Story by Wellington Makonese
THE groundbreaking of the multi-million dollar Millennium Heights Park in Borrowdale, Harare has been described as a major milestone in the adoption of the smart city concept in accordance with modern global trends.
The commissioned 86-unit block of apartments that has been named the ED block comes at a cost of around 100 million United States dollars as part of 1000 apartments under construction.
West Properties chief executive officer, Mr Ken Sharpe said the plan is to have accommodation that accentuates sustainability and modernity in line with global standards.
“Our vision is to move towards achieving our one billion brick vision by 2050. As a loyal Zimbabwean, my ambition is to bring the beauty we see elsewhere back home, the dream is to compete with the likes of Singapore. The block ranks as the best in Zimbabwe with six levels comprising 86 units on cascading floors,” he said.
The government expressed commitment towards establishing an environment for the growth of the construction sector.
“The project is a testimony of His Excellence’s vision for housing when he was still the minister. I am glad it’s all panning out. The government will continue to warm up to private players for expansion,” said the Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities, Honourable Daniel Garwe.
Vice President Cde Kembo Mohadi spoke on the need for more players to adopt the smart city concept.
He said, “Transformative leadership is making progress in providing housing and policies that foster urban renewal. Zimbabwe continues to witness the construction of quality affordable broad-based equitable development.”
Additional features of the community include sporting facilities, reticulated gas, borehole water and green energy in the form of solar.
The project is part of the many that have been initiated under the Second Republic with the target to reach a million housing units by 2025.
