Tallest building in Jamaica gets regulatory approval
Published:Wednesday | February 9, 2022 | 12:07 AM
Developers of The Ascent, described as Jamaica’s tallest building, have received regulatory approval from at least one major agency.
The concept involves a mixed use 26-storey building, with green spaces, on lands at Oxford Road in New Kingston.
CEO of Stratosphere Development Limited, Lyttleton ‘Tanny’ Shirley, said he would reserve comment on the project’s progress for another two weeks, as minor details were being tweaked.
The National Environment & Planning Agency, NEPA, in its published decisions for February granted approval to Stratosphere Development Limited, with stipulated conditions regarding the technical requirements for the structure during its pre and post-construction phases.
The permit allows for the developers to build 28 residential units, 11 office levels and 305 parking spaces. The residential units, as outlined in the document, comprise eight one-bedroom units, 10 two-bedroom units, six three-bedroom units and one five-bedroom penthouse unit. There was no estimate on the cost of development in the filings.
The building would easily surpass The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, which has 17 storeys and is currently seen as Jamaica’s tallest structure. The hotel, owned by Kevin Hendrickson, is located at the end of Knutsford Boulevard in New Kingston, nearby the proposed Ascent site.
Kingston and other major towns are currently undergoing the biggest construction boom since the 1990s. Construction was one of the few sectors to record growth since the onset of the pandemic.
Stratospheric Development’s directors include businessman Neville Wallace, former head of Berger Paints Jamaica Warren McDonald, and businessman Robert Barnes. The company was formed in 2018 and its shareholders are Wallace with one share, McDonald with one share, and Stratospheric Investment with 100 shares. The shareholders in Stratospheric Investment are listed as Jhordan Wallace and Ashane Wallace.
Members of the real estate community said they were aware of the plan to develop Ascent, but haven’t started selling or marketing the units. The development is featured on Stratospheric’s website, where renderings of the skyscraper and an accompanying video are posted.