BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, NOVEMBER 12TH 2013 (CUOPM) – The latest tourism investment project unveiled recently is to be located on just about seven acres of land purchased from private owners.
“The project will comprise 9 buildings. The main building will actually be a hotel with 70 – 100 rooms operating as a full fledge hotel that will include lobby and reception area, restaurants, conference room, gift shop, sports bar, SPA and gymnasium, roof top patio, swimming pool, other common area facilities. So essentially that’s why it’s termed a hotel condo so the centre building would be a hotel and the buildings to the side would be the actual condominiums for long term living,” he told Prime Minister the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, Minister of Tourism, Sen. the Hon. Richard “Ricky” Skerritt and private and public sector officials.
Mr. Lawrence said each building will have approximately 36, 1-bedroom condominium units. Each building will have a roof top pool and leisure area and an entertainment area as well.
He said the structure of the building would be along the modern type.
“The building material use will be concrete, steel frame, glass and gypsum. Energy generation will be through renewable energy source and lighting and air will be daylight illumination and natural ventilation. The whole idea is to make these buildings as green as possible,” Mr. Lawrence said.
He said the expected economic impact in this project will see direct foreign investment of approximately US$70 million.
“We see approximately 150 direct jobs during construction, and again we are seeing approximately 100 direct jobs during operation as well as various economic spinoff,” said Mr. Lawrence.
“The land has been acquired, purchased and owned by the Prime Developments Ltd and that was done approximately 3 or 4 months ago.
The requested concession from government has been negotiated and approved. The Architectural concept design completed and approved by DCPB. Agreements reached with architect and all engineering service providers to complete working drawings. The working drawing scheduled to be completed and submitted to DCPB by 28 February 2014. On the assumption of 4-8 weeks for approval of drawings by the DCPB, construction scheduled to commence by 1 May 2014,” said Mr. Lawrence.
“We have spent some time to go through this schedule and we believe it is attainable once we have the support and no major delays we can achieve this,” said Mr. Lawrence.
The name of the development is the Prime Hotel & Condominiums and the name of the developing company is Prime Development Ltd. which is a locally-registered company in St. Kitts and Nevis.
The key players are Mr. Abbas Fahim the senior investor and partner in this development and Mr. Sirous Motevassel, also an investor as well as a business consultant for the project and SKN homes which is owned by Mr. Lawrence as the developer.