The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A prominent Bahamian developer is taking his “Passion” to Love Beach with plans to construct two seven-storey condo buildings that will in total feature 61 three-bedroom units.

Jason Kinsale, Aristo Development’s principal, is seeking site plan and other planning-related approvals for his Passion Point development, which is set to be scrutinised at a Department of Physical Planning public consultation due to be held this evening at the agency’s offices.

The developer, who has been responsible for projects such as Balmoral on Sandford Drive; Thirty|Six on Paradise Island; and ONE Cable Beach, and is currently constructing a second high-rise Cable Beach waterfront development in Aqualina, has sought to reassure that Passion Point’s visual impact will be mitigated by the steep slope from West Bay Street to the sea.

“Please note that there is a significant drop in elevation from the road to the beach of approximately 20 feet,” Mr Kinsale said in a November 23, 2022, letter to Charles Zonicle, the Department of Physical Planning’s director. “It will enable the building to appear as if it is a five-storey building from the road when driving by.”

Documents lodged with the Department of Physical Planning reveal that Passion Point is targeted at a 3.82-acre site immediately to the east of ‘Garden of Eden’ on West Bay Street. It will lie to the north of Old Fort Bay in lots six and seven of Love Estates subdivision, and is close to where the road makes a second turn major turn eastwards towards Cable Beach.

Mr Kinsale declined to comment when contacted by Tribune Business about Passion Point on the grounds he did not want to influence or prejudice tonight’s Town Planning meeting. The project’s file with the Department of Physical Planning provided no details on its likely economic impact in terms of the total investment involved, number of construction jobs that will be created, condo price points or likely number of residents.

The developer, in his letter to Mr Zonicle, added: “The development is comprise of two condominium buildings; 27 condo units in Building A, 34 condo units in Building B.” This made for 61 three-bedroom units in total split between the two seven-storey properties, and Mr Kinsale added that Passion Point will have underground parking and some 104 parking stalls.

“The development will consist of three-bedroom units approximately 2,600 square feet in size,” the Aristo chief said. “A gym, tennis and beach cabana will also be provided as additional amenities.” A paddle court is also proposed according to the documents.

William Wong, the current Bahamian ambassador to Morocco, and former two-term Bahamas Real Estate Association (BREA) president, who will become one of Passion Point’s next-door neighbours in Garden of Eden if the former project receives all the necessary approvals to proceed, said he understands both sides of the argument when it comes to development.

Joking that fellow Garden of Eden residents “will probably scalp me”, he told Tribune Business that while he would like the area to remain as is he also realises that The Bahamas needs to generate jobs and economic growth - especially coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is progress, and the precedent for seven storeys on West Bay Street was set a long time ago. I don’t think that’s a big ask anywhere you go,” Mr Wong said. “It will increase traffic, but hopefully it will also increase the market value of where we live. I’d like to keep it a big secret, and keep this place to ourselves, but the developer needs to make money and coming out of hard times we need jobs and we need work.

“I wear two hats. I’m a neighbour, but as a businessman the country needs work, it needs jobs. This will create jobs. My neighbours will probably scalp me, but the truth will set you free. I could be selfish and say no development, but what about the jobs and income? We need to survive.

“I could be selfish and say no development next to me, but the country needs jobs, it needs income, and it needs taxes to be paid. If they do everything right, follow the rules and everything is environmentally sound, I have no problem.”

Mr Kinsale has a strategy of moving rapidly on to new projects once he has sold-out, or is close to finishing, his present development and will likely be doing the same with Passion Point. Speaking about his current development, Aqualina, in early 2021, he said he was targeting the sale of all its units within 18 months.

“One thing I’ve learned is never to fool myself at the level of absorption in The Bahamas,” he said then. “Thirty units is a comfortable number. You get out in a three-year period instead of another project where you are there for years and years and years.”