Nicky Greenwall and Robin Fryer of 20 Management with Ivo Nestel, Redefine Properties’ sales head for Buchanan Square.

When the Woodstock Improvement District campaign was first mooted in 2005, no one could have imagined just how successful that transformation would be.

Woodstock is now positioned as the creative heart of the of the city’s media, design and art culture and 2012 has been a bumper year for the area with Buchanan Square, one of the landmark redevelopments in the area, continuing to increase its list of high profile owners.

Model agency, Ice Model Management, is the latest trend setter to set-up shop in this cosmopolitan hub, taking prime space in The Hills in Buchanan Square alongside creative owners like digital marketing specialists, Cow Africa and architectural studio, Antonio Zaninovic.

Ice will be joined shortly by 20 Management Model Agency, which will also be moving in next door in the Buchanan building at the end of the year, joining Francois Du Plessis Interiors and Singer Photographic.

Steffi Freier, acting head of Ice Model Management Cape Town, says the agency was drawn to the precinct and the restored Buchanan Square by the creative and community vibe of the complex.

“The abundance of natural light and interior space together with the funky, grungy architecture makes it an inspiring place to work in. The area has fast become part of a strip of services and retail venues that enhance each other’s trade,” she says.

Redefine Properties has been instrumental in the area’s redevelopment and in 2009 Redefine renovated Buchanan Square according to strict guidelines from the heritage resources agency. The resulting development has an urban chic architectural style that incorporates an authentic heritage feel and is now home to some of the city’s trendiest architectural practices, photographers, advertising agencies and art showrooms.

“In keeping with the revival of the Woodstock precinct, the development has retained as much of the core structure and raw elements of the building as possible, giving a modern spin to the complex while respecting and preserving its heritage value,” says Grant Elliott, Redefine Properties’ regional manager, Western Cape. “It gave us the opportunity to combine a refurbishment with a restoration initiative.

“Previously an old textile factory, Buchanan Square is in the old meatpacking district and is made up of three buildings - the Armoury, which was once used to store weapons, the Hills which was an old sweet factory, and the Buchanan - which have been converted into R100 million worth of commercial space, reflecting the funky and cosmopolitan revival of Woodstock.”

Elliott says that the Armoury and the Hills are sold out and the Buchanan building is filling up fast, attracting creative buyers that want to be part of this development.

“The Buchanan overlooks Sir Lowry Road and has views over the harbour and Table Mountain. The entrance to the building has a London Underground feel about it, but with lots of light and fresh air. It reads as if Charles Holden himself had a hand in the design, with authentic terrazzo tiles and high ceilings retained to lend a grungy edge to the architectural mood. The best of the building’s raw, authentic design elements such as the steel doors, face brick exterior and the cobblestone pathways have been retained, and the large, open interior lends itself to companies that require large, spacious floorplates.

“Buchanan Square joins the eclectic mix of Manhattan-inspired mint apartments and historic Victorian architecture sharing Woodstock’s streets. We see the Woodstock precinct following the same global trend as seen in London’s East End and New York’s Meatpacking District, where an expanding landscape of creative and entrepreneurial businesses have boosted inner-city development. In our own developments, we will continue to encourage compatibility between owners and tenants, thereby adding to the neighbourly vibe in the precinct,” says Elliott.