Monday, January 25, 2010St. Kitts Marina Development

Liggie PelekaniPhase I Christophe Harbour Marina Begins

Phase one of the development of the Christophe Harbour marina commenced on the week beginning 18th January 2010.

Christophe Harbour is located on the southeastern peninsula of St. Kitts and according to LeGrand Elebash, Chief Operating Officer at Christophe Harbour, the marina is destined to become the most desirable port-of-call in the Caribbean - with its natural shelter of hills and bluffs, favorable winds, immediate proximity, and access to the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Elebash spoke to Synfo.com about the exciting new marina. He explains that the first phase in the development, which has just begun, will include the following:

-Excavating the megayacht basin (the 34 acre area known as the little salt pond) to a depth of 20 feet.
-Creating 42 new harbour front property lots.
-Opening the channel to Ballast Bay to bring the channel to the depth appropriate for mega yachts.
-Fill the area for the lower golf holes with excavated material.
-Stockpile the sand that will be used in renourishing the beaches at Ballast Bay and Whitehouse Bay.

When asked what the new marina will bring to the superyacht industry, he said, "The opportunity for ownership of one's yacht slip is fairly unique, and we believe that this will continue to gain a lot of interest within the yachting community. We also believe that the marina at Christophe Harbour will shift the centre of gravity of the Caribbean yachting world in our direction."

The marina will be located in what is presently the Great Salt Pond, a 300-acre parcel that serves as the centerpiece of the 2,500-acre Christophe Harbour resort. Whitehouse Bay, located just outside the Great Salt Pond, is already known to be one of the best anchorages in the Caribbean. "When other anchorages and harbours are made virtually unusable by winter swells (as recently happened in St Barths), the protected waters of Christophe Harbour remain calm and comfortable," adds Elebash.

The resort's master developer, Christophe Harbour Development Company, Limited (CHDC), is managing the marina's development as well as the overall development of Christophe Harbour. CHDC is a venture led by Kiawah Development Partners (KDP). KDP is well known for its demonstrable development commitment to protecting and preserving natural habitats throughout its 20-year history. The marina excavation project will be managed by St. Kitts Marine Works, which is owned and operated by Kittitian Regiwell Francis.

Upon its completion, the Christophe Harbour marina and yacht harbour will provide protected entrance and a safe inner harbour; 300 slips with 50 to 60 slips accommodating vessels 85 feet to 300 feet in length; Designated port-of-entry featuring streamlined Customs and Immigration Services. The marina will also offer spacious berthing capacity and commercial and technical advantages that are unique to the region's boating community. The resort will offer a mega yacht harbour and marina; a championship, 18-hole golf course; luxury residential real estate; two branded five-star hotels; a private yacht club, beach clubs, restaurants and shopping. Elebash explains, "The marina will spawn a vibrant marina village bustling with commercial activity. This will not only offer megayacht owners, guests and crews an exciting destination, but will also provide numerous local jobs and opportunities for local entrepreneurs and service providers."

In addition to the resort's luxury, five-star hotel amenities, boat owners and guests also will have access to facilities including an elegant yacht club, with a captain's lounge and guest quarters, dockside provisioning, freshwater hookups, reservations at the island's best restaurants and concierge services including transportation, laundry service and security. The marina also will provide in-slip services, such as repair and maintenance, as well as fueling hook-up for boats longer than 60 feet, and waste-water and factory services for yachts greater than 100 feet in length.

"At full buildout, the megayacht marina project will cost over $100 million USD. Megayacht slips are being offered at the introductory rate of $10,000 per linear foot," says Elebash.

Elebash tells Synfo.com, "The first phase will take 14-16 months so we aim to be completed by spring 2011. The first 15 of the new harbour front property lots will be ready for sale in April 2010." He adds, "Designs for the first mega yacht docks are also in progress. Work will commence when the excavation is complete in spring 2011."

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