With the construction industry up and running again, work on a major investment project has restarted. The resumption of building at the Sagicor-led The Estates at St George in Boarded Hall comes as a leading real estate firm, Terra Caribbean, points to an evolution of themed developments in Barbados. “Sagicor and C.O. Williams Construction have worked together to safely resume activities at the site.
This, after national COVID-19 restrictions were adjusted to allow construction projects to proceed,” a release from The Estates team said. “A team from Sagicor, the developer of the lifestyle
community, met on site recently with architects, engineers and the site infrastructure contractor.” In a recent article The Evolution of Themed Developments and published in Terra
Caribbean’s The Red Book 2020, the company’s group knowledge officer Ramona Smart noted that “the trend has been shifting towards providing all-round living experiences including recreational amenities, essential services and vibrant living spaces within the community”.
“The Estates at St George is the first in the Caribbean to fully embrace this all-round experience and encourage active lifestyles,” she said. Smart noted: “Historically, themed real estate developments in Barbados arose out of the need to fill a niche for foreign homebuyers who desired a specific lifestyle, often not available elsewhere on the local market.
“These developments were designed by architects with firsthand experience in the concepts, and a desire to create a prescribed ambience with features to fulfill the needs of discerning homeowners. She continued: “In 1995, Royal Westmoreland established their luxury themed resort with the central focus being an 18-hole Robert Trent Jones Jr. golf course. Port St Charles also got into the upscale developments market with the 1996 launch of the Ian Morrison designed 22-acre marina resort along the north-western coast of Barbados.” Smart said this was followed by “other major players which introduced additional themes catering to various lifestyles including Sugar Hill with tennis and Apes Hill and Lions Castle with polo”.
“However, with limited amenities and services available within the community, owners have to venture outside of the developments for other recreational activities,” she explained. The Estates concept would change these limitations, it was suggested. (SC)
Source: BARBADOS BUSINESS AUTHORITY. MONDAY JUNE 8, 2020.
