Redevelopment trends, problems and potentials within the central business district of nairobi,Kenya.
Abstract
Urban settlement in Nairobi started where the
Central Business District (CBD) is located. The
existing internal structure in the CBD represents
a dichotomy of distinct character zones. The east-
CBD is generally made up of old and outworn buildings
served by narrow roads and accommodating a high density
of land use activities. These attributes of the
east-CBD coupled with a positive policy regime have
generated piecemeal redevelopment activities in the
area which has long been blighted. This study set
out to simulate the redevelopment trends in the area
with an aim of exposing conditions that redevelopment
activities would impose in the east-CBD. By
applying the Monte Carlo technique on the sample
distribution of building age, the redevelopment
potential of the area is shown in terms of expected
floor area that would be created between the years
1988 and 2001. Analysis of redevelopment patterns
show that the process will exacerbate circulation,
congestion and constriction problems, erode the
historical value and cause changes in the functional
character of the east-CBD. Such trends would invariably
have adverse effects on the future role of the
CBD as expressed in planning policies. Thus, there
is need for a shift or change in the present planning
policies, which change would facilitate the conservation of the positive attributes as well as create
an efficient, convenient and attractive CBD environment