Nairobi’s Westlands area is slowly but surely taking over as capital’s epicenter of business – and it’s looking good.
The Global Trade Centre hugging the Villa Rosa Kempinski hotel on Chiromo Road, Nairobi greatly summarizes the infrastructural leap that has defined Westlands – while dwarfing Nairobi Central Business District (CBD).
Neighbouring Upper Hill area only adds to the glamor that is Westlands. Upper Hill had been the greatest challenger to Westlands and the Nairobi CBD for architectural creativity – but not anymore. Westlands is winning the battle through and through.
It was Westlands that housed former US President – and Kenyan son – Barack Obama when he came to Kenya in July 2015. Obama spent the night at the Villa Rosa Kempinski just at the forefoot of Westlands.
Westlands is one of the eight administrative divisions of Nairobi County alongside Dagoretti, Embakasi, Kibera, Makadara, Pumwani, Kasarani and Kibera – and she has her teeth deep into the development cake.
The GTC Towers that has taken over leadership in the area – is 603-foot tall – and consists of a cluster of high-rise buildings that have already defined the Westlands’ skyline.
Upon completion – and it’s not far – it will host a block of executive apartments, office tower, a mall and a luxury hotel.
Peter Kinuthia who works in Westlands has seen the town grow into an infrastructural behemoth in just a few years.
“It’s a cool place to work and even live. The air is cool and noise is very minimal,” Kinuthia, who is a software developer, told Mwanahabari.co.ke.
Ideally, Westlands is an affluent, mixed-use commercial and residential neighborhood.
According to journalist and researcher Bethuel Oduo, Westlands derived its name from the fact that it is on the Western side of Nairobi – and our guests from the West loved it.
“The Whites loved the area because it had cool temperatures and red soil. This is because it borders Kiambu.
Oduo noted that this is why most clubs were located in Westlands or in the surrounding areas of Muthaiga in the North.
Some of the outstanding works of art that have breathed life into Westlands – not that it was dead – are the magnificent Delta Towers, One Africa Place and Dunhill Towers.
The growth of Westlands has been driven by the prospects of the Nairobi expressway that is now under construction.
More business-related traffic will be coming to Westlands,but which may slowly spell doom to Nairobi CBD which is becoming congested by the day.