One of Kommetjie’s oldest buildings, Swan Lodge, is set for demolition three years after a fire broke out in November 2021.
One of Kommetjie’s oldest buildings, Swan Lodge, left in ruins for the past three years following a fire, is to be demolished, say the owners.
The site has been a blight on the town since the fire in 2021 (“History up in flames,” Echo November 25, 2021), but Pierre Oosthuizen, who has owned the property since 1970, has written to the Kommetjie Residents and Ratepayers Association (KRRA), saying a long-awaited insurance claim for the fire damage has been settled.
"I am pleased to inform you that, after nearly three years of waiting, our insurer has finally settled the claim for the fire damage to our building.
“We have since engaged Ross Demolition Company to demolish, as per the demolition order, the fire-damaged section of our property up to the wall of the Kommetjie Vet," says the letter.
Once the demolition is complete, the Oosthuizen family plans to install palisade fencing around the property, aligning it with the existing fencing on Teubes Road.
“This measure aims to address the ongoing issue of baboons using the abandoned building as a night shelter and to prevent unauthorised access,” says Mr Oosthuizen in his letter.
He declined to comment further when approached by the Echo.
Swan Lodge, originally a hotel dating back to the early 20th century, housed a mix of flats and businesses, including the Kommetjie Superette.
The fire on November 25, 2021, destroyed the superette, an estate agency office, and several flats.
In his letter, Mr Oosthuizen says one option is to sell the remaining buildings and the vacant plot to a developer.
"This, however, is still under consideration. Should this be the chosen path forward, our goal is to ensure that the new development aligns with zoning regulations and benefits the Kommetjie community.“
KRRA chairman Patrick Dowling said the association had been told that it could expect to see the demolition happen “over the next few months”.
He added: “The property has been on the market for quite a while, and we will be keeping a close eye on any new development proposals, hoping that some design elements of the original hotel building can be incorporated as a memorial.”
Many developers across Cape Town were taking advantage of densification opportunities offered by the City, but not all of them paid much heed to what the public wanted or needed, he said.
“That this is why the KRRA actively monitors and comments on development proposals, whether they are commercial or residential,” he said.
The association paid particular attention to traffic flow, density, village character and sense of place, and environmental and social impacts, he said, adding: "In this case, baboons specifically.“
KRRA executive member Emily Henhehan said the site was the centre of Kommetjie, and the community wanted to know that something appropriate would replace Swan Lodge.
“Community input on the future building would be a positive step," Ms Henhehan said.