Commercial development in Cape Town

The Barracks is a modern building on the foundation of a historic warehouse in the city of Cape Town. The original warehouse was built around 1767 and was part of the Lutheran Church complex. From 1785 is was used as military barracks and later to store wine and wheat. In the early 1800’s the building is described as a Military Depot on a map and there are references to it being used as the naval hospital.

(…) a 1767 map indicates that the warehouse on Bree Street already existed (…)

In 1890 the property was subdivided and the various parts were used as a manure depot, cartage, warehouse, fodder store, electrical engineering and a motor garage and spares business. Between 1945 and 1962 toilets and office partitions were added, as well as steel columns, reinforced concrete columns, beams, slabs and a new roof. After 1967 the building housed a bank and other retailers. (Read more about the history of the site here.)

At the beginning of the 21st century Mike’s Sports, owned by the Augoustides family, moved into a section of the old warehouse. Casey and Mike Augoustides managed to buy the various sections of the Bree Street warehouse during the following years and have recently restored the building to honour the heritage of the previous centuries.

Currently “The Barracks” is being developed for commercial purposes. The ground floor with its distinct “heavy” masonry will house various retail and hospitality businesses, while a brand new “light” modern structure above is set aside for residential usage. (Read more about the design of the new development here.)

Watch a short interview with Casey and Mike Augustides below: