Topic: development
Conservation council questions music festival site approval
The National Conservation Council is questioning why its advice was not considered before the Dart group was granted planning permission for an event site that will host a major music festival next year.
West Bay condo development approved
Plans for an $8 million, 60-unit condo development in West Bay have been approved by the Central Planning Authority.
EDITORIAL – Building trust in our booming construction industry
Cayman’s new Builders Law will raise the standard of professionalism in our expanding construction sector, aligning our jurisdiction with other venues that insist on best practices in this critical industry.
Builders Law deadline looms for contractors
Construction businesses who fail to register under the new Builders Law could find themselves unable to get permits for their projects after the end of July.
Bovell: Examining the question of over-supply in the real estate sector
Is over-supply on the horizon? This is one question that I’m being asked with increasing frequency by investors based overseas, as people take in the scale of development currently happening in Grand Cayman.
EDITORIAL – Celebrating Cayman’s blooming season of growth
Here in Cayman, where the flowers remain vibrant all the year round, we have our own season of growth to celebrate – economically, that is – as dozens of exciting development projects are springing up.
Ministers provide updates on East End development projects
Repairs and upgrades to the William Allen McLaughlin Civic Centre in East End should be finished by the end of June, according to Infrastructure Minister Joey Hew.
EDITORIAL – ‘All-points bulletin’: Recent arrest lets Cayman rest easier
The dragnet worked: The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service got their man – a “person of interest” in the investigation of a chilling homicide.
Dart tunnel extension approved
The Dart group’s plans to extend the new West Bay Road underpass have been approved at the second attempt – paving the way for a five-star hotel project that could bridge the road.
Mental health facility approved
Plans for a cluster of cottages to be developed as a residential mental health facility have been approved by the Central Planning Authority.
Tourism business development fund proposed
A scheme much like ABC’s reality TV series “Shark Tank,” designed to help budding entrepreneurs make their business dreams a reality, is part of government’s plans for the future of the tourism industry.
Rum Point luxury condo project aims to tap into island’s eastern promise
A luxury condo project planned for Rum Point could lead a new wave of tourism development in the eastern districts, according to developer Joe Imparato.
Bovell: Seven Mile Beach’s new developments worth the wait
This month I would like to explore the ways in which investors could benefit from investing in the most sought-after piece of real estate in the Cayman Islands and the hurdles that they may face in the process.
Hyatt signs deal for five-star Pageant Beach hotel
Luxury hotel chain Hyatt is returning to Grand Cayman after announcing a deal to operate the new five-star resort on Seven Mile Beach, expected to open late 2020.
Financial services industry: Cayman’s ‘invisible’ giant
In 1960, the Cayman Islands could not have been further removed from its status today as a small but prominent global financial center. At the time, the Cayman economy still largely relied on seamen’s remittances, fishing, agriculture, shipbuilding and hand crafts. Airline services were limited and the tourism sector in its infancy.
East End shooting range approved
Plans for a $1.45 million commercial shooting range in East End have been given the green light by the Central Planning Authority.
Dart revives Camana Bay hotel plan
The Dart group has revived plans for a five-star hotel on Seven Mile Beach – incorporating the current site of the Royal Palms bar.
Cayman developer takes global award for local property
Local and international architect and developer Encompass has won the “Best Single Residential Property in the World” for their Cayman Kai, five-star, six-bedroom Sun Serenity accommodation at London’s Dec. 4 gala International Property Development Awards.
Letters – Giving a voice to the people
The free exchange of ideas is a necessary component of any healthy democracy. That is why the Compass reserves space in each issue for readers and leaders to share their perspectives as letters to the editor.
Cayman under construction: 11 major projects that could shape the future
Here’s the latest update from the entrepreneurs and developers behind some of the largest and most ambitious proposals to emerge over the past few years.
Healing domes planned for hurricane-hit Mariners Cove
A new beachfront “healing resort” featuring dome-shaped guest villas is planned for the old Mariners Cove site in Prospect, which was swept away during Hurricane Ivan.
Dart makes new tunnel extension bid
The Dart group has submitted a new application to extend the length of the tunnel it is building on West Bay Road.
Camana Bay roundabout, new Esterley Tibbetts Highway lanes to open
The National Roads Authority will officially open the Camana Bay South Roundabout and the northbound lanes of the new Esterley Tibbetts Highway on Thursday.
Pageant site bought for $25M; planned hotel would be Cayman’s largest
A project to bring a $300-million five-star hotel to the southern end of Seven Mile Beach has moved a step closer after the developer finalized a US$25-million deal to buy the property.
Planning Authority explains Dart tunnel denial
The Dart group failed to demonstrate sufficient reason to justify extending the underpass it is building on West Bay Road, the Central Planning Authority wrote in a single-line explanation of its decision to reject the application.
