Upper Hill - Nairobi County's New Commercial Capital

Just so you don't get my blog wrong... I am not a real estate broker. I am just a guy who likes nice landscapes and can't help notice when the skyline changes.

This is what is exactly happening to Upper Hill in Nairobi. Once upon a time the most notable things in the skyline was the tip of Rahimtulla towers stabbing the sky and the statue of Mary Help of Christians looking down on the City, the uniquely designed Victoria Towers and the square solid 8 storied Kenyatta National Referral Hospital.

beautiful Rahimtulla towers

Statue of Mary Help of Christians at Don Bosco

Left: Geomaps on Matumbato road a pioneer building in Upper Hill Right: Kenyatta National Hospital in the background and works on Mara road

Pencil Holder shaped Victoria towers in the foreground and KCB head office skeleton in the back

Now all that has changed the skeleton of KCB (Kenya Commercial Bank) new head office 22 storey towers on Ragati road in the face of it's competitor Equity Bank's head office and right behind them a new building by the World Bank. A few meters across from the three Britam (British American Insurance is putting up a new structure. Not to be outdone UAP provincial insurance is putting up their own building towering above Upper Hill high school which will hopefully be the last green "standing".

British American foundation being drilled on Ragati road

World Bank building in progress

KCB head office still towering

Equity Bank Centre right in the competition's face

With Elgon Road from Oxford all the way down being expanded and various construction works along it's length including a shopping mall, a potentially star hotel to rival Crowne Plaza's dominance Upper Hill is about to claim it's place as Nairobi's commercial capital. Mara road is also being redone separating two members sports clubs Nairobi Sports Club and Public Service Club.

Developments on Elgon Road Oxford in the background

Developments on Elgon Road the expansion is set to take another year

Developments on Elgon Road seen from Matumbato Road

Developments on Elgon Road Duplex in the background

Developments on Elgon Road Duplex in the background

Very soon it is bound to attract all the large food chain outlets and Supermarket Chains. Nairobi Java House has already got in early setting up shop at the Kenya Medical Association flats KMA flats.

Nairobi Java House in Upper Hill with Kenya Medical Association's flats at the back

Nairobi Java House in Upper Hill with KMA flats at the back

Shaping up - additions to Real insurance building on Ragati road

The leafy suburb of Matumbato has seen many houses turn into offices: Above Swivel Marketing

 Potential beneficiaries could include housing developments in Madaraka which is a railway crossing away though on the flip side house rents could go up.

Railway - stands between Upper Hill and Madaraka

Kanake Gardens one of the new developments that are on the rise in Upper Hill

Old Madaraka with the new

New Madaraka

Highrise apartments on Kiambere road and New Madaraka

National Housing Corporation's Madaraka Estate

old developments next to the railway upgrading to meet demand

Anyway as they say pictures say it better than a thousand words - so just don't do a word count because I hope I made it count for you with pictures of Nairobi's new commercial capital in the making.