Major figures, Premier Winde and Minister Simmers, initiate the most extensive inner-city residential construction project in Cape Town.
Cape Town Unveils Largest Inner-City Housing Development
On July 25, 2025, the Founders Garden inner-city mixed-use housing development was officially unveiled in Cape Town, marking a significant milestone in the city's renewal and affordable housing agenda.
The development, situated next to the Artscape Theatre Centre, is the largest public sector housing development in the Cape Town Central Business District (CBD), costing over R2 billion and including approximately 2,638 residential units. Of these, 1,476 are social housing units and 1,162 are open market units.
Minister Tertuis Simmers and Premier Alan Winde, the driving forces behind the project, emphasized their commitment to bringing services, housing, and recreation closer to communities and enhancing access to economic opportunities. They stated that they are working tirelessly to utilize public-owned land for the benefit of their people and to deliver affordable, dignified housing opportunities where it is needed the most.
Founders Garden is designed as a high-rise, mixed-use development, conveniently close to major transport hubs like the Cape Town Railway Station and MyCiti Civic Centre. It includes an Early Childhood Development Centre, aiming to create a vibrant, inclusive urban neighborhood.
The development is the second of three major inner-city housing developments initiated by the Western Cape Government in 2025. The Leeuloop Precinct, offering 840 housing opportunities, has already gone out to tender. Premier Winde added that this development, along with the other two inner-city projects, is a model of infrastructure development they aim to replicate.
The site has been earmarked for social housing since at least 2016, with the Western Cape provincial cabinet approving plans for the development in 2019. After approximately six years since approval, the government commenced the development process in 2025.
While specific private-sector partners are not detailed in the search results, the project includes mixed-use and open market units, implying stakeholder involvement in mixed-income housing development.
As the largest public sector housing development in Cape Town’s CBD, Founders Garden reflects a significant strategic shift toward densification and mixed-income integration in the inner city, enhancing livability and access to services for lower-income residents. It represents an accelerated effort to address urban housing shortages through large-scale projects.
In summary, Founders Garden marks an important milestone in Cape Town’s inner-city renewal and affordable housing agenda, integrating social and market housing with public amenities to contribute substantially to sustainable urban development.
- "Investing in the Founders Garden project, a significant real-estate development in Cape Town's Central Business District, signifies an opportunity for the finance industry to contribute to the city's ambitious housing and renewal agenda."
- "The successful completion of the Founders Garden development, with its mix of social and market housing units, underscores the importance of infrastructure development in accommodating diverse segments of the population within the city, thereby stimulating growth in various industries."
- "The replication of sustainable infrastructure projects, such as Founders Garden, within the city center can attract businesses and investors, shaping Cape Town's future as a vibrant, densely populated metropolis with ample opportunities for both work and residence."