Cayman Brac’s Alexander Hotel put up for sale
Closed for almost four years, the Alexander Hotel on Cayman Brac had fallen into a state of disrepair. Now it has been spruced up and put on the market in the hope that an investor will see potential in the 31-room hotel.
18 Forum Lane, ‘Linger Longer’ take home Governor’s Awards
The 2017 Governor’s Awards for Design and Construction Excellence ceremony was held on Thursday at the Governor’s Residence, with 18 Forum Lane at Camana Bay Town Center and the “Linger Longer” Silverman Residence winning this year’s awards in the commercial and residential categories, respectively.
Plans for new homes and retail plaza on West Bay Road
Plans for a new plaza on West Bay Road, featuring restaurants, shops and apartments, have sparked opposition among condominium owners on Seven Mile Beach.
Bulk fuel depot proposed for Breakers
The developer behind a planned golf resort in the eastern districts is now seeking to bring a new bulk fuel storage facility to Grand Cayman.
Reduced duty rate helping fuel development
Developers in Cayman are getting an early Christmas present. Government announced on Dec. 1 that it is extending its reduced duty rate on imported building materials for another year.
Development projects held up by customs ‘glitches’
Paul Pearson and his company Davenport Development have built and sold more than two dozen apartments at an unfinished South Sound condominium complex, but as of Wednesday, they could not get hold of the windows required to complete the outside of the building.
Building ‘boom’ does not include the Sister Islands
In reference to the Nov. 9 article (“Planning statistics show ‘explosion’ in development”) and Nov. 14 editorial (“Planning for – and embracing – a trajectory of growth”), regarding the “explosion” of development in Grand Cayman.
Officers, road closures may address gridlock
With eastern districts residents mired in hours-long traffic jams during both morning and afternoon rushes, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service is considering drastic new measures in attempts to make the daily commute safer and somewhat more bearable.
McLaughlin: Economic growth has consequences
Persistent traffic jams on the eastern and southern ends of Grand Cayman will not ultimately be fixed by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, Premier Alden McLaughlin acknowledged last week.
Health City apartments set for January opening
The construction site just east of Health City Cayman Islands teemed with workers Tuesday as project developer Gene Thompson took reporters, legislators and members of the public on a tour of the area.
New development
Today's editorial cartoon
Camana Bay celebrates a decade of development
A decade of Camana Bay has wrought major changes in the Cayman Islands, and the pace is unlikely to slow in the next 10 years.
Planning statistics show ‘explosion’ in development
Grand Cayman is in the midst of an unprecedented development boom, with more high value planning applications approved in 2017 than ever before.
Education, infrastructure among budget priorities
For Finance Minister Roy McTaggart, work on the government’s budget began almost immediately after the May election.
EDITORIAL – Ideas that make ‘the heart beat faster’
Two birds with one stone? Kids’ play! Why stop there? A bold proposal circulating in the Cayman Islands’ political and business communities encompasses no fewer than five major infrastructure projects.
Eastern districts cargo port plan floated
A draft proposal to construct a new cargo port in Grand Cayman’s eastern districts has been circulated to some MLAs and certain members of the local business community.
NEW: Dart confirms purchase of Ritz-Carlton
Dart Real Estate has bought The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, adding the luxury resort to its growing portfolio of properties along the Seven Mile Beach corridor.
Ten-story luxury condos approved on Seven Mile Beach
A 10-story luxury condominium complex has been approved for the southern end of Seven Mile Beach, ending a four-year legal struggle over the height of buildings in Grand Cayman’s central tourism zone.
EDITORIAL – Cayman cannot pave its way out of traffic jams
Solving the long-term riddle of traffic congestion requires creative thinking. Eventually, the mantra of “more roads, forever” will lead to a dead end.
Visitor is concerned by growth
I hope you get a handle on things. It’s just like driving around in the U.S.: stressful.
Pageant Beach hotel development hearing delayed by technicality
Four developers and their attorney, seven objectors and their attorney, three members of the public and the Central Planning Authority board packed into a conference room on the second floor of the Government Administration Building on Wednesday.
Cash in on a buoyant real estate cycle
At this time of year, it is good to reflect on the sales year-to-date. Reviewing the statistics produced by the Cayman Islands Real Estate Brokers Association (CIREBA) helps to formulate my opinions on the real estate market going forward.
Dart purchases Royal Palms site
Dart Real Estate announced this weekend that it has purchased the site occupied by the Royal Palms Beach Club. “We are pleased to announce this addition to our portfolio,” Dart Real Estate President Jackie Doak said.
EDITORIAL – Conservation Law: Revisiting an ‘unnatural disaster’
The salient question in our minds is whether lawmakers should overhaul the existing law … or scrap it completely and start over.
