NHT to invest J$1.92b in Ruthven apartments
Published:Friday | October 8, 2010 | 12:00 AM
The National Housing Trust (NHT) has put a price tag of J$1.92 billion on its Ruthven Road project, but said home construction there is still a year away.
The trust has already selected A.G. Lowe Architects to develop the infrastructure at 1-3 Ruthven Road, provide architectural and engineering services for the design and construction monitoring of the housing units, but the J$80.8-million contract award is still subject to Cabinet approval.
The NHT plans to build 198 homes on the 5.7-acre property that currently houses three police divisions.
The housing agency said the development would comprise a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with construction expected to begin in October next year and finalised in 2013.
The property, which now houses the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse, the Protective Services Division and the Bands Division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, is part of a land swap between NHT and the police.
The deal requires NHT to renovate 45 East Queen Street and 79A East Street,in downtown Kingston, where the police offices are to be relocated and where the Kingston Central Police Station operates from.
That sub-project is costing J$12.5 million.
NHT has tapped APEC Consultants Limited for architectural and engineering services for the design and construction, monitoring and renovation works at East Queen Street, a contract that is also pending Cabinet approval, as required for all projects and contract awards above J$4 million.
The NHT said that renovation of the Kingston Central Police Station, which includes additional parking facilities, should get under way in March 2011 and wrapped up four months later.
The Ruthven Road development is located within walking distance of high-priced New Kingston; but the NHT, which has traditionally provided low-priced housing and has slowly been moving upmarket with several of its most recent projects, is not saying how much the new residences will likely cost.
"The selling prices are not available at this time," said the agency via email to the Financial Gleaner.