Develop a city campus and hotel.
This is the latest development proposal that has been put forward for Bridgetown.
Sir Hilary Beckles Principal and Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, gave this announcement at the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry Anniversary Launch on June 2nd, 2010 at the historic George Washington House.
Looking at possible development for the University, Sir Hilary said, “From the perspective of University one of things we are looking at is acquiring a property in Bridgetown to develop a city campus. We are looking to see if we can acquire a premise to begin teaching. A city ought to have campus.”
He told the BCCI gathering, that developing a city campus will also have other spillover effects. He said, “a city campus of Cave Hill to develop our programs in the city and bring life to the city. You can very well imagine if we can succeed in securing a property and we have between 3000 – 6000 young people in the city between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m, you could imagine the life Cave Hill would be able to bring to the city as a teaching institution in the middle of Bridgetown. We are looking at this very seriously because of all the constraints we are facing where we are.”
The long-time historian argued the fact that Cave Hill has 6000 people rushing out of Bridgetown every evening, with a city Campus they would be able to stay where they are and the teaching staff deliver programs to them onsite. It would bring tremendous value to the car park industry, restaurant, food industry just to life all together.
The well-known academic explained that they would like to work with the Chamber on developing their strategy for the City. The Chamber of Commerce has been working assiduously on a revitalization project for Bridgetown.
On the issue of a major city hotel, the Campus official strongly argued that such development should become a priority for all stakeholders and Bridgetown maybe the only City in the West Indies without a major hotel. Sir Hilary stated, “We are probably the only City in the West Indies without a major hotel. It is peculiar we do not have a major hotel in the city. If the treasury building was such a property. I know there have been efforts in the past to conceptualise such a property a failed attempt in the 1907’s and I believe we need to push that very very aggressively.”
The lauded academic also explained that Barbadians need to change their perspective on city living. He noted, “We need to change our perspective on the city…, what city life ought to be. As Barbadians not I am not sure if we have grasped the full parameters of city living… I know some interesting efforts have been made to make it a social space and to blend that social living with tradition. But I believe there is a lot more we can do.”
The redevelopment which is taking place on this island’s most northerly town is being questioned by the Barbados National Trust.
In a press release issued on 20th May 2010, the National Trust says, “Speightstown, which has so much potential for development as a late eighteenth century port town, the building fabric is being slowly but surely eroded.”
According to the Trust the latest victim of this ongoing and short sighted philistinism is the destruction of what was arguably one of the best examples of a Georgian townhouse to be found in Speightstown. This structure, previously located on Church Street was allowed to fall into disrepair but was still salvageable. It contributed to the charm of Speightstown and like Beauty and the Beast, contrasted sharply with the tasteless modern structure on its left. Today, it is a gravelled parking lot.
The Barbados National Trust stands firm against the bland homogenization which is replacing originality and those who seem bent on destroying any and everything which stamps us as different and unique. To this end, they have been working closely with Town & Country Planning, architects and owners to insure that developments at historic sites proceed in a manner acceptable to all involved.
It is noted in the press release that there are the psychological costs associated with a loss of identity and a lack of social and ethical standards. There are also economic costs, as we deliberately grind away our uniqueness that brands us as Barbadian, a distinctive place, a place of value, one worth visiting. There are no appreciable long term benefits to Barbados morphing into the Costa del Sol or Miami. Quite the contrary. There are serious long term economic losses and costs associated with our headlong rush to abandon the structures of our past and replace them with dubious architectural concoctions of little merit.
Moreover the Trust contends that tourism is highly competitive and there must be some lesson to be learned from the fact that our competitors in the Caribbean and elsewhere are busily engaged in conserving and retaining their past, whereas we are hell bent on throwing out the baby with the bath water.
Jamaica is looking to cash in on both eco and spa tourism with the creation of a new multi-million dollar development called Bamboo Eco Resort & Spa.
Located in St. Mary’s and featuring Bamboo is designed to feature privately owned Villas, Condominium Units, a Hotel with 60 Suites, and a world-class Six Senses Spa. Environmentally sustainable resort operations and a positive community impact are key elements in the overall concept for Bamboo.
The Resort and Spa, has signed a Heads of Terms Agreement with Six Senses to provide resort management, marketing, and branding. Six Senses is a leading international resort and spa management and development company, operating luxury properties in countries such as Maldives, Thailand, Vietnam, Oman, Jordan, and Spain.
The Conceptual Master Plan for the resort features innovations in green building, exquisite organic architecture, sophisticated bamboo construction, and a 2.5-megawatt (MW) renewable energy system to power the entire resort. The Design and Development Team spearheading this groundbreaking project includes Architect Eric Lloyd Wright, grandson of renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright and Canopy Development, experienced sustainable resort planners and developers. Bamboo is also collaborating with members of the Bob Marley family to create a One Love Music Village which honors the musical legend Bob Marley and showcases Jamaica’s vibrant music culture as part of the resort’s amenities.
According to the developers of the project the overall concept is strategically positioned to capitalize on several rapidly growing market trends within the travel industry. Ecotourism is the fastest growing segment of the travel industry, increasing by more than 30% annually. Spa travel has experienced incredible growth and resort spas have become popular vacation destinations. Driving these market trends are discerning eco-conscious consumers and sophisticated travelers seeking luxury ecological resorts that offer organic foods, holistic healing, environmentally friendly operations, social responsibility, and unspoiled natural beauty.
The preliminary design plan for Bamboo Eco Resort has been developed around a property site located in the coastal region of St. Mary, Jamaica. Like Six Senses resorts worldwide, the proposed Bamboo site was identified as an ideal location for the development of a resort because of its exotic location, warm friendly people, and unspoiled natural beauty. Although the area has a secluded feel, it is easily accessible from Jamaica’s international and regional airports and the recent completion of Jamaica’s North Coast Highway now provides increased accessibility to this once remote region of the island.
