Words: Betsie Loock-Van der Merwe | Images: Rene Walker
The leafy suburb of Menlo Park forms part of Pretoria’s older, well-established, elite residential region referred to as the Old East. Lying between the inner city and the N1 freeway, with the neighbouring suburbs of Waterkloof, Brooklyn and Lynnwood, Menlo Park boasts a sought-after location in the Jacaranda City.
Although Menlo Park is geographically relatively small, the suburb has its own schools, community shopping centres, a village square housing a theatre and restaurants, sports amenities, churches, community initiatives and residents’ associations.
The suburb is also close to the University of Pretoria and its main roads offer easy access to neighbouring schools, hospitals, business services and large shopping malls like Menlyn Park and Brooklyn Mall.
As a result of many modern developments and revamps, the suburb today boasts a fresh, trendy look and feel.
Property
Dating back to the 1960s, properties in Menlo Park were traditionally built on large stands accommodating affluent residents in spacious family homes. In recent years, the demand for residential property in this central area resulted in many of these stands being subdivided into more than one property, or clusters of small, modern security complexes suitable for today’s urban lifestyle. Properties here still don’t come cheap, but promise good returns.
Trends show a significant drop in properties sold to senior residents above the age of 64, while a hefty 77,7% of recent property buyers in Menlo Park are aged between 18 and 49.
A huge portion of properties currently in the market comprises contemporary, lock-up-and-go, one-bedroom apartments with an entry-level price tag of R1m and more.
Larger luxury units suitable for professional couples or young families can reach a selling price of between R2m and R3m. Sophistication and high-tech architecture combined with comfortable and secure living in a beautiful tree-filled environment is the key focus of these new cluster developments.
It’s still possible to find an old-style family home in the hood, though, some of which can do with a little tender loving care and creativity, while others are beautifully renovated and modernised.
Student accommodation is high in demand in the area, and commercial properties and limited vacant land are also available for sale.
Schooling
Menlo Park is the proud home of the top-performing secondary school Hoërskool Menlopark which was established in 1963. The school is situated on a municipal bus route and also offers hostel facilities.
Menlo Park also o¬ffers easy access to the acclaimed Pretoria Boys High School and Pretoria High School for Girls, as well as to their Afrikaans-medium counterparts, namely Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool and Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool.
Pro Arte Alphen Park is a high school in the area focusing on education in the arts while at the same time o¬ffering an academic curriculum. The prestigious TuksSport High School is only a 5km drive from the neighbourhood.
Primary schools to consider are Laerskool Menlopark as well as Laerskool Lynnwood, Brooklyn Primary School and Waterkloof Primary School in Menlo Park’s neighbouring suburbs.
In addition to the University of Pretoria, Menlo Park and its surrounds are also home to the Campus of Performing Arts, Isa Carstens Academy and the International Hotel School.
Explore
Menlo Park is a young-at-heart, community-oriented neighbourhood with ample recreational and leisure amenities to keep its residents entertained.
Resident Mark Marais says he loves to chill at the Hazel Food Market on Saturday mornings or hangs out at Greenlyn Village Centre, while The Club in Hazelwood, a stone’s throw away from Menlo Park, is his favourite retail and lifestyle centre in the vicinity.
Carmen Mocke, resident and owner of Kids Can Cook Academy, recommends Menlyn Boutique Hotel Restaurant in nearby Ashlea Gardens for a modern fine-dining experience. Greenlyn Village Centre in the heart of Menlo Park also homes the Brooklyn Theatre where lovers of performing arts can watch their favourite musicals or other performances. The state-of-the-art Atterbury Theatre is situated just across the road from Menlo Park in Lynnwood Manor, while the nearby Menlyn Shopping Centre and Brooklyn Mall both have movie theatres.
The neighbourhood is home to the Menlo-Alkant Tennis Club as well as Menlo Park Wrestling Club. Pretoria Country Club is just a few blocks from Menlo Park and offers golfing, bowling, tennis, squash and bridge.
“The neighbourhood is close to many convenience stores. We enjoy attending family-friendly events in the hood, especially the Lions Club’s markets around Christmas in their hall.”
Carmen Mocke, resident
Shop:
- Menlo SuperSpar: local grocery store
- Greenlyn Village Centre: mostly entertainment and restaurants
- Menlyn Park Shopping Centre: comprehensive shopping facilities close by
- Brooklyn Mall: all-inclusive upmarket centre just up the road from Menlo Park
- Lynnpark Shopping Centre: local convenience shops and stores
Eat:
- Dros Atterbury: rustic chain braai restaurant and wine cellar
- Modern Italian Kitchen: especially famous for their pizza
- The Daily Coffee Cafe: renowned for its five-senses coffee
- Eisbein & Co: traditional German cuisine
- Zest Bistro: family-run cosy French bistro
- Heavenly Coffees: great coffee and coffee equipment
Hospitals:
- Life Groenkloof Hospital
- Mediclinic Heart Hospital
- Mediclinic Muelmed Hospital
- Netcare Jakaranda Hospital
- Zuid-Afrikaans Hospital
