Buzzing new business hub

Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

REGARDED as the New Kingston of the west, the new mega-shopping and retail district of Fairview in Montego Bay, St James, has had two significant impacts on the city.

The first impact is "absolutely and fantastically positive and the other a challenge", admits Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce (MBCC) President Patrick Casserly.

Fairview, west of the city centre, may be considered the new commercial hub of the Second City. While cradling an influx of new businesses, Fairview is also welcoming branches of existing ones and embracing those which are relocating from the town centre.

"It has changed the landscape of access to services and goods available to the consumer. It also shows the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. However, we must learn from the impact of New Kingston and Constant Spring on downtown Kingston," cautions the MBCC president.

Hoping to avoid neglect

With the establishment of New Kingston and Constant Spring as centres of commerce and retail shopping, downtown Kingston lost its shine as the main commercial district in Kingston and is only new seeing a rebirth in some areas.

The MBCC hopes that Montego Bay does not follow this pattern of development, and falls into neglect as major companies relocate their main operations to Fairview.

The chamber president sees this as an opportunity for community leaders to address the issues in the city centre and put plans into action to revitalise downtown Montego Bay.

But Casserly went further in describing the potential of the new city centre: "For Fairview to add value to our tourism product - we need the addition of a restaurant centre to entice tourists out of the hotels - as restaurants and other entertainment attractions are critical to the development of the second tourism revenue source."

Already, Digicel, Couples Resorts, Extra's boutique, Billy Craig Insurance, Jamaica Money Market Brokers, and First Global Financial Services have moved to Fairview, enriching the area with what many have tagged a 'wheel of fortune'. In the meantime, Montego Bay is slowly but surely shedding its 'country' label.

Others, including J. Wray and Nephew, Sealy, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Stocks and Securities, KPMG and CGM Challenger, Payless, Stocks and Securities, Domino's Pizza, Maxie Department Store and Wendy's, are among the companies that have also followed suit.

Valued at US$30 million, the Fairview centre, Office Park and Strip Mall is located on the strip of land taking one from the city centre towards Lucea. Appliance Traders Limited (ATL's Autohaus) Bogue City Centre and the $J2.97 billion Whitter Village are two of the biggest investments this side of the city.

Fairview's pioneers are Frederick and Damien Moe, Eddie Azan and Mark Kerr-Jarrett, of Frontier Limited, while Joe and Angella Whitter are responsible for the growth now taking place in retail business in the north. Adam and Butch Stewart have their fair share of investment as well.

The city's new godfathers of development have emerged over the last 15 years, as the Second City's population exploded considerably, outgrowing the congested downtown Montego Bay.

"Ten years ago when Eddie and I started phase one of this project, we never anticipated it would have mushroomed into what it is today," admits Moe in an interview with The Sunday Gleaner.

Built in stages

Moe and Azan started on a very small project then in stages, built a supermarket and a Chinese restaurant. They later constructed Palace Multiplex and Fontana Pharmacy in the same complex. "It took us years to build it," says Moe.

For his partner, Mark Kerr-Jarrett, it's almost a game of catch-up, where the population has grown and there was no expansion to support the growth.

For its part, some 600 people are employed at Fairview, many of them from families of five, which shows the incredible economic impact.

With Fairview's growth making giant steps, attention is now being paid to the Montego Freeport, which has run out of space, confirms Kerr-Jarrett.

"There is no available space for information technology expansion, so the space needs to be built," he argued, giving The Sunday Gleaner an insight into the next major development, Vista Print's multimillion-dollar project at the Barnett Tech Park.

Vista Print commences construction next month, said Kerr-Jarrett, while he is actively pursuing financing for the development of call centres, which have the potential to provide employment for some 12,000 people.

Kerr-Jarrett says he needs US$120 million to put in all the buildings on the 48-acre property.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com