Construction works begin on US$350 million Pinnacle project in Montego Bay

Construction works on the US$350 million Pinnacle project in Montego Bay, St James has started, with the driving of piles on which the four skyscraping towers will be built.

This has come two months following a groundbreaking in January.

Deputy Prime Minister Dr Horace Chang, who was on hand this morning for the commencement of the construction phase, described the process as an impressive piece of work.

“You can sense from the operation, there is absolutely no sound; it's like an electric vehicle and the speed at which it's going is impressive, “Chang said.

He noted that the equipment being used to drive the piles 100 feet into the surface is amazing as it is able to send 125 feet of piles within 15 minutes.

The deputy prime minister, who was accompanied by Homer Davis, the Minister of State in the office of the Prime Minister Wes, lauded the LCH developers and their contractor, Brothers, for the advanced level of building technologies being used on this project.

“This is a good start and an impressive one. We have had other buildings with small piles and in the mornings you are awakened by the noise but this one is just moving along seamlessly,” Chang noted.

Further, he said the Jamaicans on the project will be exposed to this technology where they will receive the required training to assemble and operate these machines.

“The impressive nature of this is that they have brought technology to Jamaica and will be teaching Jamaicans how to manage and operate these equipment so at the end of this any other company that brings this type of technology here, you will have Jamaicans who can manage and operate them which is critical to technology transfer,” said Chang.

Yansen Lee, chief executive officer at LCH Developments, said the project, which has so far provided employment for 16 Jamaicans, is on target for completion in 2027.

“Today, we are doing the first piling, meaning the project starts, using the first (pile driving) technology driving machine in the Caribbean,” Lee told The Gleaner.

He said each of the four high rise buildings will have about 400 piles that can withstand a category five hurricane.

The Pinnacle is a luxury private community project that is being developed on the Montego Bay Marine reserve, consisting of four separate towers, each with 28 storeys and a panoramic skyscraping view.

Built into that are also 15 luxury villas, sports and leisure facilities, shopping, and restaurants including a private residents club which is being spearheaded by LCH developments and designed by Issia Madden, a born and bred Montego Bay-based architect.

- Albert Ferguson

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