The Tribune

BY DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREEPORT - Caribbean Bottling Company has started construction on its new Freeport headquarters at the old Lowe’s Pipe & Steel Building on Yellow Pine Street.

Workers are busy tearing out the roof of the steel building, which is being almost completely rebuilt.

Renovation work is expected to be completed in next five to six months, when operators are expected to commence operations in the summer.

The massive 21,800 sq foot building is situated in a prime commercial location in Freeport.

It is in close proximity to the Grand Bahama International Airport, Freeport Harbour, and downtown Freeport.

CBC’s spent $500,000 to acquire the property and building. They plan to open a 7,500sq ft distribution centre in Freeport.

Somewhere between 15 and 20 construction jobs will be created in Freeport.

CBC previously leased space in Freeport from Premier Commercial Real Estate.

Caribbean Bottling ships all products to Freeport from Nassau.

“The move now is because we previously leased the real estate we occupied, and we prefer to own our real estate,” CEO Walter Wells told The Tribune earlier this year.

“This is the most significant project we will undertake this year. It is a complete refit. The building is almost being torn down and rebuilt. We will use the existing steel frame, but the outside cladding will be torn down and replaced. It’s a big job,” he said.