAN BE TURNED INTO A WORLD CLASS DESTINATION.LIKE CAMPSBAY OR SIMONSTOWN OR KALKBAY. AT THE MOMENT ITS AN INDUSTRIALIZED STRETCH OF PRIME REAL ESTATE.
AS I WAS BORN IN FALSEBAY HOSPITAL IN 1970 AND HAVE LIVED IN FISH HOEK HALF MY LIFE . I HAVE A PASSION FOR FISH HOEK. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CBD IMPROVED TO THAT OF A WORLD CLASS SEASIDE RESORT. MY IDEAS ARE JUST CONCEPTS AND FOR THE MOMENT ITS ALL I CAN BRING TO THE TABLE. IT WOULD BE NICE FOR OTHER DESIGNERS TO ADD THERE CONCEPTS TOGETHER SO WE CAN HAVE A COLLABORATIVE DESIGN EXPERIENCE.
IF FISH HOEK SEES POTENTIAL IN THE ABOVE SUGGESTIONS - I DONT MIND SPENDING FURTHER TIME WITH MY TEAM IRONING OUT A FEW PROPOSALS. MY TIME , MY DIME.