Premier is correct: sections 41 and 43 of National Conservation Law are ridiculous
The provisions of sections 41 and 43, in my opinion, do not meet the test, mandated by the Constitution, of a reasonable balance between protecting the environment and development for the benefit of the Islands.
Letter: Think before approving changes to our shoreline
Let us work together — building wisely for the future, as our forefathers built up Cayman — from the Islands Time Forgot to the financial leaders of the world.
Developer and government at odds over ironshore
The Department of Planning and a local developer are at odds over shoreline modifications at the site of a future luxury condominium development in Rum Point. The Department of Planning has issued a stop order, and the developer, Joe Imparato, is seeking clarity and a resolution to the impasse.
Government to redraw ‘willy-nilly’ national development plans
The “willy-nilly” development of Grand Cayman properties and roads – as some lawmakers described it Wednesday – may soon end as government redraws zoning plans for the first time in more than 20 years.
Target a broader tourism market
Yes, stay-over numbers may stay steady or increase for a while, but eventually, when the only product available is high-end, will that volume of tourists continue to arrive?
EDITORIAL – What should Cayman do about Jackson Point?
We don’t know (but rest assured, we are looking into) the magnitude of the disaster that could have occurred if firefighters had not been able to control Sunday’s blaze.
Homes ‘moved’ for road development
Two families will move into newly built homes in George Town in the next few weeks, clearing the way for the expansion of the Linford Pierson Highway to continue.
Cayman businesses monitor Trump threat on Cuba opening
Cayman entrepreneur and chief agent for electric vehicles John Felder said he will meet U.S. Treasury Department officials “sooner rather than later” following reports that President Donald Trump is considering undoing Obama-era diplomatic and commercial openings to Cuba.
60-unit boutique hotel planned for George Town
A 60-unit boutique hotel is planned on the site of the old Treehouse restaurant opposite Kirk supermarket in George Town.
Proposed Little Cayman road draws DoE warning
Proposals for a new road in Little Cayman could open up 200 acres of “pristine primary habitat” to potential development, the Department of Environment has warned.
Developer plans 5-star hotel at Pageant Beach
The long-vacant 7.1-acre Pageant Beach site at the southern tip of Seven Mile Beach will be developed as a five-star luxury resort.
Housing development planned for Magellan Quay
Edgewater Group will begin construction in April on an eight-unit housing development in Governors Harbour. The Residences at Magellan Quay are planned for completion in spring 2018, the project’s developer said.
Builders Expo: Guiding home visionaries from planning to completion
More than 25 businesses offered insight into the ins and outs of home construction or renovation at the Cayman Islands’ Builders Expo at Camana Bay’s Arts & Recreation Center this weekend.
Pageant Beach, Treehouse sites to be redeveloped
Two long-vacant parcels in the North Church area – the site of the old Almond Tree restaurant and Treehouse residence, and Pageant Beach – appear headed for redevelopment, possibly as a hotel and “mixed-use.”
Real estate market strengthening in Cayman
The outlook for the market in the Cayman Islands still looks positive for 2017 and onward, according to a report this week from the Cayman Islands Real Estate Brokers Association. “The rental market is growing along with the population of the islands."
Cricket Square development breaks ground on phase six
Cricket Square has launched its sixth development phase, which includes a 100,000-square-foot office building, new food outlets, a conference center and a fitness center. The centerpiece of this phase is a new building, named “SIX,” a press release states.
Objectors clarify stance on rooftop pool development
I am disappointed in the Cayman Compass as it clearly did not do its research before publishing what appears to be a “spin” on what was a clear victory for the objectors in Parkway.
Rooftop pool approved despite complaints
Developer Stefan Baraud has been granted planning permission for a 20-home apartment complex boasting Cayman’s first rooftop pool, despite a slew of objections from neighbors. The Central Planning Authority approved the application for the Hyde Park Complex with some conditions.
Legal change ‘clears the way’ for new developments
A number of “stalled” developments, particularly along Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach corridor, may be able to get under way now that laws regarding how high those structures can be built have been clarified, according to a recent legal analysis.
EDITORIAL – Westward ho! Cayman’s future is Seven Mile Beach
“Go west, young man, and grow up with the country.”
Over the past decade, the closest thing the Cayman Islands government has had to a...
Rooftop pool application makes waves
A planned West Bay Road apartment complex boasting Cayman’s first rooftop pool is prompting complaints from neighbors that the unique feature will be an invasion of their privacy. Stefan Baraud has submitted plans for the “uber-luxury” Hyde Park complex featuring 20 two- and three-bedroom homes.
30 Stories
30 Stories — Today's editorial cartoon
EDITORIAL – Should Cayman rise to new heights?
In Grand Cayman, there is very little prime land (i.e. “sand”) available for development. In some key plots with pre-existing structures, the only direction for developers is skyward. However, proper execution would require a far more advanced and sophisticated legal and regulatory framework than Cayman currently has in place.
