It's sad how a once very exclusive upmarket residential area comprising of mansions on 1 and 1/2 acre plots has been transformed into a concrete jungle of flats (oops apartments). Kilimani and Kileleshwa are even worse. I pity the last few home owners who are still standing strong as they are swamped from all directions by the monoliths. Do they still manage to stroll in their gardens or swim in their pools while surrounded by those monstrous apartments? What an invasion of privacy.

I hope this type of degradation doesn't spread to Muthaiga, Runda, Karen, Ridgeways, Garden Estate etc. Each city needs a low density upmarket residential area where the elite live. Zoning regulations should never have been relaxed. Can you imagine Mansions in Beverley Hills, California being ripped apart to give way to flats? That's undertaking development in the wrong direction.

And for those living in these apartments, except for living in an 'exclusive address' are they satisfied living in the apartment blocks? Wouldn't they be enjoying a higher quality of life if they invested the millions in houses with own compounds?

Sad....yes sad for those who live there.The apartment newbies are very happy living in those upmarket areas.This trend will not stop especially for those areas near CBD e.g Lavi & Kile.
The poorer in society need to live near town while the richer guys can get land far far away and build their swimming pools and gardens there.

The pressure to concentrate high density flats in low desity areas becomes too much. The land owners in these areas pressure city hall to increase density so they can sell/develop their land with higher profit. At the same time, residents who want to live in the leafy areas as they are also give an opposition. The stronger group wins. In Karen, Runda, Muthaiga, residents associations are mostly for status quo. 10years down the line, things will be different.
Kileleshwa has been recently re-zoned again to allow for even higher buildings-more than 5 floors.
Its a pull-push situation between residents wanting higher density and others wanting status quo.

They should be releasing their full year results next week. wonder whether there will be a mention of that. But their dividends so far have been tasty!

This Business Daily article echoes my thoughts about the degradation of Lavington.

http://www.businessdaily.../-/i3n2x9z/-/index.html